The full transcript of Jason’s, announcing his candidacy for Governor of the Great State of Colorado

Good afternoon I am Jason Mikesell the Teller County Sheriff, and I’m proud to stand with friends and family as I announce my bid to be the next Colorado Governor.

Today in Colorado it seems that nearly every function we expect our state government to handle in a routine manner is in crisis.

We are in a budget crisis with most estimates now showing we are nearly 1.3 billion dollars short this year.  Resulting in discussions that are targeting the most basic functions of Colorado, those that impact the needy, our children, our aging population and our environment. How could this happen? I fear our state budget will be balanced on the backs of each Coloradan and those most in need.

We have a water crisis due to the unregulated growth on the front range, with plans for even more growth without regard to water and often at the expense of our agricultural and ranching communities in all Colorado. Not only does this limit our growth, but our strategic ability to fight fires.

We have a housing crisis which has been consistently blamed on local governments when the real blame lies with Denver’s overreach, partisan politics and extreme heavy handed building codes and laws that have directly driven prices up and made Colorado unaffordable for our children to live in. We need a return to local control.

We have a mental health crisis in Colorado that has reached an epidemic.  Colorado is now among the leading states for suicide and mental health challenges, with rural and ranching needs far exceeding that of metro areas.  These rural communities are the first to receive funding cuts.

We have an immigration crisis costing 356 million taxpayer dollars brought about by our sanctuary policies at both the state and urban city levels, specifically Denver. This money could have helped with housing for first responders and teachers. Instead, these sanctuary policies have taken funding away from critical programs that are by definition the rights of our tax paying and law-abiding citizens.  These policies were not voted on by the great people of Colorado and yet today, we are seeing cuts in our local grant programs ranging from public health, social services, fire mitigation, firefighting, law enforcement and critical social safety net programs as a result of these short-sighted policies.

We have an urban/rural divide crisis that is more than philosophical. Rural Colorado comprises 75% of our state and provides considerable economic benefit from recreation to agriculture and ranching.  Yet rural Colorado is virtually ignored when it comes to state resources. As an example, rural Colorado lacks sufficient road maintenance funds while Denver spends nearly all of its federal and state funding on the I25 and I70 corridors.   Have you driven on a rural Colorado Road lately? Funding is now on the chopping block due to Colorado’s financial mismanagement of taxpayer funds.

We have a law enforcement and crime crisis.   We have seen our law enforcement agencies throughout the state attacked by progressive legislators with little life experience or real understanding of the laws they undermine and no understanding of the second order impacts and consequences of their actions.

 We have in essence de-criminalized crime to make it appear as if we are a safer state.  I can assure you we are not safer.  Regardless of the rhetoric coming out of Denver Colorado is the 3rd most dangerous state in the Country and is the  4th highest ranking nationally for combined property and violent crime rates. Colorado's motor vehicle theft rate has climbed 32%, ranking it the highest in America. Just yesterday, a bill was voted down by House Judiciary Democrats to make all child rapists convicted of their crimes serve at least two to four years of their sentence. This does not make sense for the victims’ rights. This does not make sense for Colorado.

 We have an energy crisis, having stifled our oil and gas partners and pushed a partial solution of solar and wind without reviewing the complete life cycle of those systems.  As an example, there are no Colorado landfills that will except the carbon or the panels when they are no longer useful.  We are far behind other western states with other clean energy alternatives. Recent federal warnings of an unstable grid within 5 years must be addressed in Colorado.  We need to use all of our energy platforms if we are to save the grid and maintain our lifestyle in Colorado. We will lead an energy revolution that will become the model for others, harnessing the best oil, gas, wind, solar, and nuclear power.

We have a crisis in forest health, including mitigation and forest use and behavior.  We need to work closer with our federal partners in addressing this incredible resource which occupies 35 percent of our state.  There are 22.6 million acres of forest in Colorado and only a handful of sawmills available to harvest building grade lumber and clear away low yield slash.

Most importantly, we have a crisis of freedom in what was once the shining light of freedom in the west.   The role of government is to provide essential services to the people of Colorado and to keep them safe.  It is not to pick winners and losers, to divide us, to push ideologies from other states, nor is it to attack our constitutional rights by misguided zealots in the legislature. 

I could go on; Coloradoans have grown to expect a crisis in nearly every aspect of their lives, and we deserve so much better.    The real crisis in Colorado is the crisis of leadership.   What Colorado needs now more than ever is strong, clear-eyed leadership.   We need a leader who will listen to both sides of the aisle, a leader who has a real understanding of the challenges we face, who understands that things need to improve and listens to all of Colorado.  Finally, we need a leader who can deliver real and lasting solutions that will benefit all Coloradoans today and in the future.

I am a 3rd generation Coloradoan.   I have been a public servant for over a quarter of a century.  I have also owned both small and large businesses and understand clearly the economic danger Colorado is in today.  It is unsustainable.  Further, it is a leadership failure.  It is completely inexcusable that we have allowed Colorado to become dangerous, unaffordable and frankly, unrecognizable. I want my Colorado back!

Our policies will bring Coloradoans together not divide them.  I will sign laws brought to my desk that fix problems and will veto laws that impact on our freedoms or seek to take away local control and our rights.

Finally, I promise strong, compassionate and effective leadership and will work collaboratively with all of those who want Colorado to once again be the example it once was. I believe what we want is a common sense Colorado back.

Thank you and God bless you and Colorado.