Updated 10/27 to include links for Colorado Supreme Court judges. 

Yellow Scene Magazine (YS) has earned a reputation for producing one of the most exhaustive election guides in our area. We recently won first place at the Colorado Press Association Annual Better News Awards for our 2023 election coverage. Compiling all the information in one place is no easy feat—the spreadsheet alone takes weeks to flesh out. No single source in our region (Boulder County and the North Metro) has compiled all the information YS has gathered below. We are also the only source we know of that requires live interviews—no email interviews, ever, as a matter of policy. With much reluctance and only under a blue moon, we have allowed email interviews, and we believe it has happened fewer than five times in 24 years.

This election guide covers everything from presidential to local races and, of course, the ballot issues. We hope our interviews help you make the best decision for yourself and your community. Our Editorial Board offers their final consensus on who they, as a group, endorse. The board and staff of writers include Ray Manzari, Hope Munoz, Owen Swallow, Lexi Miller, Mohammed Ahmed, Charlotte Piper, Chris Aguilar, Annie Stefanko, and Ryan Sullivan. YS’s Editorial Board conducted live, recorded interviews with all participating candidates and then met to finalize the endorsements.

The interview with Jill Stein happened last minute, and Julie River stepped into conduct it, but did not serve on the Editorial Board.

This year, we noticed a decline in Republican candidates making themselves available for interviews compared to previous years. (The response rate also depends on the year and the type of election.) Off-year elections generally have a higher candidate response rate then the General Election. However, we are still determining the feasibility of municipalities’ local participation in General Election years—though there are two this year. General elections typically see lower candidate response rates due to the sheer number of races. We’ve even attempted to secure interviews with presidential candidates, but it seems we may need to start streaming to make that happen. Over the past decade, we’ve observed a shift in the number of conservative candidates responding. YS had an 85-90% response rate during the George Bush era, averaging around 80-85% during the Obama administration. During the Trump administration, we saw a drop in Republican candidate interviews, coinciding with Colorado becoming a Democrat supermajority state. Between 2016 and 2022, YS labeled some candidates “Too Extreme.” In 2024, only one candidate earned that label.

(If you’re wondering what warrants a “Too Extreme” label, the most common reason was the idea of sending the unhoused and those with substance abuse disorders to “special places”—in other words, internment camps. Thankfully, we didn’t hear that kind of language this year—just mass deportation, so there is that.)

Regardless of Lauren Boebert’s notoriety, Colorado is currently a Democrat supermajority. With abortion rights on the ballot—Amendment 79 (which we support with a YES vote)—Coloradoans will be viewing this year’s election through multiple lenses.

It’s a bit strange when candidates are on the ballot but don’t show up for interviews with recognized local outlets—especially in a Democrat supermajority state. A closer look reveals that those who skipped our interviews avoided other local media. Yet, some who bypassed local outlets found time to interview with media outside the community. It begs the question: why would a candidate in Erie prioritize talking to Boulder over engaging with the people they’re hoping to represent here?

For more on the Erie races, check the Publisher’s Note. For transparency, our Editorial Board is not participating in endorsements for Erie’s election. Since our publisher lives there and is actively involved in local elections, the best we can offer for Erie is the Q&A interview and her personal preferences listed.

There are a few tricky amendments to watch out for,  Proposition 130 (vote NO) and Proposition 131. Don’t let the language fool you—this initiative uses deceptive wording and hides the fact that it allows more money to influence political races. A NO vote on 131.

We also had our friends over at MoodFuel News send us a great Mental Health Election Guide.

Now, onto the ballot itself.

D = Democrat, R = Republican, L = Libertarian, U = Unaffiliated, Unity Party

E = Endorsed* (requires interview), S = Support, Q = Qualified, SQG = Maintain status quo in Gaza

STATE AND US CONGRESS QUESTIONS

The questions our team asked were determined through consensus and were the same for all candidates. Each candidate was asked identical questions.

IMMIGRATION (two-part question)

• There has been a high degree of misinformation and disinformation regarding immigration policy and statistics. What role should federal and state governments have in setting the record straight on the issue of immigration?
• What is your stance on the bipartisan immigration reform bill that was unable to pass earlier this year?

HOUSING/TAXES/HOMELESSNESS

• Housing is rapidly becoming unaffordable for many families across Colorado, especially in fast-growing areas. What policies do you support that ensure both low- and middle-income families can afford to live here? How do you think governments, local, regional, and statewide, work together to help resolve homelessness?

WAR (two-part question)

• Do you support the military aid the U.S. provides in major conflicts like those in Gaza and Ukraine? If your support differs between these conflicts, what are the reasons for your stance?

GAZA (two-part question)

• It’s been almost one year since the genocide began in Gaza. According to a Lancet study, the Gaza death toll may be between 180,000 – 280,000 Palestinians killed by Israel. Roughly 60% are children. What is your stance on calling for a ceasefire in the region? Or an end to supplying weapons to Israel, and are there any? Are there any actions taken by the Israeli state that you have found objectionable in how they have handled the conflict with Hamas?
• Or an end to supplying weapons to Israel and are there are there any actions taken by the Israeli state that you have found objectionable in how they have handled the conflict with Hamas?

SCHOOLS/GUNS/FUNDING

• Our schools are under several assaults from Colorado, being one of the lowest for education funding to active shooter drills. What would you do to both help fund our schools and keep guns out of them?

CLIMATE-CHANGE/FIRE
(two-part question)

• Fires in Boulder County destroy the delicate ecosystems of microorganisms in the streams where they occur. Do you have any solutions to prevent fires from starting and spreading?
• In addition, Colorado has one of the largest oil and gas exports in the United States. What part does that play in accelerating climate change and fires?

CRIME

• According to Colorado Crime statistics, violent crime is trending downwards after a small spike in 2022, following national trends that are also declining. However, voting polls suggest that controlling crime is high on the list of priorities for most voters. What crime in your district are you most concerned with, how serious of a problem is it, and what approaches do you think are best to solve them?
• There have been several high-profile reports of citizens who have been brutalized or even killed by law enforcement officers in Colorado. How do you intend to hold law enforcement officers who abuse their power accountable, or how should we hold law enforcement accountable?

ECONOMY

• Inflation has hit many American families hard, and while there is evidence that inflation is now beginning to fall, many still feel the financial impact. What do you believe the government’s role (either federal, state, or local, depending on the candidate) should be in stabilizing the economic situation Americans are facing?

ABORTION

• The 2022 US Supreme Court decision Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization overruled the precedents outlined in Roe v. Wade. How do you view Colorado’s proposed ballot measure to allow the use of public funds for abortions and mandate coverage under health insurance plans?  Furthermore, do you advocate for any federal legislation that would either protect or ban abortion on a national level?

PRESIDENT

Kamala Harris (D) – SUPPORT, (SQG)

Did Not Interview

Donald Trump (R) – TOO EXTREME, (SQG)

Did Not Interview

Cornel West (Unity) – STRONGLY CONSIDERED

IMMIGRATION

Immigration reform would have to be part of a larger diplomatic process of the leaders in the region so we could create a context in which people want to stay home. For those willing to come, we’d have a fair process, but it would not in any way violate their rights or their dignity, and we would have a welcoming spirit.

HOUSING/TAXES/HOMELESSNESS

You look at housing simply as an object to buy and sell and make a profit on rather than for it to be what a home you would hope is. You say that home is where the heart is, and if you’re looking at a piece of property solely as a commodity and not a place where it creates a context for human beings to flower and flourish, then you end up with gentrification on steroids,

WAR

We should be a dignified nation. We don’t need 800 military bases around the world. We don’t need 130 special operations in over 100 countries; therefore, when it comes to the matter of the outright genocide, ethnic cleansing, and apartheid-like conditions in Gaza and the West Bank, just on moral grounds, we ought to pull the plug financially.

There has to be an end to the (Palestinian) occupation, and we’ve got to come up with a way in which precious Palestinians and precious Jews can live together in such a way that both groups have safety, equality, dignity, and security. 

SCHOOLS/GUNS/FUNDING

I do believe in gun control, but as long as you have the hearts and minds of people tied to wanting to destroy others, they’re going to come up with ways of doing that. We have to be able to speak to people’s mental health because there is a slice of our fellow citizens who are suffering from deep mental health programs that are too readily able to gain access to guns. 

CLIMATE-CHANGE/FIRE

You have to have the courage to say that fossil fuel companies tied to short-term profit have to be rendered accountable, and we have to think of the long run and not just the short-term profits.

CRIME

Crime is a very complicated phenomenon. I’ve seen so many schools and poor and working-class neighborhoods, black, white, Indigenous people or whatever, and there are more police in the schools than there were nurses or counselors. That’s a sign of the militarization of the schools. If we reinforce that sense that the only way to deal with crime is more punitive, more punishing orientations, it just creates a cycle. And the cycle of crime has become a perennial one. If we can create different venues for people who have proclivities toward committing crimes that would decrease crime.. 

ECONOMY

Low unemployment rates can exist because people work two jobs and live in poverty. That’s nothing to celebrate at all. Inflation is just one way in, and inflation is partly tied to corporate greed. 

ABORTION

I very much support that bill at the state level. it’s very important that women have reproductive freedoms and have control over their bodies. 

Jill Stein (Green Party) – CONSIDERED

Editors Note: Dr Stein’s interview looks slightly different from the others, as we ran out of time to pare it down. Due to a scheduling error by YS, we were not able to interview Dr. Stein until October 19th, 2024.  Julie River stepped in and spoke with Dr. Stein on Saturday. However, when we announced we secured the interview with her, no other candidate got the kind of commentary she did. It is for these two reasons we are publishing the interview in full. 

First a physician, then an activist, and eventually a politician, Dr. Jill Stein has become one of the most prominent figures of the far-left and one of the most controversial figures in modern politics. Having run as the Green Party’s nominee for President of the United States in 2012, 2016, and now the 2024 election, she’s often accused of being a “spoiler” candidate and “siphoning” votes from the Democratic candidate and, thereby, helping Republican candidates win elections.

Regardless of whether or not that’s true, Stein continues to push for more progressive solutions to America’s problems. If you put aside the “spoiler” accusations, she has a lot of positions that those on the left, including many who vote for Democrats, would certainly agree on. But the “spoiler” label continues to dog her, causing many who otherwise agree with her positions to view her as a menace to the modern political landscape.

One thing that struck me as I sat down with her to discuss her political positions for our election guide was that, for all the talk of Stein being a political outsider, she’s as polished and as careful of a speaker as any politician from the two major parties, and certainly far more articulate than some candidates that have won the office of President. Far from being an unhinged radical, Stein is careful and measured in her responses, much like any other professional politician. While the likelihood of her ever finding her way into the Oval Office still seems slim—in spite of her assertions about what she plans to do on “day one” in office—her positions on a lot of the issues are truly fascinating.

IMMIGRATION

Julie River: So there has been a high degree of disinformation regarding immigration policy and statistics in this country. What role do you think federal and state governments have in setting the record straight on the issue of immigration?

Jill Stein: So obviously, at the level of president, there’s a critical role in correcting the record. And the record has been seriously distorted. At the level of the president, we need to both set the record straight and make the urgently needed changes in public policy and immigration policy.

 First, on the record, migrants are not the source of crime in this country. In fact, their rates of crime are far lower. Specifically, they make the country safer. They are not bringing drugs into this country. Drugs are brought in by red-blooded Americans, which are not coming in over the remote areas of the border. They’re coming through portals of entry. The wall does no good whatsoever for keeping drugs out. And migrants, when they are allowed to work, are the source of prosperity for our communities’ expansion of our economies and greater employment. This is exactly the opposite of what both major parties and their candidates are currently saying, so that’s setting the record straight.

In terms of policy, the most important and effective thing we can do to fix the immigration crisis is to stop causing it in the first place through regime change operations, endless wars, overturning other democratically elected governments, economic neo-colonialism, and addressing climate change, which puts millions of farmers out of business, and also the drug wars, which the United States largely finances. This war on drugs, which, by making drugs illegal,  make the drug cartels very rich and powerful. There are important steps we can take to address that. But I first want just to name the drivers, the key drivers of migration, and I would also add economic sanctions on countries like Cuba and Venezuela in particular, where the sanctions devastate the economies and create poverty that leads many people to flee.

 Again, the most important thing we can do, and the most effective thing we can do, is reverse those policies. Stop interfering with other governments. Put an end to the economic sanctions in Cuba and Venezuela, for example. Deal with the climate crisis. Stop increasing the flood of fossil fuels and begin to rapidly phase them out, as well as provide climate justice and climate reparations support to other countries so that they can deal with their climate crisis and not watch millions of farmers go out of business and have to flee their homes.

 Finally, on the drug wars, by treating drug use as a public health issue rather than a criminal issue, we can pull the rug right out from under the violent drug cartels. And we can also deal with the problem of drug addiction and so on. But by legalizing cannabis, for starters, and taking it off the list of scheduled drugs, we can massively reduce the power of the drug cartels and the violence.

 That’s one piece of our migration policy, and the other, just to summarize,  instead of throwing billions of dollars into a wall that kills people, it also kills wildlife and ecosystems instead of draining our resources in that dead-end corporate profit boondoggle for construction companies, instead we should be putting those dollars into actual civil service infrastructure, asylum attorneys and so on so that we can properly and promptly do background checks at the border and give people their papers who pass their background checks and are here in good faith and (are) not violent criminals fleeing law enforcement from south of the border. We can provide people with their papers, they can go to work, and then they are an economic resource for our communities.

 They’re not just self-supporting. They are community building and economic building. So that’s the way forward based on the actual realities of the migration situation, not this immigrant bashing that’s being espoused by both the Kamala Harris campaign and the Democrats and the Republicans and Donald Trump.

 JR: What is your stance on the bipartisan immigration reform bill that was unable to pass earlier this year?

 JS: It takes the worst aspects of the Republican approach to immigration, and basically, the Democrats adopt it, and it makes it even worse. It’s a very punitive, inhumane, and ineffective policy.

 HOUSING/TAXES/HOMELESSNESS

JR: The next section is on housing, which is a big concern for families in Colorado. Housing is becoming very unaffordable, especially in fast-growing areas. What policies do you support to ensure that low- and middle-income families can afford their homes, and how do you think the governments local, regional, statewide, and national can work together to resolve homelessness.

JS: Yeah, and we are having a really severe crisis. Homelessness is at record highs. 50% of American families and Americans in general who rent their homes, their apartments, are severely economically stressed right now by the rising cost of rent and the failure of wages to keep up. People are paying 30 to 50% of their monthly income just to keep a roof over their heads, which doesn’t leave the money that you need for healthcare, to pay your student loans, car insurance, etc. So this is a real crisis.

And rents, of course, are skyrocketing. Neighborhoods are gentrifying. People are getting thrown out. There are some solutions that are beginning to improve the crisis right now, and then there are longer-term solutions. Some of these can be implemented at the local, state, and federal levels, though I’m speaking predominantly about the responsibilities at the federal level.

So we advocate for adopting a nationwide federal rent control program to stabilize rents right now so that your landlord can’t throw you out because they want to raise the rent or because they want to remodel and then raise the rent. So that’s one piece: rent control to stop the rising rent rates. In addition, we call for ending the buy-up of available housing, which includes both rental units and homes. Currently, those are being scooped up in huge numbers by the private equity industry, which has a lot of cash. They buy this stuff up, they take it off the market, and then the shortage of housing drives up the price, so it’s very convenient for them. And a lot of this housing is just sitting vacant. So we would both prohibit this practice by private equity to steal the available housing and sit on it. We would implement a vacancy tax, making it impossible for the private equity holding onto this housing now. They would then be paying a very steep added tax on vacant housing, effectively forcing that housing back onto the market. That’s a second step.

A third step is we need a tenant bill of rights that ensures you cannot be thrown out on a whim or simply because your landlord wants to remodel and raise the rent and gentrify the neighborhood. As part of that tenant Bill of Rights, we ensure that there are proper legal services when people are being challenged by their landlords.

Then, most importantly, we call for building 15 million new units of affordable housing, so-called social housing, which we used to call public housing. That all came to a screeching halt back in the 1990s under Bill Clinton, when this bill called The Faircloth Amendment was enacted that forbade any more money going into public housing, which provides housing for those who are most in need. And so that public housing stock has been degraded, it hasn’t been expanded, and the need has absolutely skyrocketed.

So, building out 15 million units of environmentally sound, energy-conserving housing which is concentrated so it doesn’t contribute to sprawl and traffic problems, and which is built in conjunction with public transportation so people don’t have to get cars, and, in addition, which is built to preserve open space, so that the residents have access to green space, is critical for the health of our communities and the health of people. People are just much healthier if they have green space that they can go and walk in and be in the woods or in nature or whatever we want to be. Protecting green space is really critical for protecting the environment and biodiversity, cleaning the air, and all that.

It’s one way that we address the housing crisis while addressing multiple other crises at the same time. Those are some of the basics that we would oversee from the federal government level.

WAR

JR: Getting into more international issues: Do you support the military aid the US provides in major conflicts like those in Gaza and Ukraine, and if your support differs between those two, what are the differences?

JS: We are currently in several very dangerous wars. I mean, these are the two biggest dangers right now: the war on the border of Ukraine and Russia and the genocidal war that Israel is conducting with the full support, military equipment, funding, diplomatic cover, intelligence, etc. (of) the US, (which) is a full partner in this war. It’s not really a war because it’s a massacre and a genocide on Gaza that is expanding now, which Israel has been attempting to do from the very start, to expand this war and to drag the US into a larger war involving the West Bank and Lebanon and several other countries that are under attack. And we know that Israel will soon be attacking Iran as well, which could make this whole thing go absolutely ballistic. So this is like a pre-World War I-type of situation involving all kinds of countries. This could turn into—I mean, it’s already becoming a regional conflict—but it could very quickly become a global and nuclear conflict.

 There’s no justification for this whatsoever, except as Ronald Reagan’s Secretary of Defense expressed back in the 1980s, Israel is the “unsinkable battleship” for the US in the Middle East. Those were basically his words. Essentially, Israel allows the US to have a strong ally and a sturdy outpost from which to control the flow of oil in the Middle East and control who gets that oil. So, this is an extremely dangerous war.

 It can be stopped in the blink of an eye, in the same way that Ronald Reagan stopped Israel’s war that had gone into Lebanon at that time, and thousands of innocent civilians were being massacred. Now, in the current war on Gaza, it’s somewhere around 200,000, but that count has not been updated in a long time. And these are mostly women and children. This is an absolute all-out massacre. People are being displaced by gunfire. Housing has been destroyed. People are living on the street and there’s a massive embargo on food and water, which is not getting into the country. People are dying. There are currently half a million people undergoing starvation in Gaza right now. I mean, this is the worst genocide in modern times being live-streamed onto our phones.

 Most Americans are aware of what’s happening and vehemently oppose it. Going way back to November, just after it started, 68% of Americans were on record as wanting an immediate diplomatic solution, and more recently, in the last several months, over 60% of Americans have come to support an immediate weapons embargo to make this stop.

 Joe Biden could simply pick up the phone and instruct Bibi Netanyahu, as Ronald Reagan did back in 1982, that it’s over because the US is in control because we have control of the funding, the weapons, the diplomatic cover, etc. The war will be over, which would be a good thing because we are right now sitting on the verge of possibly World War III, which could happen, really, any day now.

 This is a disaster for the whole world, not to mention that our incredibly bloated, endless war budget has huge consequences here at home. The war machine budget occupies half of our congressional spending, and what do we have to show for it? Lots of catastrophic wars, failed states, and mass refugee migrations. These wars are not solving anything, but the US keeps getting into them over and over again because we’ve had a very misguided foreign policy based on economic and military domination rather than coming into the modern era as part of a multipolar world, working in conjunction with other countries based on international law, human rights, and diplomacy.

 That’s the direction we need to go, and that applies to both the crisis of Israel’s genocide ongoing right now as well as the crisis in Ukraine. And, in terms of how we fix this, the International Court of Justice has already clarified exactly what international law calls for, which is an end to the genocide, an end to the ethnic cleansing and the occupation and the practice of apartheid by the Israeli government. So, in a nutshell, that’s our position and our immediate solution that could be enacted in the blink of an eye in terms of the Israeli-US war on Gaza.

 In Ukraine, likewise, this is a devastating war that has been long in the making, going all the way back to the 1990s, roughly, with the breakup of the Soviet Union, when the US promised Gorbachev, the leader of the Soviet Union at that time, that NATO would not move one inch to the east if Russia would be okay with East and West Germany reuniting. That deal was made, Germany reunited and joined NATO, and the Soviet Union broke up. Russia understood that NATO was not going to be coming to its doorstep and that Germany would not be invading again.

 In a nutshell, what’s happening now is like the Cuban Missile Crisis, when Russia put nuclear missiles on our border in Cuba, which was actually in response to our putting nuclear missiles on Russia’s border in Turkey. But just to keep it simple for now, let’s focus on the Cuban Missile Crisis, where we went nuts, and we had nuclear bombs in airplanes—which is how they were sent back in those days—in the air, and we were ready to go to nuclear war right then and there in order to defend our border. That’s the position that Russia is in right now.

 It’s not all that hard to understand. Russia doesn’t want nuclear missiles on its border, just a five- or 10-minute missile flight from Moscow. All Russia wanted was neutrality for Ukraine. That was very clear, and that could have easily happened had the US been willing to support neutrality for Ukraine. There were many opportunities to avoid this war. But, unfortunately, NATO kept on marching, and Russia responded as it said it would, and, regrettably, began this all-out invasion.

 I must say, the invasion was part of a longer ongoing war that had begun in 2014 as well. There were a lot of provocations here. The war in Ukraine didn’t start suddenly. In 2022, there was a long run up to it, where the US played a major role in establishing a very hostile government in Ukraine, on Russia’s border, contributing to the chaos and the civil war going on in Ukraine and then refusing to make a very simple peace deal to avoid provoking Russia into this horrific invasion, which has been absolutely deadly for the people of Ukraine.

 The Secretary of Defense for the US stated very clearly that the war in Ukraine is essentially an effort by the US to bleed Russia, to use Russia’s resources, and to weaken Russia, and that’s being done at the expense of the Ukrainian people. This is Russia’s border, so they have an enormous vested interest in ensuring that it’s safe. For us to be provoking war and providing the arms with which Ukraine goes to war, and more and more Ukrainians are being slaughtered, (is) basically a Mission Impossible. The US and NATO are not going to get control of Russia’s border with Ukraine without provoking nuclear war here.

 We are escalating our way up to nuclear war on this front, as well as in Israel and its war on Gaza. Ee need to step back. We need to stop throwing fuel on the fire here, which is absolutely devastating to the people of Ukraine and endangers all of us with escalation toward nuclear war. We need to sit down and support a real peace deal.

 Russia showed that it would do that in good faith, and it did, including making real compromises. It did that just after the war began. Under the auspices of Turkey, there was a peace deal that was negotiated, but the US and the UK then came in at the 11th hour and said, No, you have to keep fighting Ukraine; we’re not going to let you make peace. And here we are.

 We don’t have the money that we need right now for critical things here in this country. We just gave another 8-9 billion to Israel to expand its war in the Middle East, and we are about 9 billion short for FEMA to assist American communities that are in dire straits with the ongoing climate crisis. In a nutshell, that’s what’s wrong with this picture where we are consuming and squandering our precious tax dollars on wars that are not making us safer, that are just killing a lot of people and making the whole world less safe, and especially several regions in the world. We should not be squandering those tax dollars, endangering us, and at the same time impoverishing us so that we don’t have the dollars we need for the urgent and dire health, housing, education, and climate needs that we have in this country right now. This covers our position on those two conflicts around the world.

 SCHOOLS/GUNS/FUNDING

JR: In Colorado, one of the issues we’re dealing with is our schools are under several assaults, being one of the lowest for education funding to active shooter drills. What would you do to both help fund schools and also keep guns out of them?

JS: As a kid, your education should not depend on your zip code. Right now, schools are funded largely by property tax in communities, reflecting whether you have low-income or luxury housing. If you have luxury housing, you’ll have a big school budget and very well-educated kids. If you’ve got low-income housing, the most vulnerable kids, who most need education support, are not going to have a budget for it. That’s what we need. We need to rectify that so we have the resources. If we weren’t so busy creating war, violence, and chaos all around the world, we would have the dollars that we need to put into our urgent needs and real security here at home.

 We propose not only taxing the rich who are not paying their fair share right now but also cutting this wasteful, bloated, endangering military budget and putting those dollars into essential needs here at home. That includes providing baseline support for communities, especially for low-income communities, to help bring up their resource base so they have quality schools from the get-go.

 In terms of school safety, that’s inseparable from gun safety, so we need to implement common sense solutions that the American people already support, and that includes things like an assault weapons ban on further sales and a buyback. That’s a voluntary buyback; we won’t get them all, but we’ll get a lot of them, a buyback of assault weapons so that you don’t have these very dangerous weapons just out there in the community. We need to end the gun show loopholes and ensure that there are background checks so that you can’t just have anybody who’s very unstable, threatening suicide, etc, or extremely troubled youth, you can’t have them walking in and buying guns off the street. We need to have background checks.

We also need to have safe storage laws, and these are supported by gun owners as well, who, on the whole, support of gun safety. It’s just the gun lobby that does not. These are common-sense solutions that the American people endorse. We need safe storage for guns, and for that to be a requirement. We also need liability laws so that parents know they’ve got to keep their guns stored safely so that kids can’t just take them. That’s one thing we can do to support gun safety in our schools is to get those guns under control so they’re not just out there for anybody to use.

In addition, we need to support the mental health needs of our students, and that means having social workers and mental health workers available right now. Those supports are in such desperate supply. But we also need youth programs, sports programs, and after-school programs so that we are providing things to help support the mental health of students in our schools as well because when people are neglected and they are at their wit’s end, and they’re feeling hopeless, which is exactly when you get into trouble with weapons that are available. Basically you have students that are committing suicide while they’re committing murder as well.

We know how to fix these problems, and we need to be investing in them, again, not squandering our tax dollars on tax breaks for the wealthiest corporations who are not paying their fair share, and not squandering our resources on the military, which is not making us safer.

CLIMATE CHANGE/FIRES

JR: One issue we’ve been dealing with here in Boulder County is wildfires, which destroy the ecosystems of microorganisms in the streams where they occur. Do you have any solutions to prevent fires from starting and spreading?

JS: We need to address drought, which is a huge problem, and heat waves, which means we need to come to terms with the climate crisis. And for that, we call for an emergency Green New Deal, which will create jobs by declaring a climate emergency on the first day in office. If we are so lucky as to be in that position, we will declare the climate emergency on day one, which then unleashes over $600 billion every year to create jobs in critical industries that transition us from dirty energy to clean renewables, efficiency, and conservation that also go with public transportation, and healthy and sustainable agriculture system and sustainable, environmentally sound housing as well.

 Those are some of the pillars of a Green New Deal that would ramp down fossil fuel production. That’s not going to turn wildfires around overnight, so there are other things that we need to do as well, and one is not be building out in very vulnerable areas where people are likely to get trapped and into a lot of trouble from the wildfires and the forest fires. We need to ensure that we are funding our forest service so that proper conservation practices are put into effect.

 We need proper water conservation. You’re probably aware that the Colorado River is about a year away from drying up. And, while that doesn’t affect Colorado so much, it’s more downstream in California, where the Colorado River shutdown is going to be devastating. It puts us into a real drought situation in the area, basically, the California agriculture system, where most of the fruits and vegetables, about half of the entire nation, are produced. So we’re going to see food prices skyrocket.

 The drought, in general, impacts Colorado and many other areas of the country. So we need to seriously conserve water in our agricultural practices, lawns, etc. We really cannot afford to have green grass lawns, which are extremely water-consuming. We need proper plans and implementation to conserve water so that we have that water when we need it, and we’re properly protecting our forests so that we’re not running into forest fires, and we’re able to protect communities and homes when those fires do break out.

 CRIME

JR: According to Colorado crime statistics, violent crime is trending downwards after a small spike in 2022, which follows national trends. Our voting polls still suggest that controlling crime is high on the list of priorities for most voters. How serious of a problem do you think this is, and what approaches do you think are best to solve it?

 JS: We need our elected officials to be telling the truth about this. We see a lot of demagoguing on violence, a lot of real hyping of the problem because there’s a big divide-and-conquer push, and a lot of fear-mongering in our elections. We need to be able to tell the truth and be believable to the American people.

 There’s a huge lack of trust and outright cynicism towards the government. A lot of that has to do with the money in politics. The fact that our political system is bought and paid for by industries and businesses that are not helpful to the American people, like big pharma, the fossil fuel industry, the real estate development industry, health insurance, all the things that people are struggling with are the ones who bought and paid for our government and policies that are not serving the American people. We’re in crisis, basically, in every division of our lives.

 One of the generic things that we’ll be doing is moving to a public financing system so that you can’t have politicians serving their big donors rather than serving their voters. Another thing we intend to do is to revive town hall meetings where elected officials used to have to meet with their constituents. They need to feel that heat again so that they’re again meeting with their constituents so they can be instructed in how their constituents would like their representatives to represent them instead. Elected officials are too busy meeting with their donors, raising big money, and then turning around and serving those industries.

 If you want to combat disinformation about violence, with a problem actually being far smaller than it is (depicted), we need to basically reinstate trust again and demand that our elected officials be accountable to us, meet with us, represent us, and not take the big money from corporations and powerful industries.

 JR: There have been several high-profile reports of citizens who have been brutalized or even killed by law enforcement officers in Colorado. How do you intend to hold law enforcement officers who abuse their power accountable?

JS: Very good question. And I think this also relates to your prior question. If we want to address violence, we have to address violence from law enforcement. The numbers are significant, the numbers of people, especially people of color, who are killed under horrific circumstances. This is just far too common. And there are good, common-sense solutions here.

 One is that we need police review boards that are controlled by the community, not by, say, the mayor or the City Council, and often tend to be in buddy-buddy relationships with the police department. We actually need to be able to watchdog the police department. We need elected representatives of the community, who then have the power to hire, the power to fire, the power to do inquiry, to issue subpoenas, and so on, to stop these tragedies before they happen because so often violence from police forces is coming from bad actors who’ve already been abusing people and have been violent to people even before they then murder them. And then you also have the issue of white supremacists on police forces, and there needs to be a zero-tolerance level for that.

 You need the community to be able to be a watchdog on its police so that the police and community operate hand in hand. At the end of the day, the community needs to be in control of its police, not the police controlling the community.

 In addition, there are very good programs now which are being used around the country. I think one is in Toledo, Ohio, and another one is in New Mexico somewhere. These really great model programs that create additional providers who are not police; they’re not armed, but they’re really good at dealing with the stuff that police are not good at dealing with. Many of these tragedies happen to people who are having a mental health crisis. What is more heart-wrenching than a family calling for help from the police because their son is having a mental health crisis, and then the police come, and they shoot and kill the person who’s having a crisis? We hear about this all the time.

 We need to have mental health workers who can go out sometimes they’re called police diversion programs, and what they do is, when they take the 911 calls, they reassign calls that do not require the skills of police. They assign them to teams of social workers and mental health workers, or sometimes, the police go out in conjunction with them. This both saves communities money, and it saves communities a lot of heartache and violence, and it enables us to use police for what we need them for, not to have them in situations that they’re not good at dealing with where they tend to escalate violence, where violence is not needed. There are good programs now that can really help us invest in community safety in a broader way that doesn’t just rely on a police force.

ECONOMY

JR: Inflation is another issue we want to talk about. It hits a lot of American families hard, and while there’s evidence that it’s now beginning to fall, many still feel the financial impact. What do you believe the federal government’s role should be in stabilizing the economic situation Americans are facing?

JS: We need to remedy the situation we have right now, which allows the rich to get richer and everybody else just to be pushed further into struggle and poverty. We’ve seen poverty rates in children triple in the last three years or so while billionaires doubled their wealth. When we talk about inflation, we’re talking about rising prices, but that’s part of this bigger picture whereby resources go to the richest and not to low-income people.

We’ve also become a financialized economy that is driven by debt, consumer debt,  medical debt, health care debt, and, again, college debt, which is just going through the roof. So we need to be sure that we have an economy that’s working for working people and that people are not strapped as they are right now by their expenses. For one thing, we can massively reduce health care costs, which bankrupt a lot of people right now, and prices health care out of reach for so many people, like 18 million people from the most recent year where statistics are available, I think it was 2022, somewhere around 18 million people could not afford their pharmaceuticals. It is outrageous when pharmaceutical companies are making huge profits hand over fist.

