Colorado Water Resources & Power Development Authority Jan 2003

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orrice or the vovernor - 2uu-i Mate or the Mate Aaaress rage 3 or to V, e�� 6.v eetk �xc � We will continue on this path to progress — because Colorado's children deserve no less. Ensuring a bright future for every Coloradan doesn't stop in twelfth grade. The fact is that fewer than one in four Coloradans go on to higher education. While the barrier to attending a Colorado college or university is not always financial,. there is no question that dollars and cents can trump what.for many is a common -sense decision to pursue higher education. Today., Colorado invests more than $700 million in our public higher education institutions. Those dollars support the tuition for thousands of our fellow citizens. But, for many Coloradans — particularly low- income men and women — the fact that these dollars are there, for them, is simply not real. Our Blue Ribbon Commission on Higher Education has recommended that we change the funding equation. I agree. We should allow the dollars to follow the student to the public college or university of his or her choice. Let's create, this year, the College Opportunity Fund. A student may choose a community college, a state college or one of our public universities. But this puts the choice and the opportunity in their' hands. No strings attached. It tells them that there is up to $18,000 waiting for them to claim. to pursue a brighter future in higher education. A brighter future for our farmers and ranchers — indeed all of Colorado — depends on all of us focusing, this year, on our water policy. It's no secret that 2002 was the driest in Colorado history. In fact, scientists tell us that this is perhaps the worst drought in 350 years. The drought hit our farmers and ranchers hardest, since they use 85 percent of Colorado's water supply. Despite these challenges, we should all be proud of how Colorado responded to the drought. Water - restrictions were obeyed, and water managers worked quickly to improve their water delivery systems. The General Assembly responded as well.. During the Special Session, you passed legislation to ensure that communities would receive emergency water supplies, while farmers were aided in their well irrigation.. Some sat that new water storage fuels growth. Let -me suggest, respectfully, that this position is mistaken. When we increase the supply of water, we lower its cost for those who use it. Eighty -five percent of Colorado's water fuels agriculture, not subdivisions. By lowering the cost of water we are protecting the 50 percent of Colorado's land area that is agricultural open space. Let us continue to make flexibility and cooperation the cornerstone of Colorado's water policy. I offer' the following suggestions designed to face our current drought and better prepare for future drought cycles: We must increase Colorado's efforts to conserve water. Let's ensure that all Colorado communities operate under sound water conservation plans. Where feasible, let's encourage water reuse. We must launch. a Statewide Water Supply Initiative. This initiative:wi11 survey all major water users in the state, and determine future water needs. It will then identify water projects that can respond to.those. needs. We must examine innovative ways to save more of Colorado's water. If we want.to protect Colorado's entitled water from California's lawns. we must identify a method to- store our share of the Colorado http: / /www. state. co .us /owenspresg2003stateofstate.htm 1/1.6/2003