In a town-hall-style discussion, a group of about 75 people gathered at Durango Public Library on Saturday morning for the La Plata County League of Women Voters Legislative Lowdown, with guests Sen. Ellen Roberts, R-Durango, and Rep. Mike McLachlan, D-Durango.
Attendees were given cards on which they could write questions, which were then submitted and sorted by a moderator to be answered by the legislators. LWV treasurer Nadine Ancel said the group’s main objective was to get the community involved in the political process.
“It’s to educate the voters, so they know what’s going on,” she said.
The forum began with addresses from Roberts and McLachlan, who both spoke about bills they are sponsoring this year.
McLachlan discussed the Colorado Charitable Crop Donation Act, a bill also supported by Roberts, which would provide a 25 percent tax credit to food producers donating fruits, vegetables, dairy and meat to qualified food-distribution organizations for low-income families. He also promoted the College Affordability Act, which would prevent institutions from raising their tuition more than 6 percent annually.
Last year, McLachlan carried 11 bills to pass in the house, he said.
“In the Legislature, I’m not a show horse – I’m a work horse,” he said.
Roberts, a member of the Wildfire Matters Committee, was excited about her bill to create a statewide Web-based resource for wildfire information, one of many fire-related bills she supports. Her bill to limit the size of suburban lawns to conserve water for agricultural use already was passed by the Senate Agricultural Committee and is gaining momentum.
Most of the questions from the audience centered on education finance, water, wildfire mitigation and roads.
“I was delighted to see that citizens were interested in matters of important public policy,” McLachlan said.
Despite the two being from “across the aisle” in the capital, a bipartisanship seemed to prevail throughout the forum.
“I think, Ellen and I – even though we’re of different parties – we have many common interests, and I think they’re to the benefit of this state,” McLachlan said. “I think we should continue the conversation of education and transportation, but I think that, other than education, water is the most important conversation we need to have. It’s something that is critically important for our future.”
Both he and Roberts expressed a need to acknowledge the growing population of La Plata County, the second largest county on the Western Slope, with 55,000 residents. It’s estimated that by 2040, the county will grow by 30 percent, they said.
Roberts said voters had smart, relevant questions about regional issues.
“I’m thrilled that people wanted to talk about wildfire and water,” she said. “They are easy to forget when you’re not in the midst of a lawn-watering restriction or smelling smoke from a fire. The fact that people have a lot of good questions means it’s on their minds.”
While this year’s forum ran smoothly, last year’s drew more than 400 people and saw a heated debate, causing law enforcement to be summoned when many became angry about McLachlan’s position on gun control. A recall was petitioned against him, but it never gained the 10,586 signatures required from his district, which includes Archuleta, La Plata, Hinsdale, Ouray and San Juan counties, plus half of Gunnison County.
Former Rep. J. Paul Brown, R-Ignacio, who is running against McLachlan this next election, also was in the crowd. He called the forum a good thing and said he was looking forward to sharing his own ideas about improving Colorado.
“I think we can use the dollars we have more efficiently,” Brown said.
Ancel said the event went well, in contrast to the previous year.
“I’m pleased with the turnout, and I’m pleased with the lack of hostility,” she said. “I like it when the citizens can talk to the people who represent them.”
bmathis@durangoherald.com
