The Colorado Enabling Act, in Section 4, (please Google) clearly states that as a condition of statehood, “the people inhabiting said territory do agree and declare that they forever disclaim all right and title to the unappropriated public lands lying within said territory, and that the same shall be and remain at the sole and entire disposition of the Untied States.”

Our brilliant county commissioners have donated $1,000 of our taxpayer dollars to the American Land Council, which promotes giving states ownership of federal lands. So just what did our $1,000 buy? A little cowboy insurrection kit? Maybe an autographed poster of Cliven Bundy? Who knows?

Anyone familiar with this issue knows that the state could never afford to maintain millions of acres of our public land. Firefighting costs alone would quickly bankrupt the state, which would then be forced to sell these lands to private interests, as states do when faced with financial crisis.

To those who wish to see public lands delivered to private hands, subsequently destroying our outdoor recreational heritage, your argument is morally and intellectually insignificant. Go ahead and groom yourselves with your own wasted money, but keep your hands off mine!

Tom Sykes

Dolores