TheHonorableKevinJ.GranthamSenatePresidentColoradoStateSenate200EColfax,RM346Denver,CO80203UnitedStatesTheHonorableLeroyM.GarciaSenateMinorityLeaderColoradoStateSenate200EColfax,RM272Denver,CO80203UnitedStates

TheHonorableCrisantaDuranSpeakeroftheHouseColoradoStateHouseofRepresentatives200EColfax,RM307Denver,CO80203UnitedStatesTheHonorablePatrickNevilleHouseMinorityLeaderColoradoStateHouseofRepresentatives200EColfax,RM307Denver,CO80203UnitedStates

May1,2018DearSpeakerDuran,SenatePresidentGrantham,HouseMinorityLeaderNevilleandSenateMinorityLeaderGarcia–ItistimetosolveColorado’stransportationcrisis.Fortoolong,theissuehasbeenavoidedorignored,whileourstatehasseenmassivepopulationgrowth.Duetoourgrowthwithoutaction,weareseeingmoretrafficaccidents,morecongestionandgrowingcoststodoingbusinessinourstate.That’swhywearewritingyoutourgeyoutopassSenateBill1–thecompromisetransportationfundingmeasurethatpassedtheStateSenatewithaunanimous35-0vote.Withsuchoverwhelmingsupport,andsuchlittletimeleftinthelegislativesession,webelieveit’svitaltokeepthemajorareasofagreementinthishistoriccompromiseintact.Critically,SB1putsnearlyahalfbilliondollarstowardsroadsfromthisyear’sbudgetsurplus,andcommits$250millionayearfor20yearsfromtheGeneralFundtohelpfundabondmeasuretogobeforevotersin2019.Ifpassed,SB1wouldamounttothelargestinvestmentinColorado’stransportationinfrastructurein20years.Thisisanissuethatisnotjustimportanttothebusinesscommunityorasmallsliveroftheelectorate.Thestateofourroadsandbridgesareimpactingeverylastresidentofthestate.Whetheritislongcommuteskeepingparentsawayfromtheirchildren,highercoststobusinessesandconsumersforgoodsduetoincreasedcongestion,orwearandtearofvehicleseatingawayatfamilybudgets,thisissuetoucheseveryone.AskanyTVchannel,radiostation,ornewspaper–thenumberonecomplainttheyhearfromtheirviewers,listenersandreadersisaboutourroads.Votersarepayingattentiontowhetherthisissueissolvedornot.

Thelegislatureshouldnotgaveloutofthissessionwithoutsolvingthisissue.Thelegislaturehasanopportunityandariskhere–theycandemonstratethatsolutionstoourmostvexingproblemsarepossible,ortheycanreinforcethecynicalviewmanypeopleincreasinglyhave,watchingbigproblemsbecomeovercomebythesmallnessofourpolitics.Don’tletthisimportantlegislativesolutiongetjammedupinpoliticaltraffic.It’stimetofixourroads.Signed,

MikeKopp,CEOColoradoConcernJohnIkard,ChairmanofColoradoConcernChipRimer,SVPNobleEnergyRogerHutson,President/CEOofHRMResourcesIILLCCarlMaxey,Chair,NorthernColoradoLegislativeAllianceJeffWasden,PresidentofColoradoBusinessRoundtablecc:SenatorRandyBaumgardnerSenatorJohnCookeRepresentativePerryBuck