Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
A battle over water between Colorado and Nebraska is headed
to the Supreme Court. Nebraska is suing our state over
the nineteen twenty three South Platte River Compact. It's an
agreement which allows them to take water from Colorado's side
of the South Platte and it.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
All stems from a pack to the two states made
more than a century ago, allowing them to share water
from the river and joining us now on the Kiway
Common Spirit Health hotline is Governor Jared Poulis Governor, thank
you so much for your time today.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
Good morning to both of you. What a beautiful day.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Beautiful day indeed, and lots of topics we'd like to
get to today, so we'll try to be brief on
some of them and go more in depth on others.
So when it comes to this lawsuit, the newest news
that we're dealing with this morning, you called it meritless.
Why is that? And is Colorado violating this pact in
any way?
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Nebraska has been kind of looking around as an Eastern
Colorado northeastern Colorado for a couple of years now, saying
they're going to build a large water project. By ourgur analysis,
we don't think this makes any sense in any way. We,
of course, as a state are following a body by
the century old compact. Nebraska is getting in the water
(01:04):
that they are fully entitled to. So I don't think
there's a cause for action. Again, this can go to
the courts, and we thought it would go to the
courts at some point, but we're happy to defend aggressively
Colorado's water position for the south Platt and I think
the courts will agree.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
Governor, did Jim Pillen of Nebraska did he reach out
to you? Did he signal this was going to happen?
Have you any conversations about this issue in the past
or recently?
Speaker 3 (01:28):
You know, it started under the previous governor there, and
I think we at the attorney general level, i'd been
informed that our attorney generals had to talk to and
I think frankly, at some point we were expecting a lawsuit,
and maybe it's a little earlier than we thought, but
we had been cooperating with them and making sure they
were getting everything they were entitled to under the compact.
(01:51):
So again, I don't think there's a lot of merit
to it. I also don't think that this very expensive
project makes any sense for Nebraskans. If the point, and
I'm confident that you know, we're going to do everything
we can to defend Colorado water and then we'll prevail
on the courts Governor.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
When we look at the construction of this Perkins County canal,
what could that mean for Colorado's And just broadly speaking here,
I mean, should we be worried about our water supply
in any way?
Speaker 3 (02:18):
I don't think it reaches the you know, three alarm
bells level of worry. It's kind of like an early warning,
let's watch this. I don't think it's likely that this
will be built anytime in the near future, because we're
meeting all the obligations under the compact, already have been,
will be Colorado keeps this word. So this is a
(02:39):
several hundred million dollars that Nebraska is looking at. Whether
it's even feasible from an engineering perspective is another question.
But the key thing is we're always happy to reassure
and Nebraska and put in writing if needed, that they're
getting all the water that they're entitled to them the compact,
and they are and they will and that's going to continue.
And so I am not this is not one of
(03:00):
my top concerns with the Guarden of Water in Colorado.
It is perhaps the flashiest because they're talking about a
building a canal in our state, But I don't feel
it's something that's likely to come to pass other things.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
That we've have in the news of late. This came
down yesterday afternoon. We talked about it some this morning.
But that letter from seventeen Colorado sheriffs asking for you
to reduce the number of state inmates being held at
local jails. They say that the backlog is well straining
their budgets and resources. Are their requests in the letter?
Are they realistic? And how can they be implemented? In
What specific help are they seeking besides some of the
(03:31):
money pieces and other things.
Speaker 3 (03:33):
Yeah, the solutions they put out in the ideas are
exactly what we need to do. So here's what's happening.
We have, obviously, the state prison system, we have relatively
low vacancy. Let's call it, you know, two and a
half percent something like that, you know, so on a
floating basis, it comes very close to being full of
times in different areas. So we absolutely have people in
the county jails. We've paid the county is a part
(03:53):
of their point they make is hey, you're not paying
us enough for our costs. I think we're paid in
seventy seven bucks a day something like that. So this
is all very important to talk about. They are our partners,
the sheriff, and I'm going to be meeting with them soon.
