Water and land aren't commodities to be transferred to whoever shows up with the biggest check. They're the foundation of the communities that built SD4 — and they deserve protection that recognizes who actually does the work of stewardship.
Stop the Buy-and-Dry
Establish a CWCB buy-and-dry mitigation fund to defend SD4 water rights, plus a community economic impact review for any large agricultural water transfer out of an SD4 county. Front Range cities have spent decades buying our water and walking away from the communities they drained. That ends with senators who actually represent the headwaters.
Critical Reservoir Investment
The John Griffin Regional Reservoir in Cañon City needs full federal appropriation. SD4 reservoir projects don't just protect water for our communities — they're how the headwaters region maintains the storage capacity Colorado needs as conditions change. SD4 deserves a senator who will fight for both.
Tax Protection for the People Who Built These Communities
Establish a valuation protection mechanism shielding agricultural use classifications and long-term rural residents from migration-inflated reassessments. Administered through existing county assessor infrastructure — no new bureaucracy. A ranching family in Salida shouldn't be taxed off their land because a second-home buyer from Denver decided to overpay for the parcel next door.