Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser talked with an audience in Cortez on Friday about a number of issues faced by rural communities, including opioids, broadband access, economic development, and water.
Weiser is running for governor, but said that his hour-long appearance before an audience of three dozen was as attorney general. He praised the work of the Southwest Opioid Response District, with whom he met in Durango on Wednesday, but said more needs to be done to help people who are incarcerated for opioid use.
“They get arrested and end up in jail and go cold turkey, which is incredibly painful and dangerous,” he said. Then, after they are freed, they will likely go back to using opioids because they haven’t been helped, meaning they are likely to overdose or end up in jail again.
Weiser also spoke about the need for mental-health support for law-enforcement professionals. “They are exposed to so much trauma,” he said.
For too long, he said, “they were given the message ‘suck it all up’,” just as military veterans were.
But trauma doesn’t just go away, Weiser said. He gave an example of a law-enforcement officer who went straight from a situation dealing with child abuse into a problematic situation where he wound up using excessive force.
“We want to train people so when they’re not at their best self, they realize they should sit this one out. How do we help officers function as their best selves?”
Weiser thanked Montezuma County Sheriff Steve Nowlin and District Attorney Jeremy Reed for their work. They served on the board of Peace Officer Standards and Training, which operates under the attorney general’s office.
Weiser also spoke about ongoing negotiations over Colorado River water, saying they are at a critical and delicate moment. The federal government may wind up imposing a solution if states can’t come to an agreement, he noted, and said he is prepared for litigation if necessary.
“You cannot be afraid to go to court to fight politically,” Weiser said.
One of many issues he has fought in court involved a proposed merger between Kroger’s and Albertsons. Weiser traveled around the state to hear from citizens about the merger and was told by most that they opposed it. The merger has since been called off after legal opposition.
Weiser said he also is court fighting federal cuts to funding for education. “The executive branch is acting unilaterally,” he said.
Montezuma County is at risk of losing teachers because they can earn better wages in nearby places such as New Mexico.
“We have to find ways to support education and keep good teachers.”
Another topic Weiser discussed was access to broadband. “I wish I had more authority to help solve this Wolf Creek Pass situation,” he said, referring to how broadband access changes on the other side of the pass.
Building fiber is essential, he said, adding that he spoke with the Southern Ute Tribe about it and they voiced concerns about inconsistent 9-1-1 service.
“This is not acceptable,” he said. “Rural communities need sustainable, reliable access to broadband.”
Economic development in rural communities is also an area that needs support, Weiser said.
“This region is going to rise or fall as a region. Montezuma County is not an island, La Plata is not an island.” He said “vibrant start-ups” need support locally.
“We need to be committed to supporting economic development across the whole state,” Weiser said. “Montezuma County is different from Arapahoe County. We don’t want regulatory mandates that are a one-size-fits-all or top-down approach.”
He said he realizes that rural residents feel that people in Denver don’t care about them, but he cares about rural communities and will work to prevent things such as water being shipped from the San Luis Valley to the Front Range “to make some investors a quick buck.”
He encouraged people to stay informed and involved.
“I always say our democratic republic is a team sport, not a spectator sport,” he said.
