Villager Election Section

ELECTION

ARAPAHOE COUNTY

Tuesday, Nov. 8 is the day to choose your candidates!

WHAT’S INSIDE ☆ How To Vote........................... page 10 ☆ Candidates and Ballot Issues........... pages 3 -12 ☆ Coffman Carroll debate............ page 16

PAGE 2 | THE VILLAGER • October 20, 2016

ELECTION 2016

October 20, 2016 • THE VILLAGER | PAGE 3

ELECTION 2016

Profiles of the candidates and the issues U.S. PRESIDENT

Donald Trump

Hillary Clinton

Hillary Clinton, Democrat Donald Trump, Republican

U.S. SENATOR

Michael Bennet

Darryl Glenn

Michael Bennet, Democrat Darryl Glenn, Republican

STATEWIDE BALLOT ISSUES

Amendment 69 would create a statewide single-payer healthcare system funded by a 0.3 percent and 0.6 percent tax on employees and employers respectively. This would replace Connect for Health Colorado, the state health exchange created under the Affordable Healthcare Act. Amendment 70 would increase the state minimum wage from $8.31 to $9.30 beginning Jan. 1, 2017. The minimum wage would then increase by 90 cents until it reached $12 per hour in 2020. This amendment would also prevent the statewide minimum wage from dropping if the consumer price index falls.

Amendment 71 would require a calculated percentage of petition signatures to be collected across the state to place a proposed amendment

to the state Constitution on the Colorado ballot and would increase the number of votes required for passage to a 55 percent majority.

Amendment 72 would increase the tax on a single pack of cigarettes from 84 cents to $2.59. The money would be used for medical research, tobacco education, medical care in rural or low-income areas, veterans’ services and other health programs.

Proposition 106 would allow terminally ill patients (with six-month or less to live) to request and use selfadministered life-ending medication.

This would allow physicians to prescribe such medications and create criminal penalties for hindering a person’s request to end their life.

Proposition 107 would establish a presidential primary election and allow unaffiliated voters to participate in the election. This would also eliminate the current caucus system.

Proposition 108 would also allow unaffiliated voters to participate in a primary election and allow political parties to opt out of holding a primary in favor of nominating candidates at an assembly or convention.

1ST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

Casper Stockham, Republican

What are the most important issues facing the Casper Stockham 1st Congressional District?

The most important issues facing CD1 are homelessness, jobs and the rising cost of taxes and housing.

What from your past experience shows you could help fix a dysfunctional Congress?

I have a 30-year business back-

ground and have written a book on the subject. I am a small-business owner and have done HR and payroll consulting. There is nothing that can fix the dysfunction in Congress, except the electing of good men and women who are more concerned with fixing problems than their own self interests.

What should Congress do regarding recreational marijuana in Colorado? Should marijuana be federally legalized in states that approve it?

The marijuana issue is a state issue and Congress should stay out of it, if possible. Colorado or Congress should change the classification of marijuana to a Class 3 drug so the industry businesses can bank properly.

Incumbent U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette, Democrat, did not respond to The Villager’s numerous invitations to participate.

6TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

Mike Coffman, Republican

What are the most important issues facing the 6th Congressional District?

Mike Coffman I will continue to work to cut the regulatory red tape that is strangling our small businesses so that they can grow, increase wages and add new jobs. A personal-injury lawyer, Morgan Carroll received an F from the nation’s largest association of small businesses and was given awards and special commendations by the trial lawyers and the ACLU. I will continue to fight to cut wasteful Pentagon spending and redirect the savings to make sure that we have the best trained, best equipped and best led military in the world. My opponent’s foreign-

policy views are reckless. She supports closing Guantanamo, giving terrorists constitutional rights and is a strong supporter of this reckless pact with Iran. I will continue the fight to reform the VA, whose leadership is mired in a culture of bureaucratic incompetence and corruption.

What from your past experience shows you could help fix a dysfunctional Congress?

There is no better example of the dysfunction in Washington than the Aurora VA hospital—$1 billion over budget and years delayed. The Obama administration has not fired a single person for this. We owe it to the taxpayers to find out where the money went and we owe it to the men and women who served this nation in uniform to finish the hospital. I led the fight to strip the VA of its construction authority for hospital projects and permanently transferred it to the Army Corps of Engineers who have built similar projects for the Department of Defense consistently on time and within budget.

The 6th District has become

among the most competitive in the nation. How would you reach out to the other side of the aisle?

I am a member of a small but growing group of Democrats and Republicans called “No Labels.” We have come together to find common ground and to bridge the partisan divide that is hurting our country. There is a reason Carroll was recruited by Nancy Pelosi—she’s a partisan, pure and simple.

Morgan Carroll, Democrat

What are the most important issues facing the 6th Congressional District?

The need for good-paying Morgan Carroll jobs, affordable child care, good education, student debt, retirement security, veteran support and protecting our personal liberties and freedoms. In my conversations with voters, I am hearing again Continued on Page 4

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ELECTION 2016 Continued from page 3 and again that the issues that the people of this district are passionate about aren’t partisan ones. They’re kitchen-table issues like finding good-paying jobs that can support a family, fixing the student-debt crisis, passing comprehensive immigration reform, strengthening and expanding Social Security for the next generation, and our veterans.

What from your past experience shows you could help fix a dysfunctional Congress?

I have a track record of identifying problems, working with others and solving problems in my past work. I spent 12 years in the state legislature working with Democrats and Republicans to find solutions to Colorado’s problems. As state Senate president, I sat down with every member to find some area of common ground to address something important to every member and every district. Over 85 percent of the bills we passed were bipartisan, including lobbying and campaign-finance reform, capping tuition hikes at public universities, and providing housing and job opportunities to our veterans. It’s no secret that this spirit of compromise and working together doesn’t exist in Washington today, but I’m going to work tirelessly with representatives on both sides of the aisle to find that common ground and ensure that Congress works for the people of our district.

The 6th District has become among the most competitive in the nation. How would you reach out to the other side of the aisle?

I would reach out by focusing on the needs of our constituents and the people in our communities. The process of finding solutions involves listening, learning, leading, brainstorming and persistence. Unfortunately, Congress has lost sight of its mission; it’s more interested in scoring cheap political points than passing legislation that fixes this country’s most pressing problems. In any other profession,

if you don’t do your job, you don’t get to keep it!

STATE SENATE DISTRICT 26

Daniel Kagan, Democrat

What are the most important issues facing Senate District 26?

Daniel Kagan The concerns I most frequently hear at the doors are quality of our K-12 schools, roads not coping with the population growth, affordability of college, rents becoming out of reach, scarcity of affordable first homes, and wages and salaries not growing enough. As state revenues naturally rise with the growing economy, it’s crucial that, without tax increases, we grasp the opportunity to increase our savings and address these issues, rather than doling out tax breaks to powerful interests as we’ve done in the past. If we’re careful not to waste money or the moment, we can solve these problems. It will take guts, foresight and prudence on the part of our leaders, but we can do it.

Why are you the best candidate for the job?

I’ve worked blue-collar and white-collar jobs, served our military as a civilian contractor, run a business and signed paychecks, taken on powerful special interests as a legislator and repeatedly brought people together to find solutions to shared problems. As a person who was born to refugees, and who labored long and hard to earn the enormous privilege of American citizenship, I cherish the freedoms, dignity and opportunities that we enjoy in this state and nation. I want to spend the remaining years of my working life doing everything I can to protect them.

Senate District 26 has become more competitive in recent years.

How would you reach out to the other side of the aisle?

As I’ve always done during my time in office. Almost all my most important contributions have been accomplished in a bipartisan fashion, by crafting legislation with my Republican colleagues and garnering wide support for the solutions we create together. I always convene interested citizens before putting pen to legislative paper, and the measures I help pass vastly benefit from that public input. It’s still possible to work that way in Colorado, and it’s a style of legislating that may have been lost in Washington, but must not be lost here.

Nancy Doty, Republican

What are the most important issues facing Senate District 26?

Nancy Doty Education. Each parent should have every available choice open to them when it comes to educating their kids. Economy. I oppose Amendment 69, a radical job-killing proposal that will give government more control over our healthcare choices. Affordable Housing. The best way to bring down the price of homes and rents is to increase the supply of houses on the market. Reducing regulations will incentivize more entrepreneurs to start a new business or expand an existing business.

Why are you the best candidate for the job?

I love Colorado and I’m committed to helping our citizens reach their full potential. The first step in achieving this goal is to get our state government out of the way—out of the way of single mothers trying make ends meet, out of the way of young couple trying to find decent affordable housing, and out of the way of families to make the healthcare choices and educational decisions that are best for their families. Doing so will unleash our entrepreneurial spirit and give working people a plat-

form to improve their quality of life.

As a former small-business owner, I appreciate at a gut level the sacrifice that our entrepreneurs make to keep a business afloat. During my career, I have been blessed to serve as both an elected official and small-business owner. I have a proven track record of saving millions of taxpayer dollars with commonsense solutions. I’m a state Capitol outsider who will begin working for all Coloradoans on day one.

Senate District 26 has become more competitive in recent years.

How would you reach out to the other side of the aisle?

No other candidate in this race can claim to work as successfully as I have with Democrats on the key issues of importance to Arapahoe County and Colorado. Rather than fight for the needs of the Republican caucus, I will always keep the priorities of all Coloradoans top of mind.

STATE SENATE DISTRICT 27

Jack Tate, Republican

What are the most important issues facing Senate District 27?

