Here's a report about the gubernatorial forum in Rifle on Wednesday, from the Pueblo Chieftain. From the article, "Republican Bob Beauprez and Democrat Bill Ritter talked severance taxes, the environment and energy during a gubernatorial debate in this Western Slope town, one of the centers of Colorado's natural gas industry. The debate Wednesday night centered on how energy is changing the landscape and the economy of northwestern Colorado, boosting revenues as well as spurring concerns about lasting impacts on the environment, burdens on government and social services...
"Both candidates agreed that Colorado, with its vast reserves of natural gas, untapped oil shale and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, should lead the nation in balanced energy production. After those agreements, the two agreed on little else during the roughly two hour debate. In response to questions put together by community members, Ritter said he would not rule out raising severance taxes, which are generated by mineral extraction, to help communities offset the impacts of energy development. He said that after visiting counties across the Western Slope, he is concerned about the energy boom's effect on air and water quality as well on roads and highways. Beauprez said, 'hell, no,' to raising severance taxes, and instead pledged to fight any attempted raids on tax revenue earmarked for counties where the energy development is happening. Judith Hayward, a member of the Parachute Town Council, waved a Ritter sign before the debate began...
"Although western Colorado leans Republican, Beauprez has had to contend with fallout from his support in 2003 for Referendum A, an initiative to spend $2 billion on water projects. The plan, which lost at the polls, was seen by western Coloradans as another attempt to divert water from their area to the quickly growing Front Range. During the debate, Ritter said he felt that Republican Gov. Bill Owens, who is stepping down because of term limits, did not provide enough leadership to get a split-estate bill passed. The issue - which involves one party owning the surface rights while another owns the minerals and other resources underneath - has become a priority as energy development has increased."
Category: Denver November 2006 Election
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