State Sen. Ellen Roberts needs to stand up for our public lands. Here in Southwest Colorado, our public lands are one of our most valued assets. We all relish our opportunities to get outside and enjoy them, which is why it is disappointing that our state senator has chosen to vote in favor of a bill that would threaten our access to public lands.
This bill – Senate Bill 232 – which passed in the Colorado Senate Agriculture committee, would divert taxpayer dollars to “study” transferring control of national public lands to the state. It is part of a thinly veiled effort to fence off our public lands and potentially auction them to the highest bidder taking place in Colorado and across the West.
These bills are backed by out-of-state special interests, and would be very expensive for Colorado taxpayers. Our state can’t afford the $300 million it would require to maintain national public lands. This is the wrong choice for Southwest Colorado.
Join me in asking Sen. Roberts to vote her vote on SB 232 when it goes before the full senate in the coming weeks.
Orinda Spence
Cortez