Rep. Tammy Story likes coexistence – sort of. 

The Jefferson County Democrat, who appears to have more concern for wolves than for Colorado ranchers, is one of the primary advocates, and apologists, for the state’s program to reintroduce wolves on the Western Slope. To date, 10 wolves have been released, joining two more that are known to have migrated here from Wyoming. Two calves have recently been killed by wolves, the most recent last weekend in Jackson County. 

Wolves are gourmands – not terribly picky about what’s on the menu. A calf on a ranch and an elk in the wild are equally tasty.

Nonetheless, Rep. Story (D-Liberal Bubble) is a devotee of “wildlife coexistence” which advocates for humans and wildlife to “share landscapes.” In the case of our new apex predators, she introduced a bill requiring landowners to install expensive “non-lethal deterrents” to predators if they want to be reimbursed by the state when their livestock are killed by wolves. 

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These deterrents, such as brightly colored flags or flashing lights on fence lines, are expensive to install, time consuming to maintain and of questionable long-term effectiveness. Over time, many wolves learn these deterrents are merely irritating impediments between them and dinner. 

This was the point made by several of Story’s Democratic colleagues who represent Western Slope communities, including liberal House Speaker Julie McCluskie.  

Interestingly, in a review of a year of Story’s very active Facebook page, there are numerous posts of her visit to a wolf sanctuary where she is pictured petting cuddly wolves. There are not, however, posts of her meeting with any Colorado ranchers who are, admittedly, less cuddly but deserve at least as much of her time as the wolves do. 

Who knows? She might learn how to coexist with those farmers and ranchers. 

To hear Tammy Story tell it, the reintroduction of wolves was a no-brainer. Though there is a substantive case to be made for re-balancing ecosystems, most Coloradans know this is a highly complex issue, and voters were uneasy with “ballot biology.” The 2020 ballot measure passed by a wolf’s whisker with 50.9% of the vote. 

A squeaker at the ballot box is not the thundering mandate for coexistence Rep. Story believes requires heavy-handed legislation to further complicate the lives, and balance sheets, of Colorado ranchers. Moreover, the state’s communication with the agriculture community as it implements the reintroduction program has been seriously and needlessly flawed, inflaming an already red-hot issue.

Story’s bill was subject to a lethal legislative deterrent in the House Agriculture Committee, shot down on a bipartisan vote. 

Tammy Story is passionate about coexistence for wolves. Coexistence for other groups, not so much. 

For example, if you’re a charter school family, Tammy Story doesn’t think you should coexist with families who choose conventional public schools.

A water carrier for the status quo teacher unions, Story is a sponsor of a bill that deploys lethal legislative efforts against charter schools, with the ultimate goal of denying thousands of Colorado families their preferred choice of schools for their children. Just as with her out-of-touch wolf bill, her own party will bail her out, with Gov. Jared Polis, a charter school founder and advocate, vowing to veto it.    

And she’s not much into coexistence in the Middle East either. Story is one of several signatories on a letter demanding an immediate ceasefire in the war in Gaza. Perhaps she thinks, as with wolves, that Israel should deploy non-lethal deterrents against sadistic, genocidal murderers and rapists. Sadly, there was not one word in the letter condemning Hamas atrocities or stressing the fundamental right of Israel to respond to a violent attack.

Coexistence doesn’t apparently extend to Jews.

That an elected official wanders through public service blissfully and profoundly out of touch with the effects of ideologically driven proposals on real people trying to operate a family ranch, choose a better school for their kids – or be safe from gang-raping terrorists – is profoundly disheartening.

In fact, it’s one sad Story. 

Sean Duffy, a former deputy chief of staff to Gov. Bill Owens, is a communications and media relations strategist and ghostwriter based in the Denver area.