Every decade, the states House and Senate districts and its Congressional districts are reshaped. Population growth, usually inconsistent around the state, requires that boundaries be changed to make the districts roughly equal in numbers of residents.
As a result of the 2010 census, House districts have to have about 77,000 residents, senate districts about 144,000.
This time House District 59, which stretches from Wolf Creek Pass on the east to almost the western edge of Cortez, has grown in population at a rate very close to that of the state as a whole. Thus, it can remain closely unchanged in composition, and it should.
The 59th is currently represented by J. Paul Brown, a sheep rancher from Ignacio He is a Republican. Previously Ellen Roberts, of Durango, and Mark Larson, of Cortez, both Republicans, represented the district. Before that were Democrats Jim Dyer and Ben Nighthorse Campbell. (Later, in CongressCampbell would switch parties.)
History has shown us variety.
But this time state Democrats would like to see Republican Montezuma County dropped from the 59th to be replaced by the eastern half of San Miguel County, primarily heavily Democratic Telluride. The idea which is perfectly legal is to link resort towns and to make it much more likely that a Democrat is chosen in the 59th. Montezuma County would become a part of the 58th, now centered in Montrose, both of which are heavily Republican.
There is a lot to be said for districts that include a variety of political thinking, which the 59th has produced in recent decades. And in this case geography is on our side. Telluride, separated from Durango by three passes, is out of reach. Although electronic communications are handy to have and growing ever more useful, state representatives and their constituents have to be able to meet face to face. J. Paul Brown would have a difficult time attending gatherings in Telluride, especially during the legislative session, and any representative living in Telluride would struggle to be visible in La Plata County.
And Cortez is a lengthy distance from Montrose, if that was the combination. In both cases, geography easily trumps the (misplaced) desire for common interests.
Colorados only two Indian reservations are split, the Southern Utes in Ignacio in the 59th and the Ute Mountain Utes in Towaoc in the 58th. We hope that population growth in the district allows that separate representation to continue. While it is difficult to reach Towaoc from Montrose, it is preferable for the two tribes to be represented on state issues, when need be, by two members of the House.
It is unfortunate that all of Montezuma and Dolores cannot be included in the 59th. That would be the logical relationship. But the match between the population and geography is not perfect. And unless Montezuma Countys population grows faster than it currently is, in coming decades more of the western side of the county will go to the 58th. Wolf Creek Pass, the 59ths eastern boundary, is almost absolute. To put Pagosa Springs into a district with the San Luis Valley makes no geographical sense.
State Republicans are comfortable with the 59th as it is, as we believe most residents of the district are; state Democrats should be, too.