Jack Tate The concerns that constituents typically express are those connected to their daily lives. They are often timeless in nature. Centennial-area families are seeking better opportunities in their careers, improved education for the kids, a safe community and less government intrusion. However, there are other issues that stand out unique to each year. Folks are concerned that our marijuana policy has unintended negative consequences that we do not yet understand. They want the state to prioritize spending on infrastructure.

Finally, there is a concern about how high housing costs are affecting the community and the ability of many to start and raise a family.

Why are you the best candidate for the job?

After over 25 years in the private sector as a project manager, engineer and financial manager, I have grown used to working in teams to solve problems and overcome challenges. As a longtime small-business owner, I understand what it means to create jobs and to meet payroll and budgets. Consequently, I have a deep understanding of how government over-regulation stifles economic growth and job creation. I also can look at proposed legislation from a quantitative perspective that seeks to identify probabilities of success and attendant risks. That brings honesty into the discussion before emotional and political narratives take hold.

What can or should the state legislature do to address the issue of gun violence?

Ensuring a safe community is an important role of our government.

We must work with our law enforcement agencies, first-responders and mental-health professionals to make sure that they have the adequate resources needed to keep us safe. As these professionals are on the frontlines, we must maintain the right level of respect, regard and support that recognizes their efforts and sacrifices. Furthermore, we must prioritize funding to address a wide range of mental-health issues that are impacting our communities. We need to train and empower our families, caregivers and educators to identify and encourage treatment for mental health and drug/alcohol abuse issues.

Tom Sullivan, Democrat

What are the most important issues facing Senate District 27?

Tom Sullivan Paid leave for workers, affordable housing, strengthening our school system and allowing parents unpaid leave to attend their children’s school events.

Why are you the best candidate for the job?

My wife and I have lived in the district for 25 years. We have grown up here and been a part of the changes. Our two children went to Cherry Creek schools from grade school to high school. We are a middle-class family that has had to work hard for a living, put our children through public schools, provide for them and plan for a retirement. I retired three-plus years ago from the USPS after our son Alex was murdered in the Aurora theater shooting. I have been out front since that day to do my best to ensure that it never happens to another family. I have seen first-hand the results of government’s non-action and the effects it has on families. I was involved in the largest court case in this state’s history the past four years and can bring that insight to the voters of the district. We have enough lawyers, business owners and career politicians at our state Capitol. It’s time we handed it back to regular people who aren’t afraid to work.

What can or should the state legislature do to address the issue of gun violence?

Gun violence is not just a state issue, but a national problem. The violence knows no boundary. It’s not just their problem or we can’t believe it will never happen to us. I live every day as a victim of gun violence.

It’s not enough that we are aware we must act. The commonsense laws passed in 2013 have no doubt saved lives. The background-check bill passed, along with limiting highcapacity ammunition clips, have made an impact. We must continue to make sure those laws are unchanged.

We must work to educate the public about safe storage, the rise of firearm usage in suicides, and keeping them out of the hands of felons and domestic-violence abusers.

STATE HOUSE DISTRICT 3

Jeff Bridges, Democrat

What would be your primary focus if elected?

I grew up right here, attending LittleJeff Bridges ton Public Schools K-12 and graduating from Arapahoe High School. As Coloradans, we know government works best when people work together.

But right now, government is driving us apart. The Denver Post called this last session the most partisan, least productive in our state’s history. Colorado can do better.

When I worked for Ken Salazar in the U.S. Senate, we got a letter from a Coloradan serving in Iraq whose friend was killed by an IED. I brought together top Democrats and Republicans to pass legislation that’s still saving lives. That’s how government should work—you listen to people, identify a problem, then work together to solve it.

What is the top issue facing state government?

I’ve walked hundreds of miles Continued on page 6

October 20, 2016 • THE VILLAGER | PAGE 5

ELECTION 2016

Jeff Bridges will fight for our kids at the State House.

Jeff Bridges gets it — a 21st Century education is the foundation for a lifetime of opportunity.

An educated community is a thriving one – Jeff knows that we need great schools to attract great businesses. All people, of all backgrounds, deserve opportunity and economic security.

The best way to get there? Great schools.

And that’s why Jeff will fight to fully fund local schools, expand early childhood education, and help families save for college without taking on a mountain of debt. A strong foundation builds lifetime learners with bright futures. We can count on Jeff Bridges to fight to get resources into the classroom so that all kids can thrive.

Vote Jeff Bridges for State House Paid for by Raising Colorado Independent Expenditure Committee –Jennifer Walmer, Registered Agent. Not authorized by, coordinated with, or controlled by any candidate.

PAGE 6 | THE VILLAGER • October 20, 2016

ELECTION 2016 Continued from page 4 and had thousands of conversations with folks at their door. What I’ve heard is that we need a Colorado with an economy that works for everyone. With fully-funded public education from pre-K through college that sets up all of our kids for success, not just some. We need to reign in housing costs, preserve our environment and create new goodpaying jobs in renewable energy.

To do that, we’ll need to work together.

How would your professional expertise benefit constituents in House District 3?

I’m the only one in this race who has legislative experience.

I’m also the only one who grew up here. I’ve worked with Coloradans from the Eastern Plains, the Western Slope, the San Luis Valley and all along the Front Range. I have deep local roots and a unique perspective on the challenges faced by those from across all of Colorado.

I also have a master’s degree in divinity, so I know how to bring people together around our shared values. In the legislature, I will build the diverse coalitions we need to pass legislation that will move our local community forward.

Katy Brown, Republican

What would be your primary focus if elected?

As a state representative, Katy Brown my focus would be on improving public education, creating opportunities for everyone to get ahead by creating good jobs and supporting entrepreneurship, and keeping our communities safe because those issues are important to all of us in House District 3.

What is the top issue facing state government?

I believe the most important

issue facing state government is managing the competing needs and priorities within our limited budget. Regardless of how you feel about taxes, government spending or programs, I think we all know that we will never be able to afford everything we would like to do. Managing priorities in the best interest of the entire state is the toughest and most important job of our state legislature.

How would your professional expertise benefit constituents in House District 3?

For the past 21 years, I have worked hard to build a business, raise a family and engage in our community. I am a business leader and entrepreneur with experience creating jobs and supporting the local economy. I am a public servant, serving on Cherry Hills Village City Council, who realizes the differences between personal agendas and public policy. I am a community volunteer with more than 25 years of service to many organizations, demonstrating my commitment to serving my community, not my career. I am not a politician, but an engineer with two degrees from MIT, who is capable of understanding the science and technology that is increasingly important to the issues we face. I am a wife of 20 years and a mother of two young children who can relate to the challenges of raising a family. I want the same opportunities and successes for my family that I want for all of us. Combined, these qualities make me the candidate who has the experience and credentials to be a strong, respected representative of the people in House District 3.

STATE HOUSE DISTRICT 37

Cole Wist, Republican

What would be your primary focus if elected?

First, we need to reform con-

struction litigation laws in Colorado. Condominium construction has been severely limited in our Cole Wist state due to current laws which increase litigation risk for builders. This climate has resulted in much higher insurance rates and has deterred the construction of multi-family homes.

We must make the availability of diverse and affordable housing a priority. Second, our highways and bridges need attention. We have a great transportation system for 3.5 million people. However, over five million people now live in Colorado. Senate Bill 210, defeated this past session, would have asked voters to authorize the state to bond $3.5 billion in revenue for transportation projects. I supported this bill and would support similar legislation next session. Finally, we must continue to support our energy industry. Recent initiatives have sought to implement local regulation that would have severe negative impacts on oil and gas production. On this issue, I agree with Gov. Hickenlooper. Regulation of the industry should continue at the state level, in consultation with local officials through the MOU [memo of understanding] process.

We need to stay the course.

What is the top issue facing state government?

The Affordable Care Act has resulted in an explosion of Medicaid. Increasingly, we will have less money to spend on budget priorities like education and transportation. While citizens must have access to quality, affordable healthcare, this federal mandate has resulted in a state budget crisis.

How would your professional expertise benefit constituents in House District 37?

I have spent my 27-year legal career defending businesses from

government overregulation. As a result, I have a deep understanding of how government must be restrained. Yes, regulation is necessary to a certain degree. However, we have reached a critical moment where runaway administrative agencies and regulations are stifling economic development. I will continue to review legislation through this lens. Our laws must regulate business in a thoughtful, measured and reasonable way.

Carol Barrett, Democrat

What would be your primary focus if elected?

My primary focus would be Carol Barrett to look to refining gun control to create a safe environment of checks and balances.

We have the absolute right to bear arms, but we need a safe environment free from gun violence.

What is the top issue facing state government?

Funding for schools, roads and infrastructure and healthcare for all. We need to find ways to stop TABOR effects on our state.

How would your professional expertise benefit constituents in House District 37?

I have a background in healthcare, being a pharmacist and a small-business owner and being on a hospital board for over 30 years to bring in my experience for need of healthcare in our community and state for men, women and children.

STATE HOUSE DISTRICT 38 Robert Bowen, Democrat

Why are you the most qualified candidate as compared to your opponent?

I would represent a change at the state Capitol and my opponent would be more of the same. She has spent the last 17 years in elected or appointed political office. I spent my career owning or running businesses, creating jobs and helping the economy. I have a better understanding of what is required to help business thrive. Secondly, I spend six years as a state representative in the 1980s, and by working across the aisle I was able to pass significant legislation, including the bill that resulted in RTD building light rail. Thirdly, I will represent the interests of the people of the district, not my party bosses or any special interests.

What would be your legislative priorities?

We must get money out of politics. I am the only candidate for state representative in Colorado that is committed to ending money in political campaigns. Money corrupts the system. Secondly, we need to put a bipartisan measure before the voters to raise revenue to fix our crumbling roads and provide more money for education at all levels. Thirdly, we need to end the disgrace of sweeping up the homeless, rather than addressing their situation. Many of them are veterans.

