Bill Ritter has saved southeast Colorado from the Army's initial proposal to expand its Piñon Canyon Maneuver Site in Southeastern Colorado. We say southeast Colorado because we’re not just ‘a few ranchers’ as many people like Rep. Coffman would like you to believe. We are people of southeastern Colorado, entire communities and businesses, with a bright future for new business prospects in our own region.
Mr. Ritter has shown he doesn’t hide behind partisan politics. Governor Ritter says “I looked at the facts and listened to all sides and am certain I did the right thing signing HB1317.” He goes on to say “Fort Carson will continue to be a great addition to the State and the El Paso County area yet southeastern Colorado’s ranchers, farmers, businesses and communities should also be allowed to work in and promote their own communities without threat of takeover.”
Unfortunately, Mike Coffman wants to inject partisan politics into an issue that has always had broad bi-partisan support, putting him at odds not only with Coloradans, but also his own party. For years, both Democrats and Republicans have supported our efforts to block overly-aggressive expansion plans by the Army. Most of our elected leaders, like Governor Ritter, know that we can strike the right balance between safeguarding our national security and protecting Southern Colorado's economic vitality.
Congressman Mike Coffman has even gone so far as to issue a congressional statement smearing the Governor as "sympathetic" to terrorist organizations for siding with Coloradoans against the expansion of Pinon Canyon. But Rep. Coffman's fringe attacks show that some folks will say or do anything for political gain -- even questioning the patriotism of our Governor. We cannot let these attacks go unchecked.
Join us in telling Rep. Mike Coffman to stop using taxpayer dollars to smear Governor Ritter and trounce good citizens efforts in our own communities.
Many, many families have been tied to the land around Piñon Canyon for upwards of six generations. The Army's plan to seize thousands upon thousands of additional acres to expand its facility here threatened to wipe out $20 million a year in agricultural production with an impact of at least $100 to $140 million each year to the regional economy (each dollar turns over 5 to 7 times) thus eliminating the hundreds of businesses and multitudes of people that rely upon that solid and stable agriculture base. Simply put, it would have devastated our economy and decimated our uniquely Colorado way of life.
When all of these concerned people with deep roots in Southern Colorado banded together to oppose this particular plan by the Army to take our land, Governor Ritter listened. That's not all. After hearing the facts, our concerns and our stories, Governor Ritter signed legislation to protect our private property rights -- twice. He has remained true to his word since the very beginning, and we are tremendously grateful.
Join us in telling Rep. Mike Coffman to stop using taxpayer dollars to smear Governor Ritter and the people of Colorado.
Thank you for joining us to send a message to Rep. Mike Coffman, and for standing up for the thousands of Coloradans, just like you who would be devastated by the Army's excessive expansion proposal.
Sincerely,
Kelly and Randy Bader, Ranchers, Kim, PCEOC
Arin and Brady Burnham, Ranchers, Burwell, NE, Ranchers, PCEOC
Rebecca Goodwin, Chairman - 0tero County Historic Preservation Board, PCEOC
Grady Grissom, Farrier, PCEOC Board
Linda Grissom, Chemist, PCEOC
Connie Hass, Teacher/Rancher, PCEOC
Rusty and Niki Henard, Ranchers, Tatum, NM, PCEOC
Doug Holdread, Artist/Professor, Trinidad, PCEOC
Randy and Barbara Pond, 1st Sgt, Colorado Springs, PCEOC
(3 tours in Iraq, 1 tour in Desert Storm, Stationed at Fort Carson)
RC and JoannaPatterson, ranchers, Kim, PCEOC Board
Gerald Quartiero, Truck Driver, Walsenburg, PCEOC
Shelley Quartiero, Project Manager, Walsenburg, PCEOC Board
Anita Robertson, general store owner-operator, Kim, PCEOC Board
Lon Robertson, Rancher/Paramedic, Kim, PCEOC Board
Wayne Snider, Town Administrator, Fowler, PCEOC
Jerry and Karen Winford, Ranchers, Branson, PCEOC Board
Joy Wooten, Rancher/Photographer, Kim, PCEOC
Steve Wooten, Rancher, Kim, PCEOC Board
E-mail Rep. Mike Coffman
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