Water Sale Holdouts Cite Other Values: Pueblo Chieftain

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The Pueblo Chieftain Online I Saturday entities will collect 98 percent less in property taxes when the water is gone, according to county figures. Sales tax collections could fall, too, when there are fewer farmers and farm workers to buy local goods. Chambers also faults Aurora's planners for forcing the suburb to consider Rocky Ford water. Buying agricultural water hundreds of miles away is like robbing Peter to pay Paul, Chambers said. "To me, it's like suicide," Chambers said. "It's a permanent solution to a temporary problem." The sale was prompted by a small group of people who own large shares of the ditch and Chambers said those people should have allowed time for others to find some alternative to selling. Since news of the sale broke, local officials and residents have met several times to talk about alternatives such as interruptible - supply plans, water banking and annual water leasing. But it may be too late for any of those ideas to save the Rocky Ford Ditch, as the contracts have been signed. Now the case will wind through water court, a process Aurora is trying to streamline by negotiating agreements with the case's dozens of objectors. Even some of those selling their water aren't exactly thrilled to be doing so. The fear of being left behind in a dry ditch prompted many to cash in on Aurora's offer, even if they didn't like the idea. "I talked with one seller and he said he doesn't care if it sells or not," Milenski said. "I think there's a lot of unenthusiastic sellers who felt they had no option." One of those is the Morrison family, which started farming here in 1906. The family elected to sell the family farm because it sits at the end of the canal and might get shorted in water after Aurora takes what it bought. However, Mary Morrison, 82, is keeping two shares of water that goes with the small plot of Page 3 of 5 http : / /www.chieftain.com/wednesday /news /display.php3 ?article =4 04/22/2000