More than 20 Colorado Democrats want Donald Trump and the rest of his party to explain what they meant by returning all public lands to the states.
The GOP platform, adopted during the convention this week, calls for immediately passing legislation that would see the federal government transfer all public lands to the states. The group of Democrats, which includes Sen. Michael Bennet and three congressmen and women, wants to know the specifics of that proposal.
The group argued in the letter sent Friday that if the federal government transferred all of its land to Colorado it would amount to 23.9 million acres, about the size of Indiana. The Democrats want to know how maintaining those lands would be paid for.
“To give our colleagues an example of the maintenance costs entailed, in 2013, the federal government spent over $72 million solely on fire suppression and prevention on these lands. That is over half of our entire state law enforcement budget,” the letter stated.
“How do our colleagues intend Colorado to bear the incredible financial burden – not to mention the manpower – of managing such a vast area of land? Raising taxes? Raiding the state budget, starting with funds allotted for K-12 education? Or perhaps selling off these same lands, closing them off from Coloradans and opening them up to development and privatization?”
The letter also argues that getting rid of federally-protected lands would harm Colorado’s outdoor economy. Many activities, such as hiking, skiing, whitewater rafting and mountain biking, all take place on federal lands and support surrounding towns, according to the letter.
“Disposing of our public lands would strike a serious blow to the health of this economy and in turn to the rural towns and workers who depend on it to make a living,” the letter states.
