High Country - December 21, 2022 - Government and Politics News from the American West

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Welcome to High Country - politics in the American West. My name is Sean Diller; regular listeners might know me from Heartland Pod’s Talking Politics, every Monday.

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Alright! Let’s get into it: 

NEVADA CURRENT: 
Water managers across drought-stricken West agree on one thing: ‘This is going to be painful’

BY JENIFFER SOLIS - MONDAY DECEMBER 19, 2022 5:25 AM

Water authorities in the Western U.S. don’t have a crystal ball, but rapidly receding reservoirs uncovering sunken boats and other debris lost in their depths decades ago give a clear view of the hard choices ahead.

If western states do not agree on a plan to safeguard the Colorado River — the source of the region’s vitality — there won’t be enough water for anyone.

Water managers, researchers, agricultural producers and others from across the drought-stricken river basin met in Las Vegas last week for the Colorado River Water Users Association annual convention to face hard truths about the state of the river and historically-low levels of its biggest reservoirs.

Two decades of drought and poor planning have caused the river’s biggest reservoirs — Lake Mead and Lake Powell — to drop to their lowest collective volume since they were filled. 

 Rebecca Mitchell, director of the Colorado Water Conservation Board said “Time is not on our side. Hydrology is not on our side. That’s the frightening reality Every day that passes this problem gets harder and harder to solve.”

The water could drop below what’s needed to generate power as soon as next year, according to water experts. If nothing is done  there is a real possibility water levels in both reservoirs will drop so low in the next two years that water will no longer flow downstream to the 40 million people in the West who rely on the Colorado River.

To put it in perspective, this winter both reservoirs were about a quarter full - 25%. In December 1999, Lake Powell was at 88% capacity, and Lake Mead was at 96% capacity.  

In 2021, Lower basin states faced their first-ever federally declared water shortage, which directs how much water states can draw from the Colorado River. Deeper cuts were declared this year.

Ted Cooke, the general manager for the Central Arizona Project.

In June, Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Touton issued an ultimatum to states: Develop a plan to save 2 million to 4 million acre-feet of water by next year — roughly one-fifth of their currently allocations—or the federal government will step in.

During a panel discussion at last week’s convention in Las Vegas, representatives for the seven western states who rely on the Colorado River said reaching a compromise will be their collective priority for the next six months.

They agree that the longer it takes to stabilize the river and conserve the water needed to keep the river functional, the more likely reservoir levels will continue to plummet, leaving states with fewer and fewer options.

Just last week, all of Southern California was declared to be in a drought emergency by the Metropolitan Water District, the main water supplier for Los Angeles county.

Officials for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation warned that aridification, the long-term shift to a drier climate, means even less snow runoff is making it to the river each year.

Currently, there is nearly $4 billion set aside for the Colorado River that would allow the Bureau of Reclamation to use some funds to pay users to voluntarily forgo water use.

“We have to accept that we can not cling to our entitlements or allocations. If they are not there none of it matters,” Mitchell continued. “Folks in the room have to be willing to let us make hard decisions, because this is going to be painful.” Becky Mitchell Colorado Water Conservation Board

SOURCE NM:

New Mexico’s HSD proposes medication-assisted treatment for incarcerated people

BY: AUSTIN FISHER - DECEMBER 19, 2022 4:35 AM

Beginning in 2024, New Mexico’s Medicaid program could start providing medication-assisted treatment to incarcerated people 30 days before they are released, along with a 30-day supply of medication when they leave. The hope is that this will be a step toward reducing the harms of criminalizing substance use disorder, and producing better outcomes.

In a 275-page application to the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services by the New Mexico Human Services Department published Friday, HSD says it hopes to ensure formerly incarcerated people stay on their medication after release, and don’t commit more crimes, end up in an emergency room or unhoused.

At any given time in New Mexico, more than 14,000 people are held in state, local or youth correctional facilities, and nearly 50,000 people churn through local jails in the state each year.

 according to a lawsuit filed Thursday by ACLU-NM and Disability Rights New Mexico, New Mexico’s prison system forces people who are on medication for opioid use disorder, to withdraw from it when they enter prison.

The lawsuit cites research showing that someone leaving incarceration is nearly 13 times more likely than the general population to die of an overdose in the first two weeks after their release.

HSD wants to get people who are being held in jail before a trial, or who are imprisoned post-conviction, on Medicaid so they can get medication-assisted treatment while inside state prisons, local jails, youth correctional facilities, tribal holding facilities, tribal jails and at the New Mexico Behavioral Health Institute.

The department plans to focus on incarcerated people with serious mental health conditions, severe emotional disturbance, substance use disorder, or an intellectual or developmental disability. It estimates 7,500 people per year could benefit.

COLORADO SUN:

The biggest election 2022 spender in Colorado? Jared Polis — by a long shot.

Sandra Fish

3:41 AM MST on Dec 15, 2022

Democratic Gov. Jared Polis spent $12.6 million of his own money on his successful reelection bid this year, more than any other state-level candidate. May sound like a lot,

Polis’ 2022 spending, however, didn’t come close to the more than $23 million of his own wealth spent in 2018 to win his first gubernatorial campaign. 

After Gov Polis, the No. 2 state-level political spender in Colorado this year was Total Wine & More at $12 million. That money went toward supporting Proposition 124, an unsuccessful ballot measure that would have let the retail giant open more liquor stores in Colorado.