We need to adopt a Medicare for All system. That’s what we will be pushing very much from day one, moving to Medicare for all, which cuts our healthcare costs massively at the same time that it expands healthcare to cover everybody comprehensively, including mental health, dental health, reproductive health, hearing aids, eyeglasses, etc, chronic care. You need your parents to have chronic support. You can keep them at home and have home health care under this kind of system. It’s a great system. In spite of expanding care, the total price is reduced by about 30%, and we would save half a trillion dollars a year. That’s one thing we will do as a solution that is owed to the American people.

Another is to bring down the cost of housing. It’s outrageous how people are being raked over the coals right now with their cost of housing. We talked about some of that before, such as rent control, stopping the private equity buyout, forcing that housing back onto the market, and building out real affordable housing on an emergency basis so that we have quality housing for people. That should be a human right.

Another big one is to end student debt. Public higher education should be free. It is an enormous productive investment in our economy and in our youth. We know that for every dollar we put into higher education, we get returned to the general economy $7 in worth. And it’s time, basically, to make public higher education free, as well as bail out the students, so we just cancel student debt, as we should also do to medical debt. By doing that, we give consumers such a financial boost that we can tip the scale so that people are not struggling over these prices, which have risen steeply over the last several years. They’re not rising very much right now, but they are too high because they rose so much in recent years.

We need to really bring down the costs, as I mentioned, where people are really strapped and are just paying to the teeth. We can fix that and bring down those costs right now. In addition, we can use antitrust laws to break up large corporations that use monopoly power to drive up prices. That’s one way that we can prevent prices from rising, as well as the other policies I mentioned earlier, which essentially offload major pieces of the economic burden that families and communities are carrying right now,

ABORTION

JR: The 2022 US Supreme Court decision Dobbs v Jackson overruled the precedent outlined in Roe v Wade. In Colorado, there’s a proposed ballot measure to allow the use of public funds for abortion and mandate coverage under health insurance plans. Do you support actions like that? And is there any federal legislation you would advocate for or implement that you think would either protect or ban abortion?

JS: Our view is that healthcare is a human right, and it should be available to everyone at the point of service and then paid for through a very progressive tax base, which reduces the burden on low-income and middle-income people and raises the burden at the level of the multimillionaires and the billionaires. That is a just system, and providing reproductive health care is part of that.

 As a medical doctor, I believe healthcare decisions should be made between individuals, men, women, and their healthcare providers. I don’t think the government has business dictating healthcare policies to people, except in extremely unusual circumstances. Women have a right to full reproductive care, including the choice of an abortion. If a woman and her health care provider think that that is an appropriate option, that decision should be on them.

 Providing public funding for abortion is appropriate—I would support that if we don’t have the health care system that we should have. Let me say also, that Roe v Wade should have been codified so that the Supreme Court would not have overridden it. And the Democrats promised over and over that they would do that. Both Barack Obama and Joe Biden came into elected office saying it would be the first thing they would do, but they never got around to it. Obama had the supermajority in the Senate that could block a filibuster, which could have ensured that that happened. Biden had a majority whereby he could have changed the filibuster rules to ensure that reproductive health and rights would be protected.

 The Democrats could solve this problem right now by using military bases or other federal land to build reproductive health care clinics, abortion clinics, or even health care clinics. The federal government could ensure that women have a right to an abortion and that this epidemic of rising mortality and very serious problems in the perinatal period, both before pregnancy and after delivery, (is addressed). There have been just horrific problems with lack of access to abortion, especially among African-American women, whose death rates have skyrocketed now related to pregnancy. This is a healthcare emergency, and it should be fixed, and it could be fixed. The Biden-Harris administration has the power to do it. If they care as much as they say, they could do something about it.

BONUS QUESTION

JR: That covered all the standard questions we ask everyone. I’m running out of time, so I don’t want to get into too many other things, but there’s at least one question I wanted to ask specifically for you. I know you get a lot of the accusations of being the “spoiler” candidate and that you allegedly siphon votes from the Democratic candidate. I understand the importance of a third party and want to see us move beyond a two-party system. I’m absolutely on board. At the same time, as a queer person, I have a lot of anxiety that a new Trump administration is going to roll back my rights. I think a lot of queer people are afraid of that. A lot of women are afraid of what’s going to happen to their abortion rights. Migrants are afraid of what’s going to happen under a Trump presidency. With people afraid of losing freedoms in this election, what would you say about why voting for you is in their best interest?

JS: At the end of the day, we need a strong democracy if we’re going to protect our rights to abortion, the right to be who you are, and to love who you love, and to have your gender identity, whatever it is. Those rights are critical, and they go hand in hand with our rights of free speech, our rights of protest, our right to demand redress of grievances, our right to health care. We need to stand up and protect many rights together because it’s together that we can be a real force to contend with. If we’re not together, it’s forever a game of divide and conquer.

Let me just mention some other rights that are under very serious threat right now, not only our rights to free speech, our right to be free from surveillance,  our right not to be stopped at the border. In Texas, within 100 miles of the border, you can be stopped simply because you look like a Latino, and then excuses can be found for you to be searched. We have a right to freedom from surveillance and freedom from search as well. Right now, the draft has been reimplemented, so names are now being reported to the draft board, and people are being registered across the board between the ages of 18 and 25. If you are a man, or considered a man by the government, then you are on that list.

We are heading right now into a potential World War III, as our extremely reckless warmongering government in both parties is conducting a genocide in Gaza, which is expanding, and Israel is on the verge of attacking Iran. Iran is in a military alliance with Russia. Russia has nuclear weapons, and Israel has nuclear weapons. This could become very complicated very quickly, and if you’re between the ages of 18 and 25 and the government considers you to be a male, they know where you are, and they will come and get you. And all that has to happen is for the President to say, Hey, we are in a wartime emergency, and we are reactivating the draft.

They’re already in the process of sending boots on the ground right now into Gaza to assist Israel with conducting this genocide. We need a government that protects all of our civil liberties and protects us from needless war and warmongering. Right now, half of our congressional budget is being spent on the endless war machine. It’s, on average, $12,000 per household just for this last year. According to Jeffrey Sachs, the economist, those are figures as to what the warmongering tendencies of the Democratic and Republican parties are delivering for us. This has consequences for everybody.

Our rights to justice, to peace, to a secure future are very broad and are very much under threat, the rights of the LGBTQ+ community and the rights of immigrants. And remember what happened there? You had immigrants who Republican demagogues have bashed for quite some time, and now the Democrats have adopted that policy because it sells and because they think they can manipulate people around that. Well, LGBTQ people could be next for who the Democrats are going to manipulate. They may be slightly supportive now, but they may not be tomorrow.

These are political parties that are bought and paid for by corporate America, the war machine, Wall Street, by health insurance, and big pharma. Their interests are not our interests. Our campaign represents a politics that is people-powered. We do not accept the big money that runs the big parties. You can write a million-dollar check to a Democrat, to Kamala Harris, or to Donald Trump—or to RFK, for that matter—or to the Libertarian candidate. They use these loopholes for legalized corruption. We do not do that.

What the Green Party and my campaign represent is what we, the people, actually need. We are accountable to no one except everyday people and young people, especially the queer community, (are) very much a part of who we are and who our campaign is. That is who we represent. To my mind, that’s where real security for all of us lies in being a coalition that is of, by, and for the people that is incorruptible, that’s not taking marching orders from Wall Street or AIPAC or the health insurance industry, those who are looking basically for predatory profits off of our backs. We need community-based development economies, a healthcare system that’s working for all of us, and real guarantees for our rights across the board, our civil liberties, our civil rights, our rights to expression, who we are, our various identities, we have a right to be who we are and to be respected, to have full access to the benefits of society, regardless of who we are, our gender preference, our race, our religion, etc, our sexuality. We all have an equal right that needs to be equally protected, and that is what our campaign stands for, and that is where our real security for a future we can survive in lies. 

The threats are on all fronts right now, including these cop cities, which are supported by democratic municipal governments across the country, most notably in Atlanta, where there’s a big fight over these cop cities. Who’s training the cops there? It’s the Israeli Defense Forces who are training the cops in these very violent, fascistic techniques of crowd control, and they’re building some 80 of these cop cities all around the country.

We all have very good reason to be concerned about our security about our democratic and constitutional rights, and we all very much need to stand together on behalf of all of those rights so that we’re all protecting each other. If we’re just protecting our community and not the broader community at risk here—by that, I mean people of color, low-income, working people—we’re all very much at risk. We need to be protecting each other here in a society that’s going to work for all of us, or we’re going to have a very, very rocky road ahead because it’s already pretty rocky and getting rockier, so we need to work this out together and be a strong coalition for an America and a world that works for all of us.

Chase Oliver (L)

Did not schedule interview in time

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

2ND DISTRICT

Joe Neguse (D), Incumbent – SUPPORT

Did not schedule interview in time

Marshall Dawson (R) – REFUSED INTERVIEW

Cynthia Munhos de Aquino Sirianni (Unity Party) – CONSIDERED

IMMIGRATION

I oppose the demonization of immigrants. Reason Magazine reported that Donald Trump’s proposal to arrest and deport 13 million undocumented immigrants would cost nearly one trillion dollars over ten years. It would devastate the economy due to the loss of workers in industries such as construction that are struggling to find enough labor.

HOUSING/TAXES/HOMELESSNESS

I support a universal basic income as a safety net to eliminate poverty in the United States. Livable wage laws should allow local communities to secure livable wages so that workers don’t need to spend more than 30% of their income on housing. Higher-density housing should enable workers to live in the communities where they work. We must protect elderly homeowners from high property taxes.

Homelessness is an increasing problem. We have to study each case individually to determine their needs, whether it’s mental health help, job placement, help to transition to living indoors again, or even if they want to live outdoors. I met some people in that state of mind. There should be areas where they can securely camp.

WAR

I oppose foreign military aid and foreign military intervention. We must end the US government’s involvement in endless wars and cut the destructive waste of the world’s largest military budget. The United States must stop providing military aid and political support to governments behaving like Israel. I support South Africa’s legal case in the International Court of Justice, charging Israel with genocide against the people of Gaza. I join Susan Hall, Ron Tupa, and Adam Withrow as Unity Party candidates calling for peace with justice and respect for human rights in Palestine and Israel. I support the call for a ceasefire between Israel and Palestine. I support an international arms embargo against Israel. I support self-determination for all people, but a two-state solution is not practical. I support a one-state representative democracy for the people of Israel and Palestine.

SCHOOLS/GUNS/FUNDING

I don’t agree with taking guns from people. They can carry guns anywhere they want to. This is the law of the United States. 

I support publicly funded education from early childhood, education through college, and homeschooling support. I support the forgiveness of federal student loans. There should be a strict separation between church and state. Religious education should be given at religious centers, not in publicly funded schools. I support conflict resolution training, empathy training, and anti-bullying programs in public schools. Mental health should be an important component of education, along with physical education, civic participation, arts, and creativity.

CLIMATE CHANGE/FIRE

We should declare a climate emergency. I support carbon taxes, including the cost of environmental impacts in prices, and policies to shift away from petrochemical agriculture and factory farming to sustainable and natural food production methods. On the issue of fire, Canada uses controlled burns for its fire management. We must find natural ways to prevent fires.

CRIME

I support federal legalization of cannabis and psychedelic mushrooms. Incarceration should be for people who commit crimes that violate the rights of others. The use of excessive force against unarmed civilians by any person under public employment should be subject to immediate review by civilian grand juries. I oppose three-strikes laws and mandatory minimum sentencing. I support evidence-based restorative justice and alternative sentencing options.

I support funding for shelters where survivors of domestic abuse can live with their children if they need to flee their homes. Law enforcement has to be held accountable. There should be empathy training for police; they should discover if they have any untreated mental issues. Police officers cannot act in a certain way towards another human being, especially because they’re being paid to protect us.

ECONOMY

I believe we should have a livable wage. I support a transition to an environmentally sustainable economy with pollution taxes to account for the cost of environmental impacts. A guaranteed minimum income should balance this to secure basic human needs. Local governments should establish livable wage laws to account for the cost of living. People should be able to afford housing in the communities where they work.

ABORTION

I support a single-payer Medicare for All national healthcare program that provides birth control and abortion services. I support a constitutional amendment to guarantee the natural right of women to reproductive freedom, including the right to get an abortion when they choose to do so.

Gaylon Kent (L) – REFUSED INTERVIEW

8TH DISTRICT

Dr. Yadira Caraveo

Yadira Caraveo (D), Incumbent – ENDORSED, (SQG)

IMMIGRATION 

I would have voted for that bipartisan immigration package, except for the Republican’s blocking it.

We need to address border security and immigration responsibly, without dividing people. It’s essential to create a legal framework for immigration while respecting and acknowledging the contributions of immigrants, including my own family.

HOUSING/TAXES/HOMELESSNESS

I introduced bills to reduce excessive late fees for renters, which drive up housing costs. Federally, we need to invest more in affordable housing and streamline construction. We also need to address housing discrimination in lending, renting, and home-buying to ensure a fair process for all.

At the federal level, it’s about providing the financial resources for states and local communities to address homelessness and housing. We need innovative practices to increase affordable housing supply, allowing states and localities to tailor solutions to their specific needs.

WAR

It’s the United States’ responsibility as a major force in the world to continue to uphold democracies wherever they may be. So whether it’s terrorist attacks like the one that Hamas perpetrated against Israel just over a year ago or whether it’s the continuing conflict in Ukraine, we need to make sure to stand up for our allies and ensure that democracy persists. 

Israel has a right to exist and a right to defend itself, but we also need to take into mind the humanitarian toll that we have seen. As a pediatrician, it is heartbreaking for me to think of children who are starving and that there are polio outbreaks in the area. I can’t even imagine how doctors are taking care of patients with little to no resources. We really need both sides to come together and negotiate the release of hostages so that the conflict can end. I would like them to come to a solution that eventually leads to two states and brings an end to the conflict, with the release of hostages.

SCHOOLS/GUNS/FUNDING 

We have a long history of responsible gun reform and gun ownership, the institution of background checks, red flag laws, and regulating large-capacity magazines. The biggest issue around school shootings is access to guns, and living in a world where five-year-old’s has to go through active shooter drills is absurd to me. We need laws at the federal level. A lot of safety issues come with instituting common sense gun reform.

CLIMATE-CHANGE/FIRE

As part of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee, I’ve supported several bills on bio-wildfire preparedness, including one of my own to improve NOAA and the National Weather Service’s fire weather prediction. We’re investing in mitigation efforts and new, science-based tactics to address the challenges of year-long fire seasons.

The Eighth District is one of the richest areas for oil and gas production, providing many jobs that support local families and the economy. At the same time, we can invest in the next generation of energy—like solar, wind, and future innovations—to ensure Colorado’s continued role in energy production.

CRIME

I’ve supported common-sense policies that ensure that law enforcement continues to be well-funded and can disrupt organized crime. I carried a bill with Representative Buck that looks at that in particular and protects Colorado families and businesses. I’ve also made sure to invest in programs that look at high-traffic crime areas and ensure that we’re investing in local police forces. Just last week or a week or two ago, I helped Greeley win a grant that increases the number of officers they will have on the force.

That is the balance that we have been seeking, in particular at the state level, and making sure that we have rules for the road to make sure that a few bad apples in the law enforcement community don’t ruin things for the whole bunch. When, for example, we voted to provide body cameras, making sure that there’s funding for that at the state and federal level so that we can make sure to get these out in our communities and have people feel safe in all aspects of law enforcement.

ECONOMY

I’ve introduced bills to ensure we’re not burdening them with excessive paperwork. I’ve brought the administrator of the Small Business Administration here to talk to Latinos about entrepreneurship and how to start their businesses. We also have to make sure that when we’re looking at tax policy, for example, next year, a lot of the tax breaks that Trump put in place are going to expire; a lot of those benefit people who make over $400,000 a year or about benefit wealthy corporations — making sure that we’re cutting taxes for the middle class, that we’re having the rich in corporations pay their fair share, and that we’re doing things like extending the Child Tax Credit, which puts up to $1,800 a month in families’ pockets to make sure that they can take care of their kids.

ABORTION

On the federal level, we need to restore Roe v. Wade and make sure that people have the freedom to have an abortion, to use birth control, and to use IVF to start a family. As a doctor, I’ve been in rooms having those conversations around high-risk pregnancies or around whether somebody wants to have a kid or not. I never thought that the government would be coming into the exam room and trying to make that decision for me or for the women that I was taking care of. We need to codify Roe v.Wade and leave the decisions around reproductive care and abortion care to women and doctors.

Gabe Evans (R) – REFUSED INTERVIEW

Susan Hall (Unity Party)

IMMIGRATION

We should be a compassionate country. After the war with Mexico, we agreed to honor the people, their language, and culture. Many Native Americans moved across these lands, and some immigrants may even be their descendants. Climate change is going to force more people to move as they lose their homes. Instead of sending $95 billion abroad to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, we could have used that money to help immigrants here or in their own countries. Another big issue is water in Colorado, especially since seven states and 25 Native American tribes rely on the Colorado River, which also flows into Mexico.

HOUSING/TAXES/HOMELESSNESS

I wish we had focused first on the issue of providing weapons worldwide, especially to Taiwan, Israel, and Ukraine. That $95 billion could have been better used here. It would have been great for the government to allocate it to different states, and then we could have figured out the best ways to use it locally.

WAR

I don’t think we should be sending weapons to Taiwan. Ukraine is a bit more complex, but we did promise Russia not to expand NATO there, and then discussions started when Zelenskyy took office. Thousands have died at the border. The most troubling issue is Israel—why are we bombing civilians in schools, hospitals, and homes? It’s been labeled a genocide, and many, including U.S. citizens and 140 journalists, have been killed. Our presidential candidate, Dr. Cornel West, is firmly against supplying Israel with weapons, and neither of us would ever accept money to change our stance.

SCHOOLS/GUNS/FUNDING

I support no-nonsense gun legislation. I’ve heard teachers say they’d quit if forced to keep a gun in their classroom, and I don’t blame them. We’ve also talked about supplying weapons to other countries, but the more we do that, the more likely they’ll end up back here. It exposes our kids to the wrong ideas, when we should be teaching them negotiation and leading by example. We should also have healthcare for all, including mental health.

CLIMATE-CHANGE/FIRE

The Forest Service certainly would be a place where we could have more jobs and more people working to keep it cleared out.

We need better public transportation, especially buses. Gas prices should be higher, and bus fares should be lower. South American countries are investing in trains, and Europe is doing the same. Electric cars are a good idea, but from what I’ve heard, there’s not enough lithium to supply everyone.

CRIME

Drugs are a major concern linked to mental health, so we should offer counseling, job training, and vocational support. Public education should cover at least the first two years of junior college, as times have changed since my parents’ generation.

Law enforcement needs to be held more accountable. If officers are reported for abuse—even before a shooting—they should face serious penalties, possibly even termination.

ECONOMY

We should be spending less than $95 billion on weapons. That money could provide support in many ways—healthcare for all, mental health services, job creation, housing, and shelters for those living on the streets.

ABORTION

Every woman should have the right to make decisions about her own body, in consultation with her doctor. This should be covered by insurance like any other healthcare need, and if we have universal healthcare, it should be included.

COLORADO STATE HOUSE REPRESENTATIVES

District-29 Broomfield

Shannon Bird (D), Incumbent – ENDORSED, (SQG)

HOUSING/TAXES/HOMELESSNESS 

I’ve sponsored legislation to fund affordable rental housing and help first-time homebuyers through down payment assistance grants. In the upcoming session, I plan to introduce a bill to incentivize more condominium construction. Addressing homelessness will require collaboration across all levels of government to solve this crisis.

WAR

Israel is our ally and the only democracy in the Middle East. I support U.S. efforts to help Israel defend itself against terrorist attacks and to seek lasting peace in the region. I also support military aid to Ukraine, as Russia’s invasion violates international law and threatens U.S. allies in Europe.

CRIME

I sponsored legislation to make it harder to resell stolen catalytic converters and to increase penalties for car theft in our state.

ECONOMY

There are certain things that the state government can do to ensure that families can afford to pay their bills. A major expense facing every family in Colorado is our energy costs. All people must be able to afford heating and cooling their homes and we must be able to afford the energy needed to live our daily lives.

ABORTION

I support protecting a woman’s right to abortion in our state constitution. I have cosponsored legislation to protect abortion rights in our state and, to secure this right, I believe it should be included in our constitution. Reproductive health care is healthcare, so allowing abortion to be a covered service under health insurance plans is the right thing to do. A woman’s right to choose should also be protected by federal law. 

Evan Hunt (R) – REFUSED INTERVIEW

District-33 Broomfield/Brighton

William Lindstedt (D), Incumbent – ENDORSED (SQG)

IMMIGRATION

We’re in this situation because Congress hasn’t fixed the issue. We need stronger border security and a faster process for people to gain legal status, not one that takes seven years. The federal government can solve this by working together to pass a reform bill that everyone supports.

I had hoped the immigration bill would pass. We should reward bipartisan efforts when people come together to solve tough issues that both sides care about. It’s too bad that politics in DC tore it apart.

HOUSING/TAXES/HOMELESSNESS

The affordable housing tax credit for lower-income earners, the new middle-income housing tax credit, and efforts to ensure communities build housing near transit all aim to lower housing costs. It’s a huge issue, and I’m proud of my record of passing various housing bills over the past two years.

We have to work together. This is an issue where we’re all contributing as different communities. We all need to come together to solve it, build more low-income units, and make sure that people have access to services when they need it. 

WAR

I’m running for re-election to the State House, so we don’t really vote on any, international relations, and otherwise, very rarely. But I do support the United States’ continued role in aiding our allies in those situations. That’s the limited capacity I have in the state legislature. 

I’m running for re-election to the State House, where we rarely vote on international relations. However, I support the U.S.’s continued role in aiding our allies in those situations, though my capacity to influence that is limited at the state level.

SCHOOLS/GUNS/FUNDING

In the last legislative session, we fully funded schools for the first time since the Great Recession by ending the budget stabilization factor. I also have a 100% record on gun violence prevention. As Colorado is the birthplace of the modern mass shooting, I proudly support gun violence prevention legislation in the state house.

CLIMATE CHANGE/FIRE

Climate change is the challenge of our generation. I support policies to help Colorado meet its greenhouse gas reduction goals. There’s no time left to waste. I sponsored the Clean Power Plans legislation to ensure electric providers have plans to meet those goals, and I’m proud of Colorado’s aggressive stance on the issue.

Transportation and oil and gas are the two biggest sources of greenhouse gas emissions in our state. Last year, I’m proud we passed a several hundred million dollar fee on oil and gas to fund mass transit, cleaner transportation, and help address some of these emissions. 

CRIME

While Colorado’s crime rate is trending downward, we need to address the issue comprehensively. This means providing access to necessary services, increasing enforcement when appropriate, and ensuring law enforcement has the tools and flexibility to protect public safety.

Colorado has made significant progress. On city council, I helped fund a co-responder program, and we were the first county to require body cams. There’s still more to do to ensure everyone feels safe with law enforcement.

ECONOMY

Most voters mention inflation. As a state lawmaker, it can be difficult to address national issues, but we can lower housing costs and make living here more affordable by ensuring industries and jobs stay and keep pace with inflation. I’m glad to see inflation starting to curb down.

ABORTION

I endorse the ballot measure for constitutional protections for abortion access. Everyone should have access to the healthcare they need, including abortion services. I’m proudly the pro-choice candidate. 

Michael Martinez (R) – DID NOT RESPOND

Mark Bromley (U) – (SQG)

IMMIGRATION

Our government must be responsible for the fact that they left an open border. They allowed a lot of refugees to come across seeking asylum. When they cross the border, they say their home country should probably be more Americanized. Let’s get more involved in global politics so we can bring American democracy to their home countries. 

If it didn’t pass the House or the Senate, there had to be some really big issues with it. It’s a dead bill. We’re going to have to redraft a new bill that will address the people who did come here seeking asylum and want to contribute to the United States. 

HOUSING/TAXES/HOMELESSNESS

We need to ensure people have incomes that cover rent and still leave room for disposable income. If necessary, the government may need to impose limits on the housing market to bring it under control.

At all levels—local, state, and national—we should create programs to help the homeless start businesses, find jobs, and contribute to the economy. I want to work with state legislators to end homelessness.

WAR

We have to support those who can be our allies. If Ukraine can truly join the NATO alliance and the allied sphere of things, we should help them as much as possible. As for Israel, they are moving up in the ranks and handling foreign policy in the region.

It’s just terrible that a terrorist organization is so cowardly that it has hidden itself behind human shields. I don’t think the Israelis have treated it correctly because they decided to go through the civilians to get to their objective. I think the United States has to enforce some security protocol to make sure that Israel isn’t killing innocents because innocents become enemy soldiers in the future.

SCHOOLS/GUNS/FUNDING

If you teach the students what they’re supposed to learn and the parents are more involved with their students, they don’t need guns. I went through high school here. Nobody had guns in the schools. When you make it a political and personal issue, this is where you get your violence. So, if we roll back the political aspects of our schools, it’s one way we can decrease violence because it just infuriates students.

CLIMATE CHANGE/FIRE

The Marshall Fire was bad legislation, bad policies, and bad elected officials. They changed fire protection codes for their cities, not realizing the true danger there. 

We have to have energy independence. Right now, solar and wind energy have large footprints and require large investments. These are detrimental to the environment because they take up a large footprint and require heavy maintenance. 

CRIME

Our crime is questionable at best. People have a right to have a portable stop sign with them if they’re going to run into criminals. Crime statistics are just a number that can be manipulated depending on the political party that’s in power. I would never say there’s a decrease in that kind of activity, but I would suspect politicians would lie to the public. 

It comes down to making sure that the police have better training and a better understanding of how to be strong, sensitive, and caring enough, but also effective and creating the intimidating presence that they need. A lot of people don’t realize that you don’t have to sit there and be violent or mean; you just have to be imposing as a law enforcement person and have to be effective. 

ECONOMY

To stabilize the economic situation, we need to start understanding who was elected, how we’re electing them, why they’re down there, and what they’re legislating. Recovering is simple; it’s ensuring that our banking and financial systems can create new businesses, stabilize new businesses, stabilize the employment sector, and return a large portion of our society to positive growth by encouraging disposable income and ensuring fair prices. 

ABORTION

I go for a whole new policy. I call it miscarriage laws. Miscarriage laws allow us to specifically tailor legislation and identify what we’re talking about and when we’re trying to terminate a child. I think everybody should understand that human life starts at conception. Giving alternative methods to provide for the life of the child is the most positive thing that we should be doing. 

Alex Winkler (Colorado State Party) – DID NOT RESPOND

District-19 Tri-Town/Erie

Jillaire McMillan(D) – ENDORSED

IMMIGRATION

I believe that media literacy, misinformation, and disinformation are top issues we should care about. Everyone has the right to free speech. We need comprehensive immigration reform in this country. We know that we need to secure our border, and we know that there are people who want to come here. 

HOUSING/ HOMELESSNESS

One of the main issues people are bringing up is the rising cost of living, and affordable housing contributes to that. Some of the things that we can do for that would be to look at our zoning laws and see where adjustments can be made.

WAR

I’m in favor of the United States trying to help bring peace to the world. I recognize that sometimes that is a matter of supporting our allies, and so it’s a tricky balance.  

We need to move towards a cease-fire in Gaza because there is a lot of humanitarian suffering there. There has been so much suffering that we need to move towards a peaceful solution that ends the fighting.

SCHOOLS/GUNS/FUNDING

My commitment and my priority is to maintain that fully funded level. Our schools aren’t used to being fully funded, but now they are. I want to make sure that we have a high-quality education.

I support gun reforms that will make our communities and our schools safer while not infringing on the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens.

CLIMATE CHANGE/FIRE

We need to partner appropriately between state and federal land management and municipalities to mitigate the danger by clearing properties properly. 

The oil and gas industry is really important, especially in my district. We know that we need to transition to cleaner energy sources. Fossil fuels are finite and have a negative effect on our environment. 

CRIME

I support law enforcement and back Proposition 130, which will create a $350 million fund for police grants. This will increase salaries, provide hiring and retention bonuses, and fund additional education and training.

I want to ensure officers receive more training on de-escalation and support co-responder programs that pair law enforcement with behavioral health specialists.

ECONOMY

We can address inflation by supporting labor and wages so people can live where they work. Reducing housing costs, preventing grocery price hikes from mergers, and enacting consumer protection laws will help. Increasing healthcare providers will also make a difference.

ABORTION

We must protect women’s right to access the care they need and develop policies that support women, children, and families. It’s discouraging and alarming that some argue this should be a state’s decision. Access to care shouldn’t depend on where you live.

Dan Woog (R) – REFUSED INTERVIEW

District-49 West Boulder

Lesley Smith (D) – ENDORSED

IMMIGRATION

Our job as individuals and as elected officials is to spread the facts. I’m a scientist, so I am very data-based. The bipartisan immigration reform bill sounded ready to pass until the former President told the Republicans not to vote for it. As a result, it did not pass. I hope that, come this election, we have a new administration, and we can work on this seriously and get something done.

HOUSING/ HOMELESSNESS

HD 49’s boundaries are very large and quite diverse. It’s a great bill that passed, where the state requires that individual cities develop a housing plan and how they will implement that.

In my district, especially in the mountain areas, many retirees are worried about increasing property taxes and whether they can stay in their homes.

WAR

I support aid going to the Ukrainians because they’re right next door to the NATO countries. And we’re part of NATO. I don’t want to see it spilling over into NATO countries and starting World War III.

I would like for the President to sit down and work with Hamas, diplomats, and the other Arab countries to come up with a deterrent, free the hostages, and stop the war.

SCHOOLS/GUNS/FUNDING

As a former Boulder Valley School Board member during the Great Recession, I know how hard it is to make cuts. We need to eliminate TABOR. One idea to increase funding is a measure like Amendment C—a five-year timeout for K-12 and higher education.

As for firearms in schools, fortunately, Colorado is a model in this country. It passed some really good gun laws.

CLIMATE CHANGE/FIRE

Fire mitigation is crucial in HD 49. We need block-by-block efforts along the WUI and encourage homeowners to fireproof their homes.

As a scientist with a background in water, I know we were out of compliance with ozone levels this summer. We can address this by holding oil and gas companies accountable for methane emissions.

CRIME

The jail is overcrowded, with many inmates waiting for competency evaluations at state hospitals. We need to work with the unhoused to keep them housed and clean.

In Clear Creek, we recently had the tragic case of a young man killed needlessly by police, and those officers are being retried. We must ensure that officers can’t move from one department to another without any record or accountability.

ECONOMY

At the federal level, we’ve been waiting for the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates, and that’s started. We’ve also provided tax breaks to families with children. I met with Healthy Food Colorado about free school meals, which helps parents by covering breakfast and lunch costs.

ABORTION

I was one of the first people to sign the petition for the ballot measure, and I’m pretty hopeful it will pass. It’s very important that Medicare can cover abortion and abortion procedures. Talking to people at Cobalt and Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, there are so many women coming to the state f that they’re just overwhelmed. I know having that coverage through Medicaid would be very helpful.

Steve Ferrante (R), (SQG)

IMMIGRATION

We need to stop illegal immigration as much as possible to vet people and prevent bad actors from entering the country. 

We should make legal immigration easier. While it’s a contentious issue, I believe states should fully cooperate with federal immigration officials to curb crime and protect citizens.

HOUSING/ HOMELESSNESS

Housing costs are rising due to several factors: the high cost of construction, materials, and the overhead for construction companies.

To support lower-income housing, municipalities should waive fees and possibly contribute land owned by local or state governments for building projects.

WAR

If the Palestinians, Iranians, or others put down their weapons, there would be peace. But if Israel disarmed, there would be war, as others would try to wipe out Israel.

Europe isn’t contributing its fair share to Ukraine. While it’s a global issue, it’s more localized to Europe. Still, with our NATO commitments, we need to do what we can to support our allies.

SCHOOLS/GUNS/FUNDING

We also need to raise the behavioral standards for students. We need to raise the expectations on the way they perform. 

We should have school resource officers and offer training for teachers and staff who want to step up. While I don’t want to turn our schools into military zones, but I want our kids to be as safe as possible.

CLIMATE CHANGE/FIRE

Why can’t we harvest the trees and get this fuel load out of there? It would, for one thing, bring down the cost of lumber and it would make us a lot safer.

If we look at this globally, we need that oil because we need energy. We need to harvest energy from all means possible and to develop new forms of energy and not implement those new forms prematurely.

CRIME

People are concerned about the crime of homelessness. They’re concerned about auto theft and physical assaults, primarily from homeless people. 

We need a mental health system that prevents unnecessary incarceration. Officers must receive high-caliber training, both in the police academy and through ongoing education.

ECONOMY

The government is addicted to spending, and excessive governmental spending contributes to inflation. The government needs to become more responsible in its spending.

When you go to the grocery store, when you pay your house, car  insurance, workers’ comp insurance, and things of that nature, when you have to put gas in your car, the inflationary pressure is real and tangible. The biggest issue is excessive governmental spending.

