By Lindy Browning | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice
Local and state officials, both Republican and Democrat, on the Western Slope are rallying against proposed budget cuts that would close the Delta Correctional Facility and Rifle Correctional Facility, both minimum security prisons.
The group of lawmakers includes Republicans Rep. Matt Soper and Sen. Marc Catlin and Democrats Rep. Elizabeth Velasco and Sen. Dylan Roberts.
“The Joint Budget Committee (JBC) is considering closing the Delta Correctional Facility due to a $1.2 billion shortfall in the state budget. This decision is moving quickly and we need to take action now to protect local jobs and our community,” Soper posted to his constituents on social media.
Providing his constituents with further information about the proposed closures, he said the Department of Corrections is the second-largest budget item just behind Medicaid in the state budget. He says that the Department of Corrections does not support the effort, which was proposed by JBC staffers rather than legislators.
Ellen H., who is currently employed at the Delta Correctional Facility, wrote a letter to the JBC members asking them to consider the impacts of the job losses, tax dollars that flow into the local governments and into the state coffers. She reminded them that the jobs represent families on the Western Slope who have mortgages, pay taxes — local, state and federal — have children in the schools and spend their wages in the local economy.
In Delta County alone, the closure of the Delta Correctional Facility would equate to cutting 140 jobs and more than $7 million in salaries, Soper said. Although he does not mention the other impacts to jobs, there are also multiple local vendors who provide goods and services to the facility whose jobs and income losses would further injure the Delta County economy.
In a letter sent to the JBC, Velasco, Roberts and Catlin warned that closures in Rifle and Delta would have far reaching and unintended consequences that outweigh the financial savings to the state.
The Rifle facility houses 192 inmates and employs 56 people. Garfield County leaders say it impacts not only bed space for inmates. They highlight rehabilitation programs that are available at the Rifle facility — job skills and readiness for re-entry to the communities after completing a sentence that reduce recidivism. The facility partners with Habitat for Humanity to provide training in construction leading to post-release job opportunities.
Opened in the 1960’s, the Rifle Correctional facility has been a major economic driver, “to close it would be a blow for the community in a region where many people already are challenged with high housing costs and long commutes to work,” said elected officials in Garfield County.
There is already a crisis locally, they say, where “people can’t afford to live in the area they work.”
The Associated Governments of Northwest Colorado has also supported keeping the facilities open.
Members of the community responding to Soper’s social media post have several ideas as to why the state is in a budget shortfall, and where cuts can be made.
They cite the $6.2 million dollars spent and budgeted for 2025-26 for the wolf reintroduction, a dollar amount that does not yet include the total compensation that is going to be necessary to compensate for livestock depredation for the inevitable claims in 2025.
It’s also ironic that, in the past few weeks, reports that over $6 million dollars were spent on Medicaid claims for people who were deceased at the time of the billing and over $40 million dollars in fraud have been identified in the state Medicaid Fund.
In addition, a quick search reveals that the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, is awarding $3 million dollars in grant funding through their Environmental Justice Board. It has also just been revealed that Colorado’s agency that regulates Oil and Gas, Energy and Carbon Management Commission (ECMC) has just hired two Environmental Justice Liaisons to their staff. Their salary ranges are costing taxpayers between $140,000 and $185,000 dollars a year.
In addition, according to the New York Post, Colorado has spent a whopping $356 million dollars supporting illegal immigrants, including $49 million for health care (Medicaid), and $256 million for educating illegal immigrant children.
News outlets are also reporting that Denver Mayor Mike Johnson has spent $2 million dollars (of city funds) for legal representation for a hearing in front of members of Congress.
Soper has asked his constituents to email and call the members of the JBC and let them know how their community will be impacted if these facilities are scheduled for closure.