What challenges and/or opportunities are presented by the Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights?

There are structural problems with TABOR that we need to ask voters to remedy. Today, if there is excess

Robert Bowen

revenue it must go back to people in $14 average refunds. That is fine, but during recessions when revenue falls, budgets are cut. We need to restore those cuts to education, roads and mental health that happen in downturns before we return the money in good years—without raising taxes.

Secondly, we need to ask voters to approve a very specific, fixed-term tax increase to fund specific highway projects statewide, restore money that was cut from education, and address mental health and addiction without relying on vices to fund these essential programs.

Susan Beckman, Republican

Why are you the most qualified candidate as compared to your opponent?

My experience and my track record of being accountable to the community and making things happen that others said could not be done make me the most qualified candidate for HD38. I will take to the state legislature the lessons that I learned about stewardship of your tax dollars and responsive government service while serving as an Arapahoe County commissioner. Our legislature must find new ways to streamline and deliver essential services without increasing taxes or sacrificing quality. I will continue my record of fiscal responsibility, innovative thinking and a tireless work ethic to accomplish these goals.

What would be your legislative priorities?

As your next House District 38 representative, I will focus on regulatory reform and transportation infrastructure.

I will fight to stop unreasonable regulation of small business and to support the jobs and businesses that the energy sector brings to Colorado. I will focus on issues regarding transportation infrastructure. It is wrong that a $27 billion state budget was adopted this year with less than $200 million for road construction projects. We cannot sit by and watch our transportation infrastructure deteriorate.

What challenges and/or opportunities are presented by the Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights?

The Taxpayers Bill of Rights requires state and local governments to ask voters’ permission to keep any increased revenue above a population growth and inflation calculation. Since the passage of TABOR, voters have generously supported additional funding initiatives and debt when asked and when those expenditures were explained transparently. Of special note was the 1999 statewide vote that approved a $4 billion increase in debt to pay for 27 congestion and safety transportation projects across the state. These projects included the $1.6 billion multi-model transportation highway widening of 1-25 through Arapahoe County.

This type of voter-support initiative would be a positive, transparent way to deal with our transportation funding shortfall.

Susan Beckman

ARAPAHOE COUNTY COMMISSIONER DISTRICT 1

Kathleen Conti, Republican

Describe your qualifications for this position.

The only qualifications required Continued on page 7

October 20, 2016 • THE VILLAGER | PAGE 7

ELECTION 2016 Continued from page 6 are to be age 25 and live in the district, but in addition to that I have been an Arapahoe County resident for 22 years Cathleen Conti with 30-plus years in the state of Colorado. I am a wife and mother of two boys and a 20-year smallbusiness owner with as many as five employees. I have recently completed three terms, six years as the state representative for the area.

This will give me a unique understanding of the body that makes the policies that we as county commissioners will be implementing. To help me in county issues of land use and public works, I put myself through real estate school so that I would be well versed in a wide variety of land-use applications and categories of easements.

I have also had ample opportunities to shadow the commissioners in a wide variety of activities since the time of my announcement to seek this position. My hope is this will ease the transition into this new position.

What are your ideas to improve county government?

Arapahoe County has a growing population. This puts greater stresses on an already strained budget. It will be incumbent on the commissioners to think outside the box on creative solutions to meet the needs of a growing population. Many of the categories that signal trouble on the horizon are coming from Tri County Health.

In their January 2016 update, they cite that 26 percent of our teens have poor mental health, 13.9 percent engage in binge drinking and 15.9 percent considered suicide.

These are areas in which we must continue and possibly increase our partnerships with our faith -based and nonprofit organizations to help us more effectively meet the complex needs of many of our citizens and their families.

Kathleen Conti is the only candidate seeking this open seat.

ARAPAHOE COUNTY COMMISSIONER DISTRICT 3 Jeff Baker, Republican

Why are you the best candidate to serve in District 3?

Jeff Baker The breadth of my experience as a public servant. Whether it was during my years serving as a military police officer, including a tour in Desert Storm, or my 18 years working for the county at Human Services and Facilities & Fleet Management, I have the leadership and management experience to get things done. I know how the wheels of government work, but more importantly I appreciate how they affect residents on a day-to-day basis. I understand that my neighbors in Arapahoe County want to know that they are safe, that they can get from point A to point B without insane traffic congestion, and that growth within the county will be handled responsibly. I am also very sensitive to the fact that government must be responsive to its citizens.

District 3 is a mix of urban and rural. How would you simultaneously represent the interests of both?

We are fortunate in Arapahoe County to enjoy the best of both worlds. Each has its own distinct opportunities and challenges, but they both have a lot of the same issues to deal with, including safety, traffic and responsible growth. I have spent enough time with residents all over the county to know and appreciate all of them. I look forward to working and communicating with and listening to citizens from every part of Arapahoe County to ensure it continues to be a great place to raise a family and do business.

What are your ideas to improve county government?

Government at any level can always be made more efficient. Like any large organization, staff can come to rely on outdated processes and procedures that made sense back when they were initiated, but now should be updated. Technology is a big part of that. The Align Arapahoe initiative currently underway (something I was a part of since the beginning) is working towards that goal. One benefit will be to shorten waiting times for county services and processes.

Janet Cook, Democrat

Why are you the best candidate to serve in District 3?

Janet Cook By not being entrenched in the culture of county government, I am more open and willing to change what is not working in programs, services and departments. I do not have a narrow or stovepipe view of how business is operated and I am no stranger to conflict when addressing what needs to be changed. I have a history of effecting change. In 2006, I moved here to replace a manager who moved up the career ladder within the same aerospace facility, who had built relationships within that organization and was unable to move change and turn a poorperforming facility around. My experience of quality-control, restructuring organizations, cost accounting with a $11 billion budget, turning around poor-performing facilities, and being exposed to various ways of doing business with a results-driven approach is why I am the most qualified candidate.

District 3 is a mix of urban and rural. How would you simultaneously represent both interests?

Citizens in urban and rural District 3 have the same basic needs, such as housing, transportation, medical facilities, utilities and safety. As an outsider of the current county government, I can seek that balance of thought and planning that is missing in my district.

The people in my district feel they have not been heard in Littleton and I intend to change that mindset. Addressing their needs through balance and foresight as the urban area expands into District 3 is a priority.

What are your ideas to improve county government?

I would bring creativity and innovation to the board through questioning conventional approaches, encouraging new ideas and innovations, designing and implementing new or cutting-edge programs/ processes. The county government needs to create stronger relations with the agriculture and rural community. We need better communication and partnerships that will bring positive changes to encour-

age business, create quality jobs and support our police, fire and EMT services.

ARAPAHOE COUNTY COMMISSIONER DISTRICT 5 Bill Holen, Democrat

How would you distinguish yourself from your opponent?

Bill Holen I worked as staff member for Sen. Gary Hart and Congressman Ed Perlmutter, specializing in national security, aerospace and veterans policy.

Worked with the City of Aurora in improving infrastructure. Sheriff Dave Walcher and I have initiated a prescription-drug taskforce that is working to stop the devastating effects of opioid painkillers.

For my work with veterans, I was awarded the Bab Cardenas Award by the Aurora Chamber of Commerce. I am a strong advocate for improving our county fairgrounds and have supported the construction of a new exhibition hall and community park. I am the vice chairman on the National Association of Counties’ Transportation and Veterans and Military Committees. I have been appointed to the Commanders Group Advisory Committee for the Air Force Space Command.

Given the politics of the district, why are you the best candidate to represent its residents?

The district is one of the most diverse in Arapahoe County. It reflects a broad range of economic, racial and religious diversity. As a member of the NAACP, I work hard to ensure that the human, economic and religious rights of all of my constituents are protected. I serve on many community boards that have a direct impact on the lives of the people I represent. I

serve as a board member on the Aurora Chamber of Commerce and the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce’s Colorado Space Coalition.

What are your ideas to improve county government?

I believe in the total transparency of government and have supported the live video streaming of public meetings. I would support increasing the scope of all our county boards to encourage more citizen involvement in the development of public policy. I am committed to improving the county’s efforts to reach out to our citizens by holding more public meetings in our municipal communities and holding our Board of County Commissioners meeting in the evening to provide a more convenient time for citizen participation.

Bob LeGare, Republican

How would you distinguish yourself from your opponent?

Bob LeGare My 14 years serving on the Aurora City Council gives me the greatest distinction from my opponent. This City Council service has given me valuable exposure and experience in the areas of land use, planning, open space, human services, public works, capital projects, budgets, government finance, debt and numerous other areas similar to county operations. I served on the Arapahoe County Open Space and Trails Advisory Board for five years, which gave me a glimpse into that important area. Additionally, I am uniquely qualified to improve relationships between Arapahoe County and its various city leaders because of my long experience as a city elected leader. I understand how cities operate and why some tensions exist between cities and Arapahoe County.

Given the politics of the district, why are you the best candidate to represent its residents?

Politics have very little to do with the needs of Arapahoe County District 5. District 5 is the oldest part of Aurora in Arapahoe County. I decided to run for commissioner because after serving on the board of Aurora’s homeless-services provider for four years, my eyes were opened to the extensive needs in District 5. Aurora depends on Arapahoe County for much of the human-services funding that flows from federal and state programs.

The county is the conduit for those programs and I believe that Aurora needs a stronger voice for District 5 to ensure the residents get the services they need.

What are your ideas to improve county government?