ABORTION

People can come in from out of state, and then we will have to pay for it. And you’re going to force people who don’t believe in abortion, such as myself to pay for it.

Secondarily, you’re going to take away the rights of parents from having input into the life of their child because it takes away the parental notification aspect of this. 

District-12 East Boulder County

Kyle Brown (D), Incumbent – ENDORSED

IMMIGRATION

Enforcing immigration policies is the federal government’s responsibility. My focus is on keeping the state’s role clear, and I will continue to ensure that everyone in Colorado, regardless of documentation status, is treated with dignity and respect.

I hope a common-sense approach to immigration will acknowledge the vital role newcomers play in our economy and communities, while also helping to enforce our immigration laws.

HOUSING/ HOMELESSNESS

Housing affordability is a top priority for me and the community I represent. I’ve championed policies to increase the supply of affordable housing and will continue to support common-sense solutions to make housing more accessible for families in Boulder County.

WAR

I believe Ukraine and Israel can defend themselves from aggression, but all parties in conflict must abide by international law. However, this issue is beyond the scope of the state office I currently hold.

SCHOOLS/GUNS/FUNDING

I’ve made school funding a top priority in the legislature. I supported ending the budget stabilization factor, which brings state education funding up to the Constitution’s requirements. 

I fight every day in the legislature for common-sense gun violence prevention, including leading efforts on a bill that prohibited  guns in  preschools and on college campuses in Colorado.

CLIMATE-CHANGE/FIRE

Wildfire resiliency and recovery have been central to my work at the statehouse. I’ve passed eight pieces of legislation to help lower rebuilding costs, expand insurance options, keep people in their homes with reverse mortgages, and provide a sales tax refund for rebuilding.

I sponsored legislation that will ensure that people can build their homes and fences with fire-resistant materials.

CRIME

We need to address crime and criminal justice in ways that prevent issues long-term. For too long, the criminal justice system has relied on mass incarceration, disproportionately impacting communities of color.

No one should fear interventions by law enforcement because of the color of their skin or where they live. Police officers need to be accountable to our laws on the books. 

ECONOMY 

We have an affordability crisis. We need to make healthcare, housing, food, and other essentials more affordable for working families in Colorado. The government can help build a vibrant economy where everyone can succeed, and everyone should contribute their fair share to the resources and services we all rely on.

ABORTION

Abortion is healthcare, and I will continue to ensure everyone in Colorado has access to both abortion and reproductive care. I support the ballot initiative to roll back the prohibition on using public funds for abortion care because access to basic healthcare shouldn’t depend on wealth.

Mark Milliman (R)

IMMIGRATION

The federal government is failing to enforce immigration policies, and that’s not up for debate. This is having a significant negative impact on Colorado. We have our own people to care for and other challenges to address in the state.

Unfortunately, this isn’t misinformation; it has impacted crime. It’s impacted trafficking, including child sex trafficking, and it has increased the flow of drugs.

HOUSING/ HOMELESSNESS

Housing is one of the top issues. The government has been a major contributor to the increase in the cost of housing. We need to change the zoning, make it easier to build houses, especially less expensive houses. 

We need to get them the social services they need and career counseling so that they can get a job, a stable place to live for a while, substance abuse treatment that they may need, and mental health care. 

WAR

We’re not given enough information to make informed and knowledgable decisions about these conflicts. The situation in Ukraine needs to end. We should stop funneling billions into the military-industrial complex.

We need to realize that in the Middle East, the situation with Israel and Hezbollah, neither one of them wants a two-state solution. So, when we talk about a two-state solution, that is unacceptable. 

SCHOOLS/GUNS/FUNDING

We spend a lot per capita or per pupil on students. It’s not necessarily more money, but how we use and apply the money matters. They’re expanding the role of their schools, we need to educate our kids. 

School safety starts at creating a good environment and a healthy economic environment. The other thing to provide safety is parental accountability, and that includes parental rights. 

CLIMATE-CHANGE/FIRE

The truth is that most of the fires that start are man-made causes.  We weren’t doing a good job with mitigation for a long time. ??So, we need to continue investing in fire mitigation in the county. 

It doesn’t behoove the oil and gas industry to have an environmental mess because it costs them money to clean it up. So, my take is to use the right fuel for the right job and do it responsibly.

CRIME

Whether crime is decreasing or increasing doesn’t matter—it’s still above traditional levels. My biggest concern is drug trafficking and human trafficking, especially of children, which many people like to think doesn’t exist in Boulder.

I’m a strong supporter of law enforcement. Unfortunately, they’re doing a very tough job in a very tough environment. Having said that, I have no tolerance for any law enforcement officer who steps across the line. 

ECONOMY

Technically, inflation isn’t falling—prices are still rising, though the rate is slowing. We need to tighten our belts because overspending contributes to inflation. All of the regulations (all of these things that we think are helpful) that the government does end up increasing costs. Even the increase of the minimum wage in Boulder County has an impact. 

ABORTION

Asking taxpayers to fund abortion is wrong, and forcing insurance companies to cover it isn’t the role of the Constitution—that’s for the legislature to decide. This issue is going to continue to divide us even farther apart. We need to start coming back again and start believing in the same things.

District-10 Boulder

Junie Joseph (D) – ENDORSED

IMMIGRATION

Immigration is very important to our economy. Our job at the state level is to educate one another. My job is to ensure that Coloradans are protected, no matter their immigration status. We strive to ensure that there is no discrimination at the state level.

HOUSING/TAXES/HOMELESSNESS

We need to ensure housing is not substandard for community members. Additionally, we must address middle-income housing, as Boulder’s high costs make it unaffordable for teachers, firefighters, and police. I will continue to support tax credits to fund affordable and middle-income housing as the vice chair of finance.

WAR

My job is to ensure that I am a good legislator for everyone, whether you’re from Russia, Ukraine, Gaza, or Israel. My job is to ensure that everyone in our community feels supported.

SCHOOLS/GUNS/FUNDING

Education is the bedrock of our democracy. I supported a bill that provided more equitable funding through the state. 

I am working on a bill that will protect gun violence protection. But we also have to protect our kids when it comes to mental health.

CLIMATE-CHANGE/FIRE

During my first session, we passed two bills to buy two helicopters to help with fires. We also have to keep educating community members on how not to start fires in open space and provide more funding for fire-hardening their homes.

CRIME

Most people are good and decent. If someone falls into crime, the question is how we have supported them as a society and as a community. We need to raise the minimum wage and help people reintegrate into the community after committing a crime.

ECONOMY

Food costs more at the grocery stores, and something must be done. We have passed tax credits for single parents so they can afford more.

The price of gas is way too high. I  passed a bill, House Bill 24-1272, that gives money to community members who want to buy e-bikes and electric vehicles.

ABORTION

I believe that reproductive rights are human rights. Not only do we need to do the work on abortion rights, we also need to work on reproductive justice. What that means is that we have to protect women when it comes to infant mortality and maternal health.

William B. DeOreo(R) – DID NOT RESPOND

District-32 Adams, Unopposed

Manny Rutinel (D), Incumbent – ENDORSED

IMMIGRATION

It is our duty as legislators, to make sure we are correcting the facts, to make sure we are crafting policies that end up benefiting people as opposed to crafting policies that pertain to, let’s say misinformation in the broader public.

HOUSING/TAXES/HOMELESSNESS

Housing affordability is complicated on two fronts: First, we need to significantly increase the supply of affordable housing. Second, we must address demand by providing relief to those facing eviction and ensuring welfare programs are available for working families..

WAR 

Refused Answer

SCHOOLS/GUNS/FUNDING

We have a limited supply of resources, but we can still ask voters for additional funds to support teachers and programs. Regarding school safety, we must address gun legislation and propose measures that tackle the mental health issues related to gun violence.

CRIME 

We need to confront crime directly. My approach is to be tough on the root causes of crime—addressing the factors that lead to socially inappropriate behavior. We must ensure people have the resources for food, housing, and healthcare.

ECONOMY

On the demand side, we need to provide working families with the resources to put food on the table and a roof over their heads. Expanding the earned income tax credit would give families a significant rebate, allowing them to address various challenges.

ABORTION

I believe abortion is a civil right. Such rights shouldn’t be left to the whims of state politicians; they must be protected at every level to ensure access to essential reproductive healthcare centers.

District-35 Westminster

Lorena Garcia (D), Incumbent – ENDORSED

IMMIGRATION

The federal and state government and even local governments have an obligation to make sure that whatevers said about our communities is factual. It’s really disappointing to see that local elected officials and state and national elected officials are only fueling the flames of what is really dangerous messing with information. 

HOUSING/TAXES/HOMELESSNESS

We need to build partnerships between state, interstate contacts, and local communities to ensure long-term services for the unhoused. We should learn from Denver’s mistakes and never resort to violent sweeps of the unhoused again.

WAR

I prefer not to spend over a third of our federal budget on the Department of Defense. Military aid to Israel should stop, and a ceasefire is necessary to pursue a diplomatic solution for Palestinian sovereignty while ensuring Israel’s continued existence without Netanyahu at the helm.

SCHOOLS/GUNS/FUNDING

We need to repeal TABOR. As long as it exists, we’ll struggle to operate effectively. Our state budget is high, and we have significant wealth that we can’t fully utilize until TABOR is eliminated or significantly reformed.

CLIMATE-CHANGE/FIRE

We are making progress in fire mitigation, but we must protect our planet, especially as Colorado becomes drier. It’s essential to focus on both short- and long-term mitigation strategies that prioritize our environment. We need to be unafraid to pursue an aggressive transition plan.

CRIME

We’ve passed bills to strip immunity from police, but we need to ensure they aren’t finding workarounds to maintain it. After shooting someone, officers shouldn’t just receive paid administrative leave—it’s not accountability. There must be firm consequences for their actions.

ECONOMY

I argue that our free market system harms the economy because it prioritizes profiteering over families’ financial well-being and their ability to thrive. For a strong society, we need to eliminate price gouging and prevent taking advantage of situations for profit.

ABORTION

There must be absolute protection for abortion; it should never be banned. We cannot eliminate one vital healthcare service while protecting another that often leads to the need for abortions. 

Lee J Knoll (R) – DID NOT RESPOND

District-34, Thornton 

Jenny Wolford (D), Incumbent – ENDORSED

HOUSING/TAXES/HOMELESSNESS

I support policies that expand affordable housing through tax credits, public-private partnerships, and zoning reforms. First-time homebuyer assistance is crucial for low- and middle-income families. We need collaboration among local, regional, and state governments to coordinate housing strategies, including addressing homelessness with supportive services and affordable housing development. I also advocate for increased funding for mental health services, addiction treatment, and permanent supportive housing to address the root causes of homelessness.

WAR

Refused Answer

CRIME

I support community policing initiatives that foster trust between law enforcement and residents, particularly in high-crime areas. As a member of the Community Engagement Team (CET), I’ve seen its positive impact and advocate for its expansion. School Resource Officers, who are highly trained—including in mental health—collaborate with school districts in HD31, building trust among students, law enforcement, and the community. 

ECONOMY

I support tax relief measures for working families, such as property tax reductions and increased child tax credits. Focusing on workforce development and offering incentives for businesses to create good-paying jobs, especially in clean energy and technology, is essential. I advocate for lower taxes and grants to help small businesses facing inflation. I support the continuation of federal assistance programs like food stamps and unemployment benefits for those still affected by inflation.

ABORTION

I support Colorado’s proposed measure to allow public funds for abortion services and ensure abortion coverage is included in health insurance plans. I will continue to advocate for federal legislation that codifies the right to abortion nationwide, ensuring access regardless of state laws. I stand firmly against efforts to ban or restrict abortion access and support a woman’s right to make decisions about her own health care.

Audio recording issues on Immigration, Schools and Climate Change. Rather than misrepresent the candidate’s positions, we chose to leave these out.

Craig Sullivan (R ) – DID NOT RESPOND

District-31 Thornton

Jacqueline “Jacque” Phillips (D), (SQG)

HOUSING/TAXES/HOMELESSNESS

 support policies that expand affordable housing through tax credits, public-private partnerships, and zoning reforms. First-time homebuyer assistance is vital for low- and middle-income families. We need collaboration among local, regional, and state governments to address homelessness and coordinate housing strategies. Additionally, I advocate for increased funding for mental health services, addiction treatment, and permanent supportive housing to tackle homelessness’s root causes.

WAR

Refused Answer

CRIME

I support community policing initiatives that foster trust between law enforcement and residents, particularly in high-crime areas. As a member of the Community Engagement Team (CET), I’ve seen its positive impact and advocate for its expansion. School Resource Officers, who are highly trained in mental health, partner with schools in HD31, building trust among students, law enforcement, and the community.

ECONOMY

I support tax relief for working families through property tax cuts and increased child tax credits. We must focus on workforce development and incentivize businesses to create good-paying jobs, especially in clean energy and technology. I advocate for lower taxes and grants for small businesses facing inflation and support continued federal assistance programs like food stamps and unemployment benefits for those affected by inflation.

ABORTION

I support Colorado’s measure to use public funds for abortion services and ensure coverage in health insurance plans. I will advocate for federal legislation to codify the right to abortion nationwide, ensuring access regardless of state laws. I firmly oppose efforts to ban or restrict abortion and support a woman’s right to make decisions about her healthcare.

Audio recording issues on Immigration, Schools and Climate Change. Rather than misrepresent the candidate’s positions, we chose to leave these out.

Heidi Pitchforth (R) – DID NOT RESPOND

STATE SENATE

District-23 Adams to Weld

Barbara Kirkmeyer (R) – DID NOT RESPOND

Joseph Bobko (write in) – Did not schedule interview in time.

District-17 Longmont, Erie to Lafayette

Sonya Jaquez Lewis (D), Incumbent – ENDORSED

IMMIGRATION

We’ve provided humanitarian services and resources to support those in need, demonstrating Colorado’s caring and compassionate nature. I want to continue exemplifying these values in the state senate.

HOUSING/TAXES/HOMELESSNESS

I wrote an affordable housing bill focused on ancillary dwelling units (ADUs) and we need to explore various segments of affordable housing. If we can have an administration like Kamala Harris and Tim Walz that offers a $25,000 tax credit for homeowners, that would be a great start.

WAR

I do believe that Israel has a right to defend their country, but the carnage has been horrific, and I would like to see an immediate ceasefire. The hostages that are still being held should be released.

SCHOOLS/GUNS/FUNDING

Colorado has woefully underfunded public education. I have a 100% rating from the Colorado Education Association and fully support maximizing funding for schools. However, our ability to fund education is limited by the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, and I would like to see that modified to ensure proper funding for public education.

CLIMATE CHANGE

Constituents have contacted me about their homeowner’s insurance being canceled due to living in a wildfire urban interface, which increases their wildfire risk. We need to do more to protect these homeowners and address those being left behind regarding insurance. This is an issue I plan to work on in January if I’m reelected.

CRIME

I’m guided by data driven policy and taking a look at outcomes in similar situations and what can we learn from that. A crime I’m concerned about is what is happening in the schools. I would like to see us do more around acceptance and inclusion in the school system so that students feel safe.

ECONOMY

A recent report shows that facility fees at Colorado hospitals and clinics have risen significantly above the cost of living. I’d like to take a look at lowering facility fee costs for those that are receiving health care. 

ABORTION

I support reinstating the rights established in Roe v. Wade, which were reversed by the Dobbs decision, leading us in the wrong direction. I fully back Amendment 79 on the Colorado ballot, which will provide state employees with access to reproductive health and abortion services.

Tom Van Lone (R)

IMMIGRATION

State government gotta follow the precedent set in the laws by the federal government. They should all work together starting with the governor’s office and ICE and the immigration offices of the federal departments of all of that. You can’t make your own policy. You must support the feds.

HOUSING/TAXES/HOMELESSNESS

The government needs to work together, but every new law raises housing costs and the overall cost of living. We have too many laws that do little but increase expenses—700 were introduced last year at the state level. This is a waste of time, and we should cut the Department of Regulatory Agencies in half.

WAR

Ukraine is a product of the war machine, and I do not support the war there. I advocate for ending the conflict by any means necessary and would have wanted a ceasefire yesterday to address the situation. We need better negotiators, as the current ones aren’t getting the job done.

SCHOOLS/GUNS/FUNDING

Our schools are consistently underfunded, but I propose leveraging technology to enhance education. Each child should have the opportunity to interact with AI programming at their own level. We learned during COVID that online learning is effective, and I believe we can tailor a curriculum to individual needs using technology.

CLIMATE-CHANGE/FIRE

I want our ecosystem to be cleaner than ever, as it seems we’ve overlooked cleaning up highways and other areas. Colorado is doing well with rebates for various energy sources and will improve its funding efforts. Technology will dictate the pace of electrification, but I remain optimistic about the future.

CRIME

Most crime stems from varying social and economic strata. The solution lies in technology and education. Technology can facilitate learning in the comfort of one’s home, alleviating discomfort in traditional classroom settings. A better curriculum that openly addresses the effects of crime and drugs could be beneficial.

ECONOMY

Government actions contribute to inflation. Supply and demand is what a capitalistic society runs on. Any regulations that disrupt this balance can lead to inflation or deflation. If elected to the Senate, I will work to reverse many actions that cause inflation.

ABORTION

Abortion should be a federally protected issue, similar to the Second Amendment. While I prefer not to use tax funds, I also oppose raising welfare-babies. I’m concerned about the number of abortions and question whether we understand the causes of pregnancy. However, I’m optimistic about the future and believe technology will once again save humanity.

District-18 Boulder

Judy Amabile (D), Incumbent – ENDORSED

IMMIGRATION

We have to help people, do what we can to ensure that they have a place to be and food, and not be vilified.

HOUSING/TAXES/HOMELESSNESS

I sponsored the bill for accessory dwelling units that integrate rental units into single-family zones, creating naturally affordable housing. We need to protect renters by ensuring access to legal counsel. For individuals with serious mental illness or addiction issues, treatment should be provided in supportive settings, such as hospitals or residential care.

WAR

I’m for peace everywhere. I certainly wanna see that the people in Israel are safe and protected, and I certainly wanna see that the people in Gaza are safe and protected.

SCHOOLS/GUNS/FUNDING

I have promoted and sponsored gun violence prevention bills and supported all such measures passed in the legislature over the past four years. While we face limitations on revenue collection, we’ve implemented creative workarounds, including collecting fees that have been helpful. However, there is still much more to do.

CLIMATE-CHANGE/FIRE

We’ve invested in fire mitigation, which I believe will yield results. We also purchased two firefighting helicopters for quicker state responses to emerging fires, helping us extinguish them sooner. Additionally, we’ve passed funding measures to support firefighters and train more individuals to become firefighters.

CRIME

We need to develop crime prevention tools. While most individuals with mental illness are nonviolent, those living on the streets often have serious conditions. We aren’t doing enough to get them the care they need. Establishing a continuum of care is essential to provide help before they end up in the criminal justice system.

ECONOMY

We need to make sure that healthcare is affordable. We have to create more affordable housing so that people are spending less of their income. We should have local control over minimum wage, and wages have to come up. We have to do that in a thoughtful way that doesn’t hurt the business community. But we have to make strides towards raising wages so that people have a fighting chance.

ABORTION

I think Colorado is really leading the way because this ballot measure not only says you can get an abortion, but it also says we can help you access abortion care. We should be doing what we can to help people from other states– who don’t have the protections that we have– to get access to abortion care.

Gary Swing (Unity Party) – FAVORITE

IMMIGRATION

Freedom of travel and migration is a natural human right, regardless of borders. Everyone should be treated fairly under the law, regardless of citizenship status. I support reasonable pathways to asylum, legal residency, and citizenship in the U.S., along with legislation to facilitate this.

HOUSING/TAXES/HOMELESSNESS

Increasing residential capacity and density in Colorado to tackle the affordable housing crisis, as well as ending the state prohibition on local rent control is imperative. We should leverage new federal guidelines allowing states to use Medicaid for housing and food. The high cost of housing is the leading cause of homelessness in Colorado.

WAR

I oppose U.S. foreign military aid and believe the country should focus solely on non-offensive defense of its territory. I’m pro-human rights and support a one-state system with proportional representation. Schools should include conflict resolution education to teach respect and empathy among individuals.

SCHOOLS/GUNS/FUNDING

I support public funding for education at all levels, along with empathy and conflict resolution training in schools. I advocate for gun-free school zones and addressing mental health issues to combat the culture of violence in our country. Nonviolent training is essential in education at every level.

CLIMATE CHANGE

A significant factor in climate change is the displacement of native wildlife populations by humans. We must develop an ecologically sustainable economy and society that enables people to live within planetary boundaries, ensuring life on Earth can thrive. I support transitioning to alternative transportation modes and advancing renewable energy development.

CRIME

Drug use should be viewed as a health issue rather than a crime. Individuals imprisoned for non-violent offenses should receive compassionate treatment through drug education and rehabilitation programs, allowing law enforcement to focus on violent crimes.

ECONOMY

I support transitioning to an environmentally sustainable economy that includes pollution taxes to reflect environmental impact costs, balanced by a guaranteed minimum income. It’s essential to ensure people have enough income to cover basic living expenses—housing, healthcare, public education, and transportation. We need a robust safety net to lift families out of poverty.

ABORTION

I support constitutional amendments both at the state and national level to guarantee a woman a safe legal abortion. I support public funding for birth control, family planning programs, and age-appropriate sex education in public schools. I don’t think the U.S. government or other state governments should have a role in regulating abortion.

District-19 Westminster

Lindsey Daugherty (D), Incumbent – DID NOT RESPOND

Sam Bandimere (R) – DID NOT RESPOND

Ryan Van Gundy (L)

IMMIGRATION

They should release all the statistics that can be provided to the American people. There are a lot of things that need to be discovered and corrected. There are not a lot of statistics that fall within the FBI standards. A lot states don’t report, especially sanctuary states, they don’t report a lot to the federal agencies. There’s always a little bit of misinformation, but immigration policy shouldn’t be as difficult as it is anyway. 

I don’t think it [The immigration bill] went far enough. It was more like a money laundering thing, like most of our federal government does. What we need is a comprehensive thing that makes an easier path to citizenship. But we do need a sovereign border at the same time and that, that legislation really did nothing to resolve that. 

HOUSING/TAXES/HOMELESSNESS

We’ve been seeing this since the Gallagher Act got repealed, and the cost of living has skyrocketed here. So we need to reinstate that if we could, or something way better than that. We can also work on the property taxes. What you purchase your house at is how much you should pay. You should pay that much in taxes. If you refinance, you could get a new tax adjustment. 

We can’t just always say housing is the only thing is that everybody needs because homelessness is not a one-size-fits-all issue. Some people are homeless because they have addiction problems. Some people are homeless because they need job and housing resources or have mental health issues. If we don’t build all those pillars, we will never be effective in helping. We have to get the state resources down there to the local governments to help.

WAR

I’m not an isolationist, but I do believe that we should have a strong, sovereign military. We should not be getting involved in other people’s conflicts. If you’re funding people, then you might might as well be involved in the war yourself. With all of these wars and the things going on in Ukraine and Israel, nobody has really tried diplomacy.

War sucks. It’s awful for everybody involved. I don’t know any way that Israel could handle that without always being the victim of being attacked by Hamas. I don’t know what collateral damage they could do differently. I wish that they could get a ceasefire, but they’re not working with the best of actors to try to adjudicate that. I have no right to tell these other people how they can defend themselves.

SCHOOLS/GUNS/FUNDING

We have a lot of taxes that should already be allocated for schools. We need to make sure that the money is going the way it needs to go. Sadly, we shouldn’t have to have active shooter drills. That being said, we need to fund schools and stop making them self-targets. We need to make sure the money is going to them. 

CLIMATE-CHANGE/FIRE

The climate is changing but we also lost a lot of our forest management systems. We don’t really do the things that we used to do back in the day. Whenever something goes off it’s always way worse than what it should have been and we definitely need a better firefighter response. They kill it but we need to get them better resources so that way they can handle these fires more rapidly.

We don’t have the best breathable air here, so climate change is definitely affecting Colorado. We need a more robust energy system, so we’re not so reliant on natural gas and things like that. That may help down help to cut the fires down a little bit. But I don’t know if that’s the be-all angle that could fix such a thing.

CRIME

We need to help our police department and give them the resources. Probably focus more on victim crimes instead of victimless crimes. The resources are stretched thin, just pulling people over for speeding tickets and things like that. That way, they can just focus more on stopping crimes and being more out in the presence of the community.

We have to start holding the union accountable. People are being stopped, like the poor Elijah McClain. I mean, he was stopped for no reason, just because he was in the wrong place. That’s a victimless crime. He can be whatever the heck he wants. I don’t know why the police were even interacting with him. If they’re not held accountable, the families and the victims should be recompensed for it. 

ECONOMY

We need a federal amendment that forces our government to balance the budget and not just print money. They’re the only ones that create inflation. They print the money, they’re the only ones with the purse strength. As the cost of everything goes up they get more revenue. 

ABORTION

I don’t think anything should be covered under public funds, but I also don’t think that the government or citizens have any right to force or deny health care to anybody. If abortion is what you need, then nobody has a right to tell you that you can’t have that.

COLORADO STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION & CU REGENTS QUESTIONS

IN-STATE ENROLLMENT

• CU Boulder has a lower percentage of in-state students than many comparable public universities in other states. What is your stance on prioritizing enrollment for Colorado residents versus out-of-state or international students at CU-Boulder?

CURRICULUM

• Should CU adopt a faster-track curriculum to help highly motivated students graduate earlier to enter the workforce or maintain a more traditional, core-course model?

DIVERSITY/PROTESTS

• How do you plan to maintain a diverse class of students at CU, both in terms of identity and ideology? Where do you plan to draw the line when dealing with protests on campus or at campus events?

TUITION COST

• Soaring higher education costs are important for many voters with children they hope to send to college and for young people who hope to go. How do you plan to ensure tuition remains affordable for Colorado families?

RESEARCH

• How can CU advance research and innovation in industries important to the state?

SUSTAINABILITY

• What role should CU play as a leader in sustainability and climate initiatives within the state of Colorado?

COLORADO STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION, DISTRICT 2

UNOPPOSED

Kathy Gebhardt, (D) – ENDORSED

EDUCATIONAL EQUALITY

I see it as an opportunity gap, not an achievement gap. Funding is key to offering equal opportunities to students at risk of lower academic outcomes. We need to invest in programs like Career and Technical Education (CTE), art, music, and sports to keep students engaged. The focus should be on expanding opportunities for all students, not just closing gaps in test scores.

CURRICULUM STANDARDS  

The State Board establishes standards, while curriculum decisions are made locally. We are focused on ensuring that standards promote post-secondary and workforce readiness (PWR). I support CTE programs and believe school districts should receive credit for strong PWR initiatives. St. Vrain Valley’s CTE and Innovation Center exemplify how to prepare students for future careers.

SCHOOL FUNDING

Every school is underfunded; the question is by how much. Facility funding can be addressed with one-time resources like tax rebates, but operational funding requires ongoing support. TABOR limits our revenue-raising ability, and the current budget won’t resolve the issue. We may need to ask voters for additional taxes to fully support public education and address operational shortfalls.

TEACHER RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION

Paying teachers a living wage is essential, but we also need strong support systems, such as mentoring programs for new teachers. First- to third-year teachers should have a safe space to ask questions and receive feedback outside of evaluations. Mentorships can enhance teacher retention by fostering supportive relationships and professional growth.

PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT

Parent engagement is crucial. While on the Boulder Valley School Board, I helped establish the BVSD Community Leadership Academy for parents to learn about district operations. We also launched BVSD Connects, holding sessions in schools twice a year to listen to parents. Additionally, parents can join district and school accountability committees, and we ensure bilingual families are represented through Spanish-language groups.

SCHOOL CHOICE

I support both public and charter schools. District 2 has strong charter schools, and I believe in school choice. Unfortunately, the tension between traditional public schools and charters has become adversarial. I wish we could shift the focus to working together for the benefit of all students.

CU Board of Regents

Elliott Hood (D) – ENDORSED

IN-STATE ENROLLMENT

CU is subject to state law, which requires that a majority of our students come from in-state rather than out-of-state or international backgrounds. I support that law.

CURRICULUM

I support faster pathways for students who wish to graduate early, saving time and money while reducing student debt. I also back concurrent enrollment for high school students to earn college credits before attending CU, and community college transfers should receive maximum credit for their completed courses.

DIVERSITY

This is a major priority for me. The Regents recently passed a comprehensive diversity, equity, and inclusion policy that commits the university to these issues and requires campuses to develop specific plans to meet diversity goals. The Regents will review these plans to hold the university accountable and ensure budgeting supports these objectives.

I believe in the right to protest, but those using university property must adhere to rules governing the time, manner, and place of protests. These rules ensure protests don’t disrupt classes or access to buildings and must be applied equally, regardless of the message. As long as the rules are followed, I support free expression.

TUITION COST

This is my top priority. I view this challenge as not just about tuition, but also reducing overall education costs and student debt. Some ideas include: locking in tuition rates, increasing affordable housing, lowering material costs, and expanding the endowment. We must control the frequency and amount of tuition increases while maintaining expected academic programming.

RESEARCH

We must ensure our research aligns with the state’s needs and goals by collaborating with stakeholders in government, industry, and academia to identify areas for impactful research. Our programs and resources should be tailored to address these needs.

SUSTAINABILITY

We need to enhance our research on sustainability and climate solutions. As a leader in this area, CU must commit to becoming more sustainable as an institution. This includes reducing energy use, transitioning to renewable sources, and aiming for carbon neutrality in the coming decades. Many universities and companies have made this commitment, and CU should follow suit.

Eric Rinard (R) – QUALIFIED

IN-STATE ENROLLMENT

There is  some nuance in this issue. As a former in-state student myself, I believe it’s crucial to maximize the number of qualified in-state students admitted across all campuses, including Boulder.

CURRICULUM

I have no objection to a faster track for students capable of taking on more credit hours per semester. Flexibility can benefit those ready to move into the workforce sooner.

TUITION COST

Tuition is currently unaffordable, influenced by various factors beyond the university’s control. I will carefully evaluate any actions by the Regents that could lead to cost increases and tuition hikes. My goal is to explore alternatives and work toward lowering those costs.

DIVERSITY/PROTESTS

The university should do more to welcome diverse viewpoints. While CU aims to align its enrollment demographics with the state’s population, we can enhance efforts to attract diverse student applicants. True diversity in higher education begins with strong preparatory programs like P-TECH, which enables high school students to earn college credits or even an associate’s degree.

Free speech is a core American value, but interrupting someone else’s speech is not protected. To enjoy your own right to free speech, you must respect the speech rights of others.

RESEARCH

The university recently achieved a record in research funding, primarily from the government. However, I would like to see more collaboration with private industry to support research. We should explore expanding our partnerships to benefit key industries further.

SUSTAINABILITY 

CU has many opportunities to advance research that improves everyday life. I’m a big fan of electric vehicles (EVs)—they’re clean, quiet, and efficient—but I have concerns about lithium batteries due to their expense and short lifespan. I’d like to see more research into alternative energy forms and better battery technology, such as the promising “million-mile battery.”

TJ Cole (Unity) – QUALIFIED

IN-STATE ENROLLMENT

We should focus on making CU the top choice for Colorado students. Building strong connections with local high schools is crucial for improving enrollment. While programs like ASSET are already in place, we need to enhance outreach to rural areas and inner-city communities to ensure their students have access to CU.

CURRICULUM

I believe CU already provides flexibility for individual learners. There are pathways for motivated students to graduate sooner if they choose, while more traditional options remain for others. I think the current system already accommodates both approaches.

DIVERSITY/PROTESTS

The most important thing we can do is improve collaboration with inner-city and rural communities. Expanding the ASSET program to these areas will help ensure students from diverse backgrounds have access to CU. By increasing opportunities for earning college credits early, students are more likely to continue their education at CU, which will help us maintain a diverse and inclusive student body.

I believe in the first amendment and support protests as long as they are peaceful and safe for the community.

TUITION COST

A key part of my platform is fiscal prudence—ensuring we use public dollars efficiently. We can keep tuition manageable for in-state students by expanding collaborations with local high school districts through ASSET programs. This allows juniors and seniors to take college credits early, reducing the amount of time they spend in college and, ultimately, the total cost of their education.

RESEARCH

CU is already a leading research institution in the Western region, and we need to continue building on that. Supporting our professors and ensuring they have the resources and funding they need is key. By fostering more innovative ideas, we can strengthen CU’s role in driving research that benefits Colorado’s industries.

SUSTAINABILITY

CU can leverage its research capabilities and maintain fiscal responsibility to be a leader in sustainability. This includes ensuring we don’t overuse natural resources and converting older buildings into more eco-friendly facilities. By being mindful of our spending and resource use, CU can continue to lead in sustainability efforts.

