Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser visited Pagosa Springs on Wednesday, Sept. 10, with a community meeting being held at Uncle’s Bar.
Weiser answered questions from the public that touched upon immigration protection, broadband access, voter redistricting, state minimum wage requirements, ways to support politicians without donations, federal water quality requirements being proposed and other topics.
Before taking any questions, Weiser commented that he is a “big believer in the importance of self-governance and ‘We the people,’ which means it’s really important to hear from people all across the state. I am here truly because I want to listen and hear what’s on your mind.”
The first question asked of Weiser was a woman asking what is being done with money that is donated to politicians after expressing that she calls and writes to representatives and is often just asked to donate money.
Weiser commented that people can consider donating to those running for office, “but that should not be your sole, or even primary, form of civic engagement.”
He added that being a citizen comes with a range of responsibilities and opportunities.
Weiser also praised the question, noting it can be difficult figuring out how to engage at this moment, “when it feels like our republic is hanging by a thread.”
He encouraged citizens to show up and engage with representatives, also noting that if representatives do not make themselves available for the people, “then you should criticize them in letters to the editor,” or even protest outside their offices.
Weiser also encouraged citizens to not “sit out elections,” adding, “That’s a chance for your voice to be heard.”
Weiser was then asked about the state’s affordable housing initiative, Proposition 123, by Pagosa Springs Community Development Corporation Executive Director Emily Lashbrooke, who stated, “Prop 123 is not working in rural Colorado.”
Lashbrooke also asked about the broadband fiber project on Wolf Creek Pass that is being facilitated by the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT).
She explained that the project is being paid for with public funding, “and we still cannot access that fiber.”
Weiser commented on the broadband issue first, noting that CDOT has been “a challenge to work with on this issue.”
He mentioned the best tool that he has in his role as attorney general is to be a “nudge,” mentioning that he may be in a different position in the future in which CDOT would have to report to him.
Weiser also mentioned that the Southern Ute Indian Tribe went without 911 emergency service for a stretch of four days this past summer, commenting, “That’s what happens when you don’t have sufficient fiber infrastructure to protect.”
He went on to explain that there is “a lot of fed money” coming into Colorado and the state needs to figure out how to manage it appropriately to include things such as “middle-mile” fiber projects and that if that can’t be done, then, “like what F.”
Weiser expressed that he had no good answer at the moment for the fiber project and that the situation is frustrating to him, as well.
He then addressed the topic of Proposition 123, explaining that he has publicly spoken out that he wants to fix the initiative as it does not seem to be working in communities with “inverted housing markets.”
Weiser then clarified that he is running to be the next governor of Colorado, but that he did not schedule his Sept. 10 community meeting as a political event.
He explained that in his role as the attorney general he is advising on broadband projects and Proposition 123, “and I’m frustrated we’re not doing better,” adding that part of his reasoning for running for governor is to have more direct oversight on these matters.
Pagosa Area Water and Sanitation District board member Alex Boehmer asked about potential federal regulations that would require lower nitrogen levels in sewer water discharge, claiming if these regulations go through, it would cost each rate payer in his district approximately $15,000 to meet the specifications being put forward.
Weiser commented that he is “not afraid” of what he doesn’t know, but that he understands the community would be forced to take on a substantial upgrade to its water treatment facilities.
“We need to make sure we’re being sensible and supporting,” he said, adding that in rural communities there may not be an “easy solve.”
Another local resident then asked Weiser what he would do differently if selected to be the next governor of Colorado.
Weiser reiterated that he is a candidate, but that the community meeting was not scheduled as a political event.
“The way we lead currently is a good place to start ... my focus is making sure I’m showing up,” he said, adding that working to be collaborative and really listening would be his focus.
Another local resident commented that, in theory, working collaboratively with multiple agencies sounds great, but questioned if Weiser would make sure the individual in a particular situation is not forgotten.
Weiser explained that he considers himself a public servant and a student of government at the same time, noting that the issue in government is often not if there is a Democrat or Republican in office, but that “it’s do you have an innovator in charge? Or do you have someone who’s basically allowing government to keep operating on autopilot?”
Weiser commented that, most of the time, the government does what it’s always been doing, and that his mindset is “100 percent an innovative mindset.”
Another resident then asked about how the community might be protected from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents coming into the community and potentially taking people away.
Weiser explained that a recent Supreme Court ruling said that if you have brown skin color, are Spanish-speaking and in a low-wage job, “you’re vulnerable to basically being taken” by masked ICE agents.
He went on to mention that he sees a time period coming where there are “sensible and fair” legal immigration systems in place, adding that it is important for the country to have a secure border and a process that functions in a rational way to ensure due process of law to everyone.
He noted that people are concerned about being taken indiscriminately with an unfair process.
“Turns out in the real world, there’s all sorts of grays,” he said, explaining that not every immigration situation is clear-cut.
He went on to explain that if ICE agents do show up in the community, it needs to figure out who is being taken and where they are being taken to, to ensure due process of law.
Weiser noted that he is a first-generation American and that his grandparents and mother came to the United States as Holocaust refugees.
“Unless you’re Indigenous, somewhere in your ancestors, someone came here,” he said, adding that it is important to recognize immigration as a strength while pointing out the need to build a solid policy.
Weiser also explained that Colorado law enforcement does not deal with immigration, and that the president cannot use the military for domestic law enforcement activities unless in a war, insurrection or a “true national emergency.”
He then addressed the concern of the president not respecting the courts’ rulings, expressing that there is an “80-20 split” amongst the public on whether or not the president needs to follow the law, with 80 percent of the public believing the president is not above the law.
Weiser commented that he is not afraid to “stand up” to the federal government when it is doing harmful and illegal things.
When asked about mid-decade redistricting, Weiser explained that an organized effort to do redistricting with the goal of gerrymandering the House of Representatives started in Texas.
He added that he believes in fair elections and no gerrymandering of any kind, noting there is not sufficient enough time to do that before the 2026 elections, as a ballot measure would need to be put forward.
Weiser was also asked about the upcoming mid-term elections and what people should be concerned about with those.
Weiser commented that within Colorado he believes people are working hard for fair and free elections, noting that the president has continued to threaten Colorado for having mail-in ballot options.
He commented that the constitution explicitly states that only the states can decide the time, place and manner of elections.
“The president has no basis to tell us how to run our elections,” Weiser said.
Weiser was then asked about a recent Pagosa Springs town ordinance that was proposed that would have required groups of 25 or more to obtain a permit and carry sufficient insurance in order to organize an assembly of people.
Weiser encouraged citizens to consult with the town’s attorney, noting there may be some First Amendment concerns with the proposed ordinance.
The town council heard that proposed ordinance on Sept. 2, with council members expressing concerns about First Amendment rights to assembly and free speech. The matter was not voted on.
A local business owner, Jason Cox, then asked about minimum wage requirements coming down from the state level, stating, “We tend to see a lot of pressure on our floor with minimum wage rules that are making to the state level.”
Cox commented that he is not against a minimum wage, but expressed concerns about the “mismatch” of not doing it on a community level and using metrics like area median income (AMI) to help dictate minimum wage requirements tailored to specific communities.
Cox expressed that the AMI in Telluride is different than in La Junta or Pagosa Springs.
Weiser explained that building a broader coalition that “one size doesn’t fit all” across the state is important.
He explained that there is a statewide minimum wage floor and that local governments can vote to go above that, but inferred from Cox’s question that he was expressing that the statewide floor is still pretty high and “that’s an open conversation to figure out.”
clayton@pagosasun.com
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