The state of Colorado is facing a $1 billion deficit in the 2025-26 budget, and as cuts are considered, Gov. Jared Polis placed the blame for the $5 million wolf restoration on ranchers.
Colorado Counties Inc. is comprised of county commissioners from 63 of 64 counties, Denver being the exception. Polis spoke to the group at its meeting earlier this week and, when asked about pausing upcoming wolf releases until a more cost-effective route than sourcing from Canada could be identified, the governor pointed the finger at ranchers.
“This could have cost a lot less if ranchers wouldn’t have said, ‘Oh, don’t get them from Wyoming, don’t get them from Idaho.’ We probably could have done it for a quarter of the cost there, and there’s still time,” Polis said. “Ranchers, I mean, if their organizations — Middle Park and those guys — say to Wyoming, ‘Give Colorado wolves,’ they probably would. The only reason they’re not is they hear from ranchers that they shouldn’t, so that drives up the cost.”…