Thomas Reasoner (Approval Voting Party) – DID NOT RESPOND

TOWN OF ERIE MUNICIPAL ELECTION QUESTIONS

DEI

• The town has made significant efforts to be an inclusive employer. What are your plans to continue supporting and expanding these programs?

BUDGET

• How would you help/propose the town manage capital improvements while maintaining fiscal discipline?

OIL AND GAS/RED TAIL RIDGE-TWO QUESTIONS

• O&G isn’t going away. What steps would you take to ensure public health and environmental safety With Erie growing as much as it has and future developments on the horizon/planned?
• Red Tail Ridge is a development proposed on an old Oil and Gas field, do you approve of this development or oppose it and if so, why?

OPEN SPACE

• What is your plan for growing and maintaining open space in Erie?

DEVELOPMENT/AFFORDABLE HOUSING

• Describe how you would work collaboratively with the Planning Commission and Planning Department to encourage developers to submit proposals for strategic & sustainable growth. How would you communicate those plans to the community in an effort to educate and inform them?
• Describe how you would work collaboratively with the Planning Commission and Planning Department to encourage developers to submit proposals for strategic & sustainable growth. How would you communicate those plans to the community in an effort to educate and inform them?

PUBLIC TRANSIT

• Erie has weak public transit options with very limited availability. What would you do to improve those choices for residents?
• How do you plan to poll voters on their desires around public transport?

*In full transparency, the publisher, Shavonne Blades, has lived in Erie for more than 30 years. She is involved in the community and the local elections. It matters to her who is representing her. We have noted which candidates she personally supports, however the Editorial Board refrained from endorsement to maintain division.

Mayor

Justin Brooks, Incumbent – *Publisher Endorsement

DEI

We are very proud that we’ve been able to embed not only our hiring or training but also our retention policies. We have incorporated a diversity, equity, and inclusion officer into our HR department, and we have regular classes that we send our staff and senior staff to teach them how to navigate crucial conversations and provide feedback.

BUDGET

We prioritize the projects that are most important or highest on the list and consider the cost of waiting to have them done later versus having them done later.

OIL AND GAS/RED TAIL RANCH

At this time, we have no intention of creating a heavy industrial zone in the town, so that said, there will not be any new oil and gas applications approved under my administration.

I did not approve of it [Redtail Ranch] based on the many risks surrounding it. There were oil and gas pads to the north, a landfill to the east, a landfill to the West, and toxic dumping sites. IBM, I think, was a Superfund site at one time. He was just nearing as well, and I think that the residential development sighting at that location was not well thought out.

OPEN SPACE

Today the Planning Commission and the town council don’t have a lot of direct collaboration when it comes to strategy and planning and those types of things and they’re developing a comp plan they do have an opportunity to engage with the council to give feedback on elements.

DEVELOPMENT/AFFORDABLE HOUSING

For those who know me, my last campaign and monitored the various initiatives since I was elected, affordable housing is deeply important to me and I think that having the ability to not only purchase or rent to put a roof over your family’s head it’s important for you to not be distressed in your home for you to be able to put food on your table and pay your bills at the same time is extremely important.

PUBLIC TRANSIT

That’s another area that’s deeply important to us. Erie High School is the only high school in the school district that is not on an RTD public right of way, so it’s not served by public transit that’s a problem, and we’ve been working with RTD and with CDOT to increase the transit quality in our area.

Andrew Moore – REFUSED INTERVIEW

We sent Mr. Moore a list of topics we would be discussing; Mr Moore’s response to our writer was as follows, “Thanks for reconnecting.  After reviewing the original request, I noticed that the topics are not focused on Erie. Can you clarify the questions?”

Our publisher responded, but we did not receive any further correspondence after this.

DISTRICT 1

John Mortellaro – DID NOT RESPOND

Andrew Sawusch, Incumbent – DID NOT RESPOND

Anil Pesaramelli  – *Publisher Endorsement

DEI

The town needs to hire talent from other places. As of now, Erie is in the top 50 best places to work. It is important to have a place where people can work and live, so affordable housing is important.

BUDGET

The bottom line is to have a place where people can work and live, so providing actions for affordable housing also helps them come back, and this can be done through grants and at the state level.

OIL AND GAS/RED TAIL RIDGE

Oil and gas is not going away, and we need to find ways to coexist with them by ensuring proper maintenance and enforcement of existing wells. I’m opposed to any development over existing wells and believe we should address any contamination and damage that has already occurred. Open spaces and parks are vital for quality of life, and we must work to preserve them.

OPEN SPACE

I engage in conversations at various levels and remain open to input. As a good listener and a professional engineer, problem-solving is part of my daily routine. I aim to bring that approach to the community, encouraging the public to join in solving these issues.

DEVELOPMENT/AFFORDABLE HOUSING

This is a great question and one I’m passionate about. My son is graduating from CU Boulder and has said, “Dad, I think I need the basement. I’m looking for a job but need somewhere to live.” This situation highlights that many people are in the same boat. The city has acquired more land for affordable housing, which I fully support. Many seniors also want to downsize but find it challenging.

PUBLIC TRANSIT

I’ve talked to some city staff about the transportation issue. RTD is doing studies, but not every road in Erie is part of them. Some things are currently being worked on, and my voice will be part of that as well.

Richard Garcia  – *Publisher Endorsement

DEI

The town has made a lot of progress in hiring people of color. One of the things that I want to contribute once I get on the council is to conduct more conversations around diversity, equity, and inclusion, not just for the city employees but also as community support conversations.

BUDGET

Our general operating budget includes about 10 or 11 funds, with capital improvements being one of them. Approximately 53% of this budget is generated from sales and property taxes, while the rest comes from other sources. I want to explore ways to increase the capital improvement fund without depleting general operating funds, and I plan to collaborate with city staff and trustees on this.

OIL AND GAS/RED TAIL RIDGE

I propose creating a larger presence to influence policy by forming a task force of citizens and council members, and hiring a lobbyist to advocate with our state legislature. This will help us influence legislation that protects our city from unsafe activities in our community.

I oppose Redtail Ridge because they consider retail as part of their affordable housing plan. I believe we shouldn’t place people near a toxic dump.

OPEN SPACE

I would engage the community by holding town meetings to inform them and gather input on decisions related to this topic.

DEVELOPMENT/AFFORDABLE HOUSING

The school district is one of the largest employers in Erie, yet our teachers cannot afford to live here. When considering diversity and inclusivity, the high cost of housing is a significant barrier to enhancing both in the town of Erie.

PUBLIC TRANSIT

I’m unsure of the current involvement with the original transportation systems, but we need to establish our own transportation system, especially as we consider constructing town centers.

DISTRICT 2

Dan Hoback, Incumbent – *Publisher Endorsement

DEI

I want to retain the existing staff because there remains a segment of the town that is intolerant toward diversity, equity, and inclusion. It’s important to maintain our current structure.

BUDGET

We review the regular budgets about 3 times a year, we always know where we are and we are usually very close to budget if not beating budget and by the end of the year.

OIL AND GAS/RED TAIL RIDGE

I’m not aware of any planned projects, but we need to enforce stringent rules and limitations to move forward. I voted no on that proposal for several reasons, including public health and safety. I was one of four council members who voted against Redtail Ridge, while two voted for it. If it fails, it can’t return for another 12 months, and I’m unsure of the plans.

As the liaison to the Open Space and Trails Advisory Board, I work to ensure we have a target list of properties that may become available. If not, we maintain contact with the owners to check on potential availability.

OPEN SPACE

What we need to do is continue to push the developers to add some high density air density medium density mixed use density to do their plans because that’s how you create a sustainable community.

DEVELOPMENT/AFFORDABLE HOUSING

It’s definitely a problem that we need to address …We just need to keep driving it.

TRANSPORTATION

Public transport is a big ticket item that Erie can’t really do on its own. We’re working on a shuttle service similar to what other instabilities have for the most the most necessary of our residents and we work with RTD to try to get more services.

Brandon Bell, Incumbent – DID NOT RESPOND

Dan Maloit – DID NOT RESPOND

Ben Hemphill – *Publisher Endorsement

DEI

I plan to work with the town manager to cultivate a culture of respect and ensure that everyone knows they’re welcome to work with everyone in the town and on the council.

BUDGET

I would work with the other councilors and the finance department to determine our priorities and what makes the most sense.

OIL AND GAS/RED TAIL RIDGE

I would work towards robust monitoring, working with the town legal department to understand the penalties that can be given to companies found out of compliance.

I plan to maintain open spaces to effectively use our mixed-use zoning to provide the density that we need for a sustainable tax base throughout the town. I also plan to designate land that doesn’t have any actual revenue coming in but can still be enjoyed by the community.

OPEN SPACE

Collaborating with the Planning Commission would be straightforward for me, as I currently serve on the Planning Commission. We need to approach quasi-judicial items carefully while ensuring regular communication, likely through study sessions where the council and Planning Commission can work together.

DEVELOPMENT/AFFORDABLE HOUSING

Affordable housing is an important part of Erie. Many of my fellow candidates talk about it, and I generally agree with them. We must ensure that people who work here, be they teachers, first responders, or service workers, are able to live in Erie.

PUBLIC TRANSIT

The first step would be for the Weld County residents to vote to expand RTD into Weld County would allow Gary to the entirety of Erie to be in an RTD district, so if that happens, then work closely with RTD to evaluate the expansion of routes through Erie.

DISTRICT 3

Brian O’Connor – DID NOT RESPOND

Travis Pinz – DID NOT RESPOND

Emily Baer, Incumbent – *Publisher Endorsement

DEI

I do support those efforts and I have taken advantage of all of the diversity equity and inclusion training that this town has offered. I was the liaison to the DEI task force and justice equity diversion system.

BUDGET

Last October we voted to take extra funds over our recommended 20 to 25% reserve funds and put those into a capital improvement fund so that we’re able to ensure that our budget is serving the community.

OIL AND GAS/RED TAIL RIDGE

I advocated for Senate bill 181 and 2019. Bill 181 did not was not the end all, be all. We know that it’s important to stay engaged. It’s important that Erie has a voice at the decision making table.

I have opposed it, I voted against it twice I believe this year. And, it is not on an old oil and gas field it is on a current frack site the Waste Connections and frack sites are located on that land.

OPEN SPACE

The Planning Commission and planning department are really great assets and resources for the town council. We do work very closely with them in strategic growth to include consideration for our community’s needs.

DEVELOPMENT/AFFORDABLE HOUSING

It’s extremely important that we are being planful so that the town is able to position ourselves forward to take advantage of things like grants and funding that comes from the state and federal dollars that we’re able to purchase land and position to support our affordable housing goals.

PUBLIC TRANSIT

I’m excited about Erie’s on-demand service, which will start early next year. They’ll be a service for residents. They can call or use an app to get a car directly to their house and take them directly to wherever they want to go, whether they live in Vista Ridge or want to go to the new King Soopers at 9 miles.

SUPERIOR MUNICIPAL ELECTION QUESTIONS

ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGIONAL AIRPORT NOISE

• Rocky Mountain Regional Airport is receiving a lot of complaints from residents and is currently in litigation with Boulder County over noise. They mainly express they are concerned about the increase in traffic, the low-flying airplanes and the ongoing noise. What is your stance on the lawsuit and what will you do to help resolve their concerns? 

OIL AND GAS

• What actions will you take to lessen Superior’s dependency on natural gas?

OPEN SPACE

• Having enough open space to serve as a greenbelt is also high on residents’ concerns. What are your plans for development and in particular open space for Superior?

YOUR AGENDA

• Residents really want us to ask is your one specific agenda idea without being general?

CLIMATE CHANGE/NATIVE GRASS

• Native grasses are an obvious concern of Superior residents, which is in overall maintenance. What role do you see Superior in mitigating the wild grasses in the open space?

INFRASTRUCTURE

• How would you improve the infrastructure of superior, such as roads?

Heather Cracraft – ENDORSED

ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGIONAL AIRPORT

As the lawsuit progresses, I look forward to learning more about options to mitigate the residents’ concerns.

OIL AND GAS

I need to educate myself more on the details/costs/savings as a municipality in this area. It is important to focus on bettering ourselves each day when it comes to sustainability.

OPEN SPACE

As part of the Home Rule Charter Commission, we discussed the value of our open space and wanted to ensure its protection for the future and beyond. Open Space is one of the reasons that our community is such a wonderful place to call home.

YOUR AGENDA

If elected, my focus is to join the Board and bring my experience from 26 years in the community. I want to continue concentrating on development that sustains our local industries, strengthens our tax base, and supports our residents to maximize our community’s potential. 

CLIMATE CHANGE/NATIVE GRASS

I have volunteered to be a Wildfire Partner, working closely with our Town Staff on better practices for our homes and the open space that surrounds our Town. As a Marshall Fire survivor, I appreciate the county and its resources for more education. The science developing about that specific wildfire and how we can learn from it is important to pay attention to.

INFRASTRUCTURE

Infrastructure has always been a top budget priority in Superior as the town has grown. It’s essential to develop a plan that addresses both short-term and long-term maintenance. After facing two natural disasters in the past 11 years, we’ve encountered challenges, but Superior’s staff is doing excellent work.

Mike Foster – ENDORSED

ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGIONAL AIRPORT

I support the Town’s lawsuit. 

OIL AND GAS

We have been collaborating with the Town to provide more charging stations and actively pursued and supported the town’s efforts to seek federal funding to help us with this.

OPEN SPACE

Open space is meant to be preserved as open space. I would never have any plans to develop open space. 

YOUR AGENDA

My long-term priorities are the economy, the environment, and equity. 

CLIMATE CHANGE/NATIVE GRASS

I support the work that Boulder County is doing on fire research to identify and work to mitigate grassland fires and understand how fires operate in a grassland environment. 

INFRASTRUCTURE

The town has over $35 million in unfunded capital improvements projects, such as road maintenance, schools, parks, and playgrounds, which need to be renovated. I am supporting the town’s sales tax increase, which is on this November’s ballot.

Sandee Hammerly, Incumbent – ENDORSED

ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGIONAL AIRPORT

The Rocky Mountain Airport has become an increasing problem for the Town of Superior due to noise and air pollution. Earlier this year, we filed a lawsuit against Rocky Mountain Airport and Jeffco to abate the public nuisance from piston-engine aircraft. I’m fully supportive of that action.

OIL AND GAS

As an individual town, our abilities are limited due to scarce resources. However, we benefit from a strong partnership with the Denver Regional Council of Governments, which should provide significant support in moving everyone in the right direction.

OPEN SPACE

Any open space in the town is restricted, and we can’t and won’t build on it.

YOUR AGENDA

As of Sept. 2024, the Town of Superior has issued 257 certificates of occupancy, meaning that we are about 65 percent rebuilt, but until every homeowner has returned home, our work’s not done. In addition, as a town, we need to make sure that we recover the federal dollars owed to us for recovery. 

CLIMATE CHANGE/NATIVE GRASS

This is a huge priority for our town. We have been doing as many things as we can with the budget. 

INFRASTRUCTURE

One of the things that we are trying to do is a sales tax increase and a bond issue. If it passes, we can fix these things sooner rather than later.

Gregory Horowitz – QUALIFIED

ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGIONAL AIRPORT

I fully support the town’s position on the litigation, but I don’t think it’ll stop there. I believe that it is important that we come together as a community to find solutions that work for everyone. 

OIL AND GAS

With my background in sustainability, I see the need for this. We’ve already implemented (several initiatives), and I also understand the other point of view: some people just like it (natural gas) better. 

OPEN SPACE

It is important to preserve the open space and natural environment that we currently have. 

YOUR AGENDA

The people in the town have many opinions on many issues. I think there is a proper place to express those opinions so they can be addressed. 

CLIMATE CHANGE/NATIVE GRASS

We need native and adaptive grasses, so it’s important to maintain the natural and native adaptive grasses that we have here.

INFRASTRUCTURE

I think it is important to maintain our current infrastructure and investigate what we need to do to improve it.

George A. Kupfner – DID NOT RESPOND

Jason Serbu – DID NOT RESPOND

STATE AND LOCAL BALLOT MEASURES

ERIE COLORADO BALLOT MEASURES

REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION DISTRICT BALLOT ISSUE 7B (Weld County Ballots only) – YES

This measure would integrate the Weld County portion of Erie into RTD, providing including a potential extension of the JUMP line to Erie High School, along with additional regional funding opportunities.

A tax increase of 1 cent per $1 purchase (or $1 per $100) would apply only to purchases made in the Weld County portions of Erie, as properties in Boulder County already belong to RTD and pay this tax.

Since Erie can only take the bus five times a day to Boulder, YS votes YES for transportation.

ERIE 3C: MARIJUANA MORATORIUM LIFTED/EXCISE TAX PASSED – YES

This proposed ballot measure will ask Erie residents to decide whether to impose a 5% excise tax on the retail sale of marijuana, encompassing both recreational and medical use. This tax rate is the most common among Colorado municipalities that allow marijuana sales.

If the measure passes, it will lift the moratorium as of January 1, 2025, permitting up to two retail marijuana stores to apply for licenses within the Town of Erie. YS recommends a YES vote. It has been 10 years sine marijuna was legalized and Erie is losing tax dollars to their neighbors.

ST VRAIN VALLEY SCHOOL BOND MEASURE – YES 

This measure would enable the St. Vrain Valley School District (SVVSD) to borrow $739.8 million for several key initiatives, Build five new schools: a Montessori School in Longmont, a high school and CTE center in the Erie/Tri-Town area, a PK-8 school in Mead, and an elementary school in Erie, along with an expansion of Longmont’s Innovation Center. This bond does not raise taxes. YS endorses a YES vote.

CITY OF BOULDER BALLOT MEASURES

City of Boulder Ballot Question 2C – Council Pay, Ordinance 8640 – YES

A charter amendment to Section 7 proposing to: Increase council compensation from a per-meeting stipend to an amount based on Area Median Income (AMI) to better reflect the growing demands and complexity of council work. Elected Officials deserve to be paid, YS endorses a YES vote.

City of Boulder Ballot Question 2D – Executive Sessions, Ordinance 8641 – NO

A charter amendment to Section 9 and a new Section 21A to: Authorize the City Council to hold executive sessions in accordance with state law. Because we believe transparency is critical for government, YS votes NO.

City of Boulder Ballot Question 2E – Boards and Commissions Charter Cleanup, Ordinance 8639 – NO

A charter amendment to Section 130 to: Empower the City Council to establish by ordinance the terms and criteria for board and commission members, and to revise the language regarding the removal of these members. Considering Boulder has a bad track record for managing some of it’s more “controversial” commissions, we vote NO without clear protections for committee members.

COLORADO BALLOT MEASURES

Amendment 79 – YES

This is likely the most important ballot measure for Coloradans. Colorado Amendment 79 would add the right to abortion to the state constitution and allow public money for abortion services. This means abortions would be covered under the publicly funded Colorado Medicaid program, HealthFirst Colorado. YS suggests voting YES to protect the reproductive rights of Coloradans for years to come. 

Amendment 80 – NO

Colorado Amendment 80, the Constitutional Right to School Choice Initiative, proposes adding a right to school choice to the state constitution. If passed, it would:

• • • Guarantee school choice: Every K-12 child in Colorado would have the constitutional right to choose among various education options.
    • Parental control: Parents would have the right to direct their children’s education.
    • Broader educational options: School choice would encompass public neighborhood schools, charter schools, private schools, homeschools, and other innovations, allowing families to select the best fit for their child.

A NO vote on Colorado Amendment 80 protects teachers’ unions by opposing the expansion of charter schools and alternatives like vouchers for private and homeschools. These alternatives can divert funding from public schools, weaken teachers’ unions, and reduce protections and resources for educators in traditional public schools. Voting NO helps preserve strong public education and the rights of unionized teachers.

Amendment I – NO

Colorado Amendment I would change the rules for bail in first-degree murder cases. A NO vote on Colorado Amendment I would help protect people from being denied bail in first-degree murder cases, especially considering the high rate of wrongful convictions in violent crimes. Mistakes happen, and innocent people can be accused. Keeping the right to bail ensures that those wrongly accused still have a chance to defend themselves while awaiting trial. Voting NO safeguards the presumption of innocence until proven guilty.

Prop K – NEUTRAL

This ballot issue doesnt involve any earth-shattering changes. It requires citizen-led ballot initiatives to submit petitions one week earlier to qualify for the ballot. We are unsure the extra week makes a difference, but perhaps it is to counter against how much easier it is to citizen-led ballot initiatives on the ballot than other states. We are NEUTRAL on this one.

Prop 128 – NO

Like Amendment I, Proposition 128 seeks to make significant changes to the state’s judicial system. This initiative would alter when individuals convicted of certain violent crimes can apply for parole. Currently, in Colorado, those convicted can apply after serving 75% of their sentence and can earn time off for good behavior. Under the new plan, for crimes committed on or after January 1, 2025, individuals would need to serve 85% of their sentence before applying for parole, with no reduction for good behavior. YS suggests voting NO for Prop 128 for similar reasons to Amendment I. 

Amendment J – YES

Although Colorado legalized same-sex marriage in 2014, the state’s Constitution still defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman. Colorado Amendment J aims to remove this outdated ban, ensuring that marriage is no longer limited to heterosexual couples.

A YES vote reflects modern values of equality and respect for all couples, aligning the state constitution with the legal protections and rights of same-sex couples, and supporting fairness and love for everyone.

Prop 127 – YES

YS has received many letters to the editor urging voters to vote YES to ban the hunting of wild cats in the state. This initiative aims to ban trophy hunting, which is defined as intentionally killing, wounding, chasing, or trapping mountain lions, bobcats, or lynx.  Under this measure, mountain lions would no longer be classified as big game, meaning that any issues involving mountain lions and livestock wouldn’t qualify for damage claims with Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Additionally, it would make it illegal to possess a bobcat or lynx, resulting in a misdemeanor charge that could lead to fines or jail time. 

Prop 130 – NO

This initiative aims to establish the Peace Officer Training and Support Fund, providing an additional $350 million for law enforcement in Colorado. The funds would be used to increase salaries for police officers, offer bonuses to attract and retain exceptional officers, hire more officers to address specific crime issues like gang activity and drug trafficking, and fund education and training, including use of force, physical fitness, and criminal justice studies.

Additionally, the initiative would create a $1 million death benefit for the family of a peace officer killed in the line of duty, with an estimated annual cost of $4 million. At this time, YS suggests voting NO, as we believe taxpayer money can be better spent on other departments such as education and public transit.

Prop 131 – NO

This initiative proposes implementing top-four primary elections and ranked-choice voting for various offices, including the U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, and governor. Currently, Colorado’s primaries are semi-closed, allowing only registered party members and unaffiliated voters to participate. Winners are determined by plurality vote, meaning the candidate with the most votes wins without needing a majority.

While ranked-choice voting is generally viewed positively by the left, politicians from the Republican, Democratic, and Green parties have all opposed this proposition for valid reasons. As YS reported earlier this year, the measure is backed by Kent Thiry, a wealthy Coloradan who seeks to inject more money into Colorado’s elections. For these reasons, YS suggests voting NO on Prop 131.

Prop KK – YES

Colorado Proposition KK proposes a 6.5% excise tax on the manufacture and sale of firearms and ammunition, to be paid by dealers, manufacturers, and vendors. Revenue from this tax would support the Firearms and Ammunition Excise Tax Cash Fund, funding essential programs such as:

• • • Crime victim services for those affected by violence.

• • • Mental and behavioral health programs for children and veterans.

• • • School security and safety programs to enhance student protection.

A YES vote ensures that those profiting from firearm sales contribute to community safety and support for victims. This initiative provides vital funding for mental health programs and improves school security, making Colorado safer for everyone. Voting YES on Proposition KK is a proactive step toward supporting public safety and well-being.

Colorado Supreme Court Judges

YS was not able to interview or review the judges prior to publication of the Election Guide. However, here are two sources for reviewing judges. After reviewing for our own ballot, we voted yes to retain them all.

State:

https://judicialperformance.colorado.gov/2024-judicial…

The post Yellow Scene Election Guide 2024 appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

A great many of the problems that plague our nation and the world are rooted in a propensity for violence. The vast majority of these problems are created by or perpetuated by men. Men who turn too easily toward violence.

A partial inventory:

An unmitigated epidemic of gun violence
A brutal attack on Israel
An even more brutal response by Israel
Threats by MAGA against anyone challenging Trump and Trumpism
Violent kids requiring police in schools
Violent police killing and assaulting innocent folks
Russia’s unprovoked and criminal invasion of Ukraine
Violent assaults on LGBTQ+ folks
Violent assaults on AAPI folks
Rampant sexual assault – affecting at least 13% of all women in the U.S.
Genital mutilation – WHO estimates that 140,000,000 women and girls have been victims

Add your own examples and review the entire list to estimate the masculine percentage.

One might well identify various rationales for each category: Religious zealotry; racism; sexism; social maladaptation; greed; power . . .

But while each of these rationales exists within all genders, the predominant male expression is through violence. Why is that so? Testosterone is properly cited, but its effect is partial. Testosterone is universal, but male violence has a high degree of cultural variability.

Researchers at Oxford University suggest dual sociological factors:

Sexual-selection theory says that males are competing for reproductive success, so are more aggressive generally and especially to other males. It’s human nature.

Social-role theory says that differences are sociological, based on traditional divisions of labour. Socialisation shapes gender specific identities, expectations and behaviour. So it’s nurture – how we’re brought up.

It is the latter point that inspires this post. I will be specific to Western societies, particularly our own.

In response to a recent piece, Uncomfortable Truth, my cousin Pat Schenck, a life-long peace activist, wrote: “Amen, Steve. I have given much thought to how we change the perception that what works is violence. Perhaps the best answer is teaching kids to deal peacefully and effectively with conflict. If people don’t know any alternatives, they will, of course, rely on brute force to make them feel safe.” Amen, Pat.

There are some advances in offering conflict resolution training to kids and adults. It is, quite ironically, most likely to be found in communities and schools of privilege, where the conditions fueling anger and violence are less likely. But I wonder if any such sincere efforts can overcome the utter saturation of popular culture with violence, for sport and entertainment.

Researchers equivocate about the link, for example, between violent video games and violent acts by game players. It seems intuitively certain, or at least highly probable, that one makes the other more likely, however infrequent the direct linkage. But the debate is irrelevant, as the violent games are but a subset in an overwhelming number of indirect causal factors.

Even the youngest boys are exposed to brutal mixed martial “arts” fighters with angry tattoos, angry scowls, angry scars and angry fans. There is no subtlety to their resolution of conflict. They see a former and aspiring leader exhorting his followers to violence and intimidation. TikTok and other social media show street fights and rumbles in school. Fighting sells tickets at all levels of hockey.

Most boys are raised with the notion that “getting even” is a nearly noble achievement. “Take it outside,” “Settle it on the playground,” and “Stand up for yourself” are typical directives given boys, often by both men and women, in and out of school.

As the overused but apt saying goes, “If your only tool is a hammer, every problem is a nail to be pounded.”

There appears to be no national appetite for monitoring or prohibiting violent content in any form. The measures that exist are intentionally pathetic and unenforceable. My 8 year-old grandson, for example, is 24 years-old on Facebook (an account I think he never uses, thank goodness). Video game manufacturers cater to young boys and build massive loopholes into all rating and enforcement mechanisms.

I agree with cousin Pat’s hope for widespread teaching of alternatives to force. I hope, but am not hopeful. Even boys exposed to such programs in school will exit to the “real world,” where yielding is derided, compromise is weakness, and winning is the only true virtue.

The primary impact any of us can have is to gently counter the cultural messages whenever possible. Boys don’t need video games, but if restriction is impossible, at least comment on how ugly it is – and perhaps have a discussion. Turn off a violent ad on television. Don’t watch martial “arts” and think your small son is not absorbing it. He is. Don’t buy toy guns, even though boys will find another implement as surrogate. But your gentle disapproval will be imprinted.

We can provide kids with examples of conflict resolution in our own lives.

Perhaps we older folks can’t change the world. But we have to try – one boy at a time.

The post Male Violence appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

National talking points are brought into local elections via online comments and attacks.

The Broomfield Ward 5 election that on the surface is about a homeless encampment, gun legislation, and a healthcare plan has delved into social media attacks including sexist remarks, body shaming, stances on Trans youth, and personal attacks.

Officially, Todd Cohen on Broomfield City Council faces a recall from his stance on a homeless shelter that never materialized, placement of above ground water tanks, failure to address suicide by firearms, and approving a new health care plan for Council members. Councilmember Heidi Henkel, who is up for re-election, is also being challenged on the same issues. Maria Boutrous is running to recall Cohen — whose term ends in 2025 —  and Adam Gobetti is seeking to replace Henkel.

The election posts online have broadened to include national politics, stances on LGBTQ+ communities, and body-shaming via harsh social media posts. Some feel that local elected officials should not be voted for on any basis besides local issues, but many find it relevant what their closest representative believes about things like vaccines and who won the presidential election.

Additionally, much of the spotlight has been on Nextdoor and Facebook posts where both female candidates have been sexualized and faced personal attacks by both residents and Boutrous herself.

Courtesy of Heidi Henkel

Recall challenges

Accusations of canvassers getting into verbal confrontations abound. Boutrous showed YS screenshosts of neighbors complaining about anti-recall canvassers. Cohen and Henkel both believe Boutrous and her canvassers lied to voters.

“They’re willing just to blatantly lie. And in this case, they’re very aggressive. We heard from people who just signed the petition to get them off the doorstep,” Cohen stated. Henkel agreed, “Maria Boutros is the one that collected all the signatures for the recall. A lot of my neighbors were upset because she was very argumentative at the doors, very pushy.”

Henkel and Cohen both believe the recall petitioners lied when going door-to-door to collect signatures. Voters were allegedly told that the recall was about lowering taxes or that a homeless encampment would be created when plans for one never existed in the first place.

“We’re not gonna respond to allegations because if they want to, if they truly believe that we’ve lied, then they can just file a lawsuit any time,” Karl Honegger, an organizer for the recall efforts, rebutted.

Boutrous and other recall supporters felt that the attempt to stop the recall, and the potential threat of legal challenges, was an attempt to harass and silence citizen voices.

Hearing officer Karen Goldman allowed the recall to move forward, but Cohen noted, and the transcript reflects, that the petition gatherers did not testify as to whether they lied when gathering signatures so as not to incriminate themselves.

Despite the election proceeding, questions of its merits still surround the race. “Most people think of recalls as a tool for voters to remove somebody who’s broken the law, violated their oath, or something,” Cohen shared.

Colorado in fact has the third highest rate of recall elections across the nation. There are legitimate fears that recalls are being used as a growing tool to remove elected officials from office over policy disagreements rather than rules violations.

“They’re willing just to blatantly lie. And in this case, they’re very aggressive.”

The homeless encampment that never was

The leading issue on the recall is a homeless encampment idea that was talked about at City Council meetings. Cohen and Henkel spoke about the unhoused problem, and after discussion, moved towards supporting already existing programs. Boutrous and other recall supporters think this shows intent to create a new homeless camp near a school.

“They used a fictitious story about a homeless camp to go to people and say, ‘hey, these guys want to put homeless people in your neighborhood,’” Todd explained.

“I think they’re taking a page from Donald Trump’s playbook in the sense they are trying to undo elections and in my case, leading with a big lie about a fictitious homeless camp to scare people into signing the signature, which was effective,” Cohen expanded.

“What I feel they should have done is [listen], instead of dismissing the concerns of their constituents that we don’t want our community to look like downtown Denver, and who would be blamed for that?”  Boutrous expanded on the topic. “I don’t feel that their answer to that issue of homelessness and mental illness is to put a camp 2,000 feet from a Catholic school” 

“Let’s dial back to what are the issues in our society that we can control at the local municipal level that are contributing to mental illness and homelessness,“ Boutrous shared.

When asked if the homeless shelter was still an issue, Honegger replied “They dropped it, but in July [2021] when they were discussing it as an option, they very much supported it.” Boutrous replied that this specific homeless shelter is not an issue anymore, but is concerned that Henkel and Cohen would support one in the future.

Todd Cohen and Heidi Henkel

Sexism and Social Media

YS reviewed multiple posts on Nextdoor and Facebook made by both pro-recall and anti-recall residents, and although not able to verify everything residents allege, a disturbing pattern of sexism emerged.

Separate photos of both Boutrous and Henkel in bathing suits have been posted on Nextdoor and Facebook that were inappropriately mocked and sexualized.

But it wasn’t just the photos. Rhetoric against Henkel reached a vitriolic level. Boutrous posted that Henkel was a “cow,” “narcissist,” “media whore,” as well as commenting multiple times on Henkel’s breasts.

