While reading the Huerfano World I came across an article about a new property tax law being proposed by the Huerfano County Commissioners in the early 70’s. It stated that if your land bordered property that did not have an agricultural exemption then you could not have one either and had to pay full property taxes no matter whether you were a legitimate rancher or not. This change would affect the majority of the properties in our county with HUGE financial consequences. The article gave a date when citizens could present their arguments for and against.
I nervously went to the meeting with several other Libre members on the appointed day. We walked into the meeting room to the sight of 6 big city attorneys with slicked back hair, dark suits, and, classically, smoking cigars. They had numerous large presentation boards and worked for several property developers from out of state who were trying to get their hands on cheap land by forcing poor ranchers to sell due to high taxes. The County Commissioners at that time were made up of locals with high school educations at best and they looked with respect and awe at these blustering outsiders. We didn’t stand a chance.
In addition to the commissioners, the lawyers, and the developers, the room was filled with a rag tag group of Huerfano’s finest. The commissioners asked for comment and one by one the land owners spoke about how this would ruin them and they would have to sell. Others followed with more tales of woe which clearly were falling on deaf ears. The commissioners would nod their heads and then look to the phalanx of lawyers to see how they should react. These earnest presentations went on for over an hour with the outsiders chuckling among themselves. It was clear that the power in the room did not reside with the local citizens.
Just then the door of the meeting room opened and Joe Faris walked in gleaming with strength. There was a hush among the commissioners who had grown up with Joe and knew him to be a wealthy, powerful rancher whom they greatly respected or at least feared. The lawyers and developers had no idea who he was or what was about to unfold. Joe was tall, tanned, and dressed impeccably in a pearl grey and burgundy wool western style short fitted jacket. When he moved his arms you could see that the sleeves that appeared to be grey were actually pleated and the insides of the pleats would flash burgundy. This was paired with matching perfectly fitted pearl grey wool slacks, expensive grey cowboy boots and topped with a pearl grey Stetson. He was a vision.
After greeting the commissioners and his many friends in the room Joe Faris reached for one of the sheets of paper sitting in a stack on the table with the proposed tax change and said “I am a busy man and I know you are all busy people too. I don’t have time to come down here to check on everything that you are doing. So I say that we take this rinky dink idea and toss it out the window.” With those words he flung the piece of paper toward one of the large open windows in the meeting room. The autumn air caught it perfectly and carried it out on the wind.
Everyone in the room looked amazed as the president of the Huerfano County Commissioners abruptly said “Ok, meeting adjourned”
The lawyers and developers never had a chance to present their charts and renderings. Their cigars had gone out, and their heads were shaking and eyes were glazed as their years of preparation were undone in 5 minutes by one of the last real cowboys.
The local rag tags including us filed out of the room shaking our heads as well but happy to ride on Joe’s coattails (or on his perfect short burgundy and grey jacket).
Linda Fleming
Libre, August 1, 2021