County, Meeker, Rangely, Stories

White reflects on ‘difficult’ session

As difficult as this legislative session was — and with all of the money wrangling it was a real doozy — first-term northwest Colorado senator Al White expects next year’s session to be even tougher.
phrbcalwhite3“I’m very concerned about next year,” said White, a Republican from Hayden, whose district includes Rio Blanco County. “The drastic measures we had to take this year, there’s nothing left. There are no rabbits left in the hat to soften the blow. They will all be difficult cuts.
“(This year), I don’t want to say we plundered … but we made transfers from every tax fund we can think of,” White said. “Next year, there will be no more transfers. We will have to make absolute cuts. The federal dollars will only go so far. They were huge in our ability to avoid cuts. Those cuts won’t be avoidable next year.”
Meaning, for example, higher-education institutions in the state, such as Colorado Northwestern Commun-ity College in Rangely, may not be spared next time around, as they were this year.
“I don’t see how they escape,” White said. “This year, they escaped almost unscathed.”
At one point, higher education was looking at a $300 million reduction in state funding, prompting an outcry from colleges and universities.
“It’s going to be difficult for everyone,” Rhonda Bentz, a spokeswoman for the Colorado Community College System, said at the time. “I don’t know … whether some will not survive. We were prepared (for some cuts). But with the $300 million, that puts everything on the table. Everybody will feel this.”
With their funding in jeopardy, the colleges made their voices heard. CNCC President John Boyd, writing in an op-ed piece for the Herald Times, said, “Whatever the magnitude of the final budget cuts … I can say with confidence that we will not succumb to apathy or sympathy. Recessions have and will continue to come and go; CNCC has and will continue to provide northwestern Colorado with quality education opportunities.”
In the end, other revenue was found to make up the budget shortfall.
“We never intended to cut $300 million,” said White, who, as a member of the Joint Budget Committee, found himself at the center of the firestorm on several issues. “We hoped to get the higher education community on our side, to help us find a solution.”
This was White’s first year in the Senate, after four terms in the House, and it was a memorable one, though maybe not for the best reasons.
“Oh, boy, it was the toughest (session) I’ve been involved in in the nine years of my legislative career,” White said. “And it was the toughest one for me, personally. Even in the difficult years after 9/11, they didn’t have it as hard as we did this time around. The economy is worse now. Money available then is not available to us now, for some of the same kinds of tricks, if you will.”
Not that it gets any easier to take the political hits, even after having been around the legislative block a few times.
“I received e-mails and phone calls from people saying, ‘I supported you in the campaign, I put a sign in my yard, but I’m sorry I voted for you,’” White said. “That really gets to you. They blame me personally. They don’t understand the process, and they are willing to throw me under the bus. It leaves me scratching my head.
“Despite what they say about politicians being thick skinned, after nine years, it still hurts,” White said.
Even so, there were some successes in the recently completed legislative session, White said.
“We had our wins and our losses,” White said. “I was pleased we were able to save the Rifle prison. That was to go on the blocks for closure. I’m glad tourism suffered only a 25-percent reduction instead of a 50-percent reduction the governor’s office proposed.
“I was disappointed we lost as many dollars to local mineral severance tax grants,” White continued. “We’ll see about a 30-percent decrease to local grants from those funds as opposed to prior years. That was a big pot of money. We took a relatively small amount, compared to the size of dollars in the fund, but still it has a big impact on my district.”
White was the only Republican to oppose a bill that proposed a phaseout of the state’s tax on business equipment, the so-called business personal-property tax. The Colorado Chamber of Commerce supported the measure.
“That was a major piece of Republican legislation, and I had to oppose it. It would have been critical to at least three of my counties,” White said.
Renae Neilson, Rio Blanco County assessor, was troubled by the bill.
“This is very concerning to me,” she said during the session. “Our county stands to lose a great amount of taxable value, thus shifting the burden to the commercial real estate owners and other property classes, not including residential, as they are protected by the Gallagher Amendment. There is already a law in place that provides a threshold exemption for small business personal property tax.”
While the bill was still alive, other local leaders, like Mary Strang, president of the Meeker School Board, spoke out against the move to do away with the business property tax.
“It cripples Rio Blanco County and its citizens from ever realizing any benefit from (energy) development in the future, as well as now,” Strang said. “If energy development continues to be a reality, we have to be able to access some revenue to deal with the impact. Were we to lose tax revenue from energy’s personal property, it would be disastrous.”
Ultimately, the bill was tabled for further study.
“I felt OK about the way it ended up,” White said. “There will be an interim task force to study the issue. It was a way for the bill sponsor to save face at the end of the day. We’ve studied it before. Honestly, I don’t believe they’ll find a resolution, unless we find a way to supplant the lost revenue.”
As one of two Republicans on the six-member Joint Budget Committee — made up of three senators and three representatives — White was in a position to wield considerable influence on budget matters, and be a target for criticism.
“A lot of people don’t understand how it works,” White said of the budget committee. “The JBC initiated almost 60 bills this year, of all sorts of varieties. They dole them out, so no single member has too much of a load. I would say it’s the luck of the draw. I ended up on a lot of bills I took heat for, that had my name on it. As a consequence, I suffered for that. I could’ve said, no, I didn’t want to take this or take that, but I wanted to do my share.”
While serving as a member of the Joint Budget Committee sometimes put White on the hot seat, he said it put him in a position to do the most good.
“At the end of the day, the reason I do what I do is I still feel like I make a positive difference,” White said. “And I serve a more important purpose as a member of the JBC, rather than being a back-bench minority member.”