I think that Arapahoe County is generally well run and I don’t seek this office to carry out an agenda for change in the administration of the county. I would like to use my experience as a City Council member to continue the work of the county leaders and offer suggestions for improvement when I see an area that would benefit from change. Improvements may occur over time, but I don’t expect to enter the office and make immediate changes.

18TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT ATTORNEY

District Attorney George Brauchler, Republican, is seeking reelection unopposed.

COLORADO BOARD OF EDUCATION DISTRICT 6

Debora Scheffel, Republican

Why are you the best candidate? Distinguish yourself from your opponent.

I have spent my career teachContinued on page 8

Keep the American Dream Alive!

• Affordable Tuition • Great Jobs After Graduation • Campus Safety • Freedom of Speech Trust the future of Colorado's third largest employer to an entrepreneur, family advocate and mother of four.

Heidi is the founder of both Camp Bow Wow and Moms Fight Back and has the experience CU needs!

This Fall, Vote Heidi Ganahl!

Learn more at: www.heidiganahl.com

PAGE 8 | THE VILLAGER • October 20, 2016

ELECTION 2016 Continued from page 7 ing and teaching teachers. I know firsthand the diversity of needs in our schools.

I know what it takes to support our hardworkDebora Scheffel ing teachers and make sure they have the flexibility and resources they require to meet the needs of students. I make decisions which support parents having choice over the public education of their children, as well as ensuring teachers and staff receive the resources they need. I work hard to push back on federal overreach and eliminate unnecessary regulations. I support Colorado controlling our own standards, and creating a system of accountability that is easy to understand and relies far less on testing while focusing more on increased transparency and accountability so we are good stewards of our resources.

What is your plan to improve school funding?

I will continue to advocate for the resources (funding, skills, and time) it takes to provide every student an opportunity to receive a public education that prepares them for a successful future. I also support increasing transparency on how funds are spent so we can continue to improve how we use resources. The State Board does not determine the amount of funding for schools so I will work with others to support adequate and effective funding.

Where is the greatest need in Colorado schools—early-developmental learning or 6-12th grade?

I find it helpful to think about the greatest needs in Colorado schools not by grade levels, but by the needs of students and staff, as one-size-fits-all solutions don’t work. By focusing on the needs of students and staff at every level, we can help make sure we are supporting the needs of each individual student. I also support identifying

best practices and developing the tools our education professionals require, creating an environment of continuous improvement at every level and supporting the love of lifelong learning.

Rebecca McClellan, Democrat

Why are you the best candidate?

DistinRebecca McClellan guish yourself from your opponent.

The State Board of Education is intended to be a citizen oversight committee for the Department of Education, to be governed by citizens, not special interest groups. I have served on the executive board of my district’s legislative network, the Centennial City Council, and as an executive officer for West Middle School’s PTCO. Most importantly, unlike my opponent I’m also a parent. If elected, I will be the only member of our State Board of Education with a child in public school. It’s time for parents’ voices to be represented. For most of the last term, our representative has lived outside of our district. Recently, she announced that she’s moving in with her parents, perhaps technically legalizing her candidacy.

What is your plan to improve school funding?

The board’s funding recommendations to the legislature are important, and the reality is that Colorado’s school-finance formula is incredibly complicated due to TABOR. I will be a strong advocate for smarter public education funding—especially increasing transparency, reducing administrative bloat and routing our tax dollars to the classroom where they belong. My longstanding commitment to public schools includes eight years of service as City Council liaison to public schools, working with legislators to develop and pass measures to improve school funding for kids who need

it most. By contrast, my opponent has failed to advocate for ballot measures to fix education funding and failed to respect local control by overriding the decisions of local school boards and communities.

Where is the greatest need in Colorado schools—early-developmental learning or 6-12th grade?

Early childhood education is the single best investment we can make in a child’s education. Adequate funding for every grade is important, but a strong foundation is crucial for success later in life. I hope we won’t have to choose adequate funding for one grade over another. Colorado students deserve excellent public schools at every point in their education, from preschool through college.

UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO BOARD OF REGENTS AT LARGE Alice Madden, Democrat

What makes you the best candidate for Alice Madden this position?

CU has played a pivotal role in my life and I want to give back to the university and the people it serves. I received my bachelor’s and J.D. from CU and have worked at CU Denver and Colorado Law. My experience in high-tech, as a business attorney, a legislator and convener built my record as a problem solver who can work across the aisle. In the legislature, I advocated for funding and equal access to higher ed. I know the CU system from varying perspectives and understand the complexities of the state budget, accreditation, rankings and fundraising.

Twenty-eight percent of CU students are Hispanic and 8 percent are African-American. What innovative ways would you expand diversity on campus?

I have dedicated a large part of my career to serving underrepresented populations. Here are some proven successful tactics. Hiring: Studies show that minority students need to see people who look like them in the faculty and administration. Improve both retention and graduation rates of minorities: Scale up proven efforts, such as pre-collegiate programs, small-group freshmen seminars and targeted counseling. Improve our K-12 system to get our students truly college-ready: One third of college freshmen from Colorado need remedial education in writing or math. Reinvest in needs-based scholarships.

What can the board do to raise scholarship funds and guarantee tuition is not going to waste?

Well, we cannot give up the fight to lower tuition. CU must be operated as efficiently as possible and it is unacceptable that Colorado ranks 48th in state funding of higher ed. I will call for an audit of all nonteaching professional staff and compare those numbers to other schools to make sure we are not top heavy. Large marketing expenditures and capital construction projects must undergo stricter review to ensure robust return on investment. We need creative public-private partnerships to reduce the backbreaking debt we are placing on our young people, such as working with local banks on better loan terms. Increasing online learning is expanding rapidly and saves students and colleges money.

Heidi Ganahl, Republican

What makes you the best candidate for this position?

I believe edHeidi Ganahl ucation is key to keeping the American dream alive!

I bleed black and gold, graduating from CU Boulder (masters at DU).

I’ve been on various CU boards and now I’m on the board of directors for the CU Foundation. In addition, I’ve built a successful business with Camp Bow Wow, and my nonprofit Moms Fight Back. Now I’m ready to give back at CU. I will bring real-world business strategies and efficiencies to help CU continue on its successful path.

Twenty-eight percent of CU students are Latino and 8 percent are African-American. What innovative ways would you expand diversity on campus?

CU has always stood for academic excellence and strives to attract and graduate students from a range of backgrounds. I will work to create strong recruitment programs from all socioeconomic areas in our state. I will help build a culture that welcomes a diverse faculty and student population by building programs and coalitions that do that naturally.

What can the board do to raise scholarship funds and guarantee tuition is not going to waste If elected, I will ensure that students and parents are getting the very best value possible for their tuition dollar. The current board has driven administrative expenses down to 28 percent below their national peers and broken private fundraising records. I plan to continue building relationships with Colorado legislators to maximize state funding, breaking fundraising records, and expanding on innovative public-private funding options to lead CU forward.

My focus will be on leveraging technology to drive down costs, making it easier to transfer credits, partnering with K-12 to prepare high school students so one third of new college students don’t have to take remedial classes, improve counseling for students to help them graduate on time, and finally position CU as attractive to top professors to help bring in valuable research dollars. In conclusion, my passion is giving Colorado kids getting the same opportunity I had to do what they love and unleash their own American dream.

UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO BOARD OF REGENTS DISTRICT 1

Jack Kroll, Democrat

What makes you the best candidate for this position?

I have spent Jack Kroll the last decade working within the University of Colorado system. As a student at CU Denver, I represented the students of all four CU campuses to the Board of Regents. I then went on to serve as the president of the CU Denver Alumni Association, where I helped to raise over $300,000 in scholarships. Now as an assistant director of admissions at CU Boulder, I work every day to help students from all walks of life go to college. It would be an honor to continue my work helping students as your next regent.

Twenty-eight percent of CU students are Latino and 8 percent are African-American. What innovative ways would you expand diversity on campus?

We need to invest more in our scholarships and retention programs for these students. By investing in scholarships that focus on holistic student achievement and not high-stakes testing, we will be able to award students of color, who disproportionately come from lower-income backgrounds, a greater share of our scholarships.

With test score-based scholarships much of our merit aid goes to wealthier students. By investing in support programs, we will increase the retention and graduation rates of our communities of color and create sustainable growth opportunities for Latinos and AfricanAmerican students.

What can the board do to raise scholarship funds and guarantee tuition is not going to waste?

We need to look closely at how much money we want to invest into college athletics and administration. Both of these areas operate on the fringe of our mission. Do we want to win championships or educate students? At a certain point, we have to choose between investing in our core mission and investing in flashy stadiums with questionable returns. College athletics should be self-sustaining, but few programs across the country generate sufficient revenues to break even. Likewise, the growth in administrative positions in American higher education is concerning.

While CU does a better job than many of its peers, we often add to administration in ways that do not best serve our mission.

Although Jack Kroll is the only candidate on the ballot for this race, the ballot includes a place for write-ins.

REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION DISTRICT, DIRECTOR D

Incumbent Jeffrey Walker is running unopposed for this position.

REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION DISTRICT, DIRECTOR E Claudia Folska

What is the most significant challenge your district faces?

The most Claudia Folska significant challenge, not only for District E but all districts, is the immediate opening of five new corridors throughout 2016. Opening new corridors is one challenge amongst many, however. The biggest challenge is operating and maintaining each new corridor. We saw the opening of the bus rapid-transit from Boulder to Union Station on Jan. 3. The University of Colorado A Line from Union Station to DIA opened April 23. The B Line from Union Station to Westminster, the first six miles of the Northwest Corridor, opened July 25. We still have to open the G Line from Union Station to Arvada and the R Line through Aurora.

