Western Elected Leaders Call on Presidential Candidates to Come West, Address Regional Issues

 

Western Municipal Conference

Western Elected Leaders Call on 
Presidential Candidates to Come West, Address Regional Issues

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 11, 2007

Contact: 
Karen Deike, Western Governors' Association 303-623-9378
Kent Briggs, CSG-WEST 916-553-4423
Paul Beddoe, Western Interstate Region/
National Association of Counties 202-942-4234 
Sam Mamet, Colorado Municipal League/
Western Municipal Conference 303-831-6411

DENVER - Western elected leaders from all levels of government today called on the Democratic National Committee to convene two of its six candidate debates this year in the West and, in one of them, focus on issues unique to the region. The DNC announced last week that it will sanction six debates between Democratic presidential candidates between July and December.

A separate letter was sent to Mike Duncan, Chairman of the Republican National Committee, encouraging the RNC to convene similar debates or forums in the West for Republican presidential candidates.

Westerners care about national issues, such as the global war on terrorism, energy security and healthcare, said Gov. Mike Rounds (S.D.), Chairman of the Western Governors' Association. They also care deeply about regional issues that directly impact their lives, including public lands management, water and immigration.

The letters were signed by Gov. Rounds; Rep. Jeff Morris (Wash.), Chairman of the Council of State Governments-West; Commissioner Robert Cope (Lemhi County, Idaho), President of the Western Interstate Region of the National Association of Counties; and Sam Mamet, Executive Director of the Colorado Municipal League, representing the Western Municipal Conference. The four bipartisan organizations are working together to encourage candidates to spend more time in the West to meet with Western voters and learn about their concerns.

"While we are pleased with the DNC's commitment to a series of debates, it is important to note that it is incomplete without a Western component. We urge both the DNC and RNC to convene a debate focusing on this dynamic region and the issues central to Western communities," said Commissioner Cope.

Rep. Morris expressed confidence that the time spent in the West by the candidates of both political parties discussing Western issues would be time well spent. The West has been a leader in passing legislation on climate change, water storage and conservation and in developing policies to cope with the most rapidly expanding population growth of any region. And we are doing it within the discipline and framework of a balanced budget.

The Western Governors Association is an independent, nonprofit organization representing the governors of 19 states and three U.S.-Flag islands in the Pacific. Through their Association, the Western governors identify and address key policy and governance issues in natural resources, the environment, human services, economic development, international relations and public management.

The Council of State Governments-WEST (CSG-WEST) provides a nonpartisan platform for regional cooperation and collaboration among the legislatures of the thirteen western states by creating opportunities for legislators and staff to share ideas and experiences with their colleagues. CSG-WEST's membership is composed of the legislatures of the states of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. Associate members include the Canadian provinces of Alberta, and British Columbia and the Pacific islands of American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam.

The Western Interstate Region is affiliated with the National Association of Counties and is dedicated to the promotion of Western interests within NACo. These interests include public land issues (use and conservation), community stability and economic development, and the promotion of the traditional Western way of life. Its membership consists of fifteen Western states, (AK, HI, WA, OR, CA, ID, NV, AZ, MT, WY, CO, NM, UT, ND, SD) with membership funded through the individual state associations.

The Western Municipal Conference represents the collective interests of 20 state municipal leagues in West and functions as a suborganization of the National League of Cities. Ron Schmitt, Council Member, Sparks, Nevada is the groups current chair.

 

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