Teller County's Board of Commissioners has formally notified state leadership that it will treat unfunded state mandates that strain local resources and jeopardize essential services as optional.
In a letter sent to Governor Jared Polis, Senate President James Coleman, and House Speaker Julie McCluskie, the Board cited Colorado Revised Statute § 29-1-304.5, which affirms that state mandates without funding are optional.
“Counties like ours are being asked to do more with less,” said Chairman Dan Williams. “We’re responsible for vast rural areas and critical services, yet the State continues to impose costly requirements without providing the means to implement them.”
Among the mandates flagged by Teller County:
- Wildland-Urban Interface Code (SB23-166 & SB24-005): Requires extensive enforcement without staffing support.
- Energy Benchmarking (HB21-1286): Demands upgrades beyond current budget capacity.
- Demographic Reporting (HB21-1250) & IT Compliance (HB21-1236): Add administrative burdens without funding.
The County has instructed staff to treat these mandates as optional under state law, emphasizing that this decision is lawful and necessary to protect taxpayers and preserve core services like public safety and wildfire mitigation.
Teller County is calling for a bipartisan dialogue to:
- Limit future unfunded mandates
- Provide targeted funding when mandates are necessary
- Revisit laws and "see firsthand the challenges we face,” said Williams. “We’re ready to collaborate, but we will defend our position in court if needed.”