We want to solve this together. But yes, I agree
with what they're saying, and they have some very good
suggestions in there about how we can deal with us.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
How quickly do you think those suggestions could be implemented
if they're dealing what they say is just a strain.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
On their budget right now.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
Well, when it comes to things like new capacity for
the state system, that takes longer, you know, adding beds,
when it comes to looking at hey, what's the compensation rate?
Are there some counties where their jails are more empty
and they actually want to host more people where others
are having their own issues with being full. We just
have to have more of a discussion and dialogue with
the counties because they're all in different situations. Again, some
(04:42):
would be generally happy to take more people if they
could for a period of time. Others say, hey, we
have our county folks that are filling up our jails.
We can't take for a month or two the state
folks till you pick them up and bring them to prison.
So it's really a capacity issue. And I would say
Colora of jails and prisons are tight at this point.
I mean, we're not one hundred percent type. It's like
(05:02):
I think Iowa it's one hundred and fifteen percent capacity.
They've been overcapacity. We're just under one hundred, you know,
it's ninety seven ninety eight. So it's getting close getting
into that zone where people are getting a little you know,
stressed as they should, not just sheriffs, but are also
our state Department of Corrections. And it's a great time
to bring this discussion to the next level to figure
out the future of how we can make sure that
Colorado is safer.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
We will continue to follow this discussion as it progresses
on your end and on the sheriff's end as well.
Let's literally talk about a pocketbook issue, sticker shock. When
it comes to annual insurance rates, the average premiums could
rise twenty percent in next year twenty twenty six. What
are the factors and what is the state? What can
the state do to help colorad Ands attain affordable quality
(05:43):
health insurance and healthcare.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
Yeah, these are the rates for everybody and Connect for
Health Colorado. That's who you know if you don't get
it from your job and you have to buy insurance
on your own. And effectively, with a big bill that
pass Congress cut all the healthcare substies tremendously, so those
rates which it is a federal it was set up
under the Affordable Care Act federal, those rates are going
up twenty eight percent for anybody who buys their own
(06:07):
insurance to Connect for Health Colorado. Now that will also
lead to higher increases for everybody else for two reasons.
That big bill that passed and I talked about this
a lot as I tried to co Congress not to
vote for it. Unfortunately they did. But because they're also
cutting Medicaid, we're about several hundred thousand Colorados are going
to be thrown off their healthcare altogether. In the exchange.
Some people will say, hey, I can't afford the twenty
(06:28):
eight percent increase, I'm going uninsured instead of rolling in
the dice. When more people are uninsured, it means there's
higher costs of uncompensated care right, they show up an
emergency room, it's a five thousand dollars bill. Nobody pays it,
No one sure the person doesn't pay it, and that
gets shifted onto everybody with regular insurance. So everybody who
gets insurance to work. That isn't necessarily going enough twenty
(06:49):
or twenty eight percent. It could go up ten fifteen percent,
but it's certainly going up a lot. And it's all
because this is happening nationally. It's all because of that
that one bill the Congress pass that cut all these
money FLNNY for healthcare.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
We're speaking with Governor Jared Poulis this week. You also
released a survey to gather some opinions of the proposed
Colorado one to fifty walkway, which would span Lincoln Street,
connect to the Colorado Capital Complex and the Lincoln Veterans
Memorial Park, all in an effort to celebrate the one
hundred and fiftieth anniversary of our state. But when first proposed, Governor,
I mean, did you expect to have such a strong
(07:22):
reaction and opposition to the bridge from community members.
Speaker 3 (07:27):
We are nearing our one hundred and forty ninth birthday
August first Colorado Day. I hope you're ready with some
great programming on Colorado Day for August first, that's the
one hundred and forty ninth birthday of Colorado where the
centennial state. We became the state August first, eighteen seventy six.
So yeah, the next year, twenty twenty six, Colorado one
hundred and fiftieth birthday America is two hundred and fiftieth
birthday same year, so we're like the kid with a
(07:48):
Christmas birthday. One of the proposed ways that Colorado would
celebrate that is a walkway as a capital that would
sort of tell the history of Colorado, kind of a artistic,
immersive walkway that has near and sort of shares the history.