One Comment

  1. Hello,
    I am a new comer to Meeker and Rio Blanco county, although hard times have fallen on many small communties good things could come out of this. Meeker needs to realize, like it or not money needs to come from somewhere. Controled growth would certainly be something to think about. I know that I will probably be tared and feathered for this but unless a business comes into to make it a profitable place to be people will look else where not only to shop but also to live.

Come say hi!

@ht.1885
  • It’s getting late, do you know where your kids are? Read all the Rio Happenings for this week in print or online at ht1885.com.
  • Mormon crickets have hatched near Rangely. They were all sighted on BLM land north of Hwy. 64 near the junction of CR 96 and CR 1, down a dirt road near the Moffat County line.  The picture shown was taken yesterday by Mary Meinen from Rangely. She says the crickets are about the size of a ladybug (less than 1/2”). Some of them are actually yellow in color but most of them are darker. They are milling around and getting ready to start moving soon. Note: Photo is not to scale.
Rio Blanco County and the White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts are still asking for your help to identify additional hatch-outs of crickets so that control efforts can be put in place. The success of the program will highly depend upon local landowners and the public helping to locate crickets as soon as they hatch.  See last week’s paper for a list of ways to help or contact the County Weed & Pest District at 970-878-9670 or the Conservation District office at 970-878-9838 with any questions. Website: www.WhiteRiverCD.com
  • Read part three of the story of M.T. Streeter in this week’s edition of History Lessons! Find it in this week’s edition and online at ht1885.com.
  • Meeker FFA Chapter members competed at the District Leadership Development Event in Craig, Colorado, this month. Top row from left to right: Eva Scritchfield, Charlie Rogers, Alan Rivera, Trent Sanders, Koy Weber, Orion Musser, Said Rodriguez, Carlos Carrillo, Aidan Tapia, Hayden Garcia, Tristan Rollins, Mathew Willey, Quentin Simpson. Middle row: Sidney Keetch, Aurora Stallings, Sydnie Ross, Ava Nay, Lili Piper, Leah Wood. Bottom Row: Jaicee Simmons, Kailynn Watson, Cody Richardson, Kayla Castillo, Braydin Raley, Autumn Stallings, Aimee Shults, Emily Hamm. Read the full story online at ht1885.com.
  • Choose-your-own-adventure…. Hear from our Editor in this week’s edition and online at ht1885.com.
  • A crew from the Flat Tops Chapter of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation joined forces last summer to remove obsolete fences to improve habitat for wildlife. Read the full story and the foundation’s update from their 30th Anniversary meeting in this week’s edition and online at ht1885.com.
  • Black Sulphur Tavern held a grand opening and ribbon cutting for their new business at 364 Seventh St. The space has been renovated with several TVs and games and provides a fun, friendly atmosphere to watch your favorite sports team and enjoy a burger and wings. Owners Frank Maestas and Pat Maestas are pictured with their new staff and Chamber of Commerce representatives Stephanie Hanson, Trudy Burri and Margie Joy. Follow Black Sulphur Tavern on Facebook. Their hours are Wednesday and Thursday 3-9 p.m., Friday 3 p.m. - 1 a.m., Saturday 11-1 a.m., Sunday 11 a.m. to midnight.
  • The winning teams and individuals for the 18th annual White River Community Association Buy-Fly Fishing Tournament are as follows. Individual top weight catch was Dave Metrovich and longest fish was Kevin Massey. First place team won by Rio Blanco Abstract: Erik Eckman, Adam Parrett, Dave Metrovich and Wayne Kirkpatrick. Second place team was Drake Consulting: Travis Kaiser, John Douglas, Tony Bartolomucci and Bob Brandeberry. Third place team Mr. Rogers and the Hood (accepted by Doug Rogers) Gary Rogers, Mark Beauchamp, Kyle Schutte and Rick Gunter. The white fish have been frozen and will be served at the annual White River Community Association fish fry fundraiser in June.
