House Speaker McCluskie holds Western Slope press conference

Newly-elected house speaker Julie McCluskie stands at the podium on Jan. 9, the first day of the 2023 legislative session.

Newly-elected Speaker of the House Julie McCluskie held a special press session for Western Slope reporters on Thursday, Jan. 5, just days before the start of the 74th General Assembly. 

In opening remarks, she highlighted the state’s economic recovery from COVID, while outlining areas of growth for the future. Housing, child care and health  care affordability in resort communities will be key issues in the new legislative session, she said, but the real centerpiece will be climate action, focusing on negotiations for the Colorado River Compact, wildfire mitigation and forest health. She outlined the role of public education, and stressed the need to care for teachers and keep college affordable.

One of the things we had our eyes on was school bus safety, but that was ultimately defunded. Is that going to be a priority for this session?

Having worked in schools and knowing what it takes to make sure you have the right hardware in place, not only in your buildings but also on your school buses, we do have to make sure that every student and educator feels safe in the spaces where they're working. You might be referring to the school bus safety legislation that came very late in the session. In conversations with our education committee, there is certainly a strong commitment to school bus safety, but there were concerns about that piece of legislation. I'm not currently aware of a specific school bus safety bill coming forward.

I've heard from people around the Western Slope that affordable housing is an issue, but not necessarily one that begs a statewide, one-size-fits all response. Would locals have a say in whatever's done with affordable housing?

House Bill 1271, passed in 2021, was designed to drive the local production and development of housing by providing a menu of incentives for faster development. I'm pleased that since that bill was passed, we've started to see communities, particularly on the Western Slope and in rural Colorado, take advantage of that funding.

We've seen $18 million go out in incentive grants and $5 million in planning grants from that legislation. In Gunnison, we have a $1.8 million incentive grant for housing infrastructure.

Local solutions for housing are really the pathway to moving development faster and more efficiently. As a state, we're recognizing the affordable workforce housing shortage is a problem everywhere, so leaning in and looking at ways we can support not only housing development, but maybe provide tax credits for first-time homebuyers, expand property tax exemptions for home builders and evaluate that landlord tenant relationship. Those conversations will be leading in both the House and the Senate. 

What is your position on the status of oil and gas development in Colorado? How can the legislature remedy income the state receives from the industry while pursuing its stated climate goals?

Senate Bill 181, passed in 2019, was landmark legislation that changed the course and trajectory for oil and gas development in this state. As this state leans in on climate action, which we have done since the Democrats took the majority in 2019, we are building a strong path to get to those renewables. We have targeted 100% renewables and 100% clean energy, probably before 2040.

The reality is, oil and gas development does continue as we transition our economy. It is not an overnight flip of a switch transition. As I have represented Gunnison County and other counties that have been dependent on fossil fuels or severance tax for local economies, we have to be aware of those impacts and continue to evaluate how we provide the necessary funding to local communities and transition the workforce so that they continue to have a strong career with a job that pays a living wage. I am not about leaving anybody behind. 

I can't speak to any specific legislation at this point, but we are trying to modify our funding perspective and system as it relates to severance taxes and how we might smooth out some rough edges along the way.

Will Colorado Parks and Wildlife hold meetings about the draft wolf plan in more counties where wolves are being reintroduced? Jackson, Moffat and Routt county ranchers aren't happy about this.

While I am pleased with the amount of time that has gone into this draft plan, it is important to recognize that it is still a draft and we have the opportunity to weigh in. Predation on livestock is certainly a concern and a priority. With Sen. Roberts, Rep. Lukens and others on the Western Slope, I anticipate that we will partner with ranchers to ensure that they are compensated when predation occurs. 

We are also listening and learning from the experiences that are happening right now on the ground on the northern edges of our state. I anticipate that this is going to evolve as our reintroduction process moves forward. I have confidence that the Department of Natural Resources and Colorado Parks and Wildlife are committed to doing this well, doing it right, and taking care of those individuals that are most deeply affected.

I certainly do not agree with ballot box biology, and it is a tough way for this process to come about through a ballot measure. But the investment of time working with experts in the field to drive a comprehensive and thoughtful plan — I believe that has been genuine.

It is important for the communities to know they have a voice in the plan, whether there's a meeting in their neighborhood or not, that that voice can be through representation, myself, senators or the department itself. 

In Chaffee and the surrounding counties, the prospect of crude oil coming out of Utah over rail lines through our pristine counties, and especially coming down the Arkansas River Valley, is a big concern. Our recreational dependence on that river is an $80 million summer industry. Will there be conversations in the legislature this year about protecting our environmental resources?

When it comes to protecting our great outdoors, which in so many of our Western Slope communities is our absolute lifeblood, protecting waterways and water resources are a part of our plan. It's how folks put food on the table, and how they're able to play because they can work in some of our most pristine areas in the state.

We have talked about the need for greater investments in protecting our streams — recognizing the value of these waterways, not just for their beauty, but also as part of our economic infrastructure. It is critical that we continue to make those investments. I know that leadership, certainly in Chaffee County and across the Western Slope, will recognize how important the outdoors are to our local economies. 

(Abby Harrison can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or abby@gunnisontimes.com.)