There's a lot of passionate about it, which is great
and there should be because this is not only our state's anniversary,
it's our state capital. And so you know a lot
(08:08):
of people say, hey, I love it, I hate it,
I like it, I want it this way, I want
it that way, a million different things. So we put
together at COO one fifty walkway dot com and I
encourage your listeners to go there or not while they're driving,
but later today THEO one five zero walkway dot com
takes five minutes survey Do you want to do this walkway?
Do you want to do something else? We just want
to get a sense of where people at because ultimately,
this is a anniversary, that a birthday that is belongs
(08:31):
to the people of Colorado, and we want to make
sure it's done in a way that people want.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
Governor well passionate about it is one way of saying it.
Some have said that this is a this is a
legacy build for you as you leave office.
Speaker 3 (08:44):
What's your reaction to that? Well, look, I mean whether no,
that's kind of a silly way to put it. Because
whether you like you know President Trump or not, he
happens to be president during our country's twit or fiftieth birthday.
Whether you like me or not, I happen to be
governor during our hundred and fiftieth birthday. So of course
we're going to be involved with the celebroy celebratory activities.
I'm a proud American, I'm a patriot. You know, may
not be terribly fond of the current president. Agree with
(09:06):
a few things he does disagree with, Benny, But yeah,
of course I'm proud to be an American in celebratory fiftieth.
I'm proud to be a Colller run celebrated one fiftieth.
So no, you know, certainly, just because people are proud
to celebrate our birthdays doesn't mean it's a legacy for
Donald Trump or Jared Poles. It's really about our pride
in being Coleraon's our pride in being Americans. And I
hope that next year, twenty twenty six, is a special
(09:27):
year for everybody. I talked about a parent generation that
was here in the bi centennial in nineteen seventy six,
and there was a lot of great national pride that year,
and so too in twenty twenty six. I think it's
a great time to reflect on how far we've come
as a state, as a country, as well as our
aspirations for where we want to go in the next century. Governor,
talk a.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
Little bit about the confusion of the price tag that
we have with the bridge. You say it cost around
eighteen million is for just the walkway to be built
for Colorado's one fiftieth, but then there's an additional ten
million for upgrades to the park. A lot of people
have been saying twenty eight point five million. Why is
that additional ten million necessary?
Speaker 1 (10:02):
Could it be cheaper?
Speaker 3 (10:04):
So the walkway in the twenty twenty six piece, the
total cosses would be about eighteen million, About eight would
come eight and a half would come from the state.
I would have to go fundraise the rest. And we
have people that like to fund you know, you know,
formal art projects and that sort of thing. So if
people want to proceed, it creates more work for me,
and I got to raise you know, ten twelve million dollars.
If they don't, I don't have to raise that money.
(10:26):
But yeah, it was always seen as a partnership between
a public and private sector in the state would say hey,
we'll put you know, a dollar in. We have to
raise you know, a dollar fifty two dollars from donors
to make this happen. So even if people want to proceed,
it would only proceed if that money was raised, to
be clear, And that total price tag is about eighteen
eighteen and a half million. The twenty eight is kind
(10:47):
of what would happen not during our cesspicentennial, but that's
kind of like capital plausa improvements over the next call
it five seven years, which many of which will be
planned anyway, but that is kind of the master plan
for the area. So that is money that will likely
be used over the next five ten years. But well,
we're talking about the sets centennial. That's the alattin word
one hundred and fiftieth walkway price tags, betty two and
(11:09):
a half millions.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
It just one of our texters as saying, Governor, is
that is that actually money well spent? Is it already
earmarks or something like that? Are there are other better
uses that the state could use?