What personal insight do you have that would benefit constituents?

As the current director for District E at RTD, I have been imContinued on page 9

October 20, 2016 • THE VILLAGER | PAGE 9

ELECTION 2016 Continued from page 8 mersed in all aspects of the district as a whole. Additionally, I am permanently transit-dependent. I utilize the services of RTD daily.

Finally, my dual Ph.D. is in public transportation, specifically the expansion of the largest investment in a multi-modal transportation system in America. Today, you can ride your bike from Boulder to Beijing and back.

Briefly describe your most memorable bus or light rail experience.

My most memorable experience is the inaugural train ride from Union Station to DIA on the University of Colorado A Line. Being one of the most historic events in transit throughout American history, our community now enjoys and benefits from a world-class publictransportation system. Colorado is connecting communities through a safe, efficient and accessible transit systems. We should all take pride in this voter-approved FasTracks initiative.

J.M. Fay

What is the most significant challenge your district faces?

RTD needs to be able to get people to where they need to get to at a fair fare. Recently, RTD cut both buses that went into DTC (73 and 65) and people are now forced to walk from the light rail to these buildings, some of which are not close by the light rail. RTD also raised local fares by 20 to 25 percent (monthly passes/day tickets) while at the same time regional and airport fares were made very favorable—the more distance you need to travel, as opposed to locals trying to get to work, school etc., but are only travelling a short distance. RTD also is pushing people onto the trains, as opposed to the buses, when the buses go a lot more places, and forcing people to transfer multiple times to get to the same places.

What insight do you have that would benefit constituents?

CU graduate in business (1993), community activist who listens, 23 years in this part of Denver metro, so I know it well.

Briefly describe your most memorable bus or light rail experience.

RTD has a lot of problems these days with signage and getting information out on changes, so when I had to get to work in Wheat Ridge two months ago using RTD there were no signs for where one bus was rerouted due to a Heart walk, and I had no other information from riding the same bus the prior day so I was very late for work. On the other hand, getting to see the First Folio of Shakespeare at CU was very easy to get to via RTD— bus to light rail to flat-iron flyer.

J.M. Fay did not provide a campaign photo.

REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION DISTRICT, DIRECTOR H

Doug Tisdale

What is the most significant challenge your district faces?

The “First Doug Tisdale Mile/Last Mile Problem” is the greatest challenge faced by RTD in District H and system wide. We must collaborate with transportation partners equipped to cooperate with RTD

in serving the needs of travelers, whether commuters, shoppers, students, tourists or others. The exciting new GoCentennial pilot project is one example of how RTD, municipalities and private entities can solve this problem. Those partnerships, together with our bus routes and Call-n-Ride service, will increase ridership and serve to decrease dependence on fare increases or subsidies.

What insight do you have that would benefit constituents?

I am executive vice president of the South Metro Denver Chamber and a seasoned expert in transportation issues, having served on the Denver Regional Council of Governments Board for 11 years, where I was one of four executive officers through last year. DRCOG is responsible for regional transportation planning and administering federal highway funds in the region. For over a decade I worked with CDOT, the RTD and numerous federal agencies addressing transportation issues. I created positive working relationships with elected leaders at DRCOG and the many agencies with which we worked, giving me a unique capacity to carry on that work with RTD now. I was a councilman and mayor pro tem in Cherry Hills Village for eight years. I was then elected mayor of Cherry Hills. I was the Policy Committee chair at the Colorado Municipal League and on the Executive Committee of the Metro Mayors Caucus.

Briefly describe your most memorable bus or light rail experience?

When I was a new lawyer, I commuted downtown on the bus.

The regular commuters became a sort of social club. I particularly enjoyed Fridays when we would smuggle cheese, crackers and wine for an informal FAC in the back of the bus. That was a long time ago and the statute of limitations has run out.

Doug Tisdale is the only candidate seeking this open seat.

CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE MAYOR

Mayor Laura Christman is seeking re-election unopposed.

CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 1

Randy Weil is running unopposed.

CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 3 Al Blum

What makes you the best candidate for the position?

I feel that I am the best Al Blum candidate for the position of City Council District 3 due to my extensive experience with both the city and my background as an attorney, CPA and current CEO of a real estate company. I am currently the vice chair of the Cherry Hills Planning and Zoning Commission and also served on the Bulk Plane Committee. I have lived in the Village for 22 years and have always been involved in community issues.

What are the most important issues facing Cherry Hills Village and how would you approach them?

The most important issue with the city relates to traffic and preserving our somewhat rural lifestyle in the middle of an expanding metropolis. In addition, we need to address how we maintain or expand the Village administration building and public works facility with little impact on our neighborhoods. I have already worked with the current administration on the traffic issue with CDOT and would expect community input, similar to what I have received in the past as vice chair of the Planning and Zoning Commission.

What is your philosophical approach to balancing the concerns of neighborhoods versus those of the city overall?

My approach to balancing the concerns of the community relates to receiving input from the community in decision making. We need to maintain our commitment to the Master Plan in making any decisions, as that is our guidebook in proceeding forward. The Village residents and the city government must look to the Master Plan as our road map. I believe that each of the neighborhoods contributes to the overall concerns of the city.

no compromise can be reached, I believe the wishes of the residents would outweigh the wishes of city government. Ultimately, the goals of the Village should reflect the needs and wishes of our citizens.

CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 5

Daniel Sheldon is running unopposed.

CITY OF ENGLEWOOD BALLOT ISSUES Ballot Issue 2B

This referred measure from the City Council would only take effect if voters also approved the retail sale of recreational marijuana.

If 2B were to pass, the initial city tax on such sales would be set at 3.5 percent. The tax rate could be later decreased or increased to as high as 15 percent without further voter approval.

Ballot Issue 2C

This referred measure from the City Council asks voters to

increase city debt by $27 million with a repayment cost of $47.9 million to build a new modernized police headquarters.

Ballot Issue 300

This citizen-sponsored initiative is an alternative to issue 2B, though it would limit the City Council’s ability to raise the 3.5 percent tax rate by preventing any such action until January 2018 and limiting annual increases to 1.5 percent.

Ballot Question 301

This citizen-sponsored initiative would continue the city’s current ban on retail sales of recreational marijuana.

Ballot Question 302

This citizen-sponsored initiative is an alternative to Question 301. If passed, it would allow the retail sale of recreational marijuana.

In the case of competing ballot issues, the one with the most affirmative votes would become law

Rose Lynch

What makes you the best candidate for the position?

I was actively involved Rose Lynch in Cherry Hills Village Elementary, West Middle School and Cherry Creek High School and represented the community as a liaison to the Cherry Creek School District’s Safety Team. I am a founding member of the Cherry Hills Land Preserve. I wrote the city’s Emergency Operations Plan and was the Village representative on Urban Drainage and Flood Control District’s Program for Public Information.

I created the Police Department’s Special Needs Registry. I was the Village representative on the 3-11 Regional Advisory Council. I sit on eight regional planning committees. I believe that the ongoing relationships I have with these organizations will help bring new opportunities to our community.

What are the most important issues facing Cherry Hills Village and how would you approach them?

Over the past several years, I have seen our open spaces and beautiful views slowly disappear. As a longtime member of the Cherry Hills Land Preserve, I have advocated for the protection and preservation of our open spaces, trails and view corridors. As a councilmember I will continue this work and will encourage others to act quickly when opportunities to protect our beautiful open spaces become available. The future of the Village Center, public works facility and John Meade Park are all currently being explored. As a councilmember, I will ensure my decisions are thoughtful and strategic, knowing that the decisions we make now will have long-term consequences.

What is your philosophical approach to balancing the concerns of neighborhoods versus those of the overall city government?

Councilmembers have a duty to make decisions that are in the best interest of the community. As a councilmember, I will listen to the concerns of the residents and weigh those concerns against the interests of the city government. If

Continued on page 10

Paid for by Elect Susan Beckman

“Susan Beckman, was an outstanding county commissioner. Part of good government is to start at the local level, planning commissions, school boards, city councils, and then move up the leadership ranks. She has done her homework and will be a strong leader in state government.”

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PAGE 10 | THE VILLAGER • October 20, 2016

ELECTION 2016 Continued from page 9 pay the debt. if both passed with a majority of ENGLEWOOD voters.

CHERRY CREEK SCHOOLS BALLOT ISSUES Ballot Issue 3A

Under this measure, taxes in the school district would be increased $23,900 annually beginning in 2017, as long as the increase does not exceed 25 percent of the district’s total program funding.

Ballot Issue 3B

SCHOOLS BALLOT ISSUES Ballot Issue 3D

This measure would increase taxes in the district by $1.5 million annually to enhance safety in buildings, retain high-quality staff and faculty, implement technological improvements. The taxes would not be subject to restrictions contained in the Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights in the Colorado Constitution.

Ballot Issue 3E

This measure would increase the school district’s debt by $250 million with a repayment cost of $460 million while increasing annual tax collection by more than $33 million to construct a career and innovation academy, renovate elementary and middle schools, equip other buildings to handle a growing student body and enhance safety, among other efforts. The mill levy could be increased as needed in any year to

Under this measure, the school district’s debt would be increased by $97.5 million and taxes in the district would be increased up to $10.2 million annually to pay the debt to construct, equip and furnish new facilities associated with several elementary schools.

Peter Jones, Becky Osterwald, Tom Barry and Renee Novitsky contributed gathering information for this special section.

VOTE

Yes

ON

4B!

Photo courtesy of Hudson Gardens

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How to vote in Arapahoe County Ballots were to be mailed starting Oct. 17 to more than 350,000 active registered voters in Arapahoe County for the 2016 general election.

