How Trust Land Earned $1.7 billion for Colorado Schools

Colorado Counties, IncDenver, CO

February 14,2020

$717 million to BEST (school capital construction)

$479 million to Permanent Fund (endowment for schools)

$386 million to School Finance Act (CDE’s operating budget)

(2008-2018)

$1.7 Billion to Schools

TRUST LAND HISTORY

~1860s American Schoolchildren

~1780sAmerica’s Founders

COLORADO TRUST LAND

The Colorado Enabling Act (1875): “sections 16 and 36 … are hereby granted to said state for the support of common schools.”

~1900 schoolhouseGilpin, CO

TRUST VALUE

LEASING BUSINESSES

Most # of leases:• Weld (1273)• Moffat (471)• Logan (388)

LEASES IN YOUR COUNTIES

LEASES IN YOUR COUNTIES

350-250 leases:• Washington• Elbert• Routt• Las Animas• Lincoln• Morgan• El Paso

LEASES IN YOUR COUNTIES

249-150 leases:• Yuma• Pueblo• Adams• Larimer• Arapahoe• Kiowa• Jackson• Bent

LEASES IN YOUR COUNTIES

149-100 leases:• Kit Carson• Huerfano• Cheyenne• Park• Fremont• Otero• Baca• Saguache•Prowers

LEASES IN YOUR COUNTIES

99-10 leases:• Crowley• Conejos• Jefferson• Grand• Montezuma• Chaffee• Rio Grande• San Miguel• Eagle• La Plata• Phillips• Sedwick• Alamosa

● Boulder● Gunnison● Custer● Denver● Teller● Douglas● Dolores● Archuleta● Rio Blanco● Lake● Pitkin

LEASES IN YOUR COUNTIES

<10 leases:•Mineral•Gilpin•Hinsdale•Ouray•Summit•Mesa•Clear Creek

LOCAL TAX PAYMENTS

HOW WE OPERATE

• Governance: five-person Board• 45 employees; 7 statewide offices• Self-funded; no tax dollars used;

$7M budget• Asset owner; not operator• Layer leases and contracts• Different from ‘public lands’• Subject to local land use

regulations

MINERAL DEPENDENCE

MINERAL DEPENDENCE

RECURRING REVENUE

CURRENT DISTRIBUTION

PROPOSED DISTRIBUTION

HIGHLIGHTSMIXED USES

QUESTIONS?