HomeMy WebLinkAbout 17-49 Support GOCO Reauthorization by General Assembly for CO Lottery Div 2018TOWN OF FIRESTONE, COLORADO
RESOLUTION NO. 17- 49
MENEEMEMEN
A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING REAUTHORIZATION BY THE
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE COLORADO LOTTERY DIVISION IN 2018
WHEREAS, Colorado voters provided for a statewide lottery, and in a subsequent
election adopted the Great Outdoor Colorado (GOCO) amendment to the state constitution,
which directs that lottery profits be used for parks, open space, wildlife, and outdoor recreation
purposes; and
WHEREAS, following the voters' approval of a lottery, the General Assembly created a
Lottery Division in the State Department of Revenue to administer the lottery; and
WHEREAS, as provided in the GOCO amendment, lottery profits are allocated to the
Great Outdoors Colorado Trust Fund (GOCO Trust Fund), the Conservation Trust Fund, and to
the Colorado Division of Parlcs and Wildlife; and
WHEREAS, since 1992, the GOCO Trust Fund has distributed approximately $1 billion
in grants for projects to improve communities in all of Colorado's 64 counties. Funds have
helped connect families to the outdoors, improved local trails and parks, built outdoor recreation
facilities, preserved ranchlands, water resources, and view corridors, improved river access and
quality and conserved wildlife habitat; and
WHEREAS, the GOCO Trust Fund has distributed over $770,000 directly to the Town
of Firestone, Colorado between 2011 and 2013 for these purposes; and
WHEREAS, since 1983 the Conservation Trust Fund has distributed approximately $1
billion in grants to counties, municipalities, and special districts for acquisition, development,
and maintenance of new conservation sites, capital improvements, and maintenance for
recreational purposes on public sites; and
WHEREAS, the Conservation Trust Fund has distributed over $600,000 directly to the
Town of Firestone, Colorado between 2003 and 2017 for these purposes; and
WHEREAS, since 1992 the GOCO Trust Fund has distributed approximately $215
million of lottery proceeds in support of Colorado's 42 state parks —including funding in support
of St. Vrain State Park in Firestone —funding parkland acquisition, park development and
operations, trail construction and maintenance, environmental education, youth and volunteer
programs and stewardship and natural resource management; and
WHEREAS, the Colorado Lottery Division is critical to the administration of the entire
GOCO program and the Division is set to expire unless extended by the General Assembly,
which during its 2018 session will consider legislation to extend the Division to 2039,
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Town of Firestone, Colorado
strongly urges the General Assembly to approve legislation during its 2018 session to reauthorize
the Colorado lottery division until 2039.
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PASSED AND ADOPTED this 25u` day of October , 2017.
ATTEST:
P--e4EO7 aso�
Paul Sorensen, Mayor
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