  • Cowboy Carson Klinzmann on the mound for Meeker at Suplizio Field in Grand Junction last Saturday. Meeker took on the 4A Rifle Bears, losing 11-1, and the Basalt Longhorns, losing 7-3. Read the recap online at ht1885.com.
It’s getting late, do you know where your kids are? Read all the Rio Happenings for this week in print or online at ht1885.com.
It’s getting late, do you know where your kids are? Read all the Rio Happenings for this week in print or online at ht1885.com.
2 days ago
View on Instagram |
1/9
Mormon crickets have hatched near Rangely. They were all sighted on BLM land north of Hwy. 64 near the junction of CR 96 and CR 1, down a dirt road near the Moffat County line.  The picture shown was taken yesterday by Mary Meinen from Rangely. She says the crickets are about the size of a ladybug (less than 1/2”). Some of them are actually yellow in color but most of them are darker. They are milling around and getting ready to start moving soon. Note: Photo is not to scale.
Rio Blanco County and the White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts are still asking for your help to identify additional hatch-outs of crickets so that control efforts can be put in place. The success of the program will highly depend upon local landowners and the public helping to locate crickets as soon as they hatch.  See last week’s paper for a list of ways to help or contact the County Weed & Pest District at 970-878-9670 or the Conservation District office at 970-878-9838 with any questions. Website: www.WhiteRiverCD.com
Mormon crickets have hatched near Rangely. They were all sighted on BLM land north of Hwy. 64 near the junction of CR 96 and CR 1, down a dirt road near the Moffat County line. The picture shown was taken yesterday by Mary Meinen from Rangely. She says the crickets are about the size of a ladybug (less than 1/2”). Some of them are actually yellow in color but most of them are darker. They are milling around and getting ready to start moving soon. Note: Photo is not to scale. Rio Blanco County and the White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts are still asking for your help to identify additional hatch-outs of crickets so that control efforts can be put in place. The success of the program will highly depend upon local landowners and the public helping to locate crickets as soon as they hatch. See last week’s paper for a list of ways to help or contact the County Weed & Pest District at 970-878-9670 or the Conservation District office at 970-878-9838 with any questions. Website: www.WhiteRiverCD.com
2 days ago
View on Instagram |
2/9
Read part three of the story of M.T. Streeter in this week’s edition of History Lessons! Find it in this week’s edition and online at ht1885.com.
Read part three of the story of M.T. Streeter in this week’s edition of History Lessons! Find it in this week’s edition and online at ht1885.com.
3 days ago
View on Instagram |
3/9
Meeker FFA Chapter members competed at the District Leadership Development Event in Craig, Colorado, this month. Top row from left to right: Eva Scritchfield, Charlie Rogers, Alan Rivera, Trent Sanders, Koy Weber, Orion Musser, Said Rodriguez, Carlos Carrillo, Aidan Tapia, Hayden Garcia, Tristan Rollins, Mathew Willey, Quentin Simpson. Middle row: Sidney Keetch, Aurora Stallings, Sydnie Ross, Ava Nay, Lili Piper, Leah Wood. Bottom Row: Jaicee Simmons, Kailynn Watson, Cody Richardson, Kayla Castillo, Braydin Raley, Autumn Stallings, Aimee Shults, Emily Hamm. Read the full story online at ht1885.com.
Meeker FFA Chapter members competed at the District Leadership Development Event in Craig, Colorado, this month. Top row from left to right: Eva Scritchfield, Charlie Rogers, Alan Rivera, Trent Sanders, Koy Weber, Orion Musser, Said Rodriguez, Carlos Carrillo, Aidan Tapia, Hayden Garcia, Tristan Rollins, Mathew Willey, Quentin Simpson. Middle row: Sidney Keetch, Aurora Stallings, Sydnie Ross, Ava Nay, Lili Piper, Leah Wood. Bottom Row: Jaicee Simmons, Kailynn Watson, Cody Richardson, Kayla Castillo, Braydin Raley, Autumn Stallings, Aimee Shults, Emily Hamm. Read the full story online at ht1885.com.
