By Kasey Butcher Santana

Halloween is supposed to be the time of year when we let ourselves be spooked — by costumes, haunted houses and carved pumpkins glowing in the dark. But for Colorado families, the scariest monsters don’t just show up in October. They haunt us year-round, hiding in plain sight, draining our wallets while insisting they’re doing us a favor.

These aren’t your typical vampires or ghouls. They don’t lurk in graveyards or broom closets. Instead, they show up in utility boardrooms, lobbyist meetings and closed-door policy conferences. Their disguises are far more subtle than a mask or a cape: words like “balance,” “reliability,” and “reasonable compromise.” But their favorite trick is always the same — telling us we need more gas plants while ignoring cheaper, cleaner solutions that would actually save families money.

If that sounds like a horror story, just look at what Coloradans have been living through. Families have seen their utility bills spike, often with little explanation beyond “market volatility.” Kids in the Front Range still get asthma alerts tied to fossil fuel pollution. And communities across the state continue to bear the economic and environmental costs of aging gas infrastructure, even as clean energy becomes the bargain of the century.

Yet, what script do we hear from many of our leaders? Careful talking points about “all-of-the-above” energy strategies. Endless promises to “study” the problem. Press releases that celebrate incremental steps as though they were bold leaps forward. One could almost admire the political theater — if families weren’t paying the price for this scary performance.

A few weeks ago, the so-called “Opportunity Caucus” held its policy conference, where utility executives were only too happy to make their case. We don’t know if oil-and-gas lobbyists were also in attendance, but it wouldn’t be entirely surprising. What is shocking is how easily monopoly utilities can host these conversations and walk away with the same talking points they came in with: no rush on clean energy, gas is still “needed,” and accountability is negotiable. Some might call it networking. Others might call it canoodling.

Here’s the truth: Colorado doesn’t need more gas plants. We need accountability from the monopoly utilities that profit from them. We need to double down on the path to 100% clean energy — not just because it’s essential for the climate, but because it’s the most affordable path for families.

Study after study shows wind, solar and battery storage are cheaper than building and running new gas plants. Every dollar spent propping up outdated fossil fuel infrastructure is a dollar taken directly out of the pockets of Colorado families already struggling to make ends meet. By accelerating the shift to 100% clean energy, we can reduce utility bills, stabilize pricing and provide families with a measure of certainty in uncertain times. That’s not a scare tactic — it’s just math.

And beyond the math, there’s the matter of trust. Coloradans have already embraced clean energy in our homes, businesses, and communities. Local governments are leading the way, proving moving to clean electricity can work in both urban and rural areas. What’s missing is the follow-through at the state level: the courage to say no to utility wish lists, no to lobbyist-crafted loopholes, and no to delay.

This Halloween, while kids knock on doors and collect candy, the rest of us might ask a more complex question: who’s really collecting the treats in Colorado’s energy system? Too often, it’s the utilities and their shareholders. And who’s left with the tricks? Families, small businesses and communities across our state.

Colorado can do better. We have the tools, technology and public support to achieve 100% clean energy. What we need now is for our leaders to step out of the shadows, turn on the lights, and stand with the people they represent — not the monsters in the boardroom.

Until then, the scariest part of Halloween won’t be the haunted houses — but anticipating monstrous utility bills.

Kasey Butcher Santana is a Colorado-based mom and writer with a Ph.D. in American literature.