State History - Rocky Mountain Voice

By Rob Natelson | Commentary., Complete Colorado This year marks the 150th anniversary of the original Colorado Constitution, which in a recent column I called “an extraordinary testament to human freedom.” The state constitution remains in effect today, but in a mangled form far less protective of liberty than when it became effective on August 1, 1876. As my prior column pointed out, the document imposed severe limitations on taxes, spending, and state debt—limitations far more restrictive than those currently mandated by the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR). The Colorado founders’ dedication to freedom also appeared in their constitution’s bill of rights. The U.S. Bill of Rights consists only of ten relatively short amendments; the original Colo...

By Steve Harris | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Editor’s note: If you’re just joining the Water Time Reflections series by Steve Harris, this is Part 4 of 6 marking 100 years since the Colorado River Compact. Earlier pieces traced how the compact was conceived, debated, and ultimately divided the river. Here, Harris turns to the lesser-known La Plata River Compact—another milestone negotiated in 1922 that shaped interstate water law. The La Plata River Compact is also over 100 years old. It was negotiated between Delph Carpenter from Colorado and Stephen Davis from New Mexico during 1922 and finalized at Bishop’s Lodge in Santa Fe, New Mexico. I could not find minutes or detailed information on the negotiations between Carpenter and Davis and so relied upon informa...

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Colorado’s Original Constitution Was a Bold Blueprint for Liberty

A small river with big influence: How the La Plata shaped western water law

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