As I speak with people across Eagle County, from Vail to Gypsum, I hear the same concerns over and over. The entire county has become unaffordable for most working families. Under the current leadership in Denver, these problems have only grown worse. Voters are ready for a change.
Housing affordability is in crisis. Eagle County faces a severe workforce housing shortage of over 2,638 units today — with another 3,736 units needed by 2035. Teachers are commuting from Rifle, firefighters and nurses are living in overcrowded conditions or RVs, and young families who want to put down roots here are being priced out. Ski industry workers who keep our resorts running often cannot afford to live in the communities they serve.
Action steps I will take: I will fight to cut excessive state regulations that drive up housing costs, support practical deed-restricted workforce housing projects, and oppose new taxes and spending mandates that make the problem worse. We need more supply — not more bureaucracy.
Property taxes continue to climb. Despite record money flowing into state and local government coffers, residents feel they are getting less in return. Denver politicians keep inventing new fees and schemes to bypass Colorado’s Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR). Many are actively working to weaken or repeal TABOR altogether.
Action steps I will take: I will defend TABOR, vote against any efforts to undermine it, and push for greater transparency and accountability so Eagle County taxpayers get better value for their hard-earned dollars.
Local energy industries are under attack. Tourism is vital to Eagle County, but we cannot sacrifice reliable and affordable energy. Oil, gas, and coal from our region help power Colorado and provide good-paying jobs. Extreme mandates coming from Denver threaten these industries and our energy security.
Action steps I will take: I will support an all-of-the-above energy strategy that protects traditional energy production while maintaining our strong tourism economy. I will oppose unrealistic state mandates that hurt working families and local businesses.
Water rights must be protected. Water rights are property rights in Colorado, governed by the prior appropriation doctrine — “first in time, first in right.” Yet Eagle County faces growing pressure to reduce diversions and send more of our water downstream to lower basin states. At the same time, Front Range interests continue to impact flows in our rivers and streams. The future of ranching, agriculture, recreation, and our entire way of life depends on strong water protections.
Action steps I will take: I will stand up for Eagle County’s water rights in the statehouse, fight against efforts to transfer our water to other regions, and work to ensure the Colorado River system treats the Western Slope fairly.
Eagle County thrives because of the average people who live and work here — the multi-generation ranchers, the teachers, the tradespeople, and the seasonal workers who make our communities run. We need policies that put local families and workers first — not the political mandates and ideologies coming from the Front Range.
Residents of Eagle County, I want to hear from you. With the right leadership in Denver, we can reduce the financial burdens on our families, protect our critical industries, defend our water, and restore responsibility in state government.
I ask for your support in this campaign.
James Kellogg – Republican Candidate for Colorado House District 26
