An attempt to get Colorado to ante up $500,000 to pay for improvements to the Four Corners Monument failed in the Colorado Legislature this week.

But attempts to get the state to come up with money, which would help pay for a proposed museum and interpretive center, are not dead, a state lawmaker said.

Rep. Suzanne Williams, D-Aurora, failed in an attempt Thursday to get the Colorado House to approve at least half the money needed for the 2-year-old project.

She tried to amend the state’s 2002 fiscal year budget to pay for it from the state’s Severance Tax Trust Fund, which comes from oil and gas drilling. But because the House approved the budget Thursday, Williams said it is unlikely money from the project will come from the Legislature.

"Now I plan to talk to (Gov. Bill Owens) to get his leadership on this so Colorado is not embarrassed as the only state that is not willing to contribute to it," Williams said. "This is a very small amount for the governor’s office to fund."

Williams said she planned to make the request Thursday, but Owens’ Press Secretary Dick Wadhams said he knew nothing about the money or the matching grant and questioned why this issue was coming up so late in the legislative session.

"I know that Rep. Williams has said it may be more appropriate for this money to come out of the governor’s fund, but it only has $2 million," Wadhams said. "I’m not sure it can afford a half a million or even $250,000 outlay."

In 1999, the U.S. Senate Indian Affairs Committee approved spending $2.5 million on the monument project if Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah each would come up with $500,000 apiece. That offer expires Sept. 30.

To date, Arizona and Utah have approved the spending, said Dave Eppich, executive director of the San Juan Forum, which supports the monument improvements.

The New Mexico Legislature, which has adjourned its regular session, also approved its share of the money at this year’s session, but Gov. Gary Johnson vetoed it last week. It is unknown if the Legislature there will meet for a special session, which it usually does each year, to take up the matter again.

Johnson vetoed a similar request last year, but this year’s appropriation was expected to be approved by the Republican governor because it had more bipartisan support, Eppich said.

"This time, there are several Republican lawmakers who support the effort," he said.

Meanwhile, Rep. Mark Larson, R-Cortez, is questioning whether Colorado legally can spend taxpayer money on what he calls an "out-of-country" matter. The monument, located at the only point in the nation that borders four states, is on tribal land.

The Navajo Indian Reservation controls the Arizona, Utah and New Mexico corners, while the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe has the Colorado piece.

Larson said it may be inappropriate to use state money to generate economic benefit for a nonstate entity.

"This is an economic development issue for the tribe," Larson said. "If the tribe is willing to pony up money for it, then I can see the state spending money, too. (Non-Indians) will get an economic benefit from it, even if it is indirect."

But according to Ute Mountain council member Manuel Heart, Larson’s claims that the project is a tribal matter are not true.

"It is a federally recognized national monument; that makes it a state issue," Heart said. "This is a very important issue for tourism in the entire Four Corners area and that obviously includes the state of Colorado."

Heart, who co-chairs the monument’s planning team, criticized Larson for "throwing a roadblock against it again," and said the state funding commitment has support from other state and national representatives, including Sen. Jim Dyer (D-Durango), Sen. Ben Campbell (R-Colorado) and Rep. Scott McInnis (R-Colorado).

"Some 300,000 tourists per year come through here to visit Colorado attractions, yet the monument has no electricity, water or sewer," he said. "It has been neglected for too long, and the interpretive center is a good opportunity to make learning about native cultures here part of their state experience."

Currently, the Colorado Attorney General’s Office is researching the matter, said spokesman Ken Lane.

Williams said the tribe has told her it is willing to contribute to the state’s share but has not said how much.

"We’re working that part out right now," Williams said. "I have no doubt that they will contribute to this."

Heart did not say whether the tribe would consider that, but said he is still confident the $500,000 Colorado portion will materialize so that construction on the ailing monument can begin by September.

"The pressure is on them to follow suit with these other states, or risk a real embarrassment," he said.

Still, even though the monument lies in his House district, Larson said he’s tried to distance himself from the matter because of a possible conflict of interest.

Just last week, the tribe opened the Ute Mountain Travel Center, a truck stop near the monument, that is in direct competition with Larson’s M&M Truck Stop & Family Restaurant in Cortez.

Because of that financial conflict, Larson said he is barred under House rules from voting for or against monument funding. Larson did not publicly speak out against the budget amendment Thursday.

But, Heart countered, if there is a conflict of interest, "Why is he the only one talking out against funding the monument? The answer is that it is a personal issue because of his truck stop that is in direct competition with ours."