“It was after she came after me. She has a horrible reputation using her publicly elected platform as a stage … People from other districts in Broomfield have come forward with horrible stories of what she has done to them,” Boutrous explained when asked about the above comments.

“At that point, the schoolyard bully got punched in the nose. Was it appropriate? Should either of us be engaged in that behavior? Was it something that, you know, adults should be doing? No, but in my opinion she shouldn’t have started it,” Boutrous elaborated.

“You don’t harass people with your boobs and then complain about people body shaming you,” Boutrous continued, referencing photos of Henkel in a bathing suit.

“I just invited her over to my house and she got offended by it.” Henkel replied regarding the social media exchange. Henkel also confronted Boutrous’ stance on gender affirming care for youth, with Henkel defending the right for youth to access care.

“I am a neighbor who lives 700 yards down the street from her and instead of crossing the street, knocking on my door, and having a civil conversation as a sitting public official, she engaged and attacked me and told me that I don’t know,” Boutrous expanded.

Boutrous claims the harassment is not a one-way street. “I have so many instances passed along to my attorney where I could have sued Heidi and Scott for defamation, and for sexual harassment.”

Indeed, Boutrous has been called horrible things online, but mostly by citizens, not by the candidates running. Boutrous has been mocked with made-up drag queen names and sexualized in comments and posts online as well.

Henkel has posted that she believes Boutrous to be an unsafe person for others to be around.

“It’s like, oh, let me show all of the examples of the mean and horrible things that Maria said about me and, and provide no context for the things that I have said and done,” Boutrous defended herself.

Boutrous is running to replace Cohen, but the social media interactions and interviews with YS show how vested the two recall candidates are in each other’s campaigns.

“You don’t harass people with your boobs and then complain about people body shaming you.”

Youths and LGBTQ+ Identity 

One social media back-and-forth spawned out of a Facebook post regarding transgender athletes. Henkel defended a transgender athlete whereas Boutrous found it inappropriate to be allowed to compete in the gender class they identify as.

“I responded well, two can play at this game. I identified two as bovine and that’s where that [cow] comment came in,” Boutrous said.

Although Boutrous stated that she has no problem with people identifying as other sexualities or genders, and that she has even helped care for such people in her care facilities, she sees it as a problem for youths

She elaborated. “We’ve had a massive increase in the last 10 years of children who are identifying as transgender or questioning and whatever, and statistically that has never happened in society before. To me that is indicative of a push in society to put ideas in children’s heads and to confuse them to a large degree. That is not saying that isn’t saying that kids do not have issues with body dysmorphic disorder or anxiety and depression.”

Another possibility is acceptance of LGBTQ+ lifestyles has grown, and awareness of gender affirming treatments has allowed more people to freely express who they identify as.

Boutrous referenced a group called “Gays Against Groomers” who take a hard stance against transgender youth care, and expressed concern that LGBTQ+ groups support “groomers” — adults who are sexually attracted to children. When asked to point out specific groups that support this behavior, none were brought up.

“If you look up [Gays Against Groomers] on Wikipedia, it’s a far right group basically denying trans rights. She doesn’t even know what she’s talking about,” Henkel responded.

“I basically just feel like I don’t care what you do in your private time. As long as you don’t want to hurt someone else, especially vulnerable children,” Boutrous concluded.

Maria Boutrous and supporters. Courtesy of Maria Boutrous

Firearms and Mental Health

Cohen and Henkel have both been proponents of gun control measures in Broomfield. Although the recall groups accuse them both of doing nothing about the suicide rate, Cohen and Henkel both told YS that reducing access to firearms is part of the mental health solution.

However, these actions earned the ire of some constituents. “A lot of people were saying they were making unconstitutional moves to try to restrict gun access,” said Boutrous, who also voiced concerns over lawsuits that can stem from such legislation. “The gun issue is a very emotional hot topic. And my whole my whole thing is that regardless of how you or I feel about guns, it isn’t something to be addressed at the municipal level,” Boutrous argued.

Cohen disagrees, as does Henkel. “Actually, we can do things locally, the governor gave us permission,” Henkel rebutted.

Boutrous isn’t even Henkel’s opponent 

YS asked Boutrous why she focuses so much on Henkel when her opponent is Cohen. She expanded that Henkel and her are neighbors and have a history of online confrontations stemming back to a time when Boutrous hosted right-wing political personality Scott McKay. Animosity has only grown from there.

Gobetti is the one running to unseat Henkel, but his social media presence takes the form of YouTube videos rather than attacks on Facebook or Nextdoor. Gobetti proposes ways to reduce spending in Broomfield but has commented on other topics like the social media “soap opera” that has surrounded the races.

“I feel like people need to get out more to be honest. I mean, my opponent all he does is get on YouTube and make pre scripted videos,” Henkel shared. “He hasn’t voted in a municipal election before.” Involvement in local politics is typically seen as beneficial for political newcomers.

Gobetti and Boutrous both campaign on lowering taxes and reducing spending.

Gobetti, in his campaign introduction video, stated that he intends to “Ensure our financial security… [and] in fact I would like to put money back in your pocket.” Boutrous also spoke against raising taxes, especially during post-Covid recovery.

“I think anyone can research, right? You know, how are you going to build policy? How are you going to build camaraderie with others?” Henkel expanded on issues that council members also face.

“I feel like people need to get out more to be honest. I mean, my opponent all he does is get on YouTube and make pre scripted videos.”

National politics trickles down

“I feel like the national politics, making somebody ‘the other,’ and dehumanizing them has just taken on a whole new realm of hate and people are buying into it,” Henkel expanded on hateful rhetoric and the effort to overturn elections via recall.

“I think the scary thing is the willingness such on the national level, for the right wing, to just lie to people blatantly just with Fox News and they have a huge megaphone to just make up things and scare people and just lead with fear,” Cohen reiterated. Both Cohen and Henkel believe the nasty rhetoric, lies about political positions, and anti-transgender positions have emerged in part due to Trump’s popularization of the tactics and hate.

“She’s promoting conspiracy theories along the lines of 2,000 Mules, and she’s telling people to take zinc pills and not the COVID vaccine. Calling the pope a globalist, which is an age-old, anti semitic and anti Catholic trope,” Cohen expanded on how Boutrous has brought national politics into the conversation. YS can confirm Boutrous did indeed post sentiments along these lines.

“I was suddenly labeled a Q-Anon conspiracy theorist. So that’s what I mean about the media going off and characters assassinating people. It’s asinine when we have such politicized, loaded language, it just creates more division in our society, and it hurts,” Boutrous defended herself. 

When asked to clarify whether she believes Trump or Biden won the 2022 election, she defended with: “Well, but why am I being asked? That’s such a loaded question. There’s so much information that it could be dissected. There were completely relevant questions surrounding ballot harvesting. I don’t deserve to be bullied over questioning the integrity of elections. I am so tired of Trump, and Biden and Trumpism, and all this crap.”

She then steered the conversation back to local issues. “You, Heidi Henkel, haven’t put more than 1% [of the budget] towards the Public Works Department. We have had one pothole truck in this town for the last 20 years and you want to call me an election questioner? Does that make anybody feel better? What’s really important is that I don’t believe we have election interference going on in Broomfield.”

“I was suddenly labeled a Q-Anon conspiracy theorist. […] It’s asinine when we have such politicized, loaded language, it just creates more division in our society, and it hurts.”

Bringing it all Back Home

“It’s just the constant ‘let’s get into this whole Donald Trump, MAGA, hate everybody thing.’ It’s so dumb. It’s just a sad state of affairs. Let’s see if Heidi can apologize, quit all this, and just run a campaign about what she feels are meritorious, and the legitimate reasons why she believes she should be reelected. I mean, that’s what she should be focusing on. Not trashing other people and making shit up as part of her campaign platform,” Boutrous concluded.

“The lack of local journalism is definitely playing a role. The challenge here in Broomfield is the local paper doesn’t cover counsel like it used to, and to be very fair, very few people are actually reading the local paper anymore. People are relying unfortunately on platforms that cannot be relied on for being honest. Nextdoor is not a reliable source,” Cohen expanded on the lack of coverage and social media drama plaguing the campaign.

“We have a guy only voting in national politics, and who it sounds like only follows national politics, it’s concerning. We’ll have a person in office who has been absent most of the time traveling all the time, never voting. And then I don’t know if they’re actually going to be able to get a tree fixed,” Henkel expanded on her opponent, Gobetti.

“If you have a council that is spouting conspiracy theories and isn’t able to think constructively or critically about issues, it has a huge potential to embarrass the community,” Cohen expanded on why it is important to know Boutrous’ views on such topics.

“It’s pretty indicative of just how people react out of scarcity and fear versus abundance and joy,” Heidi said.

“Some of us embrace change and find it exciting and others find it unsettling. Unfortunately they’re easily stoked for someone to tell them that we can make things back the way you nostalgically think they were.” Cohen concluded.

The post Broomfield Ward 5 Recall Devolves Into Sexist and Transphobic Trash Talk appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Press releases are provided to Yellow Scene. In an effort to keep our community informed, we publish some press releases in whole.

The Boulder Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (BVUUF)

On Saturday, October 14, you can donate your unwanted firearms: drive thru from Noon – 2:00pm at 1241 Ceres Drive, Lafayette CO and receive grocery store gift cards (while supplies last).

Gift Card Value: $50 for your long gun or shotgun, $150 for your handgun or semi-automatic gun, $250 for your assault or tactical gun.

“Anyone may bring unwanted and unloaded guns to be dismantled and later made into garden tools,” said Rev. Lydia Ferrante Roseberry, Senior Minister of BVUUF. “Because we believe in the inherent worth and dignity of all beings, we are putting our energy into addressing the high level of gun violence in America and the harm that is being done through suicide, injuries, accidents and other gun violence. If you feel that it is no longer safe or desirable for you to have a gun in your home, this is a responsible way to dispose of unwanted guns”.

How it works:
• Arrive at the church parking lot with your UNLOADED gun(s) in the trunk (no ammunition accepted).
• Remain in your vehicle and skilled personnel will remove your gun(s). Homemade guns will be accepted and destroyed, but not compensated for.
• Your gun(s) will be dismantled on site and will later be transformed into garden tools.
• You remain anonymous.

More Information on the BVUUF and Guns to Garden Tools here.

The post Guns to Garden Tools Event to be held in Lafayette on October 14 appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Photo by the Paul Wilkinson Law Firm

[LOCAL]

• Online marijuana sales began on August 7th. Someone should really start a pizza + weed delivery combo.
• Fort Lupton police officer found guilty for leaving a woman in his patrol cruiser that was struck by a train. The officer parked his car on the train tracks after taking her into custody. She survived but was severely injured.
• Newly implemented law in Colorado to raise age to buy a firearm to 21 has been blocked by Federal Judge.
• Nearly a quarter of a million dollars worth of bikes have been stolen in Boulder this year according to the Stolen Bikes dashboard
• Mike Johnson is inaugurated as Denver’s Mayor after beating Kelly Brough earlier this summer.

[NATIONAL]

• Florida tries to ban AP Psychology in their growing fight against being educated.
• Two attorneys associated with Colorado, John Eastman and Jenna Ellis, are indicted alongside Trump, this time simply for attempting to overthrow our government and end democracy as we know it.
• The State of Georgia also indicts Trump over his tampering with election results. Pardons in Georgia particularly hard to come by.
• Entire Colorado River Basin faces massive drought mainly due to decrease in snowmelt from shifting climate patterns.
• Mitch McConnell apparently freezes on live TV in a scary incident, prompting questions of his health and fitness for office.
• Twitter rebrands to “X” begging the question: why?

[INTERNATIONAL]

• Sinead O’Connor passes away at 56. Thank you for speaking up against Papal abuse when no one else would.
• U.S. soldier who was about to be disciplined sprinted across the North Korean border, defecting to the brutal regime.
• Over 1,000 Russians and Belarussians are stripped of their permanent resident status in Lithuania after being deemed “threats to national security”.
• Heading to Europe next year? Make sure to apply for a Visa, something previously unrequired.
• Group of West African nations say they will intervene in Niger’s ongoing coup if it is not soon resolved diplomatically.

Small Talk

“Tragically, young people are getting their hands on guns all too easily and putting them to terrible use against others — and with serious consequences for their own lives.” – DA Michael Doughtery on recent youth gun violence

“The fire was just traveling too fast, and too hot and next thing you know Lahaina town is gone, literally gone.” – Mark Stefle, Maui Fire survivor

“While I appreciate the need for transparency, it is important to protect the integrity of the ongoing investigation regarding the law enforcement officers’ use of force.” – Summit County Sheriff Jaime FitzSimons on Sheriff’s records request denial regarding the shooting of Charlie Foster

“Now, more than nine months have passed, no evidence has been revealed and it has become even clearer that the impact of the dean’s actions has been irreparable and far-reaching.” – Letter signed by more than 300 academics protesting firing of CU Boulder professor Patty Limerick from the Center of the American West

By the Numbers

22% – Increase in abortions performed by Colorado clinics following harsh restrictions like those in Texas
$1 Billion – Barbie Movie revenue, highest ever for a female director
13% – Number of Colorado families who will receive free full time preschool, not the promised 50%
110° / 31 Days – Phoenix experiences an entire month of daily temperatures over 100°
60% – Increase in water bills after a sudden water rate hike for Lafayette residents
17 – People shot and killed by Colorado law enforcement in 2023 so far

The post Month in Review | August 2023 appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

How the increase in pressure from all angles has been detrimental to our children

From the academic pressure to attend a prestigious university to the day-to-day stress of social media to the ever-present anxiety of gun violence, children are facing an increasingly complex web of trauma and tension. There are numerous stress factors that simply did not exist a generation or two ago. Understanding the role stress plays, where it comes from, and how to help alleviate it are keys to moving our collective mental health forward.

Even before the Covid-19 pandemic, a mental health crisis was looming among children. “School personnel, parents, teachers, and mental health practitioners were noticing a very high increase in anxiety in kids … to the point where it was becoming almost a pandemic. It’s becoming so prolific,” said Jennifer Nelson, a trauma-focused community health worker at Mental Health Partners. Nelson is a former teacher who changed careers to better address the mental health of children and families.

Jennifer Nelson

Trauma is difficult to dissect. Are you born with it, instilled with it, or is it learned behavior over time? “Anxiety is contagious. We biologically are set up as children … to take cues about safety in our environment from the adults. If a parent is anxious or scared, a child will be anxious and scared because the parent is either verbally or non-verbally communicating [that behavior],” Nelson expanded.

The fact that we are seeing an increase in anxiety in children may have more to do with adults than the young people we are raising. Children model their behavior after the adult figures in their lives. It is nearly impossible to raise a stress- or anxiety-free child if the parents model stressful and anxious behavior. “Calm parents generally will not have an anxious child,” Nelson spoke on the role parents can play. Anxiety present in children oftentimes first comes from their parents or caretakers.

No break from the headlines

Media access plays a significant role in the increase in anxiety among our youth. The rise in cell phones and social media have transformed the way we operate on a daily basis. Just a few decades ago news was consumed almost entirely during a set time of day, such as reading the morning paper or watching the nightly news hour. Today we are accustomed to a constant stream of information, much of it negative, throughout our day. There is no break from the headlines for many of us.

Nelson touched on the difference in generations growing up before cell phones and social media were so common. Nelson noted that children “have access to media 24/7, and that wasn’t the case before. Kids would come home, and they would watch cartoons or read a book or play, and they didn’t really have an awareness of those adult kinds of things that were going on. And now they know all of that. I have an 8-year-old nephew who will ask questions about Ukraine.”

It is not just children who should put down the screen and stop “doom-scrolling,” it’s the adults as well. Mental health experts indicate that watching the news may be more anxiety-inducing than reading the news. When reading stories, the reader has more control over what content is consumed. Images of destruction and shocking headlines often define today’s TV media coverage, presenting a warped world view and leaving the viewer feeling powerless, all leading to stress and anxiety.

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock

America’s national shame: gun violence

I recall growing up in the Columbine era where I was acutely aware that a school shooting had happened, but it was seen as a horrifying and one-time event. It dominated headlines for months. Today the reality is that school shootings are so common, it is not possible to report on all of them on the national news.

Even if the chances of a gun-related incident occurring at any given school is small, the stress from constantly hearing reports about it has reverberating effects. According to Everytown for Gun Safety, practicing active shooter drills is bad for mental health.

Steve Nelson

Instead, Steve Nelson, former head of the Calhoun School in New York and current Yellow Scene columnist, suggests schools practice these drills without letting students know the full details of their intent. “I never thought about having any kind of drill that would really frighten children about something that was highly unlikely to ever actually occur. We would practice evacuation drills, but we just call that a fire drill,” Steve Nelson explained. Steve is Jennifer Nelson’s father.

This type of preparedness helps everyone be ready in case something does occur but doesn’t traumatize children with thoughts of active shooters entering their classroom, even if the adults are practicing for a rapid evacuation, active shooter, or other more intense event.

Having armed guards in schools leads to a whole new host of problems and has not necessarily been shown to deter school shootings. Oftentimes law enforcement officers in a school setting end up targeting minority students a disproportionate amount and therefore enforcing generational trauma and upholding systemic racism, according to the ACLU of California and numerous other sources.

Academic pressure

The pressure of standardized tests, AP classes, and college admissions coupled with the increase in mental health crises surrounding school shootings and the compounded environmental doom we are certainly facing can be overwhelming to any kid in today’s society.

MIT Press Direct explored the effects of standardized testing on students and found anxiety and stress significantly impact students’ test scores. A study from a school in New Orleans also showed that stress from outside factors, such as socioeconomic status, also negatively affects test scores, reinforcing the institutional benefits that wealthier students already experience.

Steve Nelson shared his observations on the increase in stress over the decades: “There has been a really crazy ratcheting up of stress related to school that doesn’t have anything to do with guns or anything to do with Covid, just the advent of standardized testing and the completely inappropriate emphasis on performance on certain kinds of standardized measures and expectations about higher education.”

Fortunately many colleges and universities are doing away with standardized testing as a measure for admissions, but the pressure to perform well academically is still immense. Adjusting standardized testing requirements is one step, but the problem of institutionalized stress and trauma from dealing with financial instability is the root of the problem. Lorena Garcia, Colorado state representative and executive director on the board of the Colorado Statewide Parent Coalition previously told YS, “In order to tear down structural racism, you have to tear down structures. How about fixing our society so [parents] are not having to work two to three jobs a day?”

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock

Reducing screen time

Social media and cell phones are not going anywhere. The connectivity and instant communication they allow have revolutionized the way knowledge is stored and business is conducted. It is the latest version of globalization which has steadily stitched together the fractures of Pangea since the beginning of the Columbian exchange in the 1500s.

Fighting against technological change is a fruitless endeavor, but we can adapt to this reality in a way that induces less stress.

One solution is to turn off the TV and limit screen time, especially for children. Shifting to a reading focus can help reduce anxiety and allow readers of all ages to focus on content they wish to hear about, with in-depth coverage, rather than having a stressful and potentially trauma-inducing headline beamed into the living room or palm of their hand.

Scheduling screen time and limiting it to an age-appropriate amount while communicating that to your child is another way to help reduce anxiety. “Putting together schedules for kids is incredibly important,” Jennifer Nelson said. She expanded that parents should set expectations for their children by letting them know ahead of time how much screen time they will be allowed. “We call that ‘front loading’ in education, when you’re telling them ahead of time, ‘This is what it’s gonna look like,’” she said.

Adults play a significant role. “I think that adults are bamboozled by their own consumption of the media,” Steve Nelson said. “I don’t blame anyone. I love my grandkids, I worry about them, but there’s a real loss of objectivity,” he explained. Turning off the news, or at least understanding the overstated dangers headlines inspire, is a start.

Jennifer Nelson shared similar sentiments: “We don’t want to be in a place where we’re ignorant of things that are going on in the world. There is a gift that we have in technology in being able to know about things that are going on and be able to support causes that we care about … But I think that keeping things in perspective is very hard for a lot of people.”

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock

Building resiliency

It is also important that parents nurture their children to be resilient in the face of adversity. Allowing kids the opportunity to experiment, room to fail, and even the time to be bored are all important factors that will help them develop into well-rounded adults who are more capable of dealing with stress and anxiety.

“A lot of people think that you’re born resilient or not. The reality is that resilience is something that develops by having small challenges to overcome over and over again. It doesn’t mean that you have to be exposed to something traumatic. It does mean that you need to suffer through some things that are challenging,” Jennifer Nelson stated. “Then you have the evidence that teaches you, ‘I can do hard things. I can do something that’s challenging,’” she said.

One example is letting young kids tie their own shoes. “It might be frustrating, and they might cry. It may be uncomfortable. They might complain about it, but the satisfaction of actually completing that will bring them to the next challenge with competence. So something developmentally appropriate, where we’re giving kids challenges that they can overcome actually, is what helps them build resilience,” Nelson explained.

Another suggestion is focus on providing more resources for mental health as students enter college. Most mental health problems begin at this age. The freedom away from family allows many to thrive, but for some it creates a lonely or dark space that allows trauma and stress to flourish. Luckily, the conversation seems to be shifting, but more mental health help and destigmatization, especially for young men, is necessary to help heal and move forward as a nation.

Resources for children and parents

A Precious Child
A Precious Child recognizes that meeting the essential needs of children is the basic building block to development. They also realize support does not end there, with a variety of options including social & emotional wellbeing and career and job development classes and training.

Conscious Discipline
Provides free resources, worksheets, podcasts, videos and more that can help families learn about social & emotional wellbeing. Things like “I Love You” rituals help build bonds and allow children to express complex feelings. They also offer paid options if you find this is the right content for your family.

CU Boulder Center for Resilience + Wellbeing
Helps build confidence, emotional skills, and routines that are crucial for managing things like social media, screen time, and the intake of news. Paired with clinical research that CU Boulder has to offer, this center provides a great way to begin developing resiliency that children need.

The Gottman Institute
Allows access to numerous articles and resources for parents, couples, and children to learn to manage conflict, grow emotionally, and develop healthy relationships. Based on decades of research by Dr. Gottman and others, this science-driven approach is aimed at helping both families and mental health professionals alike.

MESA – Moving to End Sexual Assault
MESA’s aim is to end sexual assault and support survivors through education, a hotline, and even a calming in-house therapy dog. Their resources include how to talk about these events to loved ones, reporting options, and even a dating guide for when the time is right. You can call (303) 443-7300 or text BRAVE to 20121 to begin the healing process.

St. Vrain and Boulder Valley Safe Schools Coalition
Founded by former students to help support current and future students by connecting with teachers, parents, and counselors. They help navigate the tough mental, educational, and identity stresses that affect so many. The St. Vrain Coalition meets on the 4th Tuesday each month at Longmont Community Foundation office, 636 Coffman St, Suite #203.

Boulder Valley Health Teen Clinic
Aiming to keep costs as low as possible, this clinic specializes in issues that teens face across the state. They offer sexual as well as behavioral health tips and and support as well as providing resources for educators wanting to learn more about supporting their students.

For more resources, see our 2023 School Directory.

The post Stress, Trauma, and Anxiety in School appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Collage by Irina Ratsek

I’m writing this on April 20.

The 24th anniversary of Columbine.

The New York Times published an absolutely gut-wrenching account of the aftermath of the Sandy Hook massacre today titled, “They Saw the Horrific Aftermath of a Mass Shooting. Should We?” It’s brutal. And it’s important. If you don’t have an account at the NYT, it’ll prompt you to sign up via email, but there’s no paywall for this one.

I’ve said it before: I’m done with arguing about guns. Because if 20 dead babies, bodies utterly shredded beyond recognition, didn’t spur actual change, nothing will. It’s a lost cause. The rabid 2A defenders — who showed up to Congress literally wearing assault rifle lapel pins in place of their American Flag pins — are the ghouls that the general public *chose* to represent them, and they simply Do. Not. Care. about what happens to a 6-year-old baby’s body when a Bushmaster XM15-E2S — an AR-15-style weapon — sends multiple lead rounds into their soft bodies.

This is on us. The American public. We have no one to blame but ourselves for the proliferation of weapons designed only to kill other human beings in the hands of people who would do others harm. These aren’t hunting rifles. These are killing machines. 

Spare me your arguments, 2A acolytes, because I’m not entertaining them. No one is — or has ever — taken your guns away, and it’s not going to happen. So you can stop screaming about it. But maybe you can take a moment to ponder why this particular amendment is the only one you care about, and likely one of only two or three you even know off the top of your head. 

“Uh, let’s see… there’s um… freedom of press… and uh… The right to claim the 5th… and uh… Isn’t there one about the pursuit of happiness or something?”

That’s pretty much how it goes down every time with a self-proclaimed “2A advocate” who doesn’t even understand that the only reason that amendment is even in the Bill of Rights is expressly to allow citizens the opportunity to protect for themselves all of the rights enshrined in the rest of the document. 

But much like MAGA, the 2A faithful have hitched their entire identities to it. To the feel of cold steel in their hands. It’s all they care about. While they’re dismantling the freedom of speech for drag show artists, or banning books in libraries or erasing the right to privacy (see the 9th Amendment) or trying to ban interstate commerce for abortion pills (hello 10th Amendment), they’re unironically unaware of their dripping hypocrisy at this point. All they want is their guns and the unfettered ability to force their exceedingly narrow Christofascist perspectives on the rest of us.

And with every passing day, more children die. At Denver’s East High School, on the porch of an old white man in Kansas City, in an Elgin, Texas supermarket parking lot, in the driveway of another old white man’s house in Hebron, New York, and on and on. All in just the last weeks. 

Because guns matter more. We get it. Twenty dead babies in Newtown, Connecticut bear that out. 

You win.

The post Gun Fever Has Blinded US to the Reality of Dead Children | Duly Noted appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

[NATIONAL]

• NPR quits Twitter after the Musk-led company slapped on a false label of “State Media” to the account.
• National Guardsman is arrested over a massive leak of Pentagon secrets, one of the largest security breaches in decades.
• DeSantis continues his clash with Disney in his latest culture wars brawl, with the company filing a lawsuit against the governor claiming he used his political power to hurt Disney.
• Buzzfeed shuts down its news division and cuts staff by 15% showing it’s more important than ever to support real journalism.
• Tucker Carlson loses his show on Fox News, a blow to disinformation and white supremacy dog whistles everywhere.
• Trump pleads not guilty to 34 felony charges in the campaign finance case regarding payments to Stormy Daniels.
• Supreme Court Justice Thomas Clarence has been secretly accepting luxurious vacations and other donations over the years without properly reporting them raising questions over the Court’s biases.

[LOCAL]

• Boulder City Council removes Lisa Sweeney-Miran from the Police Oversight Panel sparking debate over the panel’s effectiveness and independence.
• Governor Polis signs several gun control bills into law including raising the minimum age to buy a weapon to 21 and imposing a waiting period.
• Dacono sets a June 27th date for the recall election of council members stemming from their surprise removal of long time city manager A.J. Euckert.
• False report of a pipe bomb in Erie at the King Sooper’s market sparks fear and highlights the growing threat of false gun and bomb reports.
• Erie Home Rule Commission completed its draft of a Home Rule Charter after four months of meeting and deliberation on the issue.

Small Talk:

“There’s so much excitement and optimism. How can you not feel good in the midst of everything else? … Our city is hungry for a new kind of leadership in these times and we’re already hard at work.” – Yemi Mobolade, on his candidacy for Mayor of Colorado Springs. He will be the city’s first Black mayor.

“I said we are in a battle for the soul of America, and we still are. The question we are facing is whether in the years ahead we have more freedom or less freedom. More rights or fewer.” – Joe Biden announcing his bid for reelection in 2024

“Our phones should be blowing off the hook, which they are, but they should be blowing off the hook even more.” – Charles Graves, Assistant Veterans Service Officer with the El Paso County Veterans Services on new compensation program for toxic exposure

“These defendants put many lives at risk during what should have been a normal lunch hour on campus.” – CO District Attorney John Kellner on sentencing two teens in 2021 Hinkley High School shooting

“Juul lit a nationwide public health crisis by putting addictive products in the hands of minors and convincing them that it’s harmless.” – Letitia James, New York Attorney General, on $462 million settlement that includes Colorado and other states

By the Numbers:

50% – 1 out of every 2 transgender individuals experience sexual violence according to statistics by MESA

72% – Reduction in plastic bag use after Louisville passes bag tax program

4+ per week – Average number of Americans killed in mass shootings this year, a record pace so far

$38.5 Billion – Proposed total state budget sent to Governor Polis

6 Weeks – New Florida bill would ban abortion following six weeks of pregnancy in the most recent attack on reproductive rights 

$6 Billion – NFL Team Washington Commanders sell for a record amount. Why does building these stadiums need public funding again?

The post Month in Review | May 2023 appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

[NATIONAL]

• Ex-president Donald Trump is indicted for payments to porn star Stormy Daniels in an attempt to squash news of his affair, which occurred just 4 months after Trump’s wife Melania gave birth. He previously announced the day of his arrest, which, like most of his statements, turned out to be false. He pleaded not guilty to all 34 charges.
• Nashville school shooting leaves 6 dead, including 3 nine-year olds in the latest string of gun related tragedies plaguing the nation, making this over 130 mass shootings in 2023 so far.
• Lori Lighfoot (D) comes in third place, losing her Chicago mayoral reelection bid which historically has seen the incumbent remain in power for decades.

[INTERNATIONAL]

• Mass protests spread in Paris following the proposed raising of the retirement age. While France is looking at raising it from 62 to 64, we could learn a thing or two about solidarity in the face of stripped benefits.
• UBS takes over one of its largest competitors, Credit Suisse, in a buyout following news of the bank’s fragility.
• Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovic is detained by Russia who accuses him of spying.
• Fire in a detention center for migrants that have been sent back from the U.S. to Mexico kills at least 38 people trapped in the facility.
• Archaeologists have found evidence of horseback riding that pushes the domestication date of these animals back to about 5,000 years ago.

[LOCAL]

• North Boulder was placed under a shelter in place order for several hours after a standoff with armed suspect near 17th and Yarmouth.
• Prop 125 took effect this month allowing sellers of beer to also stock wine on their shelves. Expect more and more faux wine snobs to come out of the woodwork.
• Jenna Ellis, one of Trump’s numerous former lawyers, has been rightly censured in Colorado over fabricated statements regarding the 2020 elections.
• Lauren Boebert announces her underage son will soon be a father, having impregnated an even younger girl. Boebert will be a grandmother at age 36. 
• CU Boulder signed a football player to their program that is under investigation by the El Paso County sherriffs dept for rape, sexual assault, and sexual exploitation of a minor. A petition to expel him is currently circulating but the administration has made no decision by the date this was published.
• Denver East high school experiences a shooting with two injuries and the death of the shooter. Students staged a protest at the State capitol in a plea for lawmakers to do something.

Small Talk

“I have looked into the terrified eyes of many children after they’ve been shot and tried to comfort them… I tell them they’re in a safe place now, but in my heart, I don’t know if they are.” – Dr. Halden Scott on treating child survivors of mass shootings. 

“Aurora Civil Service Commission quietly approved a package of changes to entry-level hiring rules for police and firefighters, giving the commission… the ability to hire candidates whose backgrounds include caveats that would have previously gotten their applications thrown out.” – according to the Colorado Sentinel‘s In The Blue project.

“To all the trans youth who may be affected by this legislation: we stand by you, and we will not stop fighting. You are cherished. You are loved. You belong,” – Kentucky ACLU on the State passing a bill that, among other restrictions, bans all gender-affirming medical care for those under 18.

“The police department is destroyed. City Hall is destroyed. The county courthouse is damaged. The fire department is devastated. There’s no grocery store that’s operable in the community.” – US Rep. Bennie Thompson on the tornado that devastated Rolling Fork, Mississippi.

“What you’re telling me is, you don’t mind  infringing free speech to protest children [from drag show readings] but when it comes to children that have died, you don’t give a flying f*ck to stop that because ‘that shall not be infringed.’ That is hypocrisy at its highest order.” – Jon Stewart to Oklahoma State Senator Nathan Dahm during their conversation on drag shows and gun rights.

By the Numbers 

11 – Candidates still in the Denver mayoral race as voting comes to a close, with Mike Johnston and Kelly Brough now facing each other in a top-two runoff.

19% – American children deaths are from gun violence, now the leading cause of death for those under 18.

48% – Superior residents are renters according to 2020 census data reviewed by Mayor Mark Lacis.

311,000 – Jobs added last month in an already strong labor market 

47% – Of all building and permit fees for the Town of Superior have been issued as rebates to residents wishing to rebuild.

The post Month in Review | April 2023 appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Editor’s Note: Press Releases are provided to Yellow Scene. In an effort to keep our community informed, we publish some press releases in whole.

A community conversation with Boulder County Sheriff Curtis Johnson and local mental health professionals

Monday April 24th
6:00-7:30pm
Louisville Public Library
951 Spruce St.

