Voters to decide if Weld should secede

GREELEY – Weld County commissioners on Monday approved a measure that will ask voters in November whether the county should secede and form a 51st state.

“This item was initially brought to the Board by Weld County residents, and now Weld County residents will have the opportunity to vote on it this November,” Commissioner Chairman William Garcia said in a statement.

The proposed language is as follows:

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“Shall the Board of County Commissioners of Weld County, in concert with the county commissioners of other Colorado counties, pursue becoming the 51st state of the United States of America?”

Ten Colorado counties participated in talks this summer regarding the secession movement and four public hearings have been held to gather comment.

The movement has grown out of frustration with what the rural counties believe is a lack of representation at the state Legislature and concern about new gun-control laws, renewable-energy mandates, and oil and gas regulations.

“Even residents who didn’t agree with forming a new state still wanted to be able to vote on the issue,” Garcia said.