(1) The general assembly hereby finds and declares that:
Changes in the world's political, social, and economic policies have resulted in changes in the military needs of the United States;
Congress has ordered that certain military installations be closed or realigned pursuant to the "Defense Authorization and Base Realignment and Closure Act", 26 U.S.C. sec.
2687, as amended;
Base closure or realignment has a severe and adverse impact on the economy of thecommunity, region, and state where the installation is located;
The installations ordered closed or realigned represent an investment of millions ofdollars in the land, improvements, and equipment located on the installation by the taxpayers of the community, region, state, and nation; and
The land, improvements, and equipment represent a potential economic resource topromote new employment opportunities and, thereby, enhance the state and local tax base.
(2) The general assembly further finds and declares that:
Congress has ordered the Pueblo depot activity to be realigned, then closed, pursuantto the "Defense Authorization and Base Realignment and Closure Act", 26 U.S.C. sec. 2687, as amended;
The Pueblo depot activity encompasses some thirty-four and three-tenths square miles of land in Pueblo county and contains more than one thousand two hundred buildings; and
The creation of a Pueblo depot activity development authority is necessary to providea public entity which can secure from the Army of the United States the excess and surplus land, buildings, and equipment; enter into cooperative agreements; and acquire, construct, reconstruct, repair, alter, improve, extend, own, lease, operate, and dispose of properties, in an attempt to promote the development of the Pueblo depot activity for the people of this state.
(3) The general assembly further finds and declares that the Pueblo depot activity development authority is created for the benefit and advantage of and to promote the health, safety, and welfare of the people of the state of Colorado and that, as such, it is the intent of the general assembly that this article shall be liberally constructed to effect its purpose.
Source: L. 94: Entire article added, p. 954, § 1, effective April 28.