STATE BILL COLORADO

Here’s what Colorado news reporters, political consultants and two governors are saying in the lead up to Tuesday’s inaugurations of John Hickenlooper and Joe Garcia.

Patrick Malone, Pueblo Chieftain: Here’s the schedule of events.

The Denver Post: John Hickenlooper’s inauguration Tuesday falls on the hard-to-ignore 1/1 1/11, and that makes it ripe for a little numerical deconstruction.

The Denver Post: Politicos will covet tickets to Gov.-elect John Hickenlooper’s inaugural bash, but so will beer geeks.

Bill Owens, former Republican governor: Innovation need not be dependent on government’s checkbook.

Bill Ritter, outgoing Democratic governor: The governor … must strive to unite the state around common goals, aspirations and solutions.

Associated Press: Businesses routinely pay for inaugural parties, but watchdog critics are again questioning whether those companies are buying undue influence.

Ricardo Baca, The Denver Post: It may not appeal to folks who like their governors a little more high-cultured, but John Hickenlooper had a solid reputation as Denver’s rock ‘n’ roll mayor.

Dan Haley, The Denver Post: There’s even an extra buzz this year, what with that lanky switch-hitter everyone’s been talking about finally getting called up to the bigs and with a new team playing defense in the House.

Lynn Bartels, The Denver Post: It’s 2011 and, with Colorado mired in the worst economy since the Great Depression, the incoming Democratic governor, John Hickenlooper, has planned a barbecue Tuesday night at the funky Fillmore Auditorium.

Suzanne S. Brown, The Denver Post: What does one wear to a $100-a-plate barbecue dinner being held in a venue where the audience is typically dressed in distressed jeans and rock T-shirts?