Ellen Roberts: Colorado senate president pro tempore.

• Author: Andrade, Jane Carroll
• Position: Represented National Conference of State Legislatures on trip to India - The Final Word - Interview

It was a busy legislative "off-season" for Senator Ellen Roberts. The Republican from the southwestern town of Durango, who starts her 10th legislative session this month, represented NCSL on a U.S. State Department-sponsored trip to India. She's also been dealing with the aftermath of the Environmental Protection Agency spilling 3 million gallons of wastewater from an abandoned mine into the Animas River, which runs through her district.

Why India?

The point of the trip from the State Department perspective was to create some bridges between legislators in the U.S. and India at the provincial level, rather than the national level. This was NCSL's first foray into developing that legislative connection in India, and NCSL takes very seriously the value of legislatures in the U.S. and beyond. We had a lot of meetings with legislators to discuss issues they face, electoral politics in general, and what the future might hold between our two countries.

What surprised you most about the Indians and the way they govern?

There are a lot of factions and tension even within their governing class, and so I think trying to find a unified vision for the country is probably one of their biggest challenges. And I think they also need to feel like that's possible.

How did your visit enhance your perspective on what you do?

It's a reminder of how every person elected or in public office is challenged daily to meet the needs of the people around them. It doesn't matter which country you're in or which state or province you're in, public service is hard work wherever it's located around the globe. It really boils down to the basic needs of the people being served.

What are your legislative priorities heading into the 2016 session?

Arriving at a balanced budget on time and making sure rural Colorado doesn't get left behind. In Colorado, we can take no more than 120 days. So we will be having lots of conversations about how to match up revenue and expenditures in a way that makes sense for our state, but it won't be easy.

The mine spill in the Animas River made news. What have you...