VOLUME 34 | ISSUE 52
WEEK OF DECEMBER 28, 2023
A YEAR IN PHOTOSP4
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Brighton state rep Sharbini steps down Another Dem resigns from Colorado legislature, citing low pay and ‘vitriol’
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Colorado state Rep. Said Sharbini announced he will resign from the House of Representatives at the end of the year, saying his family could “no longer endure” the financial strain of serving in the state legislature. Sharbini, a first-term Democrat from Brighton, wrote in a letter to the chief clerk of the House that he would resign his seat effective Dec. 31. “This is a common problem for many legislators and creates a prohibitive environment for voices to be heard,” wrote Sharbini, who is a lawyer. “Representation is held by those with the means to sustain themselves, and that has quickly become something I can no longer do.” Colorado lawmakers are paid less than $44,000 a year. Sharbini is a former public defender who now works in private practice. He’s the second first-year House member to resign this month. State Rep. Ruby Dickson, D-Greenwood Village, quit effective Dec. 11 citing the “sensationalistic and vitriolic nature of the current political environment.” Sharbini and Dickson were among 30 new House members who took office in January who had never served in the legislature before. Like Dickson, Sharbini said a vitriolic environment at the Capitol contributed to his resignation, which was first reported by Colorado Politics. He did not immediately respond to a request for comment. “The polarized and contentious atmosphere has hindered constructive dialogue,” Sharbini wrote. “I truly hope those that continue on with this work take notice and begin to have more open and honest dialogue about future legislation and decorum in the chamber.” In a statement, House Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon, called Sharbini a “champion” for his district who “always stayed true to his values.”
LOCAL OBITUARIES LEGALS CLASSIFIED
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
LOCAL
BY BRIAN EASON AND SANDRA FISH THE COLORADO SUN
SEE SHARBINI, P4
BRIEFS: PAGE 2 |OBITUARIES: PAGE 4 | CLASSIFIEDS: PAGE 8 | LEGAL: PAGE 10
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