Serving in his first year at the state house, Tipton says as a businessman he went into the fiscal challenges of this year with his eyes wide open. He's been poor and he's been okay. He's signed the back of paychecks and signed the front of checks. So, he recognized an economic slowdown was coming.

Rep. Tipton is proud that in his first year he has introduced four bills, and Gov. Ritter has signed all four. One bill concerned the re-designation of Montezuma County. Another made the judge's seat in Montrose permanent. His bill to bring efficiencies to government was passed and signed into law. It allows water applications and filings to be done online. That bill, he says, will help cut state expenditures.

He is most proud of the bill called Katie's Law, which is named for Katie Sepich who was raped, murdered and her body burned. Her mother, Jan Sepich, worked to make Colorado the 20th state to adopt using DNA to identify killers and other felons. Rep. Tipton said he does not want a dragnet society. There are 3 billion strands in DNA. The bill allows law enforcement to look at 13 unique strands of DNA as an indentifier. "The bill is designed to protect our wives and our daughters," Tipton said.

Rep. Tipton fought against Senate Bill 108 increasing the license fees for vehicles and trailers. The bill was "punitive to the Western Slope of Colorado." He said those in Denver do not understand the need of those in rural areas to drive SUVs, to have multiple cars and trailers. "Driving bigger vehicles is how we conduct our business," Tipton said. "You don't raise taxes by fees when people are having a hard time."

He fought against the new oil and gas regulations which he believes will drive companies out of Colorado. According to Rep. Tipton, the number of rigs now in operation is down from the 1,200 rigs operating in Colorado a year ago. He believes in pursuing alternative energy and protecting the environment, but there is also a need to use our resources. He felt the oil and gas regulations were one of the "over reaching" bills over the last year.

Rep. Tipton is concerned that the legislature will want to launch an assault on tax credits for businesses. For example, he believes removing tax credits on farm implement equipment will cause buyers to go to Kansas where there is no tax at all. The hiring of 1,400 people by the state government was a mistake Tipton said. The governor has reduced the new hires by 280 people. "Why are we hiring in tough economic times?" he asked.

The representative took a number of questions from those attending. The first question was why bicyclists don't pay a license fee since they ride on roads and highways. Rep. Tipton replied that motorcyclists have to pay a license fee. He forecasts that there will probably be some future legislation for those bicyclists using the highways.

Citizens made comments that property taxes were unfair to those who improve their property. Rep. Tipton characterized property taxes as "regressive."

For more information on Rep. Scott Tipton's views, visit his website www.scottrtipton.com.

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