In Colorado, voters can cast ballots Oct. 17–Nov. 8.

It can take up to a week to receive the ballots. Those who do not get them by Oct. 24 should call Arapahoe County Elections at 303-7954511.

Voters can review their mailing address and registration information at GoVoteColorado.com. In 2015, 22,000 ballots were returned to the county due to an incorrect mailing address.

The 2016 ballot is a two-card ballot. It includes several federal, state and local contests and measures. Vot-

ers need to include both ballots in the return envelope.

When marking your ballot, use black or blue ink and fill in the oval next to your choice completely to ensure it can be read by counting machines. Remember to sign your ballot envelope. A signature is required.

Voters may return ballots by mail or at an official drop-box location, or vote in person at a Voter Service and Polling Center. If returning a ballot by mail, affix 68 cents postage or two Forever stamps to the envelope.

Mail ballots by Nov. 1 to ensure they arrive by Election Day. All ballots must be received by the Clerk and Recorder’s Office no later than 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 8.

Voters may return ballots at any

one of Arapahoe County’s drop-box locations. A total of 24 locations across the county are accessible 24 hours a day. To find locations and hours of operation, visit ArapahoeVotes.com or the legal notice in Oct. 6 edition of The Villager. Voters can also track ballots, view sample ballots and read about local tax measures on the website.

Voter Service and Polling Centers will be open Monday-Saturday, Oct. 24-Nov. 8. Locations and wait times are available online.

“We see a much larger voter turnout in presidential election years.”

Clerk and Recorder Matt Crane said.

“We encourage voters to cast their ballots early and not wait until Election Day when lines will be longer.”

OPINION Yes on Prop 107 and 108

BY KENT THIRY This November, I’m asking Colorado voters to vote yes on Propositions 107 and 108 to include over a million of their neighbors in our primary elections, including a presidential primary. The caucuses this year were overrun with people who wished to vote their preference and that was only five percent of eligible voters. Our military service members, families with young kids, those who work nights, the elderly and disabled all found caucusing a challenge. We want to make voting easier for Colorado.

Proposition 107 restores our presidential primary. Colorado has made voting easier than ever with an all mail-in ballot, giving citizens weeks to vote, and we feel it’s time to extend it to the

presidential primary.

Ensuring that the 37 percent of Colorado voters who are unaffiliated get a voice in primaries is a big part of the Let Colorado Vote initiatives as well. They comprise the largest, and fastest growing, segment of registered voters.

They’re also taxpaying citizens who pay for primary elections they are shut out of. That’s not fair. If you pay taxes for an election you should be able to participate in that election.

Those who oppose efforts to include more voices in our elections resist these reforms because they claim that their private organizations should stay private.

Taxpayers are funding their “private parties” in the current form, and Propositions 107 and 108 will allow unaffiliated voters to voice their choice in elections that

they already pay for as taxpayers. Sure, unaffiliated voters can change affiliation to vote and then change back to unaffiliated after the election, but then why bother making them affiliate. This nonsensical barrier doesn’t serve to grow the parties, it’s simply one more unnecessary hoop a wouldbe voter has to jump through.

With public opinion largely on the side of increasing participation in primary elections, opponents of the measures have resorted to making wild, easily disproved claims about their impacts. Rather than rebut all of their desperate attacks here, I urge you to visit letcovote2016. com/faq.

Kent Thiry, chairman and CEO of DaVita, is chairman of the Let Colorado Vote campaign.

October 20, 2016 • THE VILLAGER | PAGE 11

ELECTION 2016

NEWS

Colorado healthcare groups raise $2M in the face of $17M onslaught by Tobacco Giant Altria to defeat Tobacco Tax Measure The Yes on 72 Campaign to increase the cost of tobacco has raised $2 million to date, with new contributions from Colorado health care, mental health and oral health organizations and individual supporters. Tobacco industry giant Altria (Philip Morris) has spent over $17 million to defeat Amendment 72, contributing an additional $6 million in the last two weeks.

The only other money for the opposition is a $6,450 contribution from another out-of-state tobacco group, the International Cigar and Pipe Retailers Association.

“The tobacco industry will spend whatever it takes to deceive voters so they can keep cigarettes cheap in Colorado and replace their sick and dying adult customers with a new generation of kids,” said David C. Goff Jr. MD, PhD, board president of the Denver chapter of the American Heart As-

sociation, and Dean of the Colorado School of Public Health. “Our campaign is driven by Coloradans who have lost loved ones too early because of smoking and by over 100 organizations that want to stop the lifetime of harm that begins when kids pick up their first cigarette.”

“Almost every smoker today started as a kid,” said Robin Deterding, medical director of the Breathing Institute at Children’s Hospital Colorado. “If we can stop kids from buying their first cigarette, we can make huge progress in reducing smoking-related diseases and premature death.”

Big tobacco’s high-priced campaign include television ads with false and deceiving claims, as identified by 9News.

Amendment 72 is endorsed by more than 100 organizations and health care leaders, including

Children’s Hospital Colorado, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, the American Heart Association and the American Lung Association. Endorsers that contributed money in this last two-week cycle include 23 individuals, the American Heart Association, Delta Dental, the Colorado Hospital Association, National Jewish Health and the Colorado Behavioral Healthcare Council.

The Yes on 72 Campaign has two television spots airing. In addition, supporters are utilizing grassroots and creative outreach strategies, including:

Volunteers are conducting phone banking campaigns

Volunteers have spoken at over 100 events, forums and meetings across the state Children’s Hospital Colorado is conducting a Kids Vote. To date,

91 percent of patients at Children’s Hospital Colorado have voted in favor of the tax to prevent kids from smoking.

The Colorado Dental Association has distributed Amendment 72 brochures to dental offices across the state.

The United Veterans Committee and other partners produced videos that can be found on the Yes on 72 Facebook page with personal stories from veterans about losing loved ones to smoking and supporting veterans Amendment 72 increases the tax on cigarettes by $1.75 and tobacco products by 22% to reduce smoking and to stop kids from starting. Significant price increases are the most effective way to reduce smoking, based on studies of tax increases in nearly every state.

Colorado last increased the tax on cigarettes through a constitutional

ballot measure in 2004, and now Colorado ranks 38th in the nation for cigarette taxes. The tax is not high enough in the current economy to deter smoking, as evidenced by the fact that cigarette sales increased in 2015 for the first time since 2004.

Passing Amendment 72 is predicted to prevent more than 34,000 kids from becoming smokers, save over 20,000 lives and save over $1.4 billion in future health care costs. The revenue will be invested back into Colorado communities for medical research into tobacco-related diseases, cessation programs, support for military veterans, increased mental health services for children, and increased capacity at clinics that serve rural and underserved communities.

More information about Amendment 72 is available at healthyco2016.com.

Colorado Libertarian registrations outpace Republicans and Democrats The October 2016 voter registration statistics have been released and the number of registered Libertarians in the Colorado grew more than 26 percent since January 2016. In contrast, the Republicans grew by 4.25 percent and Democrats grew by 7.09 percent.

TOM SULLIVAN Stands Up for YOU

“As the fail rate of government intervention has become obvious with the realization that the country cannot continue along this path, people are starting to look at new solutions and the common sense pro-individual, profreedom stance of the Libertarian

Party has struck a nerve,” Libertarian Party State Chair Jay North said. “The fact that the old parties have nominated two of the most disliked candidates in American history has certainly helped. The system is broken. Liberty is the answer.

Your Centennial neighbor for the past 19 years!

Strong neighborhoods.

Strong families.

A stronger Colorado.

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PAGE 12 | THE VILLAGER • October 20, 2016

ELECTION 2016

LETTERS

Support Amendment 71 I support the “Raise the Bar” Amendment 71 and here’s why. Imagine a wellfunded special-interest group spending millions of dollars to amend the Colorado state constitution to benefit an out-ofstate corporation. Ridiculous you say? Well, this is exactly what happened in 2014 when a Rhode Island gaming corporation spent millions trying to pass Amendment 68, which would have permitted casino gambling at horse racetracks in three Colorado counties. The Amendment would have benefited one out-of-state corporation, but hurt Colorado’s home-grown gaming industry. The amendment failed, but the issue remains. Do we want our state constitution to be easy to manipulate by deeppocket, out of state special interest groups?

I firmly believe as citizens, we should

have the right to amend our Constitution.

But Colorado’s constitution is among the easiest state constitutions to amend. In 140 years of statehood, our state constitution has been amended more than 150 times.

That is because Colorado requires fewer signatures than any other state to get on the statewide ballot, the 98,492 threshold reflecting 5% of those who cast ballots for Colorado’s Secretary of State. Also, there is no requirement that petition signatures be gathered throughout the state. Currently the majority of petition signatures are gathered along the Front Range, particularly in the Denver and Boulder areas, leaving rural Coloradans without a voice. Then, once an initiative makes it to the statewide ballot, it requires only a simple majority to amend our state constitution. Many other states require as much as a 60% popular

majority to amend their constitutions.

Amendment 71 would require petition signatures to reflect 2% of the registered voters in each of the state’s 35 senate districts and would “raise the bar” required to amend the state constitution by requiring a 55% popular vote to pass. These changes would protect Coloradans from special interest groups who use citizen’s initiatives to advance their cause. Once cemented into our constitution, these policies are difficult to update or remove because of the permanency enshrined in our state’s foundational document. Please join me and a broad, bipartisan coalition in voting YES on Amendment 71 this November. Coloradans know what’s best for our state, let’s keep it that way!

Jennifer Churchfield Englewood

We support Jake Tate Our Centennial community has been very fortunate to have been represented

by Jack Tate initially in the State House and currently in the State Senate. Jack has hardly had what anyone would consider a “political career”.

