Health care, county budgets hot topics at town hall

Health care and the El Paso County budget were among hot topics discussed at a regional town hall meeting held  at Security Station 1 on Saturday.

State Sen. Keith King, State Rep. Marsha Looper, County Commissioner Dennis Hisey and County Commissioner Sallie Clark were among the elected officials in attendance.

“The question is: How far should the federal government intrude itself into health care?” said King, who is against a government reform of health care because “it will drive costs too high.”

When people are given the freedom to decide what insurance is best for them, the state saves millions of dollars, he said.

Clark commented on the Board of County Commissioner’s recent health care-related resolution.

While the county commissioners are not opposed to health care reform, they are opposed to the currently proposed legislation, she said.

Hisey discussed the county’s 2011 budget, which he said contains $90 million in funds that still haven’t been designated.

The commissioners will use that $90 million to fund the sheriff’s office, the county assessor’s office and other programs at the commissioners’ discretion, he said.

“In November, don’t expect anything on the ballot from your county commissioners,” he added. “We know this is not the time to ask for more money.”