From The Durango Herald (Ann Butler):
“We need to have a grown-up conversation about what we can afford,” said Sen. Ellen Roberts, R-Durango, who was joined by Rep. J. Paul Brown, R-Ignacio, at the event. “When we took $450 million from the severance tax, which was set up to help local communities affected by the oil and gas industry and support water-storage construction, it was just one more attempt to delay a tough conversation. We need to figure out what our priorities are and make our revenues and expenses match up.”
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About 40 people filled the room at the Durango Recreation Center, including all three La Plata County commissioners. Attendees asked questions about all of the hot topics in the news, such as the desirability of the Superfund to clean up the Animas River, moving the hospital provider fee from under the Taxpayer Bill of Rights cap, a single-provider health care system and funding for K-12 education.