3 days ago
View on Instagram |
4/9
Choose-your-own-adventure…. Hear from our Editor in this week’s edition and online at ht1885.com.
Choose-your-own-adventure…. Hear from our Editor in this week’s edition and online at ht1885.com.
4 days ago
View on Instagram |
5/9
A crew from the Flat Tops Chapter of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation joined forces last summer to remove obsolete fences to improve habitat for wildlife. Read the full story and the foundation’s update from their 30th Anniversary meeting in this week’s edition and online at ht1885.com.
A crew from the Flat Tops Chapter of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation joined forces last summer to remove obsolete fences to improve habitat for wildlife. Read the full story and the foundation’s update from their 30th Anniversary meeting in this week’s edition and online at ht1885.com.
5 days ago
View on Instagram |
6/9
Black Sulphur Tavern held a grand opening and ribbon cutting for their new business at 364 Seventh St. The space has been renovated with several TVs and games and provides a fun, friendly atmosphere to watch your favorite sports team and enjoy a burger and wings. Owners Frank Maestas and Pat Maestas are pictured with their new staff and Chamber of Commerce representatives Stephanie Hanson, Trudy Burri and Margie Joy. Follow Black Sulphur Tavern on Facebook. Their hours are Wednesday and Thursday 3-9 p.m., Friday 3 p.m. - 1 a.m., Saturday 11-1 a.m., Sunday 11 a.m. to midnight.
Black Sulphur Tavern held a grand opening and ribbon cutting for their new business at 364 Seventh St. The space has been renovated with several TVs and games and provides a fun, friendly atmosphere to watch your favorite sports team and enjoy a burger and wings. Owners Frank Maestas and Pat Maestas are pictured with their new staff and Chamber of Commerce representatives Stephanie Hanson, Trudy Burri and Margie Joy. Follow Black Sulphur Tavern on Facebook. Their hours are Wednesday and Thursday 3-9 p.m., Friday 3 p.m. - 1 a.m., Saturday 11-1 a.m., Sunday 11 a.m. to midnight.
5 days ago
View on Instagram |
7/9
The winning teams and individuals for the 18th annual White River Community Association Buy-Fly Fishing Tournament are as follows. Individual top weight catch was Dave Metrovich and longest fish was Kevin Massey. First place team won by Rio Blanco Abstract: Erik Eckman, Adam Parrett, Dave Metrovich and Wayne Kirkpatrick. Second place team was Drake Consulting: Travis Kaiser, John Douglas, Tony Bartolomucci and Bob Brandeberry. Third place team Mr. Rogers and the Hood (accepted by Doug Rogers) Gary Rogers, Mark Beauchamp, Kyle Schutte and Rick Gunter. The white fish have been frozen and will be served at the annual White River Community Association fish fry fundraiser in June.
The winning teams and individuals for the 18th annual White River Community Association Buy-Fly Fishing Tournament are as follows. Individual top weight catch was Dave Metrovich and longest fish was Kevin Massey. First place team won by Rio Blanco Abstract: Erik Eckman, Adam Parrett, Dave Metrovich and Wayne Kirkpatrick. Second place team was Drake Consulting: Travis Kaiser, John Douglas, Tony Bartolomucci and Bob Brandeberry. Third place team Mr. Rogers and the Hood (accepted by Doug Rogers) Gary Rogers, Mark Beauchamp, Kyle Schutte and Rick Gunter. The white fish have been frozen and will be served at the annual White River Community Association fish fry fundraiser in June.
6 days ago
View on Instagram |
8/9
Cowboy Carson Klinzmann on the mound for Meeker at Suplizio Field in Grand Junction last Saturday. Meeker took on the 4A Rifle Bears, losing 11-1, and the Basalt Longhorns, losing 7-3. Read the recap online at ht1885.com.
Cowboy Carson Klinzmann on the mound for Meeker at Suplizio Field in Grand Junction last Saturday. Meeker took on the 4A Rifle Bears, losing 11-1, and the Basalt Longhorns, losing 7-3. Read the recap online at ht1885.com.
6 days ago
View on Instagram |
9/9

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