HomeMy WebLinkAbout710512.tiff June P•, 1971.
The Po-rd of Counter Commi^donors
lipid County, Colorado
County Court uouso
Greeley, Color icio 8OF) 1.
Gentl_e3nen:
At e meeti_nr' of the Roam? of Directors of The Weld County
T.,..--,yerr. hrsociatior, ' renouti.on ra ^ed recommendin^
th i; the Board of County Commisr Toners o:f.Weld County, Colorado,
before i ncr.e.-.^inr. the mil levy, submit the r1uertion of increns—
i.n.r the nil levy for welfare funds above the statutory rnxinur
rrovid ed by 111:T to ,, vote of the neorl.e of Veld County.
Yours very truly,
WELD COUNTY TAMPA.YERS ASSOCIATION
1.7,77
J J/ Orman 1'OWI?, fir_w3a.d ent
RIB:co
Kerr
710512
RESOLUTION OF THE WELD COUNTY FARM BUREAU
WHEREAS, it has become apparent that the Welfare Departments of
the State of Colorado should be re-organized.
WHEREAS, it has become necessary to adopt legislation that will
correct these inadequacies.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Weld County Farm Bureau
support the position that the Weld County Commissioners have taken to
correct these problems.
BE, IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Weld County Farm Bureau support
the resolutions that the Colorado State Association of County Commissioners
have submitted to the Colorado Legislation for consideration.
WELD COUNTY FARM BUREAU
Date
By By
Secretary President
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GEORGE M. McCASLIN
Livestock and Real Estate Appraiser
Valuation Consultant
1303 Longs Peak Ave.
LONGMONT, COLORADO
Jiily 24, 1971
'weld County Commissioners
Court House
Greeley, Colorado
Gentlemen:
I own two farms in Weld county and it is some hope
for survival of the tax payer when some office holders
take the stand that your board has on the question of
county welfare payments .
Locally, You have very little if anything to say about
welfare programs, eccept to pay what is assessed against
you .
Please accept my support of your action.
Yours Truly
Geor.e N. McCaslia .
TELEGRAM FROM THE COLORADO STATE GRANGE AUGUST 10, 1971
The Colorado State Grange wishes to lend its moral support to the
Commissioners of Weld County and would like to help in any way possible
in your problems on Welfare. At least we wish you to know we are with
you.
RAY OBRECHT, MASTER
COLORADO STATE GRANGE
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Telegramw �
western union
KA010 SSF106 1971 AUG II MI 9 843).
K DVA083 BW PDF=DENVER COLO 11 840A MDT = DLY . 75 =
GREELEY
WELD COUNTY WELFARE RIGHTS ORGANIZATION , R COLO:
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OFFICE COURT HOUSE
: NATIONAL WELFARE RIGHTS AND DENVER WELFARE RIGHTS
SUPPORT GREELEY WELFARE RIGHTS . FIGHT FOR THEIR RIGHTS=
MARY QU 1 NT ANA =
WU 1201 (fl 5-69)
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1 County o .icials edr�n inf ux
9
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of WeldCounty • e n •welfare. clients
By CARL WALTER its case. However, he.said, the Larimer County no matter Coker said it will be "nip-
Staff Reporter r commissioners want a residency which way the Supreme Court and-tuck" as to whether the
Lorimer County officials are requirement in force in case rules. Larimer County Welfare Pro-
gearing-up for a possible influx such an event occurrs. U it rules against Weld Coun- gram can finish the year with-
of new welfare recipients if He said the commissioners ty, the powers of the State So-
in the limits of the cash on
Weld County wins its welfare were considering such It re- cial Service Department pro- hand.
case pending in the Colorado quirement even before the Weld bably will be expanded under
Supreme Court. County situation Grose, but their the decision to where local wel- IF AN INFULX of new clients
Warren Wolaver, chairman of up-coming action is being trig- fare agencies are largely under front Weld County occurs, it
the Larimer County Board of gered by the Weld case. its control, he said. could result in closing Larimer
Commissioners, said Friday the The Weld case-occurred when Such a ruling would glade County's welfare program,Man-
board will instruct County Ah that county levied a three-mill county welfare boards in the uel said.
property tax
tmney Ralph Harden to search
as required by law, position being "rubber He noted the end result would
for legal means of enacting abut did not join 14 other coun- stamps levying taxes to pay be undue suffering on the part
residency requirement here for ties in the state in appealing 20 per cent of local welfare of many local residents deserv-
welfare recipients. ,, to the State Tax Commission cost& ing welfare who would not be
The
i for approval to exceed;,statu, At present, Manuel explained, able to get it because of a
Y tary limits.