Free and open to the public. REGISTER HERE!
To see all our upcoming events, visit LWVBC.org

The post “Let’s Talk About It: Guns and Mental Health in Boulder County & Beyond” appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

By Markian Hawryluk | KHN (AP Storyshare)

One in 4 Colorado teens reported they could get access to a loaded gun within 24 hours, according to survey results published Monday. Nearly half of those teens said it would take them less than 10 minutes.

“That’s a lot of access and those are short periods of time,” said Virginia McCarthy, a doctoral candidate at the Colorado School of Public Health and the lead author of the research letter describing the findings in the medical journal JAMA Pediatrics.

The results come as Coloradans are reeling from yet another school shooting. On March 22, a 17-year-old student shot and wounded two school administrators at East High School in Denver. Police later found his body in the mountains west of Denver in Park County and confirmed he had died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Another East High student was fatally shot in February while sitting in his car outside the school.

The time it takes to access a gun matters, McCarthy said, particularly for suicide attempts, which are often impulsive decisions for teens. In research studying people who have attempted suicide, nearly half said the time between ideation and action was less than 10 minutes. Creating barriers to easy access, such as locking up guns and storing them unloaded, extends the time before someone can act on an impulse, and increases the likelihood that they will change their mind or that someone will intervene.

“The hope is to understand access in such a way that we can increase that time and keep kids as safe as possible,” McCarthy said.

The data McCarthy used comes from the Healthy Kids Colorado Study, a survey conducted every two years with a random sampling of 41,000 students in middle and high school. The 2021 survey asked, “How long would it take you to get and be ready to fire a loaded gun without a parent’s permission?”

American Indian students in Colorado reported the greatest access to a loaded gun, at 39%, including 18% saying they could get one within 10 minutes, compared with 12% of everybody surveyed. American Indian and Native Alaskan youths also have the highest rates of suicide.

Nearly 40% of students in rural areas reported having access to firearms, compared with 29% of city residents.

The findings were released at a particularly tense moment in youth gun violence in Colorado. Earlier this month, hundreds of students left their classrooms and walked nearly 2 miles to the state Capitol to advocate for gun legislation and safer schools. The students returned to confront lawmakers again last week in the aftermath of the March 22 high school shooting.

The state legislature is considering a handful of bills to prevent gun violence, including raising the minimum age to purchase or possess a gun to 21; establishing a three-day waiting period for gun purchases; limiting legal protections for gun manufacturers and sellers; and expanding the pool of who can file for extreme risk protection orders to have guns removed from people deemed a threat to themselves or others.

According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, firearms became the leading cause of death among those ages 19 or younger in 2020, supplanting motor vehicle deaths. And firearm deaths among children increased during the pandemic, with an average of seven children a day dying because of a firearm incident in 2021.

Colorado has endured a string of school shootings over the past 25 years, including at Columbine High School in 1999, Platte Canyon High School in 2006, Arapahoe High School in 2013, and the STEM School Highlands Ranch in 2019.

Although school shootings receive more attention, the majority of teen gun deaths are suicides.

“Youth suicide is starting to become a bigger problem than it ever has been,” said Dr. Paul Nestadt, a researcher at the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions.

“Part of that has to do with the fact that there’s more and more guns that are accessible to youth.”

While gun ownership poses a higher risk of suicide among all age groups, teens are particularly vulnerable, because their brains typically are still developing impulse control.

“A teen may be bright and know how to properly handle a firearm, but that same teen in a moment of desperation may act impulsively without thinking through the consequences,” said Dr. Shayla Sullivant, a child and adolescent psychiatrist at Children’s Mercy Kansas City. “The decision-making centers of the brain are not fully online until adulthood.”

Previous research has shown a disconnect between parents and their children about access to guns in their homes. A 2021 study found that 70% of parents who own firearms said their children could not get their hands on the guns kept at home. But 41% of kids from those same families said they could get to those guns within two hours.

“Making the guns inaccessible doesn’t just mean locking them. It means making sure the kid doesn’t know where the keys are or can’t guess the combination,” said Catherine Barber, a senior researcher at the Harvard University T.H. Chan School of Public Health’s Injury Control Research Center, who was not involved in the study. “Parents can forget how easily their kids can guess the combination or watch them input the numbers or notice where the keys are kept.”

If teens have their own guns for hunting or sport, those, too, should be kept under parental control when the guns are not actively being used, she said.

The Colorado researchers now plan to dig further to find out where teens are accessing guns in hopes of tailoring prevention strategies to different groups of students.

“Contextualizing these data a little bit further will help us better understand types of education and prevention that can be done,” McCarthy said.

KHN (Kaiser Health News) is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation.

The post As Colorado Reels From Another School Shooting, Study Finds 1 in 4 Teens Have Quick Access to Guns appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

[WORLD]

• Earthquake strikes Turkey killing over 20,000 people. President Erdogan has been heavily criticized for his response to the disaster and has arrested over 100 contractors despite himself being caught on camera bragging about relaxing building codes.
• February 24th marks the one-year anniversary of the Russian invasion and occupation of Ukraine. Slava Ukraini!
• President Biden makes a surprise visit to war-torn Kyiv in a demonstration of support to the Ukrainian resistance.

[NATIONAL]

• The U.S. military shot down multiple objects attempting to enter North American airspace in wake of a high-profile Chinese balloon making its way across the continent. It probably wasn’t aliens.
• Train that likely should have been labeled as Highly Hazardous derails in East Palestine, Ohio leaking toxic chemicals into the environment killing wildlife and farm animals – with deep concerns for human health as well.
• SNAP benefits to help provide food for those in need during the COVID pandemic have ended on February 28th, many food banks are anticipating increased demand.
• Harvey Weinstein is sentenced to 16 years in prison for his sex crimes.
• Marjorie Taylor Greene calls for a “national divorce” to separate the Red and Blue states, essentially calling for the dissolution of the United States.

[LOCAL]

• Multiple local schools across the state, including Boulder High, were evacuated after an elaborate fake gun threat.
• Members of Dacono City Council oust long term City Manager A.J. Euckert in a surprise vote during the February 13th meeting. 
• Black farmers in Aurora County have been stalked and harassed by their neighbors in what is believed to be a racially motivated community effort to drive them off their land.
• Pueblo County Sheriff’s sued for the wrongful death of Richard Ward, who was killed while he was with family picking up his little brother from middle school.
• Boulder County law enforcement used money from opioid settlements to purchase controversial surveillance equipment.
• CBS News report reveals a New York-based hedge fund has been buying Colorado River water rights over the last five years, sparking debate over who should have access to limited river resources.
• Adam Frisch announces he will run to unseat Lauren Boebert, Colorado’s national embarrassment, in 2024.

Small Talk

“The time is now for Democrats to take the lead when it comes to fulfilling our promise to create safer communities and pass real solutions that will cut down on gun violence in our communities today.” – Colorado Senate President Steve Fenberg (D-Boulder) affirmed while introducing four new gun safety bills

“The physics of the air in our buildings and the climate in which we live affect things that can make us sick and how long they persist. Now we have conservative indications of how long coronaviruses like the one that causes COVID-19 can stick around in the air and be an infectious disease threat.” – Professor of Engineering Mark Hernandez said about CU Boulder’s research on airborne diseases

“The commissioners’ decision to approve these new positions is a first step in building the capacity required to advance our wildfire mitigation efforts.” – Boulder County Commissioner Claire Levy on adding twelve new wildfire mitigation staff positions

“[We need] more flexible zoning to allow more housing, streamlined regulations that cut through red tape, expedited approval processes for projects like modular housing, sustainable development, and more building in transit-oriented communities.” – Governor Polis on Colorado’s efforts to create more walkable cities

By the Numbers:

The post Month in Review | March 2023 appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

A car pulls up in the dark of the night. Out steps a masked man carefully avoiding cameras. He walks onto a private lawn and places a sign in the yard. He swiftly returns to his car and drives off to the next home of another City Council member, continuing to every City Council residence he can find. The signs read “Proud Gun Free Household” and while attributed to Moms Demand Action, a gun safety group associated with Everytown For Gun Safety, Moms Demand Action did not make or distribute the signs.

The morning of January 8th most Broomfield Council members found an unauthorized political sign had been placed on their properties. A review of home security camera footage spotted a darkly dressed man in a mask placing the signs, then returning to a car, but his identity currently remains unknown. Moms Demand Action did not authorize the printing or placement of these signs according to Carol Callicote of the local Colorado chapter.

“I was worried that they were taking pictures of the sign on our lawn saying we were unarmed,” Council Member Heidi Henkel shared, fearing this could be used as an intimidation tactic.

Members of the City Council expressed varying degrees of concern over the incident. “It scared children when those signs were placed, it just really put people on edge,” Mayor Guyleen Castriotta confirmed.

Screenshot of the man who placed the sign signs. Image provided by Heidi Henkel.

“It was bothersome after the fact because it said  ‘paid for by Moms in Action’, and they did not pay for those signs. That’s what was bothersome to me,” explained Council Member Laurie Anderson.

Every single member of the Council, with the exception of Austin Ward whose apartment complex is difficult to access, was visited on the night of the 18th, just days before deliberation on gun safety rights. Not only were the signs inaccurate, at least once council member owns firearms, the signs were not paid for, approved by, or created by Moms Demand Action. Moms Demand Action stated to YS that they were unaware of the improper use of their organization’s name in creating these fake political signs.

Moreover, several council members were startled and shaken that someone had visited nearly every member in the night and stepped foot on their properties in order to distribute false political advertising. Council Members also expressed concerns that politics are now affecting their families and children, with one child notifying her school of this night time sign incident.

Those who have experienced an invasion of privacy are often understandably shaken. “My wife is still very on edge, always looking at the camera, she sees everything. It’s sort of uncomfortable. That was their goal right?” Castriotta explains the continuing effects of the sign placement.

More alarmingly, this may not have been the only incident associated with an attempt at political intimidation. YS confirms that there have been other incidents of stalking reported by Broomfield elected officials, and that extra police patrols have been requested in regards to the Council member’s safety.

Close-up screenshot of the man who placed the fake signs. Image provided by Guyleen Castriotta.

Discussion about regulating access to firearms often leads to passionate advocates on both sides of the issue. There is still a line that should not be crossed when engaging in the local political process. Intimidation and false advertising are not legitimate democratic tactics. These actions need to be widely condemned to maintain a healthy democracy. Mayor Castriotta states “I received quite a few empathetic, compassionate emails from people on the other side of the issue that said ‘we don’t condone that, that’s not us.’”

“I hope their intent was more political theater and less intimidation… trespassing and misrepresentation simply is not an effective way to make your case,” Council Member Todd Cohen wrote in an email to YS.

The introduction of fear and the use of violence in high profile incidents like the January 6th 2021 storming of the United States Capitol building have heightened the political atmosphere to the point that local government officials often feel endangered simply by performing their jobs. 

Although unrelated to this political sign incident, former Superior City Council trustee Laura Skladzinski  previously stated to YS that she would not be seeking re-election for her seat following threatening and harassing messages that were sent to her after a controversial vote on land development.

It may seem shocking to hear of these tactics being employed against your local elected officials, but this is not the first time groups have attempted to sway the democratic process outside of legal means. “I felt like I’ve been followed, mainly on the oil and gas stuff we were fighting,” Castriotta said in reference to previous stalking incidents, “when we were fighting fracking, that was the other time I always felt like I was in danger.”

Sign that was placed in the yards of most Broomfield City Council members. Photo provided by Heidi Henkel.

Politicians are still humans, and your local leaders are likely to be your neighbors, not just a faceless entity of government. Every elected official is open to scrutiny and debate that is crucial to a functioning democracy. Using public comments, petitions and protests to affect change is all part of the process.

When incidents like this drive away regular people from running for government we are left with radicals and extremists who are willing to endure this type of harassment in order to achieve their vision.

As to why Broomfield City Council is facing this current round of intimidation Castriotta has little doubt. “This is the first time we’ve taken up gun safety regulations, we hadn’t angered that group yet,” Castriotta stated.

“I think they tried to make it as a joke, and it was poorly executed,” Henkel offers.

The next City Council meeting regarding gun safety measures is not yet scheduled but will possibly be held in June. Discussion has been tabled on the remaining gun safety issues according to Henkel. When discussion is picked back up the public is welcome to comment at City Council meetings.

The post Inaccurate Political Signs Appeared in the Night on Broomfield City Council Member’s Lawns appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

This essay is a guest submission by Elizabeth Pimentel. She has written for the Washington Post, Salon, and NY Daily News.

Valentine’s Day can conjure visions of romance, but for some it brings back memories of relationships that didn’t take off. Falling into the latter category is my hot blind date when I found myself on a deserted mountainside two hours from civilization with a man I feared might kill me.

At 28, I’d just completed a grueling graduate program that left no time for dating. So I was overjoyed when a mutual friend set us up. We were both young professionals living in Denver – Rob was a brilliant researcher for a high-tech company in Boulder, and I was a recently graduated physical therapist. Cross-country skiers, we shared a love of the Rocky Mountains and chose a back-country ski expedition as our first rendezvous. Rob was tall and fit, and his clean-cut appearance exuded an All-American handsomeness. I was attracted to more than his interest in the frozen peaks and fantasized that our trip would include some serious heat.

Rob easily broke trail through the softening pristine flakes. I followed close behind in the tread made by his skis, hoping that we’d share more than drinks later. Yet, as we talked, our political differences became apparent. When I praised Bob Dylan’s latest album he replied, “I’m really into Ted Nugent.” Still, I saw him as the conservative yin to my bohemian yang. When Rob’s hand touched mine while sharing his trail mix, it was electric.

“This could be risky,” he said. I was heartened, assuming he was referring to our sizzling chemistry. But as he peered at the deserted open bowl of virgin snow which lay ahead dropping hundreds of feet below us, he added, “It’s been warm, and that means the new layer could break away from the older one, and there aren’t any trees to anchor it. This might cause an avalanche. We’ve got to be careful.”

“Should we turn back?” I asked, disappointed.

“No need for that. Can you get something out of my backpack?”

I unzipped the compartment and reached in, expecting to find a compass, camera or map. But my hand grasped the cold, hard metal, and as I pulled it out I shuddered to see what I held. Speechless, I looked up at Rob as he took his .38 special snub nosed revolver from my hand, as nonchalantly as if I were offering him a joint.

I’d never laid hands on a real gun before. My father, a high school principal, was the cerebral, intellectual type, and didn’t hunt, much less own a firearm. I was raised in a staid Massachusetts town, then schooled at New York University, part of the make love, not war generation. Weaponry was never a part of my culture. When I moved to Colorado, I learned that arms were a component of many people’s everyday existence. Yet I never got used to the sight of a rifle hung above the back window of a pickup truck. The artists, craftspeople and academics I hung out with considered the NRA to be suspect.

Finally, I found my words.

“What are you going to do with that thing?” I asked.

“I’m going to create an avalanche so we can pass safely by, once it’s over,” he said, fingering its trigger.

I quickly did a cost/benefit analysis in my mind. He wanted to disturb the tranquility of this wilderness by shooting his pistol into the air in order to create a snowslide under his regulation. I wondered if that was even possible. There could be skiers, snowshoe-ers, or animals below that we couldn’t see. If he did create a “controlled” avalanche, I questioned if it would be stable enough for us to pass. It could backfire and bury us. And I doubted the actual risk of one occurring if he didn’t do anything.

Avalanche seemed minor compared to the landslide that was going on in my brain: What if he knew nothing about them and just wanted to use his weapon for fun? What kind of person took a handgun on a blind date anyway? The thought that he might use it to threaten or kill me entered my mind, and as much as I tried to dismiss it, stuck there like wet snow to skis. I didn’t understand how I could be so stupid as to be out in the middle of nowhere with someone I didn’t even know – a possible loose cannon – who was wielding a pistol. Suddenly our little ski trip became a psychological thriller – Girl on the Mountain Meets Psycho – with me as the victim. I couldn’t let him see the fear building up inside.

“I really think we should head back the way we came,” I said, as calmly as I could.

He held the handgun above his head and pointed it into the air. “Just one shot, and if there’s any unstable snow, we’ll know.”

I knew I had to get out of there. I felt completely out of control. “Seriously, Rob, no need to shoot. I’m ready to go home.”

He looked straight at me, trying to decide. “OK,” he finally said, “you can put this back,” and handed me the firearm.

I tried to act blasé while I gingerly placed it securely into his bag. I let him lead the way to the base of the mountain, not because I needed him to tamp down the snow, but because I wanted to keep an eye on him.

I must have hidden my anxiety well, because he asked me out again, an offer I turned down. For the next week flowers from Rob were delivered to my doorstep nearly every day.

“For my mountain woman,” read his first note. “I miss you,” said his last.

He eventually got the message that I had lost my fascination with him, although I don’t think he ever realized why. I learned a valuable lesson: Don’t leave civilization with a total stranger – someone you don’t yet trust. I started vetting all future blind dates by quizzing them on where they stood on the Second Amendment, just to be safe. Since then I’ve learned to appreciate that there are conscientious owners of firearms, although I believe they should divulge if they are carrying a Saturday-night special while in my company. So-called “responsible” gun owners don’t always make responsible decisions.

Within a few years I moved to The Bronx and married my pro-gun-control, anti-war husband. We raised three sons without any war toys.

I can’t help but imagine that Rob and I might have had a loving, romantic relationship. Too bad that when he showed me he was packin’ heat, it wasn’t the kind I wanted.

The post How to Survive an Avalanche (and Ruin a Date) appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

A recent New York Times column addressed what I have long asserted as the most powerful psychological aspect of the gun issue in America. Therein Jamelle Bouie writes about the impact that “open carry” has on individuals and communities. He argues, I believe unimpeachably, that all social dynamics shift when a weapon is present.

This is particularly important in terms of schools, where policy proposals for arming teachers are common and many schools already have armed guards within their walls. The impact of weapons in a school environment is quietly devastating. A first reaction of fear is natural. More worrisome is when the fear is normalized and absorbed by children as part of their understanding of their world. I am not aware of studies demonstrating the effect on learning, but it seems intuitively certain that internalized fear and stress about deadly weapons have a negative impact on cognition.

Put aside for a moment the Second Amendment arguments for gun possession. I find them constitutionally specious, but white men on the Supreme Court feel otherwise. I allude to gender and race quite intentionally.

Consider these findings from a Pew Research Center study conducted a few years ago:

“White men are especially likely to be gun owners: About half (48%) say they own a gun, compared with about a quarter of white women and nonwhite men (24% each) and 16% of nonwhite women.”

“Republicans and Republican-leaning independents are more than twice as likely as Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents to say they own a gun (44% vs. 20%). This partisan gap remains even after controlling for demographic differences.”

“Perhaps not surprisingly, those who see owning a gun as central to their overall identity are particularly committed to gun ownership. For example, 89% of gun owners who see owning a gun as very or somewhat important to their overall identity say they can’t see themselves ever not owning a gun . . .”

89% of gun owners say the right to own guns is essential to their sense of freedom and they say they can’t see themselves ever not owning a gun. It is uniquely American to see gun ownership as essential to freedom. In most places around the world, guns are more associated with tyranny than with freedom.

I must stipulate to the difference between owning a gun so as to stroll around Walmart and owning a gun for hunting. After many years in Vermont and New Hampshire, I am familiar with hunting culture as outdoor enjoyment and, for some, as a source of food. “Familiar with” does not imply enthusiasm, but we who consume meat are on treacherously thin ice if we moralize about the evils of hunting. Vegetarians and vegans have sounder footing.

But the culture of open and concealed carry is quite another thing. The difference between “open” and “concealed” is largely irrelevant. When a community’s laws and/or common practices allow that a person be armed, the distinction doesn’t matter much. I am quite sure I’m not alone in automatically suppressing my speech or action because of the possibility that another person is armed.

That irony is lost on gun zealots who carry as a matter of “freedom.” Their freedom has the effect of suppressing the freedoms of multiple others. It is like the quote, probably inaccurately attributed to Oliver Wendell Holmes; “Your liberty to swing your fist ends just where my nose begins.”

To return to the demographic findings of the Pew study . . .

It may seem odd that white men, who enjoy inarguable privilege, are twice as likely to own guns as any other group. Might it be a less odd when seen as a need to protect that very privilege?

Of course a Black man intent on open-carrying at Walmart probably wouldn’t make it that far alive. In fact, one notorious case involved a young Black man gunned down in Walmart for holding a BB gun.

And is it odd that Republicans are more than twice as likely to report that they own a gun? Or is it a reflection of a conservative tendency to champion rugged individualism over collective well-being?

And as to 89% of gun owners seeing their gun(s) as central to their identity? ’Tis a rather sad commentary on the contemporary state of American masculinity.

Given the gun-besotted culture in which we are raising this generation of boys, I fear this will not change soon.

The post Gun Rights Take Away Freedom appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Taking on the most important issues facing our country

From left to right: Tom Mauser, Eileen McCarron, Tim Rakow, Lark Rambo, Gina, Maione-Earles, Cathryn Folkestad, Peter Hoy. Photo by Paul Wedlake

For our penultimate installment in our monthly “Heroes” series, we look to our nonprofits. The year’s end brings a time to reflect: This year has been a daunting one. Massive issues have risen before us like great and terrible mountains, nearly unfathomable in their scale. Innocent people continue to die senselessly to gun violence. A war on women and those able to give birth has been declared. People are still hungry. Rent is going up leading to an increase in homelessness. These are some of the most important yet daunting issues our country, our species, has ever faced. Our nonprofits are the ones that stare down the darkness without flinching. They understand the pain, the fear, the anger that arises from such heavy topics. Yet, they fight on because they know that someone has to, that nothing will change without direct action.

I spoke with representatives from six very different organizations. In spite of the very powerful issues they deal with everyday, each person I spoke with was tender and sincere, their compassion flowing from them like rivers, the kind that, with enough patience and determination, can erode mountains.

I had the opportunity to speak with Tom Mauser and Eileen McCarron of Colorado Ceasefire, the longest-serving grassroots gun violence prevention organization in Colorado. They seek to reduce gun violence through legislation, outreach, and education. Mauser has a tragically personal connection to the issue. He is the father of Daniel Mauser, one of the 13 victims in the Columbine High School shooting that took place in 1999. Mauser speaks about this plainly, the sorrow in his voice tinged with conviction. He told me that his work with Colorado Ceasefire is “how [he] honor[s] his son.” With a background in lobbying, he pivoted to the fight against gun violence in the wake of the tragedy. He highlighted the fact that the conversation against gun violence has been extremely politicized to such an extreme degree that it impedes progress, saying that both sides of the aisle must work together or else innocent citizens will continue to die. He said, “Society and the media too often makes this a pro-gun/anti-gun issue. We’re not anti-gun. We’re anti-gun violence.” Mauser now speaks to the public as the self-described “face of the organization.” He hopes in doing so, in sharing his story, he can touch the hearts of those out there and remind the gun lobby of the brutal toll their inaction continues to take.

“Society and the media too often makes this a pro-gun/anti-gun issue. We’re not anti-gun. We’re anti-gun violence.”

While McCarron hasn’t been affected by gun violence in such a directly personal manner as Mauser, she has been fighting against it since before the Columbine tragedy. Shortly after Columbine, Colorado became something of a hub for the fight, and McCarron wanted to go where she could make the biggest impact. She moved the work against gun violence she’d already been doing in Texas to this state and has been fighting the good fight ever since, beginning with a now-defunct organization called Safe Colorado. Throughout our conversation, she made an incredibly interesting point that also made me quite sad for the people dedicating their lives to the issue: If they are successful, the general public won’t hear about it. Laws can reduce gun violence, which in turn, will reduce reported incidents. We will stop seeing yet another shooting, more dead kids on the news nearly every night, and that is what victory looks like, even if those who worked to achieve it might never quite get the recognition they deserve.

Gina Maione Earles is the executive director of Blue Sky Bridge, an organization dedicated to child abuse intervention and education. Celebrating her 10th year with the organization, Maione Earles breathed passion with each word she spoke. She spoke to me about how Blue Sky Bridge’s main goal is to help these kids come to terms with what has happened to them, empowering them to do what is necessary to move beyond it and live healthy lives. She said, “If [kids] do experience [sexual abuse], they are incredibly resilient, and they have an opportunity to heal and move forward and live their full potential in life. The problem is that most children who experience physical and sexual abuse do not disclose the abuse until they’re adults, if ever. It’s only about 10% of kids that experienced sexual abuse that actually say so.” She went on to say, “Our job here at Blue Sky Bridge is really profound. It’s not just to help kids to stop experiencing abuse, and it’s not just to help prevent this from happening in the first place, though we do a lot of things about that as well. It’s helping these kids tell their story, talk about their experience, move through that process, move on to healing, get the help and recovery they need to reduce their post traumatic symptoms.”

“Our job here at Blue Sky Bridge is really profound. It’s not just to help kids to stop experiencing abuse, and it’s not just to help prevent this from happening in the first place, though we do a lot of things about that as well. It’s helping these kids tell their story, talk about their experience, move through that process, move on to healing, get the help and recovery they need to reduce their post traumatic symptoms.”

Native American Rights Fund is the largest and most visible Indian law firm in the country. Founded in 1970 by John Echohawk, NARF provides legal counsel to Native American individuals, groups, and tribes. Deputy Director Matthew Campbell spoke to me with candor and intelligence, his voice clear and resilient. Many of the issues NARF deals with are not new. Campbell spoke about the importance of the organization and what it is like facing the daunting weight of history saying, “The reason the work is so important is because of the unique history and the unique legal relationship between the United States and tribal nations. There are hundreds of treaties that the United States signed with tribal nations. There is an entire chapter of the United States Code dedicated to Indian law and Native issues. For Native people, it really is one of the most heavily legal-based and regulated fields in the United States, and so much of who we are is tied up into that history and that relationship.” He went on to say, “We’ve worked here at NARF to fight to uphold the treaties, uphold access to sacred places and a right to be able to have religious freedom, to be able to vote in state and federal elections. It’s critical that NARF is here to be able to provide that type of resource for tribal nations and individuals that don’t have the capacity or the resources to afford a private attorney.”

“The reason the work is so important is because of the unique history and the unique legal relationship between the United States and tribal nations. There are hundreds of treaties that the United States signed with tribal nations. There is an entire chapter of the United States Code dedicated to Indian law and Native issues. For Native people, it really is one of the most heavily legal-based and regulated fields in the United States, and so much of who we are is tied up into that history and that relationship.”

I next spoke with Cathryn Folkestad and Peter Hoy, operations director and senior program manager for Conscious Alliance, respectively. These are two deeply passionate and vibrant people, quick with a joke and willing to let their laughter ring loud, yet utterly serious when it comes to their work and the impact they make. Conscious Alliance is an organization dedicated to using art to feed communities that don’t have ready access to food. This includes communities like Pine Ridge Native American Reservation, underprivileged schools, and areas in Boulder County devastated by the Marshall Fire. In addition to partnering with a variety of food makers and distributors, they partner with musicians and artists to run food drives at venues such as Red Rocks, Mission Ballroom, Fox Theater, and hundreds of others across the country. Hoy spoke to the importance of cooperation between organizations in order to accomplish their goals, especially when operating on such a large scale. He said, “We work with any and all food brands that want to work with us. Let’s get food out together. Our No. 1 mission is to feed kids. Same thing goes with food pantries, food banks, and food distribution centers. We’re trying to support as many organizations as we can.” He went on to stress the importance of partners who work within the communities they serve, especially when nearing the holiday season. He said, “We know that we can come and execute a great meal giveaway, but it’s really the partners on the ground that can drive the traffic of people to come there and find the folks that need a hot meal for Thanksgiving and get them out to the site.”

“We work with any and all food brands that want to work with us. Let’s get food out together. Our No. 1 mission is to feed kids. Same thing goes with food pantries, food banks, and food distribution centers. We’re trying to support as many organizations as we can.”

In addition to working with a vast network of partners throughout the country, Folkestad spoke to a smaller but no less important aspect of her and the organization’s work — kindling the little sparks that light fires in the hearts of the young and helping them realize that they can affect this world in a positive way. She said, “We can inspire these people to do something beyond themselves and help these people that are going to the shows realize that they can make an impact on the lives of people in need. We can help them open their minds to the world and their ability to give back and support their communities.”

The Inn Between addresses one of Boulder County’s most compelling and discussed issues: providing affordable housing for the ever-growing unhoused population. I spoke with executive director Tim Rakow, a kind and funny man that understands that, while involvement in nonprofit work begins ideologically, issues must be approached with logic and realism in order to actually accomplish anything. He explained that The Inn Between isn’t merely a place to stay but a program designed to get the unhoused off the streets and employed — and remain that way. As such, residents in their communities must adhere to a certain degree of decorum. They must take the opportunity seriously as there are many others who would gladly take their place. In setting these guidelines, they are able to focus on actual work with a great many other organizations to accomplish their goals. He also described the three focuses of The Inn Between’s work as being “first and foremost, safe support or affordable housing.” He then said, “case management, meaning life skills training — essentially areas for growth.” The third he mentioned was “education and career development to really key in on those who have that potential to move into a different career.”

The Inn Between isn’t merely a place to stay but a program designed to get the unhoused off the streets and employed — and remain that way.

Speaking with Lark Rambo, executive director of Coal Creek Meals on Wheels, through Zoom was interesting in that she radiated such kindness that it felt akin to a warm sunbeam shining through a window on a cold day. Meals on Wheels is a national organization that delivers food to the homes of those who can no longer acquire it without assistance due to disability, lack of transportation, and other factors. Rambo, who told me that she’s “always worked in the nonprofit space,” spoke about how they don’t just provide food to their clients but also, many times, a sort of companion, a way to remind people what being a part of the world is like. She said, “We’re also helping to combat isolation. During the pandemic, that was a huge part of it. Folks were so isolated, especially those that lack transportation and mobility. That’s the biggest part of our program, in addition to getting those meals in the home, making sure that they feel connected to their community.”

“We’re also helping to combat isolation. During the pandemic, that was a huge part of it. Folks were so isolated, especially those that lack transportation and mobility. That’s the biggest part of our program, in addition to getting those meals in the home, making sure that they feel connected to their community.”

Each of these lovely, hard-eyed, yet soft-hearted people are working to better this world. They embody the drive, the dedication, the teeth-gritting, muscle-straining, heart-rending determination it takes to affect real change in our communities and our world as a whole. Let’s hear it for them.

From left to right: Gina Maione-Earles, Lark Rambo, Tim Rakow, Cathryn Folkestad, Peter Hoy, Eileen McCarron. Photo by Paul Wedlake

The post The Heroes: Nonprofits appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Every year, Yellow Scene Magazine publishes an exhaustive Election Guide taking hundreds of human hours of work from August 30th, 2022 to the day it is published. Because we are “old-school” and still believe journalism is important, we do not allow email interviews and require a 15-minute call with each candidate. They are all asked the same six questions our Editorial Board outlined at the start. The only exceptions are races that these questions don’t make sense for such as Board of Education, CU Regents, Coroner, etc. After all interviews are completed, the YS Editorial Board reconvenes and decides on their final endorsements.

The Editorial Board is made up of Thomas Rutherford, Steve Nelson, Laurenz Busch, Robin Gross, Austin Clinkenbeard, and Zoe Jennings with contributions by Katrina Greenwood-Stroud, Shay Castle, and Michelle Mead.

Click on the individual candidates in the Table of Contents or scroll down, (keep scrolling past the black box, there were a LOT of interviews – nearly 100), for the full Election Guide Q&A with each candidate. We secured approximately 80% of all interviews, but over 90% of major races. Additionally, we researched 26 Ballot Issues outlined here.

QUESTIONS:

* = Some writers focused on single aspects of the question

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH*

• In light of Uvalde as well as evidence that shows SROs do not prevent violence in most cases, and in fact increase the arrest of marginalized children. What is your stance on SRO’s in schools?
• How do you see arming teachers?
• In 2019 YS published a story about the minimal mental health and trauma support services in our local schools. What would you do to support more mental health programs in schools (which may also help reduce school shootings.)

GUNS/MILITANT GROUPS*

• How do you see gun legislation working in Colorado in light of the new Supreme Court decision as well as the lawsuit against Superior, Colorado AND Boulder, Boulder County, Louisville?
• The far-right militia movement has gained visibility in Colorado over the past year after its members appeared at protests across the state. Additionally, the FBI has reported the infiltration of police departments by militant members. What do you think Colorado should do to curb the continued rise of these often violent groups, also known for disinformation?

