Local Control & Responsible Government | Chris Richardson | Colorado House District 56 

"The government closest to the people is usually the government that understands them best. Local communities deserve a meaningful voice in the decisions that shape their future." 

Learn why Representative Chris Richardson supports local control, protects private property rights, defends constitutional government, and believes decisions should be made as close to the people as possible. 

Colorado Was Built One Community at a Time

One of the greatest lessons I've learned in public service is that the people closest to a problem are usually closest to the solution.

During eight years as an Elbert County Commissioner, I participated in thousands of decisions affecting roads, land use, emergency management, public health, budgeting, economic development, agriculture, and public safety.

Those decisions weren't made in isolation. They were made after listening to neighbors. Meeting with landowners. Working with local businesses. Talking with school districts. Coordinating with sheriffs, firefighters, hospitals, and community organizations.

Sometimes people disagreed. Sometimes there wasn't a perfect answer.

But the people making those decisions lived in the communities affected by them. That accountability matters.

Today, as your State Representative, I carry that same philosophy to the Capitol. State government has an important role. But not every decision belongs in Denver.

Colorado is strongest when state government trusts local communities to solve local problems.

Why Local Control Matters to House District 56

House District 56 covers more than 11,000 square miles. The communities I represent differ dramatically.

Elizabeth is not Burlington. Bennett is not Hugo. Rush is not Deer Trail. Cheyenne Wells is not Watkins. 

Every community has different priorities. Different economies. Different geography. Different growth patterns. Different infrastructure. Different challenges.

A policy that makes sense for downtown Denver may create serious unintended consequences in eastern Colorado.

That is why local government exists.

County commissioners. Town councils. School boards. Boards of fire districts, water districts, hospital boards, and special districts.

These officials live in the communities they serve. They answer directly to their neighbors. They understand local priorities in ways that state government simply cannot.

Colorado should respect that expertise, not replace it.

The Challenge

Over the past decade, the Colorado Legislature has increasingly centralized decision-making. Issues traditionally handled by local governments have increasingly become matters of statewide mandates. This trend affects:

• land use;

• housing;

• energy development;

• transportation;

• public health;

• elections;

• public safety;

• employment;

• and environmental regulation.

Some statewide standards are appropriate. Colorado should maintain consistency where constitutional rights or statewide interests require it. But statewide uniformity should never become the default simply because local communities make different decisions. Local government exists because Colorado is diverse.

Public policy should recognize, not eliminate, that diversity.

My Principles

Government Should Be as Close to the People as Practical

Government works best when citizens know their elected officials personally. Local officials see the consequences of their decisions every day.

They shop at the same grocery stores. Attend the same churches. Volunteer in the same communities. Their children attend the same schools. That accountability encourages better government.

The farther decision-making moves away from citizens, the less responsive it often becomes.

Local Knowledge Matters

No state agency knows every county road. Every floodplain. Every irrigation ditch. Every historic neighborhood. Every ranching operation. Every wildfire evacuation route. Every community concern.

Local governments possess decades of institutional knowledge that cannot be replicated from Denver.

State government should view local governments as partners, not obstacles.

One Size Rarely Fits All

Colorado stretches from dense urban neighborhoods to some of the most remote agricultural communities in America. Public policy should reflect that diversity. Different communities often require different solutions. Innovation frequently begins locally. When local governments can experiment, successful ideas spread naturally. When every community must follow identical mandates, innovation suffers.

Property Rights Are Local Control

One of the most important responsibilities of local government is balancing community needs with individual property rights.

Landowners deserve certainty.

Transparency.

Due process.

Fair treatment.

Government should not diminish private property rights without compelling justification and careful consideration.

Local governments should retain meaningful authority over land use, zoning, infrastructure planning, and community development.

Land Use

Few issues better illustrate the importance of local control than land use. Growth affects communities differently. Some communities welcome rapid development. Others prioritize agriculture. Others seek balanced growth.

Local officials are best positioned to determine:

• where growth should occur;

• what infrastructure is needed;

• how water resources should be protected;

• how transportation should be planned;

• and how community character should evolve.

