Speaker Julie McCluskie visits with CML Executive Board, highlights discussions on affordability, budget pressures, and partnership

Speaker of the House Julie McCluskie (D-Dillon) joined the CML Board during its Jan. 23 meeting to discuss her priorities for her final legislative session and engage directly with Board members, with a focus on issues important to Colorado’s municipalities. 

McCluskie, the first Western Slope woman to serve as speaker of the house and a former chair of the Joint Budget Committee, emphasized that affordability remains a top concern statewide — spanning housing, health care, childcare, energy, and everyday household costs. She noted that these pressures consistently surface in town halls across Colorado and will remain a central focus during her final term. 

“Speaker McCluskie has been a friend and partner during her time in the House,” said Kevin Bommer, CML executive director. “Even when we disagreed, nothing was ever disagreeable.” 

The speaker also outlined the state’s challenging fiscal outlook. After closing a major budget gap last year using one-time reserves and targeted reductions while protecting K-12 education and Medicaid, the state now faces additional shortfalls that could impact safety net programs. Legislative leaders are working to balance those pressures while continuing to protect schools and higher education. 

McCluskie highlighted housing-related priorities, including tax-increment financing tools to assist local governments with transit oriented development projects. Board members thanked Speaker McCluskie for legislation that emphasizes partnership, but they shared concerns about introduced housing legislation that purports to preempt local land use authority and would disrupt long-standing partnerships between municipalities, school districts, universities, housing authorities, and other public entities. Members emphasized the importance of comprehensive planning, infrastructure coordination and community engagement, and cautioned against one-size-fits-all mandates that could create unintended consequences. 

The conversation reinforced the value of partnership, not preemption, recognizing that local governments plan on long-term horizons while legislative timelines are much shorter. McCluskie encouraged continued dialogue as bills move forward and closed by underscoring the importance of civility, respectful leadership, and collaboration across all levels of government.