Colorado Attorney General and gubernatorial candidate Phil Weiser addressed a crowd of about 30 residents on Friday at the Chamber of Commerce building in Cortez, offering updates on his recent achievements and current initiatives before taking questions from attendees.
Weiser’s opening remarks discussed state strategies to support mental health and trauma awareness for law enforcement, saying, “law enforcement professionals, for too long, were given the message ‘suck it all up.’” He drew a line from on-the-job trauma to use of excessive force and shared how the state is implementing strategies to train officers to recognize when they or their colleagues aren’t at their best, so they can avoid carrying trauma into future incidents.
He touted his success in halting the proposed merger between grocery giants Kroger and Albertsons. He said community feedback convinced him the merger would harm local farmers, consumers and workers, prompting a successful lawsuit to block it.
He touched on the ongoing negotiations about water rights on the Colorado River, saying that states are currently in talks to avoid a federally imposed solution. He said he’s prepared to litigate if necessary.
Weiser expressed frustration with hurdles to the expansion of rural broadband access, citing the “Wolf Creek Pass situation,” referring to the disparity in access between the east and west sides of the pass. He stated that he is continually pushing CDOT to resolve right-of-way issues and is awaiting the release of federal money for building fiber networks in Southwest Colorado. He cited the need for “sustainable, reliable access to broadband,” especially after his conversation with the Southern Ute Tribe revealed their struggle with inconsistent 911 service, a situation he called “unacceptable.”
The attorney general praised an $18 million to $20 million investment from infrastructure funds in the Southwest Opioid Response District and responded to feedback that more support is needed for detox services for incarcerated individuals. These individuals are often at risk for relapses, overdoses or reincarceration after being released due to inadequate support in dealing with addiction.
He closed his remarks by recounting his Wednesday conversation with the La Plata Economic Alliance in Durango, saying, “Montezuma County is not an island. La Plata is not an island. Building a network, in Southwest Colorado can lift all boats.” He noted businesses that start in one county and move to a neighboring county as an example of the fluidity of economic development in the region. He also stressed the need for flexibility in economic development initiatives across the state, saying a one-size-fits-all or top-down approach should be avoided.
He then opened the remainder of the hourlong conversation to questions from attendees, which ranged from concerns about housing policy, youth mental health, federal funding cuts and agricultural support to TABOR reform and state pushback on federal overreach.
Ryan Brown of Mancos asked how TABOR would affect the state’s ability to respond to fill gaps caused by federal funding cuts to critical programs.
Weiser responded by acknowledging that the state is facing a difficult budget situation made more difficult by federal cuts. He is currently fighting federal education cuts in court. He went on to explain how TABOR can be reformed to preserve the rights of voters to directly approve tax increases, but to replace the flat income tax requirement with a progressive tax to bring Colorado in line with most other states and the federal government.
He also proposed removing the “hard cap” which “allows the state to retain and spend an amount based on the prior fiscal year's actual revenue or limit, whichever was lower, grown by Colorado inflation and population growth and adjusted for any ‘voter-approved revenue changes.’” (TABOR) He said, “This hard cap is a stranglehold,” and “No other state operates like this.”
Russ Taylor of Mancos, and chairman of the Montezuma Democratic Party, asked if Weiser is elected governor, would he push back strongly against the federal government’s overreach such as resisting efforts to send the military or National Guard to do law enforcement duties in Colorado.
Weiser said, to the resounding applause of those gathered, that he would stand against the illegal deployment of the military or National Guard into Colorado for domestic law enforcement.
Weiser thanked attendees for coming and urged them to stay involved, saying, “Our democratic republic is a team sport, not a spectator sport.”
