U.S. Senator Ken Salazar Member of the Agriculture, Energy and Veterans Affairs Committees 2300 15^th Street, Suite 450 Denver, CO 80202 | 702 Hart Senate Building, Washington, D.C. 20510
For Immediate Release March 4, 2005		CONTACT: Cody Wertz – Press Secretary 202-228-3630 Jen Clanahan – Deputy Press Secretary 303-455-7600
SEN. SALAZAR RELEASES COLORADO AGENDA GATHERED FROM LOCAL OFFICIALS Denver, CO – U.S. Senator Ken Salazar has released a summary report of the issues that local elected officials, including county commissioners and mayors, from across the state have told him are their highest priorities and greatest needs. Senator Salazar last week held 17 regional planning workshops with elected officials from every Colorado county and asked them about the priorities for their regions. “Coloradans know best the needs of their communities. That is why I traveled nearly 2,000 miles across the state last week to gather input from local elected officials to develop an agenda that answers the needs of Coloradans,” said Senator Salazar. “I heard consistently from these local officials about real challenges that affect communities across the state, including mounting health care costs, shortfalls in transportation funding, the need to help our communities, particularly in rural Colorado. Those aren’t Republican, Independent or Democrat issues; they are Colorado issues and they will guide my agenda in the U.S. Senate.” Senator Salazar gathered the input, concerns and priorities from his 17 regional planning workshops and created a Regional Priorities Report which he is sending to local elected officials from all 64 Colorado counties. Some of the issues are regionally specific and some cast shadows across the entire state such as: health care; transportation; economic and community development; water, environment and natural resources. The report will serve as a guide to the legislative issues Senator Salazar will address during this session of Congress and beyond. This week Senator Salazar has already responded to several concerns raised during the meetings, including: • Introduced legislation that would make the PILT funding permanent • Introduced legislation to increase accessibility of broadband in rural areas, which will have an impact on our health care system. Broadband access will help economic development, and will facilitate the use of electronic medical records which will save money and reduce errors • Demanded answers from U.S. Department of Agriculture officials to ask for an explanation regarding the overturning of decisions in the White River Forest Plan made by Colorado agencies and over 14,000 comments from the public. Received a commitment that USDA officials would hold briefings in Colorado • Resolution on Canadian Border/BSE, to protect the health and safety of our food supply, and the small rancher in Colorado • Continuing to try and find consensus on Arkansas River issues • Many appropriations requests for specific projects, including Colorado mass transit funding requests • Asking his U.S. Senate staff to find solutions to other issues raised by local elected officials • Been in touch with leaders on both sides of the aisle to protect funding for Community Development Block Grants, Perkins Vocational Schools grants, Pell Grants, Homeland Security grant increases • Pressed Department of Energy officials on National Renewable Energy Lab funding • Introduced legislation honoring our fallen military service members Many of the local elected officials Salazar met with last week expressed the magnitude of his workshops in creating a strong conduit for local concerns to be heard and addressed. “I will continue to work closely with elected officials, community leaders and others to make sure there is a solid partnership between Coloradans and Washington on the issues so important to our state,” said Salazar. Attached is a report that summarizes the issues prioritized in each region and an updated list of Senator Salazar’s regional office addresses and staff contacts. # # #