Having been an engineer, small business owner, and a job creator many years, he is well suited to represent the citizens of SD 27. He understands the burdens and the unintended consequences that State legislation can have on citizens, businesses and local governments.

Jack has been the most engaged representative our community has seen. He meets with citizens, asks questions, and most importantly, listens. As a parent of

three Cherry Creek School District kids, he understands the challenges that exist in our current education environment, an environment created by the loss of local governance over the decisions on how best to educate our children.

Jack is well versed in the impacts of legislative matters on our local economy and our community. The City of Centennial makes up the majority of SD 27. Senator Tate has spent considerable time with local officials understanding their concerns and working with them to seek resolutions for the benefit of our community. He is more than just a representative that sits downtown, he is present in our community and strives to connect with all of the citizens of

VOTE FOR

Mike Coffman

SD27.

Finally, his record of accomplishment for the benefit of all Coloradans speaks for itself. For example, he was named Legislator of the Year by the University of Colorado among other recognitions.

Stephanie Piko, Centennial City Council Ken Lucas, Centennial City Council Mark Gotto, Centennial City Council Doris Truhlar, Centennial City Council Carrie Penaloza, Centennial City Council Kathy Turley, Centennial City Council

Just Say No to blank check spending in Colorado’s Constitution Arapahoe County has been proactive in supporting smoking prevention and cessation programs because everyone wants to encourage healthy habits in our state.

Amendment 72 is the wrong approach to curb tobacco use in our state.

Amendment 72 locks a $315 million per year tax increase in our constitution for programs that have not even been created yet. In fact, 51 percent of the new tax dollars’ fund grant awards, where guidelines aren’t even written yet. Voters deserve to know how money will be spent and that it will not be wasted.

This issue becomes even more problematic when you consider that Amendment 72, a constitutional amendment, would offer little accountability and no oversight. This amendment locks spending into the constitution with no way to change it without another constitutional amendment. This is true even in the case of waste, fraud, abuse, or a budget emergency.

If these programs are ineffective or no longer necessary, this amendment would constitutionally require that these programs are funded indefinitely.

As it stands, Amendment 72 would dedicate less than 20% of the new tax money to

smoking prevention and cessation. If Colorado was truly serious about mitigating tobacco use, the state would spend the taxes and payments it already receives from tobacco on smoking prevention and cessation. In fact, Colorado has collected more than $1.6 billion from tobacco companies that could be used for prevention and treatment, but the state has spent most of that revenue on unrelated government programs. The same could be true again with this amendment.

Most concerning is this Amendment’s impact on low-income families. Many residents of Arapahoe County are fortunate to have a high income, but not everyone in Arapahoe County is thriving. This is a regressive tax, meaning that it most meaningfully impacts the most vulnerable in our county.

Before we pour money into unknown programs that have not been defined, as a community, we first must address the most pressing needs of our families. This measure allocates not a single dime to funding our schools, helping families find affordable housing, fixing our crumbling roads and bridges, or accommodating for growth.

Vote NO on Amendment 72.

Nancy Sharpe and Rod Bockenfeld Arapahoe County Commissioners

Labeling people is offensive When name-calling is precisely planned for a specific result, it can be defined as name-calling propaganda. In a nutshell, it is a substitute for debate and rational discussion. We have all heard the term “ad-hominem” attack, a type of name-calling propaganda, where a person is attacked rather than their political position.

To many, the election process has become more of a Jerry Springer episode. One could argue it has been done purposefully on both sides, but with great calculation from the Hillary Clinton campaign. Why the name calling and personal attacks? Most likely to deflect the information coming from multiple sources including the emails by WikiLeaks, FOI releases by sources such as Judicial Watch, and released transcripts such as FBI notes in their recent Hillary investigation.

Hillary chose this election to label the opposition and put them in a basket. You remember, the “Basket of Deplorables”, but she clarified that in her speech; “You know to be grossly generalistic, you could put half of Trump’s supporters into what I call the basket of deplorables. Right? The racists, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamaphobic - you name it.” That is over 25 million Americans. Some may have considered this name-calling, in fact, propaganda, and maybe she doesn’t really hold these sentiments. Then came the pesky emails, along with Bill Clinton’s speech. Suddenly, this basket of deplorables has expanded to the point the basket may have to be replaced with something much larger.

In the speech Bill Clinton made, the deplorables expanded to include “standard red-

necks”. But it does not end there, emails from the Hillary camp were released, and Clinton campaign communications director, Jennifer Palmiere and Center for American Progress fellow, John Halpin mocked conservative Catholicism as an “amazing bastardization of the faith”. So into the box of deplorables goes Catholics (another 85 million Americans and over 1 billion worldwide). But in actuality, Catholics are Christian, and most Christian Americans feel they have also been put into the “Deplorable Basket” (over 220 million Americans and over 2 billion in the world). It did not end there, emails surfaced where John Podesta said; “she has begun to hate every day Americans” - one must assume by name and person. If we remove the one percent, that is over 318 million Americans. It is not over, in another email, it referenced Hispanic Democrats Fredrico Pena, Ken Salazar and Bill Richardson, the email was titled “Needy Latinos and 1 easy call” (56 million United States’ legal Latinos, and over 300 million worldwide). I think it is fair to say, Hillary and her team have called almost all Americans and much of the world, deplorables. Name-calling propaganda at the degree Hillary’s camp has used this over the years (emails have covered a nearly five-year period), on its surface, cannot be good for Americans within our borders, and not good for how the world sees America.

Will American voters want a name-calling president that has offended almost all Americans and much of the world?

Randy Ingersoll Littleton

Support Daniel Kagan

Paid for by Coffman for Congress 2016

As a pro-choice and gun-safety voter in Senate District 26, I am voting for Daniel Kagan. Daniel Kagan has demonstrated over and over again that he is on the side of Colorado women when it comes to our reproductive rights, including the right to choose abortion. As chairman of a key committee in the House, Daniel not only voted to protect women’s rights, he publicly and repeatedly stated that these decisions belong between a woman and her doctor, not with politicians. He is a prochoice Champion.

Daniel Kagan is also a Champion for

common sense gun safety. As Representative for House District 3, he helped pass legislation requiring background checks on gun purchases.

Daniel Kagan represents mainstream Colorado values. His opponent Nancy Doty, supports Donald Trump, believes abortion should be outlawed, and would repeal background checks on gun purchases. That would take Colorado backwards.

The choice here is easy. Daniel Kagan will be a great State Senator for us all.

Melissa Garland Greenwood Village

October 20, 2016 • THE VILLAGER | PAGE 13

ELECTION 2016

Voter registrations for Arapahoe and Douglas counties ARAPAHOE COUNTY Dems

%

Reps

%

Ind

%

Total

July

134,405

33.80%

117,306

29.50%

145,936

36.70%

397,647

August

135,773

33.80%

117,697

29.30%

147,824

36.80%

401,696

Sept.

136,867

33.77%

117,874

29.08%

150,600

37.15%

405,341

Oct.

138,743

33.76%

118,443

28.82%

153,838

37.43%

411,024

DOUGLAS COUNTY Sept.

Dems

%

Reps

%

Ind

%

Total

47,139.00

20.28%

106,696.00

45.90%

78,628.00

33.82%

232,463.00

LETTERS

Support of Nancy Doty I write this letter to the editor expressing why I support Nancy Doty. Nancy is running to serve us in the Colorado Senate, representing portions of Littleton, Aurora, Englewood, Cherry Hills Village and of course Greenwood Village. Nancy’s track record for public service is extensive and distinguished. Since 2005 Nancy has honorably served in two elected positions in Arapahoe County – as Clerk and as Commissioner. The consequences of Nancy’s policies have benefited the public at large.

As I pondered who to support, I came to a realization that dictated my support for Nancy. Nancy Doty is running against a person, of course: Dan Kagan. But more important to me, Nancy is running against a world view, a set of political beliefs embodied by Dan Kagan and his party. I find Kagan’s beliefs not to be in Colorado’s best interests. In that sense, Dan Kagan is just a detail, just another advocate for beliefs that are demonstrable failures, and costly failures at that.

Look objectively at the policies advocated by Dan Kagan, including policies he initially advocated but promptly abandoned when he saw they were politically unpopular, such as Amendment 69. Kagan donated money to that cause and spoke about the superiority of a health care program administered by the government. Then, Kagan switched positions—but there is no evidence he switched his beliefs—when he realized Amendment 69 was a political loser. Kagan’s actions are not the behavior of a principled leader but that of a follower.

This is what I find so troublesome about policies of Dan Kagan and his party and thus caused me to support Nancy Doty. Issues of increased taxes, increased

energy costs, increased illegal immigration, Syrian refugee acceptance; higher healthcare costs all have consequences, consequences that weaken Colorado.

But Dan Kagan will be immune to the consequences of his policies, his beliefs and the policies of his party. For example, Kagan’s family gave him a multi-milliondollar home. He enjoys considerable family wealth. Good for him. I do not disparage a family taking care of its children. I would have loved to have received such a home from my mom and dad. They couldn’t’ do it.

But Kagan’s financial status has realworld implications. His children will never have to attend schools dominated by unassimilated students with substandard curricula and or often overworked teachers. The streets around Kagan’s elegant home will not be saturated with crime.

Kagan and his family will never be without the finest healthcare no matter how high costs and premiums skyrocket. Higher energy costs will mean nothing to him.

In his personal family life, as opposed to the lives of ordinary people, Kagan will never pay a price for the damage his policies inflict on others not so well situated.