19 the county lack of funds.
ents gg are m n ssfor
welfare
ipi- Weld County officials say they ing as the°Co commissioners, act-
Coker, however, said h e I
But e'unconstitutional.cini ot`a loop- do not have sufficient funds to Board, are allowed "some lee- doubts that such a migration
hole—it doesn't mention count pay thecounty's August welfare way"in regulating welfare with- of Weld County clients will oc-'i
residency requirements, accord in the county. cur.
lag to County Commissioner Wil-, THE STATE SOCI L Services However, if the Supre It takes three months for a
Sam Manuel. Department has sued the calmly Court goes against Weld County, welfare client to be transferred
,to pay 20-per. cent it probably will be expanded and evaluated for welfare y-/
He said Harden probably will to force it
6e directed to search for a to remove what leeway is open n'�� m a new county, he
of its welfare costs regardless for local regulation of welfare shined.
means r of enacting such a re- of the property tax levy re- programs, he said. If'Weld County wins its cos ,
quirement "within a week." quires. —OFFICIALS, P.-3, Col. 5
The commissioners' corn- The Colorado Supreme Court If Weld wins its case, a mi-
ments were made during an has indicated it will render a LLatimn of welfare Cotmight
t end t o
interview'with the Coloradoaa' decision on the case before Aug. the program
am he e,he endanger
20, the deadline for sending out the program here, he continued.
MANUEL ADMITTED the welfare checks.
sibility of a migration of wel- MARTIN COKER county wel-
are clients from Weld'to Lori- MANUEL NOTED that the fare director, told the Coiora-
Ipos
mer County is slim If Weld loses case could create problems in dog Saturday that Larimer
County will definitely exceed its
1971 budget.
He noted, -however, that al-
though the budget will be over,
the county hopes to maintain
the program within the limits
of the actual cash on hand.
He explained that some un-
expected sources of,revenue are
not recorded,as part;of the 1971
budget, giving the cohaty some
flexibility in going over the bud-
These sources include reim-
bursements'from'"fathers f o r
money-paid out in child support'
and checks the county has stop-
ped payment on=tq clients found
ineligabldmotrwel'fare.
Pigs 4 010114LEY TRIEUNE Tues., July 13, 1971
Tribune Editorial Page
K Opinion - Analysis - Interpretation
I
Pause and. Ponder
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is
the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Psalms 27:1
County Welfare Grievance Justified
Whether the Weld County Commis- enough to raise the 20 per cent. How-
sioners are right or wrong in the suit ever, Billings stated a legitimate com-
brought against them by the State of plaint about counties being required
Colorado for their unwillingness to ex- to levy above the 3 mills. The property
ceed the county's 3 mill levy for wel- taxpayers, he said, are always being
fare purposes, they undoubtedly have asked to,fund state welfare programs
the sympathy of many taxpayers. in which they,have no voice.
County Commissioner Glenn Bit Over the years, the welfare loads
lings said recently — and certainly have been increasing. The number of
'one can hear enough sentiment to sub- cases has risen as population has in-
stantiate his statement — that the creased. Rules for assistance have been
property taxpayer has "had enough" relaxed. New programs have been
as far as welfare costs are concerned. added, and the stigma once connected
Yet it does not appear that the with welfare has diminished and re-
commissioners' chances of winning the suited in more cases. Counties have
suit are good. It is doubtful that the been told by the state to raise the funds
state would have undertaken the suit, to handle the growing number of pro-
or that Gov. John Love would have grams and cases and they have had
authorized it,if the Social Services De- no place to go for the money except
partment were not on firm ground. the property taxpayer. The only thing
Furthermore,throughout the hassle the property taxpayer could do is com-
the department has maintained that plain.
$140 million in federal welfare grants We agree with Billings that if the
to all Colorado counties might be state and federal governments feel the
jeopardized if Weld does not make its need for welfare programs exceeding
`payments at the current level. The funds from the counties' statutory
Governor indicated that he does not levies, then they should foot the addi-
consider this possibility an empty tional costs of these programs them-
threat when he said the state must selves.
act to protect welfare grants to the We also would agree with Gov.
entire state.All counties, he said, must Love that with the mgbility of the
make welfare payments on the same people, welfare has become a state ob-
ligation and possibly a federal oblige-
level and any deviation could put Colo
rado out of compliance with the federal tion. Furthermore, the state and fed-
law and thus endanger welfare grants eral governments have more revenue
to the entire state. - sources than the--counties, which, for
The state has asked the court for the most part, are limited to the
an order restraining the commission-
The District Court and perhaps the
property tax.
ers from making any changes in wel-
Supreme Court
fare payments in August. Earlier Bil- ac
o have to rule on
the state's suit ac
dings had said that the county's 7,000 cording the law,
of course. But,even if the county loses,
welfare recipients would be provided
the commissioners have actively focus-
for, presumably by warrants, though
the county has virtually exhausted its ed attention on the inequity of steadily
1971 welfare funds. meowing welfare coats' being heaped
y he likes it or not.