Speaker 3 (11:19):
Well, that's exactly what we're asking in the survey. Do
people want to do anything like this or bigger or
smaller for our birthday? I mean we could do nothing
for our birthday, or just they want to have you know,
we're also working with a lot of county fairs. We're
going to do a lot of our state fair. By
the way, our state fair is coming up in Pueblo
in a few weeks for this year one hundred and
forty ninth and next year is going to be extra
(11:40):
specials stuff, both at county fairs and state fairs. So yeah,
that's kind of what we're asking. Is it worth it
to say, hey, we want to have a permanent kind
of one hundred and fiftieth birthday project. Do we want
to do smaller things outside of Denver? Do we want
to do nothing at all? That's really one of the options.
So co one five zero old Walkway dot com. It's
(12:00):
your birthday, Colorado, So let's get a sense of how
people think we should observe it. And then, really, people
get old sometimes they want to forget their birthdays. Maybe
we're old, we don't want to remember anymore?
Speaker 2 (12:09):
Right, real quick, governor as well, will be I know
the survey is available until the twenty first. Will the
results later be posted where people can see and see
where it goes moving forward with this walkway?
Speaker 3 (12:21):
Yeah, that's important. So we made any response in by
Monday at midnight, and it's obviously one response per person.
If you're trying to vote multiple times, the system won't
count those votes. But yeah, vote before Monday at midnight.
CO one fifty Walkway dot com. We should be able
to have those tabulated Tuesday or Wednesday, and well, it'll
give us a better sense of how to celebrate. You know.
(12:41):
One of the questions we ask is which are you
more excited about Colorado's one hundred and fiftieth birthday America
is two hundred and fiftieth or both equally, and that's
going to be important in how we talk about in
brand these right, do we put like America to fifty
first at Colorado one fifty underneath? Do we do it
side by side from Colorado person in America? Second? So
just kind of how we kind of talk about in brand.
(13:02):
This Christmas Birthday experience is what we're trying to get
some guidance on as well.
Speaker 1 (13:08):
Governor Polus, I encourage you to come on with us
more often so we can maybe go in greater detail
on some things. But we love to have you when
we can get you, so thank you so much for
carving out some time for us.
Speaker 3 (13:16):
This morning always a pleasure and happy Colorado Day coming
up August first, thank you, It's Governor Jared Poulus
A battle over water between Colorado and Nebraska is headed
to the Supreme Court. Nebraska is suing our state over
the nineteen twenty three South Platte River Compact. It's an
agreement which allows them to take water from Colorado's side
of the South Platte and it.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
All stems from a pack to the two states made
more than a century ago, allowing them to share water
from the river and joining us now on the Kiway
Common Spirit Health hotline is Governor Jared Poulis Governor, thank
you so much for your time today.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
Good morning to both of you. What a beautiful day.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Beautiful day indeed, and lots of topics we'd like to
get to today, so we'll try to be brief on
some of them and go more in depth on others.
So when it comes to this lawsuit, the newest news
that we're dealing with this morning, you called it meritless.
Why is that? And is Colorado violating this pact in
any way?
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Nebraska has been kind of looking around as an Eastern
Colorado northeastern Colorado for a couple of years now, saying
they're going to build a large water project. By ourgur analysis,
we don't think this makes any sense in any way. We,
of course, as a state are following a body by
the century old compact. Nebraska is getting in the water
(01:04):
that they are fully entitled to. So I don't think
there's a cause for action. Again, this can go to
the courts, and we thought it would go to the
courts at some point, but we're happy to defend aggressively
Colorado's water position for the south Platt and I think
the courts will agree.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
Governor, did Jim Pillen of Nebraska did he reach out
to you? Did he signal this was going to happen?
Have you any conversations about this issue in the past
or recently?
Speaker 3 (01:28):
You know, it started under the previous governor there, and
I think we at the attorney general level, i'd been
informed that our attorney generals had to talk to and
I think frankly, at some point we were expecting a lawsuit,
and maybe it's a little earlier than we thought, but
we had been cooperating with them and making sure they
were getting everything they were entitled to under the compact.
(01:51):
So again, I don't think there's a lot of merit
to it. I also don't think that this very expensive
project makes any sense for Nebraskans. If the point, and
I'm confident that you know, we're going to do everything
we can to defend Colorado water and then we'll prevail
on the courts Governor.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
When we look at the construction of this Perkins County canal,
what could that mean for Colorado's And just broadly speaking here,
I mean, should we be worried about our water supply
in any way?