A few more highlights from the final campaign finance reports: 

Democratic candidates dominated spending on state-level statewide contests

The Polis campaign spent more than three times the $3.7 million spent by his Republican opponent, who lost by more than 19 percentage points.

Polis spent $9 per vote cast in his favor in the general election, less than the $9.72 per vote he spent in the 2018 general election and far less than the nearly $40 per vote he spent winning a four-way primary that year.

The Democratic Attorneys General Association’s state super PAC spent $2.9 million supporting Phil Weiser against his GOP challenger, John Kellner. 

In the costliest state Senate contest, Jefferson County-based Senate District 20, Republican developer Tim Walsh loaned his campaign more than $1 million in his loss to Democratic state Rep. Lisa Cutter, who spent just $262,000.

Democratic super PACs also outspent their Republican counterparts on state legislative races: 

All Together Colorado spent more than $11 million helping elect Democratic state Senate candidates, compared with the $8.5 million spent by Senate Majority Fund, which supported Republicans.

Natural Medicine Colorado spent $4.46 per vote on Proposition 122, which legalized psilocybin mushrooms and was approved by nearly 54% of voters. Nearly $4.4 million of the total $5.8 million that was spent came from the national nonprofit New Approach and its federal PAC.

Healthy School Meals For All Colorado Students spent $1.32 per vote in successfully passing Proposition GG, which eliminated a tax break for wealthy Coloradans so that schools can provide free meals to all students. Numerous nonprofits accounted for the committee’s $1.8 million in spending.

COLORADO NEWSLINE: Mayor Hancock works to address influx of migrants

BY: LINDSEY TOOMER - DECEMBER 15, 2022 3:37 PM

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock has issued an emergency declaration so the city can more easily free up resources to support the ongoing influx of migrants into the city - having already spent upwards of $800,000 in city funds on the efforts.

At a news conference at the city’s Emergency Operations Center Thursday, Hancock said about 700 unhoused migrants had arrived in recent weeks. And he isn’t sure how many more the city can expect. The original emergency shelter the city set up at a recreation center hit capacity with 275 people, leading to two more recreation centers being pulled into the effort.

Hancock said at the news conference. “This influx of migrants, the unanticipated nature of their arrival, and our current space and staffing challenges have put an immense strain on city resources, to the level where they’re on the verge of reaching a breaking point. What I don’t want to see is a local humanitarian crisis of unsheltered migrants on our hands because of the lack of resources.”

Mayor Hancock noted that most of the people seem to be coming through El Paso, Texas, and while the city has seen groups of migrants arriving for several months, only recently have they started arriving at the current volume and without notice. City officials say the migrants come from Central and South America, including Venezuela. Employees from multiple city agencies are being pulled from their regular duties and “working around the clock” to support them as they arrive, Hancock said. 

The city is most desperate for support when it comes to shelter space and staffing. Hancock asked that anyone who might have space that can serve as a shelter, or who can volunteer to help, reach out to the city’s Emergency Operations Center at [email protected]. 

He thanked the many city staff, volunteers, nonprofit and faith organizations that have already stepped up to support the city’s sheltering and reunification efforts. 

Hancock also thanked the hundreds of Denver residents who have donated clothing and supplies and asked for their continued patience as the city works through the situation. He said he has been in direct contact with Gov. Jared Polis as well as members of Colorado’s federal Congressional delegation to help identify additional resources to help.

Mayor Hancock also said, “We are committed to doing what we can for the migrants and the asylum seekers who have come here. But here in Denver and cities all over this country are once again having to respond because of the failure of our Congress and federal government to address a very critical situation … I’m not trying to sound political, but I’m trying to sound pragmatic and practical. This is going to continue to happen, continue to overwhelm cities all over this country until Congress works on fixing the situation.”

Denver first opened an emergency shelter at an undisclosed recreation center on Dec. 6. There’s an ongoing need for donations and local faith-based groups and nonprofits are continuing to assist the city with its efforts to support the migrants. 

The city has established a drop-off location for physical donations at Iglesia Ciudad de Dios located at 5255 W Warren Ave. in Denver. Donations are being accepted on Tuesdays and Wednesdays between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.

The city released a list of needed items, and noted that the list could change based on supply and demand:

Coats (men’s S and M, women’s M) 

Pants (waist 30-33) 

Socks

Underwear

Winter apparel (hats, gloves, scarves, boots)

Children’s clothing for ages 10 and younger 

Overall, the city said there is a high demand for new clothing for adults sizes small through large, with a special need for medium-sized clothing and winter weather clothing.

The city is also asking local faith-based groups, non-profits and private sector partners to reach out if they are able to support its efforts by contacting the Emergency Operations Center at [email protected].

CONCERT PICK OF THE WEEK: The Roots, with support from Big KRIT: Tuesday December 27 at Denver’s Mission Ballroom. GA tickets are $60 and available at axs.com. The Roots then play San Francisco on Thursday December 29, and Los Angeles on New Year’s Eve. In 2023, their only U.S. show is in Chicago, March 18. 

Welp, that’s it for me! From Denver I’m Sean Diller. Original reporting for the stories in today’s show comes from the Colorado Sun, 9NEWS Denver, Nevada Current, Colorado Newsline, Source NM, and Denver’s Westword.

Thank you for listening! See you next time.

Host: Adam Sommer 

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