'Con Games' Notes With State Senator Gail Schwartz

June 20th, 2007 at 10:09am Jessica Andrews 393

Colorado State Senator Gail Schwartz of Snowmass represents 11 counties in Western Colorado, including Pitkin County. She came onto "Con Games" Wednesday to relay some of the latest from the state capitol and covered a wide range of issues.
"Con Games" Notes:

Michael Conniff asked Schwartz how do you fend off challenges from the mayor who said smaller towns like Aurora don’t matter and aren’t worthy of more water?

Schwartz said legislators try to slow down new diversion on water rights in a variety of ways. The drought taking place has stressed our water resources, but she hopes to see some normal years of precipitation ahead so water can be stored for some of the dryer seasons that may come in the future. Schwartz said, another concern is water quality and we are working on improving that as well.

Conniff asked, when you got to the legislature did you have a choice on where you would be appointed?

Schwartz said the leadership makes assignments: she was appointed to three committees one of which was agriculture and water conservation.

As you know there is a pretty major fire in Garfield County as we speak, said Conniff, what can the state do about wildfires?

Schwartz replied Colorado Governor Bill Ritter and the U.S Senate have to provide resources prior to the high season; there is a very significant conversation in the state legislation this year about this issue.

“Its an amazing concept to think that Colorado as we know it will change,” said Schwartz. “We haven’t had the maintenance in our forests to really make a difference, we need to get the allowance to go in and clear out unnecessary timber.”

She said fire will also destroy much of our water storage if we don’t clear out unwanted timber. We can approach this issue from many different angles.

I know you’re on the energy committee, Conniff said. What has been accomplished in the state senate and by Governor Ritter as far as energy and conservation?

Schwartz replied that we have to step up in Colorado and be leaders in energy and alternative energy production by trying to increase our renewable energy standards. We currently have a 20 percent renewable energy standard and the U.S government actually wants us to double that. She said the state of Colorado has the opportunity to create solar generation and wind generation and bio mass generation. There are many new opportunities

A caller asked Shwartz, what is your stance in the Senate in terms of enacting health care reform in the state of Colorado?

Schwartz said, at this point three-quarters of a million people in Colorado are without health care.

“We can hopefully crack a plan to give quality care, early care and preventative care to those in need, she said, “These are all things we want to jump on and that the state and Governor Ritter are working to pass.”

She added that I it is especially important to make individual health care affordable for the average citizen.

A caller asked: in terms of agriculture and renewable resources, at what point and time is Colorado going to evaluate when there needs to be limits to development as it pertains to the amount of water resources that are available?

Schwartz said she actually met a few days ago at a round table discussion about the very finite amount of water available to Colorado. In fact, she said, we are required to deliver water to other states from Colorado rivers: this is a situation that we must be proactive, realistic and practical, she said, because this all comes back to an issue of growth management.

Conniff brought up the subject of education,what is happening in the legislation in terms of education in our state?

Schwartz said that education is critical, but that Colorado ranks last in the nation in funding higher education, she said. Some of these issues in terms of education were mandated; however, higher education was not funded, even to bring us to the middle pack of the U.S on higher education funding we would have to spend millions more on our campuses each year. It is certainly our job as a state to be accountable for higher education.

There have been many concerns about the water supply not only on the front range but also locally in Snowmass village, said a caller, and many fear that Snowmass Village is taking all the water out of the Snowmass Creek?

Schwartz said that there is a concern there, being a local of Snowmass village she agreed that it is no different than what is happening on the Front Range.

Schwartz said: “We cannot develop a recreational industry in expense to our water supply in Colorado.”

Conniff asked: how do you think that the new Base Village development has effected this issue?

Schwartz replied that itt is all very complicated, she said that she has not yet seen the plan that the developers have, but it is an issue for many locals in Snowmass.

“I have spoken to many people who are concerned by the amount of development in Snowmass,” said Schwartz, “I support the responsible use of water in development.”

A caller asked the question: “Don’t all these problems, health care, water conservation and even education, come down to the influx of illegal aliens?”

Schwartz said, “In the states, our hands are tied,”

She said that the state of Colorado have gone far and beyond to identify illegal aliens in Colorado and to make sure documentation is mandatory. She said they are waiting for Congress to take the lead on this issue and come up with a more functional plan to decide how individuals can become citizens and provide restitution for them.

She said there should be zero tolerance for illegal aliens. However, we are trying to avoid racial profiling in the state. Nonetheless, we have put in place very strict statutes that will identify individuals who are not legally U.S citizens, she said.

It is, again, a complicated issue, said Schwartz. We must weigh in on the U.S government and congress that need to create a more concise plan in regards to immigration.

Entry Filed under: Environment, Health, Politics, Education, Immigration, Aspen, Con Games, Garfield County