Fix It or Fund It - Rocky Mountain Voice

By Jen Schumann | Rocky Mountain Voice Unfunded mandates have become a flashpoint between Denver and Colorado’s counties, with local governments warning they are being asked to do more with less. State Rep. Matt Soper has been vocal in support of counties banding together through the Fix It or Fund It coalition. He represents Delta and Mesa counties in the Colorado House and is serving his fourth term, with term limits preventing another run. The Delta County commissioner seat he is pursuing is also opening due to term limits. “It has been the honor of a lifetime to represent Delta and Mesa Counties in the Colorado House of Representatives,” Soper said in a campaign announcement. “As the pressures from Denver spill over into Delta County, it is important t...

By Jen Schumann | Rocky Mountain Voice Colorado counties say they’re done footing the bill for laws they didn’t fund. Citing a 1991 statute and more than $361 million in unfunded mandates, the Fix It or Fund It coalition is asserting that if the state won’t pay, local governments won’t comply. Mesa County Commissioner Bobbie Daniel didn’t set out to launch a statewide revolt. Two years ago, she created a spreadsheet to track state mandates that came without funding. The goal was to help department heads navigate budgeting headaches. But that quiet act of accounting has since grown into something far louder—a bipartisan movement spanning more than 36 counties, with local governments now invoking state law to declare state mandates “optional.” “We started this whole unfunded mandate...

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Tag: Fix It or Fund It

If you’re not at the table: Why Matt Soper says counties need leverage now

Fix It or Fund It: Inside the $361 million standoff over Colorado’s unfunded mandates

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