upon the property taxpayer, whether
On the issue of whether the count
.can be required to exceed its statutory Our own commissioners and those
'limitation of 3 mills to meet its wel- of other counties are not likely to be
:fare costs, the Social Services Depart- able to provide the property taxpayer
ment says that the county must pay up any substantial relief from the welfare
to 20 per cent of its welfare costs and burden until welfare is either federal
the payment is "not discretionary." ized or at least until there is welfare
That being the case, the commis- reform which gives the state enough
to sieve Alm .wiser
ISIS Sti AS 0.1 IS III. ,',S Ste
(Continued front page.1)
owning real estate and paying
property taxes in Weld County.
This would Include the children
in those households.
"Twenty-four counties are
now paying over their mill levy
which again is being assessed
directly to property taxpayers.
These counties also feel the
need for relief for the amount
of welfare being paid ever their
statutory mill.levy and derived
from property taxes.
"Weld County taxpayers in
1972 could very possibly have
a 6-mill levy against their
property for welfare and, ia:my
opinion, this could only be a
o •• • discriminatory t a x levied
oN •. against those most burdened by
Billings Says People Should taxes already in Weld County.
Must Make Plight Known
"Property taxpayers of Weld
Have Say in Welfare Increase County should
huld and moat makk
their plight known to all, in-
cluding myself, the state
By PRANK COLQHAN •over the couny's alleged failure a temporary order requiring the legislators and the governor.
Tribune Staff Writer to levy sufficient taxes for county to continue providing 20 Contrary to some indications
"Pm welfare . in the news media, I do not
challenging the right of per cent of welfare funds.
the State Department of Social Vdeing Only His •Opinion Cass Reassigned
advocate the elimination of
force Weld County Billings emphasized that he It was learned the Countywelfarnor anyprograms
for there
Servicesto exceed to the 3-mill statutory Cuty was only voicing his own case has been reassigned opinions in the statement and to is certainly gand s useful
limit for welfare without the the viewspis s t r t c t Judge Earl A. need in many areas such as
people of Weld County having expressed were not e s u I ton of local as a s age ledpension, help n for the
necessarily those of other r e s u l t of localjudges
any voice or vote in the in-member of the Board of m sick,those children
and blind and for
use, Cavity Commissioner County Commissioners 4uag the g themselves from all cofldthe wh own find
Glenn Billings said Tuesday. The board is expected to hearing the matter. themselvesno fault of their find
B in statement, Billings either deserted or
Billings' declaration was discuss the state's suit formally said:contained in a statement given at its regular meeting at 10 without aa
father or mother.
the Tribune which be described a.m. Wednesday.as "W eld County did assume its "These people all need and
in the nature of an open A hearing in the suit has been obligation according to statute must be provided far.
letter to taxpayers, explaining scheduled in District Court at a levied 3 mills for 600,000 Wnl Try at Hair Misus
his position in regard to the 2 p.m. Thursday at which time which generated over 90 "I know that there is much
court suit the state has filed the state is expected to seek or the equivalent of$6 for every misuse of the welfare program
man, woman and child in the in a few categories and promise
county. that I will endeavor, as I know
"If through the courts we are the other commissioners will
forced to appropriate . that t h rough investigations and
amount which the state has prosecutions, to correct these
asked for ($463,000 additional in problems.
county funds), this would in- "I would hope that, through
crease the costs to at least $11 the actions of the courts, that
per person for every man, these problems can be settled
woman and child in the county. regarding the mill levy before
$11. Per Person Possible August, so that all those welfare
"Then, by breaking this down recipients vitally in need of
and basing it on the pro ty their money will not be
taxpayers from whom this 3 jeopardized."
Bi
mills is derived, it could veryBillings reported the Weld'
cost is 1,872 commissioners have received
letters of support for the'
position they have taken
regarding exceeding the welfare
statutory mill limit from 16
counties In the atate.
He also said the com-
missioners have received three
'supporting letters from
businesses and industries within
Greeley.
Petitions Being Crosland
"I also know that at this time
many petitions are being cir-
culated throughout the state
supporting the stands of county
commissioners regarding the
statutory mill levy," Billings
said.
The .commissioner also
disclosed he had remind a
letter Monday advising him that
Montezuma county has joined
with the Montelores Tax League
and sever al' '*divithral
taxpayers and filed is'lawsuit
against the State Department.of
Social Se�rrvvirces invo,jv$gg some
of the seine'ismtee`. Weld
County.
"We agree that too little
concern has been to the
property ormer ]peep and that
any funding over statutory
limit mud be shissi g by those
agencies respehsibia the the
l over-ex " 8tanleY P.
Taleott, vice fl of-the
Montezuma Board of County
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