Prepare for power outages today

Douglas County commissioners have voted to officially oppose the land use bill making its way through the state legislature.

PHOTO BY HALEY LENA

Senate Bill 23-213, according to Commissioner Lora omas’ newsletter. e commissioners don’t have direct input on what laws get passed at the Capitol, but they take positions on proposed state laws to give direction to the county’s lobbyists, who work to support the commissioners’ stance.

e commissioners also take positions on bills to provide input to Colorado Counties Inc., a non- also agree that we’re heading down the wrong path. ey can say that they value other opinions, but actions still speak louder than words.

It is more probable that this concern is driven by actions that commissioners have taken, which have been highly ideological, stubborn, and sometimes personal: opting out of a public health order; accusing each other of leaking “classi ed” material; approving reworks during a drought that started wild res; trying to take over Daniels Park because Denver didn’t want handguns in the park; trying to take water from another county; bullying Tri-County Health Department members into resigning and eventually killing TCHD altogether; passing a resolution proclaiming Douglas County a “safe constitutional county” so they could tell the sheri to not enforce the Colorado red ag law; commissioners stripping another commissioner of board memberships; declaring the pandemic over two years ago; a commissioner’s wife criticizing another commissioner on Twitter; and constant bickering and name calling.

If we want to get back on the proverbial right track, it is time for our commissioners to put the community before their own petty grievances and power plays, and start respecting their constituents’ opinions.

Len Whitten

Highlands Ranch

Polis wants renters, not owners

Jared Polis’ SB23-213 is designed to make us all renters forever instead of homeowners who can build wealth and equity by living happily in our beautiful Colorado communities. is bill would impose ”a ordable housing” that is, apartment buildings, on town and cities, overriding their local control with dictatorial statewide mandates. (coloradocommunitymedia.com/ stories/local-leaders-oppose-govpolis-housing-bill-for-taking-awaylocal-control,428079) But it’s market forces that govern housing prices, and its in ation, and out-of-control homebuilding regulations, and especially the disastrous construction defects law that are making home- pro t that works to present a “united voice” of local governments to the state legislature to help shape policy, according to its website. omas took issue with Commissioner George Teal over his vote to oppose SB 213 at Colorado Counties Inc. even though the commissioners had voted unanimously to take an “amend” position initially. e commissioners did not issue a statement of why they support or oppose a bill when a formal position is issued, according to county sta . ownership too costly for so many of our citizens. e legislature should x these problems before trying to change all of our communities into look-alike cities with citi ed apartment housing.

It’s historically been the practice of the Douglas County commissioners to be allowed to “read the room” at CCI and vote accordingly. But it is rare for the commissioners to take an o cial position in one direction and then have a di erent position representing Douglas County at CCI. Ultimately, commissioners later took another o cial stance, voting unanimously April 18 to oppose the bill.

Our Colorado property rights are being trampled on by Colorado legislators bent on turning Colorado into a sea of apartment dwellings usurping authority away from local politicians to support ownership, especially single family ownership. Single family ownership that is being swamped, being overrun in favor of non-ownership rentals by short-sighted state and local government policies does not solve the growing “a ordable housing” crisis. is is not left or right, but a right or wrong issue.

Families trying to raise their kids do not want to be forced to live in rental “ ats” as they do in Europe. Moms and dads raising families need air to breathe and yards to play or work in. People of all ages want to live in ownership units to preserve wealth building. Single family units are the key to wealth building no matter how much appointed planners or follow the money politicians think otherwise e long solution: Give quality developers the challenge to solve a ordable housing issues o ering ownership instead of renters. Remove the heavy hand of government agendas now calling the shots against developer innovation and creativity. Developers have become a hated group unnecessarily. Good developers can and will solve the affordable housing crisis ... untie their hands. e short solution: If defending your property rights is important to you, Join up with a multiple county coalition forming against property right abuses. A Public Outcry Alert was held in Lakewood on April 11th at the Rockley Event Center. e place was packed. Homeowners/ taxpayers showed up from these ve surrounding counties; Je erson, Arapahoe, Adams, Douglas, Denver plus towns Lakewood, Parker and Westminster. Add your name to the list held by organizer RameyKJohnson@gmail.com

Evie Zur Parker