ENVIRONMENT/CLIMATE CHANGE/WATER/FIRE*

• Colorado’s environment has been greatly impacted by wildfires over the last four years. What plans do you have to make sure that future wildfires are not as devastating as the ones we’ve witnessed since 2016? How will you help communities impacted by wildfires rebuild?
• Congress recently passed a $4 billion aid package to address the drought in the Colorado River as part of the Inflation Reduction Act. Do you think this funding is enough to address the water challenges Colorado faces? Would you support investing more state or federal dollars toward reducing the drought, or is there another solution for Colorado?

FENTANYL

• 900 people died in 2021 as fentanyl use and availability continued to skyrocket. The recently passed bill increases penalties for possession and the intent to distribute but it leaves in place a 2019 bill that allows possession of up to 4 grams of almost any drug. Critics say even 1 grams of a fentanyl compound can be dangerous. Is increasing penalties the right move? What else needs to happen?

HOMELESSNESS

• Homelessness is growing in many cities and rural areas in Colorado, and across the country. What will you do to help people experiencing homelessness find safe and sanitary homes?

INFRASTRUCTURE

• Colorado’s roads are in a constant state of disrepair. How do you plan to improve local infrastructure without significantly impacting the wallets of taxpayers?

COVID

• With a plethora of coverage about COVID, we chose to focus on legislative matters.

GOVERNOR

(D) Jared Polis – Incumbent, ENDORSED

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH: I believe in more counseling/counselors instead of SRO’s. We should focus on Behavioral Health and counseling. I am against arming teachers. I support imatter.org, a program that offers free counseling sessions for 18 and under.

GUNS/MILITANT GROUPS: The Red Flag Law removes guns from people in mental crisis. Communities should decide gun safety measures. I will defend all laws currently in place.  I support free speech but condemn hate speech/speech that advocates violence.

ENVIRONMENT: I support $145 mil. investment in prevention and mitigation. I will raise funds for rebuilding. We need to provide a victim aid center. The Inflation Reduction Act will help with drought as will allocating state funds. I will increase efficiency in urban and agricultural practices.

FENTANYL: It’s poison. Get it off the streets. Penalties are part of the solution but we must also provide resources for addicts to get clean and test strips be distributed.

HOMELESSNESS: I support American Rescue Act Funds. The state will invest $200mil over two years for job training, housing, and addiction counseling.

INFRASTRUCTURE: Federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Act will equal billions of dollars over next ten years for improvement. I signed the State Bipartisan Infrastructure Act which provides $5bil over next 10 years. I am investing in public and alternative transit.

ROE V. WADE: We need to empower women and doctors to make decisions. Birth control should be widely available. Empower sex ed. Protect nurses and doctors. 

ADDITIONAL

ENERGY: Colorado is moving towards 100% renewable energy by 2040. Date certain on closure of all coal plants in CO and will be replaced with solar and wind energy. I am pursuing geothermal energy as well.

(R) Heidi Ganahl – TOO EXTREME, Refused interview

(L) Kevin Ruskusky

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH: SROs are misuse of resources. School shootings are a result of mental health issues. I don’t support arming teachers. I am still forming my plan for mental health issues. More programs does not mean more progress.

GUNS/MILITANT GROUPS: I didn’t know about the lawsuits. We need more mental health support. It is an American right to own firearms. More laws are not the answer. Colorado is a diverse state with diverse needs. I have no knowledge of militia infiltration and support the right for militias to exist.

ENVIRONMENT: I will focus on mitigation and education and make sure our wells are full. I am not in government so I am unsure of what else can be done. We should monitor the HOA, stop wasting water on sprinklers and lawns, address old treaties, and curb Kentucky bluegrass.

FENTANYL: Penalties don’t work. We should focus on mental health and education.

HOMELESSNESS: Make mental health services available. Make housing affordable. We need better paying jobs. Take power away from billionaires.

INFRASTRUCTURE: More small contractors. I need to do more research. We should have people in the communities do the work.

ROE V. WADE: I never thought of the abortion issue in terms or education and resources. More sex ed in schools. The decision is between mother, father and their god. Government shouldn’t fund Planned Parenthood but it should help women in need.

(UP) Paul Fiorino

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH: The arts are essential, kids need the arts. Dance is in every culture, you can teach every subject in dance. Dance would lend itself to physical education and mental health.

GUNS/MILITANT GROUPS: We have to battle white supremacy Christianity. Our Christianity has been stolen. And you know, who instigated it? You know who I’m talking about, he brought us out of Afghanistan.

ENVIRONMENT: We need someone that is going to address a real opportunity for change and transformation. The environmental movement will grow at leaps and bounds, it has been hindered by party politics. We’re using way too much water in our fracking industry.

FENTANYL: This is just from the pit of Hell, killing our kids

HOMELESSNESS: It’s going to take good Samaritans, people who have been there, that have a heart, and compassion, and the means to be able to assist.

INFRASTRUCTURE: More people are talking about the drivers paying a tax, you have cyclists, skaters, everybody uses the road. As a third party i want to see if you can find funds, the savings, without party interference.

(I) Ralph Tingle – RADIO SILENT

(AC) Danielle Neuschwanger – RADIO SILENT

ATTORNEY GENERAL

(D) Phil Weiser – Incumbent, ENDORSED

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH: A lot of times the misuse of SRO’s are because school administrators are misusing them. It’s not fair to paint with a broad brush. There are wonderful SRO’s and there are also some not as well trained.

GUNS/MILITANT GROUPS: We need to continue to advance smart gun safety approaches. It would be a real disaster if gun safety protections are undermined by the Second Amendment.

ENVIRONMENT: We have droughts and wildfires that are not going away. I’m committed to the breadth of this job, making sure that we use this office to fully support and protect people.

FENTANYL: We need more drug treatment and recovery programs, to build that capacity. I sued irresponsible drug companies and we got $500 million back to build more drug recovery [programs].

HOMELESSNESS: Enabling people to access drug treatment and recovery services is a critical tool in addressing homelessness. When someone’s released from prison with no money, no place to live and no job, they end up homeless.

ADDITIONAL

POLICE REFORM: We need more police with mental health funds to ensure that we’re able to help them deal with trauma to improve the quality of policing, to put emotional awareness in a central position.

2020 ELECTION: This is a scary time we’re living in. Threats to our democracy are real and demand our attention, our vigilance and concern.

(R) John Kellner 

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH: We set up a hotline to leave a tip about something so they know there’s a place to provide information that they will be confident is followed up on. It’s important because people who committed these atrocities had warning signs.

GUNS/MILITANT GROUPS: I will defend Colorado’s gun laws. My opponent and I disagree on one recent law: He supported the bill that allowed convicted felons to possess guns, including car thieves and drug dealers. I did not. We need to fix that for the safety of police officers and all Coloradans.

ENVIRONMENT: We need smart forest management, rational federal delegations, and make sure we’re taking care of our national forests in a way that’s not creating a future tinderbox.

FENTANYL: One of the things that I’ve done last year is use the power of the statewide grand jury in my local district to build a case against drug trafficking organizations.

HOMELESSNESS: As we head into winter, every year becomes a life threatening situation. We can provide shelter, resources, and give them a helping hand whether it’s mental health treatment or job training.

TREASURER

(D) Dave Young – Incumbent, ENDORSED

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH: I run a program called BEST, a grant matching grant program to repair buildings around the state. These are serious health and safety problems.

GUNS/MILITANT GROUPS:  YS did not conduct this question of Treasurer candidates as it does not apply. 

ENVIRONMENT: It doesn’t make sense to develop affordable housing if you have no water for the residents. If I can get a really solid conversation going I will consider that a win.

FENTANYL: YS did not conduct this question of Treasurer candidates as it does not apply. 

HOMELESSNESS: I have a sister who’s disabled. Somebody that vulnerable did not have any options where to live. I discovered funding was at the core of the problem so I joined the Joint Budget Committee.

INFRASTRUCTURE: People have a very narrow definition of infrastructure and these other things never get addressed. We have great needs across the state and we don’t have enough structures financially in order to respond.

ADDITIONAL

RETIREMENT FUND: Everybody deserves a sustainable and dignified retirement. There is a possibility for a multi state partnership, states like New Mexico are looking to Colorado as first in the nation to offer a multi state approach.

(R) Lang Sias

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH: We’ve hired administrators at four times the rate we’ve hired teachers, and five times the rate of increases in students. I have Department of Education data that shows student growth has increased 6%, teacher growth by 8% and administrators by 34.6%. I don’t view this data as a “gotcha”, but something to start a conversation with.

GUNS/MILITANT GROUPS:  YS did not conduct this question of Treasurer candidates as it does not apply. 

FENTANYL:  YS did not conduct this question of Treasurer candidates as it does not apply. 

ENVIRONMENT: We saw green building codes be passed last year, and who doesn’t want a cleaner and safer environment? But when those things are actually analyzed the average home price is going to go up. We should have a conversation about that. 

HOMELESSNESS: We had single party rule in this state since 2018, this has become a very expensive place to live. We need to restore some balance there and I’ve got a record of doing that in a prudent, bipartisan way.

ADDITIONAL

SCHOOL CHOICE: The bottom line was school choice really helps equalize funding for kids in our public school system within their districts.

US HOUSE 2ND DISTRICT

(D) Joe Neguse – Incumbent, ENDORSED

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH: I support the use of school resource officers. I do not support teachers being able to concealed carry. I have and will continue to support increased funding for mental health services.

GUNS/MILITANT GROUPS: We must expand background checks and ban the sale of firearms to those under 21. The best way to combat extremist violence is to support the efforts of law enforcement in doing so.

ENVIRONMENT: Federal relief must be given to those affected by wildfires, we must transition to renewable energy to stop climate change, and more funding has to go to addressing the drought in the Colorado River Basin.

FENTANYL: I’ve introduced the Protecting Kids from Fentanyl Act, which if passed will use unexpended COVID-19 relief funds to purchase Naloxone and fund educational programs about the fentanyl crisis.

HOMELESSNESS: Congress needs to work with state and local governments to expand access to affordable housing, and I have introduced several bills to do exactly that.

INFRASTRUCTURE: We must ensure that the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is implemented appropriately so that Colorado receives its share of funding. I support bipartisan reform of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

(R) Marshall Dawson – TOO EXTREME

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH: School resource officers are a valuable asset. Teachers who are willing to undergo training should be allowed to conceal carry on the job, and federal funds should be reallocated toward mental health resources for students.

GUNS/MILITANT GROUPS: The Second Amendment must not be altered. Far right violence does exist, but it is not nearly as large of an issue as left wing violence.

ENVIRONMENT: We need to take a hands-on approach to maintaining our national forests by removing invasive plant species and incentivizing water conservation on an individual level.

FENTANYL:  I support the Stopping Overdoses of Fentanyl Analogues Act, which would move several fentanyl variants to the Schedule I category and increase penalties on possession and distribution.

HOMELESSNESS: Giving out free money to homeless individuals leads to more drug overdoses. Instead, we should fund organizations with a proven track record of getting people off the streets and successfully rehabilitating them.

INFRASTRUCTURE: Most infrastructure decisions should be left up to states, but the federal government should be investing in repairing our national power grid and considering the possibility of nuclear power.

(AC) Gary Nation – TOO EXTREME

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH: Schools being designated gun-free zones and not having resource officers has invited violence. I’m not opposed to arming teachers, if they were properly trained.

GUNS/MILITANT GROUPS: We should restrict ownership of firearms for those under 21, but states should have to recognize other states’ concealed carry permits. Right-wing militants are under control, and now it’s time to stop left-wing violence.

ENVIRONMENT: Mountain land must be kept clear, and trees should be a certain distance from the mountain homes to avoid property damage. Droughts are inevitable, but inter-state agreements to limit usage can be helpful.

FENTANYL: Fentanyl is produced in China, and it’s coming across the southern border. If you want safer cities, we’ve got to get control of our borders.

HOMELESSNESS: Increased drug usage has created a larger homeless population. We should provide shelters for the homeless, but those shelters need to be contingent upon not allowing drugs or violence within them.

INFRASTRUCTURE: Raising gas taxes on a local level would help, but the federal government should not be involved. Wind and solar power are unreliable and shouldn’t be mandatory. Instead, I would support investment in nuclear power.

(CCP) Steve Yurash — TOO EXTREME

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH: School resource officers are the best way to prevent violence, teachers should be allowed to conceal carry on the job, and more funding should be sent to mental health services in schools.

GUNS/MILITANT GROUPS: We need increased background checks for people under 21 and strict enforcement of red flag laws. The threat of far right violence is over exaggerated. The biggest threat for most people is petty crime.

ENVIRONMENT: The federal government should provide additional firefighting resources to limit strain on state budgets. Droughts occur naturally, but they are exacerbated by overpopulation due to immigration.

FENTANYL: Instead of increased penalties for possession, we need a more heavily guarded southern border and more counseling services for addicts, up to and including forced rehab for drug offenders.

HOMELESSNESS: Those who are homeless purely due to financial reasons should get free temporary housing, but those with addictions or mental illnesses should be relocated away from big cities and rehabilitated by state programs.

INFRASTRUCTURE: State governments need to be encouraged to divert funding away from nonessential areas and into infrastructure. Illegal immigration deteriorates infrastructure due to overpopulation, so heavier border control will help the infrastructure crisis.

US HOUSE 7TH DISTRICT

(D) Brittany Pettersen — ENDORSED

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH: We have a lot of fallout from policies that have not prioritized investment in our kids. Unfortunately it has been on the chopping block for decades because of conservative ballot measures that have stripped away funding for critical services. 

GUNS: We need common sense legislation at the national level. People in Colorado support gun safety legislation. It is deeply concerning how radical the Supreme Court is. It’s an unelected body not reflective of the American people

ENVIRONMENT:  You don’t have a fire season anymore, it’s year-round. That’s the reality.We need to work on water conservation and building communities that will be resilient.

FENTANYL: My mom had a substance abuse disorder, my brother struggled with mental health issues and fell through the cracks. We lost my older brother to suicide. These are preventable deaths with the right support.

HOMELESSNESS:  This has a cascading effect not only to that individual and their life but also the community. We need to invest in housing, providing substance use disorder treatment, and recovery services. 

INFRASTRUCTURE: We passed a comprehensive transportation package last session, investments are coming. We are utilizing federal dollars to invest in roads, bridges, sewer lines, and access to safe drinking water.

(R) Erik Aadland – TOO EXTREME, Refused interview

(L) Ross Klopf – QUALIFIED

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH: School resource officers should be used at each school board’s discretion. Properly trained teachers should be allowed to conceal carry. We should fund mental health services in schools and reevaluate the Common Core system.

GUNS/MILITANT GROUPS: All gun legislation needs to be safety oriented and careful to not violate the Second Amendment. We need increased security at government facilities to prevent a repeat of the Jan. 6 Capitol Riot.

ENVIRONMENT: We should invest in reforestation to repair damage done by wildfires. Individuals and corporations must take steps to reduce their carbon footprint and stop climate change while the federal government funds green energy research.

FENTANYL: Safer drugs need to be legalized so that users can buy them without having to worry about fentanyl lacing. The FDA needs to seriously reconsider which drugs should be approved for medical usage.

HOMELESSNESS: We need to get rid of lumber tariffs to decrease building costs on homes and cut spending to stop inflation, which is causing many to become homeless.

INFRASTRUCTURE: Recycling materials such as asphalt helps the environment and keeps costs down. We need to fund maintenance of existing infrastructure first before funding any new building projects.

US SENATE

(D) Michael Bennet – Refused interview

(R) Joe O’Dea – TOO EXTREME, Refused interview

(L) Brian Peotter – TOO EXTREME

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH: I don’t think it’s a coincidence that school shootings happen. Because they are gun free zones, people who are mentally deranged find them.

GUNS/MILITANT GROUPS: Governments at different levels are doing things they know are illegal. If I create a rule knowing it will be thrown out of court, that’s not a rule of law society.

ENVIRONMENT: Declaring an emergency gives you access to funds that you otherwise didn’t have so we don’t manage our lands until there is an emergency. Selective harvesting of timber inside our forests restricts private industries.

FENTANYL:  Putting someone in jail for possession of drugs, they don’t come out of the system fixed in any way. I would end the Drug Enforcement Administration on the federal level, just make it a local enforcement issue.

HOMELESSNESS: At the federal level, the war on poverty is an abject failure, we lost. I prefer to localize at the state level and end this failed war on poverty.

INFRASTRUCTURE: The future may include robo taxis and I think billion dollar investments in trains is an inefficient waste of money. Get rid of the Federal Highway Administration and let the states manage their own roads.

ADDITIONAL

2020 Election Stolen? Absolutely. Potentially legally. I don’t think anyone’s gonna go to jail over it, the system was manipulated to produce an outcome and they succeeded.

(AVP) Frank Atwood

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH:  Disclaimer: I’m not the answer. I’m the solution to get to better answers. With regards to roads, water and education, we’re ignoring voters to begin with and then surprised that we’re not getting the solutions we want.

ENVIRONMENT:  No, I’m not going to take a stance. I’m hoping approval voting will push towards alternative thinking and compromise.

FENTANYL: I am so grateful that my own family is not impacted by fentanyl. I want people treated as  adults. I don’t want children harmed. To find that balance I think requires moving beyond polarized thinking.

HOMELESSNESS: Denver is conducting experiments with money for the homeless. Traditionally Instead of Republicans saying no more money and Democrats saying yes more, we could be running a controlled experiment moving us beyond two party thinking.

INFRASTRUCTURE: I trust voters. In a country where independents say a new party is needed, yet we only see 2, 3 or 4 percent voting for new parties, there’s a disconnect.

COLORADO SENATE

DISTRICT 8

(D) Yadira Caraveo — ENDORSED

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH: In state legislature, I have supported increased mental health programs for school kids because of and informed by my experience as a pediatrician. I will carry this work forward on the federal level. I understand the concerns around SROs but I believe we can affect the necessary changes through better mental health programs and not focus on law enforcement.

GUNS/MILITANT GROUPS: I have worked hard on gun reform legislation in our House and greatly look forward to carrying that work to the federal level, where I believe we can effect the most comprehensive change. Colorado’s work on gun reform is an example all states can benefit from. I think we should delve into these groups weakening our democracy to see how we can effectively combat them and ensure they have no influence in public service.

ENVIRONMENT: I believe action on our various climate woes, including wildfire victims, can be created on the federal level with strong bipartisan support. This action can be done on a holistic level to approach the issue from many angles. I have done much work on this important topic in our state legislature and will work on the federal level to increase funds for water management throughout the entire West, taking things we have learned in Colorado to a broader scope.  I believe we can create and maintain affordable housing for all through various grant programs, etc on the federal level and I am looking forward to helping make safe, affordable housing for all, thus continuing the work I have done so far in the state legislature.

ADDITIONAL

ROE V. WADE: I believe every person should have access to all the information available to them before making a decision that is very personal, and the topic of abortion is healthcare only and should not be handled in a legislative setting.

(R) Barbara Kirkmeyer – Incumbent, TOO EXTREME, Refused interview

DISTRICT 24

(D) Kyle Mullica — ENDORSED

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH: We need to be conscious of the school to prison pipeline. I faced homelessness as a child. I’m here today because of the community that rallied around me. SROs have a place in our schools to ensure that our students are protected

GUNS/MILITANT GROUPS: Over the last years we’ve seen an increase in divisiveness. I’m hoping to at least be a part of some of that healing. We’ve seen an increase in gender bias attacks and racial attacks. We need to have civil discourse.

ENVIRONMENT:  We need to make sure that individuals are appropriately covered under their insurance. Climate change is real, we need to continue having the conversation of what it looks like toe having the conversation of what it looks like to create a cleaner and healthier community.

FENTANYL: Give our DA and police resources, make sure consequences come from bringing poison into our communities. Addiction is a disease, we need to treat it that way. I see it in ER and in my community firsthand.

HOMELESSNESS: Partnering with our local communities, each one is unique. The first thing is meeting these individuals where they’re at, making a legitimate investment to make sure we’re getting them into a safe place.

INFRASTRUCTURE: Continue to make investments and be transparent that those investments are going into local communities. The more people are on the roads, the longer they’re stuck in traffic, that’s less time with their family.

(R) Courtney Potter – TOO EXTREME

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH: The number one thing is get parents engaged and involved. Building confidence, supporting parents, being a part of the conversation, and just believing parents from the get-go.

GUNS/MILITANT GROUPS: In light of the recent Supreme Court gun rulings and lawsuits against Colorado cities who have implemented new gun restrictions, I hope proposed legislation would honor the constitutional right to own guns and the safety of our communities.

ENVIRONMENT: People can’t afford to rebuild their homes because of regulation. We have to address that.

FENTANYL: We did see a correlation with the rise of fentanyl with decriminalization. There’s other factors as well, we’re seeing a lot of people cross from the border.

HOMELESSNESS: I support encouraging private organizations to help with those issues, they typically tend to manage resources better than the government.

INFRASTRUCTURE: The budget has been raised over the past four years and on top of that, you have rising housing costs, higher property taxes, it’s hard for me to believe that there’s no money.

DISTRICT 25

(D) Faith Winter – Incumbent, ENDORSED

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH: Make sure that we are integrating community health centers with our schools. Also de-stigmatizing access, how do you make it okay to walk in say, I need some help?

GUNS/MILITANT GROUPS: A lot of that [far-right] rhetoric is against democracy. My job is to ensure that every person in my district has access to accurate information, can easily vote, and feels safe.

ENVIRONMENT: We have a small fee on insurance so that we have local funds for communities to do wildfire mitigation. Then addressing the core issue which is the climate emergency. I do think it’s an emergency.

FENTANYL: Increasing criminalization doesn’t solve the problem and it disproportionately impacts low income and communities of color. We really need to go after the supply chain, the drug cartels that are providing these substances.

HOMELESSNESS: In my community I know we have a lot of single moms couch-surfing. They’re sleeping in their cars. There are a lot of invisible homeless, especially in the suburbs. 

INFRASTRUCTURE: I was the author of SB 260. There’s going to be a Highway 70 expansion. It is unsafe. Congestion is awful, it’s impacting our economy and workers. SB 260 is a significant step forward that has bipartisan support.

(R) Melody Peotter 

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH: Our kids coming out of COVID are really struggling. We have had some programs offer free sessions to families, they’re at capacity. It’s a clear sign to us that we need more mental health support.

GUNS/MILITANT GROUPS: We have a lot of gun control laws in place, it’s not decreasing the violence issues. How can we prevent people from getting to that breaking point?

ENVIRONMENT/CLIMATE CHANGE/WATER/FIRE: We can get ahead of wildfires by getting underbrush out. People affected by wildfires can’t rebuild their homes because of all the red tape, eliminating some of that is going to be key.

FENTANYL: I don’t think four grams of possession should be allowed, it’s way too dangerous. We need to really look at why people are turning to these substances to begin with, and really address mental health as well.

HOMELESSNESS: In talking to law enforcement we’re able to see we have a two fold issue. We do have resources available but we are finding that a lot of people don’t want to utilize those resources.

INFRASTRUCTURE: It’s not a matter of more money, it’s really prioritizing which roads are important. Looking at the high density areas where we have a lot of traffic and congestion is going to be key, keeping in mind our rural people. We need to be more careful with regulations we push onto our home builders. Being fair to them will help balance things out a bit while providing resources to people that are trying to get into homes.

COLORADO HOUSE

DISTRICT 10

(D) Junie Joseph — ENDORSED

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH: Having police officers in schools is not ideal. Schools are not prisons; kids go to school to learn. But ultimately, it’s a conversation that the community and parents need to have.

GUNS/MILITANT GROUPS: We need legislation but we have to hit them in their pockets. We have to find ways to make guns unprofitable for them. I agree on background checks and on the waiting period.

ENVIRONMENT: The way we build homes has to change. We’re living in different times; everything is intensified because of climate change. We need to retrofit our homes and provide support to homeowners.

FENTANYL: I disagree with criminalizing possession because we are punishing the end users. We need to go after producers, we need to ensure that wherever this fentanyl is coming into our community, we stop it. 

HOMELESSNESS: We need to ensure that people have access to housing and jobs. If you give someone housing but not a job or a sense of community, I don’t know what you expect from them.

INFRASTRUCTURE: I don’t think there’s any infrastructure project that costs little money. Telecommunication might be where we have the most impact to help a lot of marginalized people.

(R) Bill DeOreo

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH: I support school resource officers in schools. I would make sure that there was no bias going on and that they didn’t become agents of the classroom to prison pipeline. That’s not acceptable.

GUNS/MILITANT GROUPS: I don’t support a statewide ban on semi-automatic rifles. I’m a supporter of concealed carry permits. I would support raising the age to buy firearms and I support criminal background checks.

ENVIRONMENT: Active protection (such as barriers) is really important. We have dead wood everywhere, so I definitely want to take a careful look at better management of these lands.

FENTANYL: I support increasing penalties. I would support repealing our status as a sanctuary state and I would strongly advocate for better security on our southern border to stop this invasion.

HOMELESSNESS: Encampments have to be regulated, controlled, and well-policed. Cities have to enforce laws. We then offer addiction treatment and connect them with their families. If they show a desire to integrate, we should help them get set up.

INFRASTRUCTURE: I feel that the state energy system infrastructure is being dismantled and we’re headed for what I call an energy cliff. I will advocate strongly for advanced nuclear power.

DISTRICT 11

(D) Karen McCormick – Incumbent, ENDORSED

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH: This depends on the individual school systems, school boards, and how those positions are set up and how they are fostered. I see the benefits and the downfalls. 

GUNS/MILITANT GROUPS: I am bringing forward another gun violence prevention bill this year to create grant funding for nonprofits that recycle guns that are turned in anonymously. It’s not a gun buyback, it’s a gun recycling program.

ENVIRONMENT: We need to get ahead of the areas that have been mapped out by experts where the biggest dangers are. Homeowners need to be able to make their homes defensible. We need affordable technology and materials.

FENTANYL: We do not want to criminalize possession; we have to do better. (HB22-1326) was not perfect, but I don’t want us to lose focus on all the harm reduction pieces of that bill.

HOMELESSNESS: If we don’t see the entire picture: helping folks with their mental health needs, misuse needs, job transition, budgeting and finances, we’re not solving the whole issue.

INFRASTRUCTURE: SB21-260 will be put into place over the years. If we ask companies to come to our city, if they employ 100 people, we should discuss what is going to be their contribution to help with housing.

(R) Tara Menza – QUALIFIED

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH: I’ve seen SROs work. I haven’t seen any SROs doing anything negative towards discipline or towards any particular child based on their race. They’re a huge asset to our schools and to our communities.

GUNS/MILITANT GROUPS: I want to focus on gun safety versus gun control. We should encourage responsible gun owners to help educate the public about firearm safety; and more mental health support; and start holding criminals accountable for their crimes.

ENVIRONMENT: Colorado needs better land management, provide funding to rehabilitate and control the pine beetle destruction, and add in more fire breaks to protect our homes.

FENTANYL: It is a crisis. We have to outlaw these drugs. But we can’t just throw people in jail because they’ve committed crimes because they’re addicted. We’ve got to have some addiction treatment centers; we have to have mental health support.

HOMELESSNESS: There are some incredible programs out there that we should model. We can utilize nonprofits to help and assess each individual and try to figure out the root cause of their homelessness.

INFRASTRUCTURE: We need to better use funds from marijuana taxation and infrastructure bills—So, we’re not pulling money out of the pockets of our constituents.

DISTRICT 12

(D) Tracey Bernett – Incumbent, ENDORSED

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH: SROs need to reflect the values of the local community. SROs can be very positive. We need to be very sensitive to the local communities, the local issues—the relationships that SROs have with them.

GUNS/MILITANT GROUPS: Most gun owners are responsible but the issue needs to change from gun rights to gun safety. I consistently voted on improving gun safety by safe gun storage and the red flag laws.

ENVIRONMENT: We need insurance reform and improved fire codes. People are terrified that if they build with more fire resistance, if their neighbors don’t, it’s an issue. I want to improve our emergency communications.

FENTANYL: We want to make sure the people who are distributing and selling are held accountable but we don’t want to victimize the victims. Education is a lot of it—that young people learn to be very careful.

HOMELESSNESS: I agree with housing first. A person experiencing homelessness in the community can be expensive, but if you get them into permanent supportive housing, with wraparound services, it can be a quarter of the cost.

INFRASTRUCTURE: The recent federal bills will help. Roads and transportation are important but also broadband and sustainable infrastructure. Colorado is an ideal place for wind and solar energy.

(R) Anya Kirvan

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH: Until we get the mental health crisis taken care of, we’re going to have shootings. We’re going to need to have some sort of (well-trained) mitigation at our schools. I hope it won’t be forever.

GUNS/MILITANT GROUPS: I support the Second Amendment.

ENVIRONMENT: We need to have really good land management and forest management policies. We need to keep our forests really clean. We need to pull out the dead brush and have controlled burns.

FENTANYL: They have to re-criminalize it as a felony. You cannot have even one gram—they need to re-criminalize, that’s going to be the thing that’s really going to create change.

HOMELESSNESS: I do not support housing first. Groups have found that it doesn’t work. Until people get clean and off drugs, they’re not able to make the choices to make their life better.

INFRASTRUCTURE: I care about the environment. We can have clean energy, like nuclear. But we need to turn on the oil and gas as we innovate and see if these alternative fuels really work and can store the energy.

DISTRICT 19

(D) Jennifer Parenti – ENDORSED

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH: I have known many SROs and while some are good, most need better education, bias training, and to recognize they are not always beneficial. We must increase mental health care for all Colorado’s children, and increase access as well so children can see a therapist during school hours.

GUNS/MILITANT GROUPS: We have done good work on this issue, but there is a lot more to do: expanded safe storage laws, legislation to hold gun owners partially responsible if their weapon is used in the committing of a crime, and how insurance can play a role in creating more safety for guns and gun owners. As a veteran I can attest to the infiltration of our military and not only law enforcement by extremists and extremist groups. This must be examined and questioned to decipher the depth of infiltration, and at a national level, not just local.

ENVIRONMENT: Our legislature did good work on addressing wildfires and how to support victims of such this last session, but we should always do more to address the topic of how climate change negatively impacts our communities and how we can mitigate it. I also turn to the experts for guidance. I do not think the funds designated to address our drought conditions from the recent aid package are enough, and we must find other ways to find funds to address this growing concern. We need to have hard discussions about water and how we can conserve it. This includes how we can support water for our people while still having enough for agriculture and industry. This should include ideas on how to restrict growth so we maintain enough water for safe and sanitary living conditions.

FENTANYL: We have learned our lesson already about criminalizing drug users, and it does not work. It fails the people that need help, so we need to invest heavily in treatment for addiction. We also need to expand our mental health services so people can treat the reasons for their drug use and prevent addiction before it starts. If we want to stop people from doing drugs we must give them hope.

HOMELESSNESS: A very hard issue, especially in our district where housing prices have skyrocketed. Our communities must come together and have hard discussions and make a moral decision to create housing available and accessible for all. There are many ways to address this, from rent stabilization, protection for mobile home owners, and facing the difficulties with HOAs and Metro District taxes.

ADDITIONAL

ROE V. WADE: We need to recognize the vast number of people coming to CO from out-of-state to access healthcare. One state’s ban is another’s burden, so the healthcare aspects of this issue must be handled on a federal level. This does not mean we shouldn’t invest more heavily in healthcare access for all anyone who needs it. Pregnancy prevention programs, access to contraception, and ensuring we have enough infrastructure to treat our population are topics to investigate.

(R) Dan Woog –TOO EXTREME, Refused interview

DISTRICT 29

(D) Shannon Bird – Incumbent, ENDORSED

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH: Many SRO’s are part of identifying abuse happening towards children. I support increased investment in additional mental health support for our youth.

GUNS/MILITANT GROUPS: People have the right to free speech, but that doesn’t mean they have the right to harass and intimidate others.

ENVIRONMENT: We need to better monitor our forests to increase fire response time. Key sectors of the state economy should work together to protect our water. 

FENTANYL: Increasing penalties is the right thing to do. 

HOMELESSNESS: We need to create partnerships with local governments and nonprofits to provide shelter and programs to help people struggling with addiction and mental health problems. I support expanding the Low Income Housing Tax Credit.

INFRASTRUCTURE: We must invest in affordable public transportation.

(R) Venessa DeMott

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH: I support SRO’s, potentially arming teachers, and increased mental health services. 

GUNS/MILITANT GROUPS: Raise the legal age to purchase a firearm to 25 and increase mental health services.

ENVIRONMENT: We need to mitigate open spaces to prevent brush fires. 

FENTANYL: I believe police intervention and incarceration can help lead addicts to sobriety.

 HOMELESSNESS: Invest in Homeless Navigators Program that helps homeless individuals and offers interventions. Help incarcerated individuals get back into the workforce. 

INFRASTRUCTURE: The budget and Department of Transportation need to be constantly assessed. We need to work with municipalities to ensure our roads are usable.