Speaker 3 (02:18):
I don't think it reaches the you know, three alarm
bells level of worry. It's kind of like an early warning,
let's watch this. I don't think it's likely that this
will be built anytime in the near future, because we're
meeting all the obligations under the compact, already have been,
will be Colorado keeps this word. So this is a
(02:39):
several hundred million dollars that Nebraska is looking at. Whether
it's even feasible from an engineering perspective is another question.
But the key thing is we're always happy to reassure
and Nebraska and put in writing if needed, that they're
getting all the water that they're entitled to them the compact,
and they are and they will and that's going to continue.
And so I am not this is not one of
(03:00):
my top concerns with the Guarden of Water in Colorado.
It is perhaps the flashiest because they're talking about a
building a canal in our state, But I don't feel
it's something that's likely to come to pass other things.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
That we've have in the news of late. This came
down yesterday afternoon. We talked about it some this morning.
But that letter from seventeen Colorado sheriffs asking for you
to reduce the number of state inmates being held at
local jails. They say that the backlog is well straining
their budgets and resources. Are their requests in the letter?
Are they realistic? And how can they be implemented? In
What specific help are they seeking besides some of the
(03:31):
money pieces and other things.
Speaker 3 (03:33):
Yeah, the solutions they put out in the ideas are
exactly what we need to do. So here's what's happening.
We have, obviously, the state prison system, we have relatively
low vacancy. Let's call it, you know, two and a
half percent something like that, you know, so on a
floating basis, it comes very close to being full of
times in different areas. So we absolutely have people in
the county jails. We've paid the county is a part
(03:53):
of their point they make is hey, you're not paying
us enough for our costs. I think we're paid in
seventy seven bucks a day something like that. So this
is all very important to talk about. They are our partners,
the sheriff, and I'm going to be meeting with them soon.
We want to solve this together. But yes, I agree
with what they're saying, and they have some very good
suggestions in there about how we can deal with us.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
How quickly do you think those suggestions could be implemented
if they're dealing what they say is just a strain.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
On their budget right now.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
Well, when it comes to things like new capacity for
the state system, that takes longer, you know, adding beds,
when it comes to looking at hey, what's the compensation rate?
Are there some counties where their jails are more empty
and they actually want to host more people where others
are having their own issues with being full. We just
have to have more of a discussion and dialogue with
the counties because they're all in different situations. Again, some
(04:42):
would be generally happy to take more people if they
could for a period of time. Others say, hey, we
have our county folks that are filling up our jails.
We can't take for a month or two the state
folks till you pick them up and bring them to prison.
So it's really a capacity issue. And I would say
Colora of jails and prisons are tight at this point.
I mean, we're not one hundred percent type. It's like
(05:02):
I think Iowa it's one hundred and fifteen percent capacity.
They've been overcapacity. We're just under one hundred, you know,
it's ninety seven ninety eight. So it's getting close getting
into that zone where people are getting a little you know,
stressed as they should, not just sheriffs, but are also
our state Department of Corrections. And it's a great time
to bring this discussion to the next level to figure
out the future of how we can make sure that
Colorado is safer.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
We will continue to follow this discussion as it progresses
on your end and on the sheriff's end as well.
Let's literally talk about a pocketbook issue, sticker shock. When
it comes to annual insurance rates, the average premiums could
rise twenty percent in next year twenty twenty six. What
are the factors and what is the state? What can
the state do to help colorad Ands attain affordable quality
(05:43):
health insurance and healthcare.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
Yeah, these are the rates for everybody and Connect for
Health Colorado. That's who you know if you don't get
it from your job and you have to buy insurance
on your own. And effectively, with a big bill that
pass Congress cut all the healthcare substies tremendously, so those
rates which it is a federal it was set up
under the Affordable Care Act federal, those rates are going
up twenty eight percent for anybody who buys their own
(06:07):
insurance to Connect for Health Colorado. Now that will also
lead to higher increases for everybody else for two reasons.
