Colorado secede plans are in the works by rural NE county officials

By: Jen Gangloff
Colorado secede plans are in the works by rural county officials who are unhappy with changes made during the state’s last legislative session, the Coloradoan reported on June 7.
It’s not clear yet whether the plan for part of Colorado to secede and form another state could perhaps leave a North Colorado and a South Colorado, and it remains to be seen which Colorado counties will get on board with secession plans.
So far, Weld County commissioners, who are leading the Colorado secession efforts, confirmed that commissioners in the counties of Morgan, Logan, Sedgwick, Phillips, Washington, Yuma and Kit Carson have been involved in talks about separation.

While the rural Northeastern Colorado county commissioners driving the Colorado secession plans seem plenty serious, it’s also unclear how seriously they’re being taken. Numerous regions of states or entire states have vowed to secede over the years, but it hasn’t been done in more than 100 years. Many groups, for instance, threatened to secede after President Obama’s re-election victory last year, such as Texas, the New York Times reported at the time.
The Colorado secede plan, as it’s being called, arose after the state’s Democrat-controlled Legislature passed laws to tighten gun control, to increase reliance on renewable energy in rural areas, and to curb cruel treatment of livestock. Plans to increase regulation of oil and gas production were narrowly defeated. “Our vision and our morals are no longer represented by the state (Legislature) and the current (governor’s) administration, and we think it’s time that we do take seriously what our options are,” said Weld County Commissioner Douglas Rademacher. “This is just one of our options, but we will be moving forward with it.” 


by: Kristen Gosling
FORT COLLINS (KUSA) - One corner of rural Colorado is so fed up with the leftward lurch of our state that county leaders are talking secession by creating the 51st state.
Weld County Commissioners say other leaders in northeastern Colorado are ready to go with them, citing concerns that they are being ignored on issues like energy and agriculture.
"Our very way of life is under attack," Weld County Commissioner Sean Conway said on Thursday.
The Republican says Wednesday's signing of Senate Bill 252 by Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper, which critics say would increase rates for only rural Colorado while at the same time promoting renewable energy, was the last straw.
"That is a direct assault on rural Colorado," Weld County Commissioner Mike Freeman said. 

At a recent meeting of county commissioners from all over the state, Conway says roughly 10 counties warmed to the idea of a petition to create a new state.
"That state would be the state of Northern Colorado," Conway said.
"Some would call it extreme, maybe aggressive, and I would say absolutely. I think extreme times call for extreme actions," Weld County Commissioner Doug Rademacher, a Republican, said.
The process will be daunting. Voters in each county would need to vote for the idea. Then statehood would need to be approved by the state legislature, the governor and Congress.
The last state to do this effectively was West Virginia in 1863.
"What I would say to those folks in Denver that say this doesn't have any chance? We're not going to take this seriously? Beware, because we're not going away," Conway said.

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