Rural health care to be topic of two September meetings

Rural health care to be topic of two September meetings

August 28, 2001

Capitol Report
By Senator Jim Isgar

Think you're paying too much for your health insurance? Not enough health care provider choices in your area? Bring your comments to the interim rural health care meetings in Montrose and Durango the first week of September. In Montrose, the meeting will be held at 10 a.m. on Sept. 4 at the Montrose Pavilion and in Durango at 10 a.m. on Sept. 5 at Fort Lewis College Memorial Lounge.

Many thanks to Ellen Roberts of Durango for coordinating the presentation for the Durango meeting. Ellen has worked very hard, all on her own time, to make sure that the Durango meeting can be as productive as possible. I have been so impressed by the many people in our communities who work tirelessly to improve the quality of life for everyone. It has been a pleasure to learn about their work and to try to find legislative ways to help develop solutions to our rural Colorado needs.

These interim committee meetings in Southwest Colorado are invaluable to me and my fellow legislators — to hear about real people and real concerns. The hearings help us develop legislation that will have positive results in rural health care.

As your state senator, I need to know that the legislation I develop and support actually helps people. It's like borrowing a page from the doctor's Hippocratic Oath: First thing, do no harm!

Another issue critical to many of our communities is providing housing that is attainable for the average wage earners. I recently attended my first meeting of the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority board. CHAFA was created to help finance attainable housing and also deals with some business loans. My certified public accountant experience, and financial and business background, should help out substantially as a CHAFA board member.

It was encouraging to learn that attainable housing is now being dealt with as a business as well as social issue. As is the case in most of our state, Southwest Colorado's district housing costs are increasing far faster than wages. Savvy businesses understand that they need to develop ways to endorse and support attainable housing or they won't have a work force in the near future.

Beyond that, we as a community need to find creative solutions so that our teachers, police and firefighters can afford to be a part of the community they work in.

Finally, let me say that I wish the state Senate had some say in the airline industry because then I would feel like I had some control over the crazy comings and goings of our airport. Recently, I have been flying out of the Farmington airport frequently when I go to Denver because of flight schedules.

But those of us in the Durango area can be assured that we are not the only ones who have suffered through "spotty" air service. On my last trip, I gave up my seat so that a couple with a baby could get to Denver to make their connecting flight. I was assured that I would still make it to Denver. Well, eight hours later by way of Phoenix I arrived in Denver at 1:30 a.m.

The next time I'm in a hurry to get to Denver, I think I'll drive.

Jim Isgar, D-Hesperus, represents the 6th District, which includes Durango, in the state Senate. Reach him at the Capitol by phone, (303) 866-4884; by fax (303-866-2012; or by e-mail at jimisgar@qwest.net .