That big bill that passed and I talked about this
a lot as I tried to co Congress not to
vote for it. Unfortunately they did. But because they're also
cutting Medicaid, we're about several hundred thousand Colorados are going
to be thrown off their healthcare altogether. In the exchange.
Some people will say, hey, I can't afford the twenty
(06:28):
eight percent increase, I'm going uninsured instead of rolling in
the dice. When more people are uninsured, it means there's
higher costs of uncompensated care right, they show up an
emergency room, it's a five thousand dollars bill. Nobody pays it,
No one sure the person doesn't pay it, and that
gets shifted onto everybody with regular insurance. So everybody who
gets insurance to work. That isn't necessarily going enough twenty
(06:49):
or twenty eight percent. It could go up ten fifteen percent,
but it's certainly going up a lot. And it's all
because this is happening nationally. It's all because of that
that one bill the Congress pass that cut all these
money FLNNY for healthcare.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
We're speaking with Governor Jared Poulis this week. You also
released a survey to gather some opinions of the proposed
Colorado one to fifty walkway, which would span Lincoln Street,
connect to the Colorado Capital Complex and the Lincoln Veterans
Memorial Park, all in an effort to celebrate the one
hundred and fiftieth anniversary of our state. But when first proposed, Governor,
I mean, did you expect to have such a strong
(07:22):
reaction and opposition to the bridge from community members.
Speaker 3 (07:27):
We are nearing our one hundred and forty ninth birthday
August first Colorado Day. I hope you're ready with some
great programming on Colorado Day for August first, that's the
one hundred and forty ninth birthday of Colorado where the
centennial state. We became the state August first, eighteen seventy six.
So yeah, the next year, twenty twenty six, Colorado one
hundred and fiftieth birthday America is two hundred and fiftieth
birthday same year, so we're like the kid with a
(07:48):
Christmas birthday. One of the proposed ways that Colorado would
celebrate that is a walkway as a capital that would
sort of tell the history of Colorado, kind of a artistic,
immersive walkway that has near and sort of shares the history.
There's a lot of passionate about it, which is great
and there should be because this is not only our state's anniversary,
it's our state capital. And so you know a lot
(08:08):
of people say, hey, I love it, I hate it,
I like it, I want it this way, I want
it that way, a million different things. So we put
together at COO one fifty walkway dot com and I
encourage your listeners to go there or not while they're driving,
but later today THEO one five zero walkway dot com
takes five minutes survey Do you want to do this walkway?
Do you want to do something else? We just want
to get a sense of where people at because ultimately,
this is a anniversary, that a birthday that is belongs
(08:31):
to the people of Colorado, and we want to make
sure it's done in a way that people want.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
Governor well passionate about it is one way of saying it.
Some have said that this is a this is a
legacy build for you as you leave office.
Speaker 3 (08:44):
What's your reaction to that? Well, look, I mean whether no,
that's kind of a silly way to put it. Because
whether you like you know President Trump or not, he
happens to be president during our country's twit or fiftieth birthday.
Whether you like me or not, I happen to be
governor during our hundred and fiftieth birthday. So of course
we're going to be involved with the celebroy celebratory activities.
I'm a proud American, I'm a patriot. You know, may
not be terribly fond of the current president. Agree with
(09:06):
a few things he does disagree with, Benny, But yeah,
of course I'm proud to be an American in celebratory fiftieth.
I'm proud to be a Colller run celebrated one fiftieth.
So no, you know, certainly, just because people are proud
to celebrate our birthdays doesn't mean it's a legacy for
Donald Trump or Jared Poles. It's really about our pride
in being Coleraon's our pride in being Americans. And I
hope that next year, twenty twenty six, is a special
(09:27):
year for everybody. I talked about a parent generation that
was here in the bi centennial in nineteen seventy six,
and there was a lot of great national pride that year,
and so too in twenty twenty six. I think it's
a great time to reflect on how far we've come
as a state, as a country, as well as our
aspirations for where we want to go in the next century. Governor,
talk a.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
Little bit about the confusion of the price tag that
we have with the bridge. You say it cost around
eighteen million is for just the walkway to be built
for Colorado's one fiftieth, but then there's an additional ten
million for upgrades to the park. A lot of people
have been saying twenty eight point five million. Why is
that additional ten million necessary?
