Pueblo County Commissioners have joined Mesa and Garfield counties in urging the Colorado General Assembly to rethink state laws that force counties to spend money without providing financial support.
During their Aug. 12 meeting, the Pueblo Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) unanimously approved a resolution to send a letter to Gov. Jared Polis, House Speaker Julie McCluskie, and Senate President James Coleman. The letter highlights growing concern over “unfunded mandates” that create financial strain for local governments and residents.
The commissioners pointed to several recent laws, including:
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SB 23-166: Establishing a wildfire resiliency code board.
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SB 24-005: Restricting certain landscaping practices to conserve water.
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HB 21-1286: Improving energy performance in buildings.
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HB 21-1250: Increasing law enforcement accountability.
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HB 21-1236: Changing state information technology statutes.
“These mandates require counties to dedicate staff time, upgrade systems, or implement new procedures. None of them come with state funding,” the letter stated.
The commissioners cited Colorado Revised Statute 29-1-304.5, which prohibits the state from imposing new mandates on local governments without providing funding. They called on lawmakers to reconsider the volume of unfunded mandates and asked Governor Polis to use his veto power when needed.
Commissioner Miles Lucero criticized the state’s approach:
“It feels very hypocritical to say, ‘We’re not going to pass legislation that’s going to affect our state budget, yet hand it down to local governments.’ This isn’t about partisan politics. We just can’t afford to keep funding these directives.”
Commissioner Zach Swearingen added that while some policies are good, they need financial backing:
“There’s only so much money. It’s got to come from some place.”
Commissioner Paula McPheeters echoed those concerns, saying counties are reaching a breaking point:
“We have to abide by the law, but the law requires us to spend money in ways we didn’t before. We’re almost at a point of exhaustion with that, with our budget.”
The commissioners stressed they are open to collaboration and requested a candid conversation with state leaders about the true costs of these mandates and potential solutions.
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Katie is a senior who has been on staff for three years. Her favorite type of stories to write is reviews and features. Katie’s favorite ice cream flavor is strawberry.
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