State government should establish broad policy goals while preserving flexibility in community implementation. Colorado's diversity is one of its greatest strengths. Our planning process should reflect that.

Infrastructure and Utility Corridors

House District 56 continues experiencing significant utility infrastructure development.

Electric transmission. Pipelines. Renewable energy. Transportation improvements. Broadband expansion.

Many of these projects provide statewide benefits. But they also place substantial burdens on individual landowners and local communities.

Those communities deserve meaningful participation in decisions affecting:

• routing;

• environmental impacts;

• agricultural operations;

• emergency response;

• tax implications;

• and long-term community planning.

Local governments should not merely be informed. They should have a meaningful seat at the table.

I've consistently supported strengthening local authority in these decisions, including advocating for better coordination between state permitting and local 1041 review processes so that major infrastructure projects respect both statewide needs and local land-use authority.

Lessons from COVID

COVID reminded all of us that emergencies require leadership. It also reminded us that local conditions vary dramatically. Some communities experienced different challenges than others.

One lesson I took from serving as Chair of the Elbert County Board of Health during that period is that flexibility matters. Statewide emergencies may require statewide coordination. But implementation should recognize local circumstances whenever possible.

Communities should not lose the ability to respond appropriately simply because every locality is treated identically. Preparedness improves when local leaders retain authority to adapt.

Public Safety Begins Locally

Public safety is another example of successful local governance.

Sheriffs. Volunteer firefighters. EMS agencies. Emergency managers. Dispatch centers. Local judges. 

These professionals understand their communities. They build relationships with citizens. They know local geography. They understand seasonal challenges. They know the people they serve.

Colorado should continue supporting these local institutions rather than replacing local judgment with distant mandates whenever possible.

My Record

Local government shaped my entire approach to public service. Before joining the legislature, I served:

• eight years as Elbert County Commissioner;

• multiple years as Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners;

• Chair of the Elbert County Board of Health;

• Co-Chair of the Eastern Transportation Planning Region;

• member of the Colorado Property Tax Commission;

• participant in regional broadband, economic development, and emergency management initiatives.

Those experiences continue shaping my work at the Capitol. In the legislature I have:

• defended local land-use authority;

• opposed unnecessary state preemption;

• advocated for stronger protections for property owners;

• supported county involvement in infrastructure planning;

• defended local transportation priorities;

• supported local public safety agencies;

• and worked to ensure rural voices are represented in statewide policy discussions.

Whenever legislation affects local government, I ask: Would this decision be better made by the people who actually live there?

If the answer is yes, state government should be cautious about taking that authority away.

A Better Direction for Colorado

Colorado should restore balance between state leadership and local decision-making. That means:

• respecting county authority;

• strengthening municipal partnerships;

• protecting private property rights;

• improving coordination on infrastructure projects;

• preserving local land-use planning;

• supporting local public health;

• investing in local transportation priorities;

• strengthening emergency preparedness;

• encouraging innovation;

• and trusting communities to solve problems in ways that reflect local needs.

State government should establish goals. Local communities should retain flexibility in achieving them. That is how federalism works. That is how Colorado has historically governed. And I believe it remains the best model for the future.

My Priorities

• Protect local control

• Strengthen county government

• Defend private property rights

• Preserve local land-use authority

• Improve state-local partnerships

• Support 1041 authority

• Protect rural communities

• Strengthen local emergency management

• Encourage local innovation

• Oppose unnecessary state preemption

Related Issues

• Transportation & Infrastructure

• Agriculture & Rural Colorado

• Public Safety

• Parents & Education

• Taxpayer Protection & TABOR

Closing

Colorado's greatest strength has never been that every community looks the same.

Our strength comes from the remarkable diversity of the people and places that make up this state. Mountain towns. Agricultural communities. Growing suburbs. Small Main Streets. Each contributes something valuable to Colorado's future.

State government should respect that diversity rather than attempting to govern every community as though it faces identical challenges.

The closer government remains to the people it serves, the more accountable it becomes. That principle guided me as a County Commissioner. It guides me today as your State Representative.

And it will continue guiding every decision I make on your behalf.