Speaker 1 (10:02):
Could it be cheaper?
Speaker 3 (10:04):
So the walkway in the twenty twenty six piece, the
total cosses would be about eighteen million, About eight would
come eight and a half would come from the state.
I would have to go fundraise the rest. And we
have people that like to fund you know, you know,
formal art projects and that sort of thing. So if
people want to proceed, it creates more work for me,
and I got to raise you know, ten twelve million dollars.
If they don't, I don't have to raise that money.
(10:26):
But yeah, it was always seen as a partnership between
a public and private sector in the state would say hey,
we'll put you know, a dollar in. We have to
raise you know, a dollar fifty two dollars from donors
to make this happen. So even if people want to proceed,
it would only proceed if that money was raised, to
be clear, And that total price tag is about eighteen
eighteen and a half million. The twenty eight is kind
(10:47):
of what would happen not during our cesspicentennial, but that's
kind of like capital plausa improvements over the next call
it five seven years, which many of which will be
planned anyway, but that is kind of the master plan
for the area. So that is money that will likely
be used over the next five ten years. But well,
we're talking about the sets centennial. That's the alattin word
one hundred and fiftieth walkway price tags, betty two and
(11:09):
a half millions.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
It just one of our texters as saying, Governor, is
that is that actually money well spent? Is it already
earmarks or something like that? Are there are other better
uses that the state could use?
Speaker 3 (11:19):
Well, that's exactly what we're asking in the survey. Do
people want to do anything like this or bigger or
smaller for our birthday? I mean we could do nothing
for our birthday, or just they want to have you know,
we're also working with a lot of county fairs. We're
going to do a lot of our state fair. By
the way, our state fair is coming up in Pueblo
in a few weeks for this year one hundred and
forty ninth and next year is going to be extra
(11:40):
specials stuff, both at county fairs and state fairs. So yeah,
that's kind of what we're asking. Is it worth it
to say, hey, we want to have a permanent kind
of one hundred and fiftieth birthday project. Do we want
to do smaller things outside of Denver? Do we want
to do nothing at all? That's really one of the options.
So co one five zero old Walkway dot com. It's
(12:00):
your birthday, Colorado, So let's get a sense of how
people think we should observe it. And then, really, people
get old sometimes they want to forget their birthdays. Maybe
we're old, we don't want to remember anymore?
Speaker 2 (12:09):
Right, real quick, governor as well, will be I know
the survey is available until the twenty first. Will the
results later be posted where people can see and see
where it goes moving forward with this walkway?
Speaker 3 (12:21):
Yeah, that's important. So we made any response in by
Monday at midnight, and it's obviously one response per person.
If you're trying to vote multiple times, the system won't
count those votes. But yeah, vote before Monday at midnight.
CO one fifty Walkway dot com. We should be able
to have those tabulated Tuesday or Wednesday, and well, it'll
give us a better sense of how to celebrate. You know.
(12:41):
One of the questions we ask is which are you
more excited about Colorado's one hundred and fiftieth birthday America
is two hundred and fiftieth or both equally, and that's
going to be important in how we talk about in
brand these right, do we put like America to fifty
first at Colorado one fifty underneath? Do we do it
side by side from Colorado person in America? Second? So
just kind of how we kind of talk about in brand.
(13:02):
This Christmas Birthday experience is what we're trying to get
some guidance on as well.
Speaker 1 (13:08):
Governor Polus, I encourage you to come on with us
more often so we can maybe go in greater detail
on some things. But we love to have you when
we can get you, so thank you so much for
carving out some time for us.
Speaker 3 (13:16):
This morning always a pleasure and happy Colorado Day coming
up August first, thank you, It's Governor Jared Poulus
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