Maggie Burns
burnsmm@msn.com
303-722-6471 

Maggie Burns represents the Elna Sefcovic, LLC, the legacy of a small family farm in Western Colorado.   The LLC Members are the eight children of Felix and Elna Sefcovic, both of whom are now deceased.  Being charged with the stewardship of the mineral rights, we formed an LLC to be a united voice to the oil and gas companies and to be able to manage and administer the mineral rights equitably for each of the siblings. 

We have found that the nature of the industry, the constantly evolving political landscape and ever-changing rules and regulations require something as simple as a small bundle of mineral rights to become a full time job. 

Like many other families in the area, our family has been the beneficiary of democratic policies throughout our lives starting when our cattle grazing permits on BLM land were cut drastically, making it very difficult for our parents to raise nine children with our livelihood slashed by more than three quarters.  We lived the energy boom and bust cycles surrounding oil shale and natural gas development on the Roan Plateau since the early 1950’s.   We experienced first hand the aftermath of the 1982 “Black Sunday” on the western slope when Exxon abruptly locked their gates and left town because it was no longer profitable to continue oil shale production in Colorado. 

That experience has already demonstrated the likely impact of the proposed new rules promulgated by the Governor Ritter – Democrat-packed Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission:

• Restrict the oil and gas industry in Colorado from production, as was demonstrated in 1982, and the producers will leave the state for a more economically viable location
• Does nothing to lower the cost of energy, imposing a higher burden on businesses and lower and middle class families.  By extension, the impact on Colorado will be an increase in the rate of housing foreclosures in an already weak market, a larger burden on social programs, higher taxes and increased unemployment, especially in the areas most dependent on energy production.
• Infringe on personal property rights by excluding the landowner from the ability to administer and manage his own property

Common sense would dictate that working only to develop alternative energy sources without simultaneously developing our own gas and oil supplies will totally destroy the US economy while doing nothing to stop our dependence on foreign oil.  Once alternative fuels are readily available and economically produced, then cutting back on oil and gas production makes sense.  It isn’t necessary to purposefully destroy the oil and gas industry and thus, the local economy, for the agenda of a few. 

Maggie Burns holds a Bachelor of Education from the University of Northern Colorado and an MBA from Colorado State University.   Ms. Burns is employed with a money management firm in Denver and is a member of the Women’s Vision Foundation.  She enjoys travel, walking, hiking, bicycling, and the arts.