Routt County Commissioner Sonja Macys returned earlier this month from the National Association of Counties Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C., where she joined almost 2,000 county leaders from across the nation to champion key issues to lawmakers.

The conference, held March 1-4, provided a platform for county officials to influence the conference’s legislative agenda, hear updates on federal policies and collaborate to shape federal policy initiatives.

Macys was elected in February to the association’s Public Lands Committee as a two-term travel delegate. In this role, she collaborates with federal agencies and legislators to advocate for Colorado’s interests, such as the Secure Rural Schools Act and Payment In Lieu of Taxes and crucial programs that provide direct payments to public lands.

Routt County, where 52% of the land is public, utilizes these programs to offset the loss of property tax revenue, Macys said Monday. Payment in lieu of taxes alone provides approximately 25% of Routt County’s road and bridge budget, making it an important source of funding for local infrastructure.

Macys emphasized the need for continued support for these programs, especially given the challenges posed by current federal funding uncertainties.

“One of my key takeaways from the conference was that, at least on the issue of public lands in Colorado, we have a great deal of alignment with people of all political parties, and there’s a high degree of concern about the uncertainty of our public lands,” Macys said. “I can say that that’s pretty consistent across the board. We also saw that kind of at the national level … there’s just general agreement that we’re in a place of uncertainty.”

While the conference covered a wide range of issues, including tax and budget reconciliation, disaster preparedness, artificial intelligence and behavioral health, Macys said transportation funding was a major focus. She emphasized the need for direct federal funding to counties, similar to the allocations provided through the American Rescue Plan Act in 2021.

This would streamline the process of securing funds for transportation projects, she said, which are currently often funneled through state agencies, leaving counties to compete for limited resources.

During the Capitol Hill Day of Action, Macys joined other commissioners in meetings with U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet and U.S. Reps. Joe Neguse and Jason Crow.

These meetings, organized by Colorado Counties Incorporated, a membership association whose purpose is to offer assistance to county commissioners, mayors and council members centered on priority areas for commissioners across the state, included requests for direct funding to support critical programs such as the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and the Colorado Child Care Assistance Program.

“One of the things that they asked us to do as a follow-up, which we have been getting started on, is to really provide them very direct and specific examples of how the actions of the federal government are affecting our counties,” said Macys. “They want us to help them understand.” 

“For example, recently, Colorado State University Extension has funded and supported two internship positions that are supposed to be tied to positions at the Forest Service. And they have had to say to those interns, ‘We don’t know if your mentor will be employed,'” Macys added. “These are the kinds of things that our legislators are saying, ‘Please help us make the case for you by providing these very specific local examples of how these things are harming communities.'”

Macys highlighted the value of open conversations with federal agencies during the conference, particularly with the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management. These discussions provided insights into federal priorities, such as increased timbering to address beetle-kill issues and fire hazards in Routt County, though some commissioners raised concerns about the lack of infrastructure to process timber given the decline in sawmills. 

Looking ahead, Macys remains committed to addressing the challenges posed by federal policies and ensuring that the county is well-prepared to manage its public lands effectively.

“The single biggest issue facing the county is the growing appreciation for and use of public lands by all kinds of users,” said Macys. “And so when you take that, combined with the inability of the land-management agencies to hire people to maintain these lands, I think we’re going to see a very significant impact to visitation and management.” 

“How do we continue the funding for these public lands? How do we manage locally?” she added. “This is the beginning of a very long conversation.”