As a general proposition, I find it absurd and, indeed, self-destructive, to give power to a person that pays no consequences for being wrong or for inflicting damage upon others. Nancy Doty represents the ordinary taxpayer on all that matters: health, energy, education, public safety. Nancy Doty will feel the consequences of policies that go wrong.

Nancy Doty represents the taxpayer in the best sense of the phrase. Dan Kagan does not. That’s why I support Nancy Doty Michael Sabbeth Denver

Robert Bowen for State Representative District 38

Career politicians deliver more of the same.

I will bring needed change to the state legislature. www.Bowen4Colorado.com 303-908-0187 Paid for by Robert Bowen

Answering the Call for Change

Support candidates to strengthen Colorado energy If we want to preserve good-paying jobs, we need to get involved in the election process this year. We need to support candidates who will strengthen the energy industry in Colorado. With more than 102,000 state residents whose jobs depend on oil and gas production, it’s vital that we don’t put people in office who will turn their backs on an industry that’s so important to our state.

In fact, with the right leadership at the

local, state, and national level, we can see these energy jobs grow. We have abundant oil and gas in Colorado. We also have a long history of safe development of these resources. Unfortunately, some extremists are working to shut down access to this oil and gas.

If these attacks on energy production and fracking succeed, we could see the energy industry shrink. If that happens, there will be many workers who will lose

good-paying jobs. The people working to undermine the state’s oil and gas industry may not care about these working families, but I do.

Let’s make sure our candidates for office have an honest conversation about energy. If they want our votes, they need to have a realistic plan to support energy development.

Lori Horn Centennial

PAGE 14 | THE VILLAGER • October 20, 2016

ELECTION 2016

Carroll joins Sanders and Warren for Clinton Dems stress importance of top-tobottom victories

State Sen. Morgan Carroll, D-Aurora, a candidate in the 6th Congressional District, fires up the crowd before Sen. Elizabeth Warren takes the stage.

The fiery Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass, called Republican Donald Trump virtually every name in the book—and then some.

A crowd of press and supporters gather around an exiting Sen. Bernie Sanders.

ABOVE: Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders LEFT: Onetime Hillary Clinton primary challenger Bernie Sanders, D-Vt., makes the case for the Democratic nominee.

Democratic U.S. Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, joined the likes of 6th District congressional hopeful Morgan Carroll at a lively get-outthe-vote rally for Hillary Clinton on Oct. 16 at the Tivoli on the Auraria Campus in downtown Denver. As “Bernie or Bust” activists protested outside, others held signs for Carroll, who is in her own highly contested challenge to incumbent U.S. Rep. Mike Coffman.

Photos by Peter Jones

Elect Jack Tate State Senate District 27

jacktate.org

Paid for by Jack Tate

Protesters demand support for Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in North Dakota. The reservation has recently been at the center of a controversy over an oil pipeline project that opponents say would harm the land’s water source.

October 20, 2016 • THE VILLAGER | PAGE 15

ELECTION 2016

Younger Trump makes surprise visit Donald Trump Jr. made a campaign visit to Centennial Gun Club on Oct. 17. An estimated 500 supporters turned out for the surprise visit, where Trump told the audience that Colorado and Arapahoe County voters were very important to his father’s campaign.

Photos by Bob Sweeney

Flanked

by Secret Service, Donald Trump Jr. waves to supporters after speaking at Centennial Gun Club.

Kathleen Conti

Arapahoe County Commissioner District 1

EXPERIENCE COUNTS! conti4arapahoeco.com Paid for by Kathleen Conti

Donald Trump Jr. signs a campaign poster for a campaign supporter.

PAGE 16 | THE VILLAGER • October 20, 2016

ELECTION 2016

Carroll and Coffman debate domestic & foreign policy

BY PETER JONES NEWS EDITOR

U.S. Rep. Mike Coffman and state Sen. Morgan Carroll, his Democratic opponent in the 6th Congressional District, weighed in on several issues last week, without much fireworks, during a crowded candidate forum at the Denver Jewish Community Center.

There was more nuance than overt disagreement on Oct. 10 as the Republican incumbent and his challenger took turns answering questions on domestic and foreign policy.

While both candidates favored individual choice on birth control as a facet of health insurance, the two placed their views in markedly different contexts.

Carroll said the issue comes down to privacy when an employer opposed to family-planning benefits exempts the coverage from employees’ insurance policies.

“The medical decisions of the employees are private. I strongly support the spirit and letter of the idea of HIPPA,” she said of the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, which mandates privacy of healthcare information.

“The fact that you can have your employer or your boss weigh in … and decide what they will and won’t cover based on their belief, I think, is a fundamental invasion of privacy.”

For Coffman’s part, the issue

Odd man out: Republican Casper Stockham is still waiting for U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette to join him on stage—any stage.

Photo by Peter Jones

came down to removing the employer from the equation altogether through tax incentives that would emphasize portability.

“So it is [the consumer’s] policy that they can take with them and they decide what is in that policy,” the congressman said. “That’s one of the reasons I think Obamacare is not working right now is it’s one size fits all. … I think we can fix Obamacare, but I think one of the fixes is to leave it to the individual.”

When it came to fossil fuels and renewable energy, the arguments were similarly waged with Carroll emphasizing a move to the latter and Coffman finding a solution in tax in-

centives.

According to the Democratic challenger, the refocus should begin with eliminating subsidies to the fossil-fuel industry while retooling the workforce in other directions.

“We should have job training and retraining for those who are tied to the fossil-fuel industry so they can successfully transition to a renewable-energy economy,” she said.

Coffman in turn stressed an “all of the above” approach, with tax credits going to research on renewable energy sources.

“It is so important for America to be energy-independent,” he said.

“It’s important for America to have

a balance between jobs and the environment so we’re not exporting jobs overseas because of higher costs to countries that have no environmental standards.”

When the issue of terrorism was raised, Coffman expressed support for vetting the gun rights of those on terrorist-watch lists through a system of due process. Carroll said forging international alliances and understanding the flow of finances are both crucial to approaching the “international anytime-anywhere problem.”

Both candidates also had the opportunity to touch on their personal priorities. Carroll made implied references to Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, who has been likened to Coffman’s in some television advertisements, even as the congressman has strived to distance himself from the controversial nominee.

“I am more concerned than I have ever been about the open bigotry, hate, racism and misogyny I’m seeing at the risk of being normalized,” the Democrat said.

Coffman returned to his frequent criticism of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

“The leadership of that organization is mired in, really, a culture of corruption and bureaucratic incompetence,” he said. “… They fail to meet our obligations to the men and women who have sacrificed so

much in the service of this country.”

The 6th District includes Centennial, Littleton, Greenwood Village and much of Aurora, among other south metro communities.

Stockham sits alone

Republican Casper Stockham took several questions by himself, making frequent reference to the absence of the 1st Congressional District incumbent, U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette, saying the Democrat has refused to appear with him on stage.

Stockham said his nontraditional campaign was focusing on minority communities that have been disenfranchised by the 10-term incumbent. The Republican said his local congressional offices would be based in the historically black Five Points neighborhood.

“When you put safety and security back in those areas, you allow the businesses to come into those areas,” he said. “That is what we need to do across the board, but I’m going to start in the black and brown communities and work out from there because the rising tide raises all boats, if the boats are in the water.

In the black and brown community, the boats are in dry dock with holes in them.”

The largely Denver-based 1st District includes the communities of Cherry Hills Village and Englewood.

Can a homeowner place political signs in their yard or window?

Yes, there are laws that protect a homeowner’s right in a common interest community (commonly known as an HOA) to place political signs on their property, notes the Division of Real Estate at the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA).

With election day ahead on Tuesday, Nov. 8, homeowners have already been posting political signs in their neighborhoods. Homeowner associations need to follow

the Colorado statutory conditions allowing homeowners to express their political expression during this election season.

The Colorado Common Interest Ownership Act (CCIOA), addresses this issue with a section entitled “Prohibitions contrary to public policy - patriotic and political expression...”. A political sign is defined in this statute as “a sign that carries a message intended to influence the outcome of an elec-

tion, including supporting or opposing the election of a candidate, the recall of a public official, or the passage of a ballot issue.”

In summary, this law states that notwithstanding any provision in the declaration, bylaws, or rules and regulations of the association to the contrary, an association shall not prohibit the display of a political sign by the owner or occupant of a unit on property within the boundaries of the unit or in a win-

dow of the unit; however, the association may prohibit the display of political signs earlier than 45 days before the day of an election and later than seven days after an election day.

In addition, the association may regulate the size and number of political signs.

Those regulations allow the HOA to only permit at least one political sign per political office or ballot issue that is contested in a pending election.

Also, the HOA can set the maximum dimensions of each sign, which may be limited to the lesser of the maximum size allowed by any applicable city, town, or county ordinance that regulates the size of political signs on resi-

dential property, or 36 inches by 48 inches.

For more information about living in an HOA and your rights as homeowners, please visit the Division of Real Estate’s HOA Information and Resource Center website at dora.colorado.gov/dre.

The HOA Office registers and collects information concerning HOAs, including an HOA’s contact information, and handles consumer inquiries and complaints from homeowners. The HOA Office provides assistance and information to homeowners, HOA boards, declarants and other interested parties concerning their rights and responsibilities pursuant to the Colorado Common Interest Ownership Act (“CCIOA”).

EXPERIENCE COUNTS • Cherry Hills Planning Commission 2014-Present (Vice Chair) • Cherry Hills Village FAR & Bulk Plane Committee • Licensed Colorado Attorney • Prior CPA • Board of Directors - Several HOAs • CEO of Home Building Company Paid for by Al Blum