DISTRICT 31

(D) Said Sharbini — ENDORSED

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH: SRO’s do more harm than good. We need to focus on mental health evaluations and providing treatment. 

GUNS/MILITANT GROUPS: Supports common sense gun regulations such as universal background checks. Police officers should be required to get a college education.

ENVIRONMENT: Focus on renewable energy, electric vehicles, and forest mitigation. We need more aggressive climate legislation and to work with surrounding states to solve our water conservation problem. 

FENTANYL: I do not support an increase in penalties. We need to end the war on drugs, it’s not working. 

HOMELESSNESS: We could create stop gap housing that helps people get into hotel rooms temporarily. Mental health, drug addiction, and employment programs need to be provided. 

INFRASTRUCTURE: TABOR is a hindrance to providing usable roads as it prevents enough money from getting to where it needs to be.

(R) Heidi Pitchforth

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH: I support SROs, arming teachers, and more counselors in schools. 

GUNS/MILITANT GROUPS: Criminals will always have guns and law-abiding citizens should not be penalized from carrying a gun. It doesn’t matter what political ideology these militant groups have: if you break the law, you break the law.

ENVIRONMENT: We need to groom our forests and remove all the deadwood that may cause a wildfire. We have enough water in Colorado, we just have to keep it local and limit its access to other states. 

FENTANYL: There has to be penalties for distribution and I think addicts need treatment. 

HOMELESSNESS: We need to have resources available for the homeless, provide treatment for the mentally ill, and get them into permanent housing where they are contributing to society. 

INFRASTRUCTURE: Using the tax dollars we have right now in the transportation program would be a great start. 

ADDITIONAL

DEI: CRT (Critical Race Theory) and SEL (Social Emotional Learning) are ideologies that divide people into groups and fosters a victim mentality.

DISTRICT 33

(D) William Lindstedt — ENDORSED

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH: SROs are really an issue that’s best left to local school districts. SROs might be a part of that solution but I think school districts need to make that decision locally.

GUNS/MILITANT GROUPS: Colorado has made strides with comprehensive background checks and magazine limits, our red flag law. There’s a lot of guns in this country—it’s a public health crisis and needs to be addressed head on.

ENVIRONMENT: We need to give our communities adequate resources to maintain their open spaces and support fire departments. But, it’s about climate change. It’s going to be about meeting our greenhouse gas emissions goals.

FENTANYL: Criminalization isn’t a way to get people to get clean and sober. HB22-1326 provided funding for harm reduction. But it’s a problem that the bill isn’t going to solve and we need to take more actions.

HOMELESSNESS: We need resources to find long-term housing. The biggest thing we can do is prevent people from becoming unhoused. We need to make sure that we’re building enough housing.

INFRASTRUCTURE: SB21-260 funded improvements to our transportation system and I’m watching to see how it unfolds. We haven’t funded our infrastructure system sustainably enough to accommodate all the growths we’ve seen in Colorado.

(R) Stacie Dougherty – Radio Silent

DISTRICT 34

(D) Jenny Willford — ENDORSED

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH: I’m somewhere in the middle. I want more community interaction and trust-building with law enforcement. That we’re implementing (SB217) reforms in a way that’s transparent and reflects the direction we’re going as a nation around policing.

GUNS/MILITANT GROUPS: We need to ban assault rifles. Despite legislation that authorized local control in the past, the issue is a statewide concern—when you’ve got different regulations in different parts of the state it complicates issues.

ENVIRONMENT: Addressing climate change and reducing emissions—that can help with wildfires and air quality. We need more resilient homes and improved fire mitigation across the state recognizing that the Marshall Fire could happen anywhere.

FENTANYL: Penalties are part of the equation and the fentanyl epidemic is ripping communities apart. The answer is somewhere in the middle: penalties will help, but we need to be investing in treatment.

HOMELESSNESS: We need case management to build relationships and trust. Affordable housing is a huge issue but folks have so many other obstacles too—we should explore opportunities to break through some of those barriers.

INFRASTRUCTURE: Tabor really hamstrings what we’re able to do. Without additional funding, I don’t know how we’ll meet these challenges. We want to invest in our infrastructure, because when we do, we create good paying jobs.

(R) Kevin Allen 

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH: We need to fund our police to address crime and keep our schools safe. I would be in favor of having SROs—I’m an advocate for local control and want the individual school districts to decide.

GUNS/MILITANT GROUPS: Protecting the Second Amendment is my first priority. Continued education of gun ownership is key to making sure that our streets remain safe because an armed society is a safer society.

ENVIRONMENT: We need to have better forest management—we are still recovering from the beetle kill. I want to work with our state and local partners to unify building code standards across the state.

FENTANYL: HB22-1326 did not go far enough and HB19-1263 was a mistake. I would re-criminalize fentanyl and work to stem the flow of illicit drugs across the border and educate our citizenry on why drugs are unsafe.

HOMELESSNESS: It’s more complicated than one solution. It has to do with mental health, taking care of veterans, getting drugs off the street, providing police resources, having job training and people available to help transition off the street.

INFRASTRUCTURE: We have to prioritize our budget. I want to work towards making sure that we’re allocating enough money to improve our roads and bridges and keep them safe.

DISTRICT 49

(D) Judy Amabile – Incumbent, ENDORSED

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH: Boulder Valley school board voted against SRO’s. We need to substitute with more counseling. I have worked to allocate $100 million for children, youth and families to get mental health resources and $100 million for mental health grants. 

GUNS/MILITANT GROUPS: People want common sense gun regulations. I have worked to pass gun violence prevention bills and have another coming soon that will institute a waiting period.

ENVIRONMENT: I helped pass fire mitigation bills and bills insuring homeowners against wildfire damage.. More climate legislation is needed at a state and federal level. 

FENTANYL: Focus on drug education. More funding should go towards medication assisted treatment, providing test strips, and making Narcan nasal sprays should be available in public bathrooms.

HOMELESSNESS: I helped pass a bill that puts $200 million towards homeless services, half towards drug and mental health treatment and housing and the other half will go towards grants for local governments and nonprofits. 

INFRASTRUCTURE: Uber and other delivery services are now required to pay for transportation fees to help roads. We must maintain the infrastructure that we already have and create more public transit in places that need it.

(R) Katie Lehr –TOO EXTREME

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH: I can’t imagine not having an SRO officer would have been beneficial. Uvalde is a gateway for cartels. That school had been on lock-down many times prior to that incident. The people killed in Uvalde were minorities, killed by a minority, and officers on site were of Hispanic background.

GUNS/MILITANT GROUPS: People convicted of domestic violence or with a history of mental instability should not be able to obtain firearms. I am confused as to why a far right militia member might be a hindrance to a police force.  

ENVIRONMENT: The county has an obligation to maintain this open space, before it serves a kindling for a grass fire. Keep Colorado’s water in Colorado.  

FENTANYL: Increase penalties. Put addicts in jail, give them treatment, and try to help them when they have served their time in prison. The state of Colorado should help find employment post incarceration. 

HOMELESSNESS: I would not do anything on homelessness. City voters have spent millions of dollars on shelters and the homeless are service resistant. 

INFRASTRUCTURE: The government is wasting tax money and is not sure how to fix CO’s roads.

ADDITIONAL

ROE V. WADE: I’m glad Roe v. Wade was overturned. Sex education should be gender-segregated. Boys shouldn’t have to learn about menstruation, because the girls are embarrassed to have their periods.

(L) Daniel Lutz

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH: Create inexpensive programs that give Veterans jobs with the purpose of defending schools. Supports arming teachers. Use local resources, such as child counselors, to improve mental health programs.

GUNS/MILITANT GROUPS: More organizations to educate community members with gun safety regulation. People in law enforcement need to learn to work together despite political differences. 

ENVIRONMENT: PILT: Payment in Lieu of Federal Tax money, which allows counties to have federal lands and never sell them for private use. More money to stop drought is not the answer. We should put more effort into reflecting shortwave radiation from the sun. 

FENTANYL: Less penalties, more treatment programs. Stronger regulations on lacing other products with fentanyl.  

HOMELESSNESS: Get rid of laws that prevent organizations and individuals from helping others with rent.

INFRASTRUCTURE: Spend half of the cannabis tax money towards improving infrastructure and give the other half back to the taxpayer.

DISTRICT 27

(D) Brianna Titone – Incumbent, ENDORSED

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH: SRO’s put a lot of fear into kids, especially in schools with a lot of marginalized people. Passed a bill that allows kids ages 12 and up to be able to talk to a counselor. More counselors in schools.  

GUNS/MILITANT GROUPS: Second Amendment outdated. Police and safety officers should protect everyone and not favor anybody.  

ENVIRONMENT: Give fire departments more resources and improve mitigation. More water recycling, getting rid of turf grass, and learning from drier states on how to conserve water. 

FENTANYL: Passed a bill last year to help people identify fentanyl in their drugs. Prison is not the answer. Need to empower people to get the help that they need.

HOMELESSNESS: Need to better equip housing shelters to assist addicts, as well as bringing them back to self-sufficiency. 

INFRASTRUCTURE: We need to get more people on public transportation and alternative forms of transportation. We can put more resources at people’s facilities to help them get around better. 

(R) Lynn Emrick – RADIO SILENT

(L) Jacob Luria

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH: Support staff and teachers being armed. Improve children’s mental health by restricting screen time during lunch. 

GUNS/MILITANT GROUPS: Gun legislation should be determined at local level. Local marches have more influence than the Supreme Court. Supports free speech unless a group is violent or damaging. 

ENVIRONMENT: Forest management is extremely important, as is private conservation. States should also be banding together to raise money to fight drought in the Colorado River. 

FENTANYL: Decriminalize all drugs. The War on Drugs has failed and decriminalizing drugs is the best way to keep Mexican drug cartels from coming into the country. 

HOMELESSNESS: Find better ways to encourage homeless addicts to shelters. Can’t force people to enter these shelters against their will, but that leaves a lot of addicts on the streets. 

INFRASTRUCTURE: Some of the roads should definitely be privatized and sent back to localities. Let local areas be responsible to fix their roads.

SECRETARY OF STATE

1. Election security is vital to our democracy, fortunately Colorado has some of the safest elections in the country – how will you maintain safe elections for our state and what are your top priorities for ensuring election security?
2. How will you encourage voter registration in Colorado and what do you see as the most important areas of improvement for encouraging voter registration?
3. How will you improve the process for reporting a campaign-finance complaint, what issues do you see with the current process that could be improved?
4. The position of Secretary of State has become increasingly political in recent years, how will you maintain election integrity?
5. Closing thoughts: please provide any closing thoughts for readers or any issues you would like to cover that we haven’t.

(D) Jena Griswold – Incumbent, ENDORSED

1. In a second term, I will continue to innovate and respond to emerging election security threats. I will enforce the laws and rules we have in place that make Colorado a leader in election security.
2. I’ve led the largest democracy reform package in the nation. That included automatic voter registration reform, which led to more than 350,000 eligible Coloradans registering to vote.
3. I have led legislation that shines light on dark money, prohibits foreign political spending, and requires disclaimers on political ads. We also set up campaign finance enforcement, so that the rich and well-connected could not sidestep the rules.
4. I have increased voting access and protected the right to vote for all voters, Republican, Democrat and Unaffiliated. I have passed numerous bipartisan bills this legislative session, and if reelected, I will continue to work across the aisle, with all political parties.
5. I will continue to ensure that every eligible voter — Republican, Democrat, and Unaffiliated alike — has access to free and fair elections. That’s how democracy works. One person, one vote regardless of party.

(R) Pam Anderson – QUALIFIED

1. I will launch the Citizens Election Academy. I will work to restore the cybersecurity team and resources directed to elections operations, not for commercials to raise my political profile. I will continue to lead on unbiased and experienced professional leadership for Coloradans.
2. I’ve led on supporting voter registration modernization. We need to be transparent in the safeguards and processes that ensure everyone’s vote is accurate and valid.
3. I will delegate the office’s authority to the nonpartisan staff and return to professional rather than political evaluations. I will work with the legislature to eliminate gotcha rules used by all sides for partisan political reasons, and will institute published guidelines to how decisions on penalties are determined to increase transparency.
4. I will restore professionalism and keep moving the ball on standardizing and improving election best practices in Colorado. I am a better elections official by listening to those with valid concerns, not dismissing them.
5. I have the proven track record of serving as a fair referee and a history of working across the aisle with legislators on both sides to best serve our voters.

(UP) Gary Swing

1. I was the vice chairman of the Colorado Coalition for Fair and Open Elections back in the 1990s. I’m a former national advisory board member for the Center for Voting and Democracy. Colorado elections are technically secure. It’s the job of election administrators to maintain and update security measures.
2. I support expansion of automatic voter registration. Why would people vote in a system that excludes them from representation? In the US we’re stuck with our system that was originally designed to preserve slavery. Proportional representation encourages voting and making every vote count.
3. There is too much money spent on political campaigns that fail to provide fair representation for a diverse population. Campaign finance laws are set up to bleed money from inexperienced candidates who are on a shoestring budget.
4. As a political issue, election integrity has been used to distract attention from the real problems with elections. My top priority is to implement proportional representation voting. The U.S. political system is designed by two cartel parties to exclude political minorities of all types from representation.
5. I support a proposal to use hybrid proportional representation to elect a 185 member unicameral state legislature. I support ballot access reform. We have the most restrictive ballot access laws in the world designed by two cartel parties to exclude other parties from participating in the process.

LONGMONT CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL ELECTION

Local races are bipartisan, therefore YS does not include party affiliation.

Sean McCoy — ENDORSED

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH: We need an expert on dealing with students and families and then bring in police officers when it’s absolutely necessary.

GUNS/MILITANT GROUPS: We need to demand that people who have guns have insurance and liability insurance. People would be a lot more careful with their guns and not allow people that are too immature to have them.

ENVIRONMENT: We have to start looking at what we can do in our communities to be more resilient. How do we deal with zoning issues about the type of siding that we put on our houses? 

FENTANYL: It’s an educational thing of how dangerous it is. Longmont could arm people with Narcan—our best move is trying to educate people.

HOMELESSNESS: Longmont might need to help by providing a piece of property to be used for housing (for homeless outreach). People feel their county government is not doing enough—we need to do more.

INFRASTRUCTURE: Longmont’s in pretty decent shape. I am a strong believer in solar gardening on most city buildings and properties to lower electricity costs. We need more people composting and being more sustainable.

Mitzi Nicoletti – QUALIFIED

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH: Students of color are disciplined more aggressively—in those cases, it would not make the situation better. It may be different from school to school, but it’s not always helpful. It causes problems.

GUNS/MILITANT GROUPS: The community needs to have a discussion for a resolution. It’s important to look at background checks. Gun safety is critical and people should feel safe in the community.

ENVIRONMENT: Every city should have a fire emergency plan and everyone should be properly insured. Managing our natural resources is critical and looking at how we’re building our communities.

FENTANYL: Fentanyl shouldn’t be on the street. It should only be in a controlled medical setting and additional mental health services would help this critical situation.

HOMELESSNESS: Our solution is going to provide shelter for the unhoused—including wraparound services and counseling, which will help them transition to permanent housing. That’s a top priority.

INFRASTRUCTURE: We should go after any money that might be in the recently passed infrastructure bill. Especially when it involves renewable energy projects, which could affect the schools and some of the commercial buildings.

Gary Hodges

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH: I support SROs. I don’t think I would have any influence or say on that. My understanding is that it’s going to be a school board and not a local governance issue.

GUNS/MILITANT GROUPS: If I’m fortunate to be elected, I wouldn’t bring forth any ordinance or resolution nor would I support any ordinance or resolution that restricts your gun rights in Longmont.

ENVIRONMENT: We could look at fire breaks and landscaping. I would encourage people to have adequate insurance. Adequate firefighting. The architecture of homes, different roofs, materials on the houses might be valuable. 

FENTANYL: I would like to talk to our Chief of Police how we might be able to insulate our city from the liberalization of criminal offenses. I’m all for doing whatever we can to reduce the amount of fentanyl use in the city.

HOMELESSNESS: I disagree with the idea that housing first is an effective solution. The vast majority is vagrancy. I would take a firm but compassionate approach to deal with the vagrancy-end of homelessness.

INFRASTRUCTURE: Longmont has a long-standing .75% tax that goes directly to maintenance and upkeep of roads, sidewalks, etc. We have a steady reliable source of income. I don’t have any complaints.

SUPERIOR CITY COUNCIL

Local races are bipartisan, therefore YS does not include party affiliation.

Mark Lacis – Unopposed, ENDORSED

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH: Superior doesn’t have a school district so I don’t think the question applies. We need to curb the availability of guns. Mental health services should be available to children. 

GUNS/MILITANT GROUPS: We need to stop catering to the NRA. I support the bans. I don’t respond to intimidation. 

ENVIRONMENT: We need to focus on renewable energy. I have passed oil and gas regulations. We need to preserve open spaces and implement more wildfire prevention measures. I’m happy to see the funding to fight the drought but it’s not enough. 

FENTANYL: I don’t agree with the criminalization of drugs. The war on drugs is a failure. We should be spending on Narcan, test kits, and education. 

HOMELESSNESS: Superior hasn’t really been affected. We should focus on affordable housing, fire mitigation, mental health and drug use. 

INFRASTRUCTURE: I support small sales tax increases, weep businesses thriving, invest in public and alternative transportation, and encourage electric vehicles.

Jenn Kaaoush – ENDORSED

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH: I don’t agree with SROs. We should increase awareness of the support systems that exist, normalize mental health awareness, and support mental health initiatives. 

GUNS/MILITANT GROUPS: I support gun reform. We need to make sure all members of the community are included in decisions. I believe in gun safety. Action should be taken against militias so a precedent is set. Leadership should shine a light on them. 

ENVIRONMENT: I am the director of Superior Rising which develops ways for prevention and rebuilding. Finding resources is a priority. We need to curb flammable fencing and plant life around homes. The money is not enough to fight the drought. 

FENTANYL: Penalty doesn’t stop usage. We need more resources to stop it entering communities and focus on mental health, education, addiction services. Stop it at home with teens. 

HOMELESSNESS: I volunteer with Bridge house, an organization that helps the unhoused find work and provide housing. We need to fund more resources. 

INFRASTRUCTURE: Let’s focus on rezoning and development. There’s not a lot more room for development in Superior. We need to focus on finding other available resources and traffic mitigations. 

ADDITIONAL

ROE V. WADE: I’m pro-Roe. The more sex and reproductive rights education and resources, the better.

Neal Shah – ENDORSED

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH: Listen to parents with kids in schools. I support cutting down SROs. We need to fund mental health initiatives. 

GUNS/MILITANT GROUPS: I support the laws already in place, common sense gun laws, and finding middle ground. We need to make sure language is clear in legislation. I am unaware of militia infiltration in Colorado but believe more training should be implemented in police departments.

ENVIRONMENT: I co-founded Superior Rising. We need to listen to the community and keep it informed and more affordable resources. I support responders. The money for drought is a drop in a bucket. Stop wasting water on unnecessary grass. Reduce energy usage. 

FENTANYL: Increase access to narcan. Penalties don’t do enough.

ADDITIONAL

ROE V. WADE: Despite the Supreme Court, nothing has changed in CO at a state level. I support more education for kids and access to birth control.

Jason Serbu – Refused interview

Stephanie Miller – ENDORSED

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH: We need to focus on mental health over SROs. 

GUNS/MILITANT GROUPS: I am disappointed that groups are more concerned with 2nd amendment rights over mitigating gun violence. I support common sense gun laws and more mental health availability.

ENVIRONMENT: We need to mitigate possible ignition points and rebuild with prevention in mind. I will ensure rebuilding is affordable for homeowners and increase community communication. I am not as informed as to the drought and need to do more research.

FENTANYL: Increased penalties don’t work for users, but might help deter distributors. We need to provide mental health services.

HOMELESSNESS: Affordable housing is imperative. Look to the tiny home movement for potential ideas. Mental support is key as is increasing availability of jobs for the unhoused.

INFRASTRUCTURE: I support a sunset tax that will be on the ballot this November to help offset recovery costs. Other small taxes can go a long way.

ADDITIONAL

ROE V. WADE: The population in general, not just women, needs more sex education. We need to remove the stigma around abortions and ensure access to health care for people in need.

Mike Foster – ENDORSED

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH: I believe SROs can make children feel safer. I do not support arming teachers. We need to work with the state and federal government to provide more mental health care in schools.  

GUNS/MILITANT GROUPS: AR’s are strictly military weapons. I believe in sensible gun laws but am not optimistic about their implementation. We need to ensure police departments are appropriately vetting applicants.

ENVIRONMENT: Climate change should be at the forefront of legislation at all levels. I support a sales tax to help towns rebuild. We must use funds to increase water storage capacity and help local companies increase agricultural efficiency. 

FENTANYL: Penalties can help, but focus must be on addiction treatment, mental health, and education. 

HOMELESSNESS: I support building more affordable housing. 

INFRASTRUCTURE:: I will use funds from federal infrastructure bills to repair roads and increase access to public transportation. 

ADDITIONAL

ROE V. WADE: The government should not dictate women’s decisions.

Michael Neustedter – QUALIFIED

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH: Schools are underfunded so excess resources should be dumped. Guns don’t belong in classrooms. We need to increase mental health resources and increase mindfulness training.

GUNS/MILITANT GROUPS: No individual needs an AR. All sides should be heard but increase media outreach to keep the public informed of the facts. More restrictions on guns equals safer communities.

ENVIRONMENT: We must focus on prevention and mitigation through community education. Investing more resources towards conservation is incredibly important for Colorado’s economy.

FENTANYL: I support stiffer penalties.

HOMELESSNESS:: We must focus on mental health and availability of affordable housing. Long term methods towards connecting with the unhoused on an individual level are worth looking into.

INFRASTRUCTURE: I don’t have a specific answer but we should listen to the community.

ADDITIONAL

ROE V. WADE: Parents should educate their children on the issue as should schools.

Stephanie Schader

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH: Does not support SROs. Increase mental health resources and education that allows students to be more in touch with their emotions.

GUNS/MILITANT GROUPS: I feel there is a balance that should be struck. I am against concealed and open carry. I need to think more on the matter. I believe militias and misinformation can be real threats. We should monitor social media for warning signs.

ENVIRONMENT: We need to consider the past, what’s worked and what hasn’t and update policy moving forward. We should focus on clean energy. Increase awareness of electric vehicles. Educate the community on mitigation and prevention. I Don’t know if the money is enough or not.

FENTANYL: Increase access to jobs. I believe in stiffer penalties, that we should curb influx of immigrants andIncrease cooperation with law enforcement.

HOMELESSNESS: Affordable housing is key. We should follow California’s model and repurpose hotels.

INFRASTRUCTURE: We need to attract more taxable businesses.

ADDITIONAL

ROE V. WADE: I support age appropriate sex education for boys and girls. We need to increase awareness of the potential consequences of sex. I support Planned Parenthood and other low-cost providers.

Bob McCool – Refused interview

BOULDER COUNTY

COMMISSIONER

(D) Ashley Stolzmann — ENDORSED

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH: School districts should decide on SRO’s. I support school districts providing mental health programs and these services should be more widespread across the county. 

GUNS/MILITANT GROUPS: I’m proud of the community for passing the assault rifle legislation. It’s important that law enforcement knows how to identify white nationalists and to make sure that they’re not hiring them. 

ENVIRONMENT: We must continue mitigating public lands and private property, rebuild using more resilient materials, and practice regenerative agriculture. Keep water in the stream and improve our conservation laws.

FENTANYL: End the war on drugs. Improve our programs to stop addiction and to have more community conversations about addiction to break the stigma. 

HOMELESSNESS: Boulder County housing program needs more resources. Multi-pronged approach to provide more resources faster. Encourage collaboration between towns.

INFRASTRUCTURE: Unincorporated roads  in poor condition in subdivisions. Equity issue because cities in Boulder County are paid to maintain their roads while incorporated area subdivisions are neglected.

(L) Bo Schaffer — Radio Silent

SHERIFF

(D) Curtis Johnson — ENDORSED

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH: School districts should be the ones who decide whether they want SRO’s. I don’t support arming teachers. Mental health programs in schools are important to students’ well-being.

GUNS/MILITANT GROUPS: I am frustrated by federal inaction on gun legislation. Local communities are taking it upon themselves to pass ordinances. Must be extremely careful in our hiring processes and in our background checks.

ENVIRONMENT: I am working hard to look at ways to mitigate fuels to lessen the opportunity for such damaging wildfires. We must make sure communities have the right resources to fight fires.

FENTANYL: I support penalties for people distributing drugs. We need to take an aggressive approach to dealing with addiction.

HOMELESSNESS: We need to stop relying on law enforcement to deal with the unhoused. I am committed to working with human and housing services to ensure the homeless stay out of the criminal justice system simply because they’re unhoused.

INFRASTRUCTURE: Continue the current transportation tax in Boulder County to address infrastructure needs without raising new taxes. Provide better alternative transportation options.

(R) Lee Stadele – Radio Silent

CLERK & RECORDER

(D) Molly Fitzpatrick — Unopposed

QUESTIONS:

– As someone who maintains records of real estate and mortgages, how do you think politicians should combat the rise of homelessness in Colorado?
– How important is the Respect for Marriage Act? How has it impacted Boulder County?
– What precautions are you taking to protect our elections this season?
– How are you getting people to vote this election season? What other programs have you coordinated in the past?

ANSWERS: 

HOMELESSNESS: We are working to develop information for the public that describes some of the common questions that we get from first time homebuyers. We want to break down the jargon so new homebuyers can understand. 

RESPECT FOR MARRIAGE ACT: It’s very important that that legislation is passed. Our office has an important history in the fight for marriage equality that I have every intention of continuing in my role as clerk.

PROTECT ELECTIONS: Protecting the right to vote right now is an important priority for our office. We worked with the Colorado legislature on bills that enhance security procedures for local election offices. We produced a 20 page election security report that details why the public can feel confident about our elections process. We do tours so the public can see what election operations look like. There was no election fraud in the 2020 election in any state.

VOTING: I’m proud of our High School Voter Registration Awareness Week. I worked with the Colorado legislature on a bill in 2019 that increases access to voting centers for college students and increased drop boxes across the state. Part of that legislation included removing drop boxes from police stations. I serve on a committee that promotes early voting. Make sure the community is confident in our voting processes.

TREASURER

(D) Paul Weissman — Unopposed

QUESTIONS:

– On December 9 of 2021, Buller county adopted a $549.8 million budget for 2022. Much of its funding went towards forest health and wildfire mitigation. Do you think enough money was funded for these programs?
– Do you believe there should be an increase in taxes to improve Boulder’s infrastructure? Are there any particular areas in regards to infrastructure that need improvement?
– What is your stance on active military property tax deferral?
– Do you think the proposed library district will become an asset to the community? Or will it cost the community too much tax money?
– Since your reelection in 2018, what negative and positive changes have you seen in Boulder County’s funding?
– What should Boulder County residents keep in mind during local midterm elections?

ANSWERS:

WILDFIRES: I’m not intimate with the budgets of Boulder County. What I do is get them the money for it. I don’t think Boulder County could have done it alone. I think the federal government should work in tandem with the state. 

INFRASTRUCTURE: What I’d do is make a deal or cut ties with the local RTD. Let them handle regional transportation and we will build our own transit infrastructure. 

MILITARY PROPERTY TAX DEFERRAL:  I think it’s a good policy. A lot of times when you’re called for duty, the last thing you need to do is scramble to try to figure out your property taxes.

LIBRARY DISTRICT: In an ideal world, the library would be funded by the city. Libraries are one of the first things to scale back financially when economic issues are encountered. The city relies on sales taxes which causes libraries to get the short end. 

POSITIVES/NEGATIVES: We’ve increased the numbers of people that are paying property taxes online. We’ve been open and accessible to the community and the governments we collect for which will continue to grow.

MIDTERMS: Know that there are ballot issues that will affect you. People that are less engaged tend to see sales taxes rising and get upset because they don’t know why.

COUNTY ASSESSOR

(D) Cynthia Braddock — Unopposed

POLICE/SCHOOLS/MENTAL HEALTH I think SROs are absolutely essential. I don’t agree with arming teachers. Our office doesn’t deal with policy making but I would support any legislature regarding mental health services. 

GUNS/MILITANT GROUPS: I’m not anti-gun but I think it’s too easy for people to get guns. I think there’s a type of gun that should not be in the hands of anybody but the military. I don’t think police departments should tolerate far-right activity. 

ENVIRONMENT: We need to have more money and more programs available to help people keep their properties in safe condition. We need to make sure the people in our communities have their properties insured. I think that the government has a role in providing help and support to people not only in recovery, but also in preparation.

FENTANYL: I think we need huge improvements in our social network and our mental health support for people. I think criminalizing this behavior doesn’t really stop it.

HOMELESSNESS: In my political position, I can’t do a lot. But personally, I think that we need to do more. I think the solution really is in addressing this as a social concern and funding that better so that we can meet people where they are and help them come out of the situation. 

INFRASTRUCTURE: It’s not what I do as assessor, but I certainly would support measures that move it into mass transit, buses, high speed trains, light rails. We should make it affordable to be subsidized. Everybody should be able to access mass transit. I also support other transportation modes such as biking and electric vehicles.

CORONER

WELD COUNTY

COMMISSIONER 

Scott James – Unopposed, Refused interview

SHERIFF

Steve Reams – Unopposed, TOO EXTREME, Refused interview

CLERK AND RECORDER

Carly S. Knoppes – Unopposed, Refused interview

COLORADO STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION

1. Why are you running and what are your highest priorities?
2. Do recent NAEP scores have any policy implications?
3. School safety – what further measures, if any, do you support?
4. What do you understand about DEI and what more should elected officials be doing to ensure racial justice?
5. What is your view of charter schools and school choice?
6. Should for-profit schools receive public funding?
7. In light of the recent SCOTUS case, must Colorado provide public support to religious schools?
8. What should be schools’ approach to education about sexuality and gender?
9. What role do you see for parents in schools, including having a voice in curriculum and/or choice of literature or subject material?

(D) Kathy Plomer – ENDORSED

1. I care about public education. It’s been a passion since my oldest child started kindergarten. Well-resourced classrooms with up-to-date curriculum, broadband internet connection and a diversity of course offerings.  Address teacher shortages.

2. More one-on-one attention or credit recovery options. How do you use the resources available to now address the issue?

3. Three levels. Prevention. We need to understand if kids are in crisis and they are ready to hurt themselves or others. Making our buildings safer and procedures that lessen the risk. Coordinated relationships with law enforcement.

4. To advance as a country we need to have an honest study of the past. You cannot talk about the Civil Rights Movement without talking about racism and slavery.

5. Every student deserves a school that parents can feel confident about; some at public charter schools, some at neighborhood schools – magnet schools, innovation schools.

6. No.

7. Since they’re not public schools it’s the same answer.

8. Every child who comes to the door needs to be seen for who they are, needs to be treated with dignity.  Kids who identify as LGBTQ have higher rates of suicide, stress and anxiety. We can have those conversations in our classrooms.

9. They already have a voice. Whenever a school district has a new curriculum, those materials are put out for parents to view. It’s a partnership.

(D) Joseph Shelton – ENDORSED

1. I decided to run because Steve Durham has been in this seat since 2014 and hasn’t shown up in his community. I  want to make sure we’re building an education system that prepares our students for a future.

2. More on practice than policy.

3. Reasonable security measures, but not armed guards or armed teachers.

4. Diversity equity and inclusion is making sure that everyone’s getting a seat at the table and we’re getting the best support systems possible. My number one plan is to build a Community Coalition.

5. I support Charter Schools. I support a parent’s right to choose where their student goes to school.

6. No.

7. If it’s a public institution. I don’t believe that religion should play any part.

8. As an openly gay man, gender and sexuality studies and support for LGBTQ students are very important – the kind of education that really supports our youth, especially those who are at high risk of suicide. Talking about LGBTQ issues doesn’t hurt anyone.

9. They should be able to choose what classes their child takes. If a parent doesn’t want their kid in sex ed, they should be able to say yes or no.

(D) Rebecca McClellan – ENDORSED

1. I’m running for re-election to continue the work of supporting academic growth and achievement for all students.  Implementing the READ ACT – evidence based literacy –  is very important.

2. The impact of  interruptions to in person learning are reflected in the latest scores. The value of professional teachers delivering in person instruction cannot be overstated.

3. When we prioritize respect and humanity for every student, our schools are safer. This includes prioritizing mental health support and protocols for identifying and stopping bullying.

4. The State Board can support diversity, equity and inclusion by following the terms of HB19-1192 as we revise the Standards. We should include the contributions of people from diverse groups, as the law now indicates.

5. The majority of charter school applications are approved locally without State Board involvement.

7. I believe in the separation of church and state.  I would find a shift to public funding of religious schools concerning.

8. Opting out of sex education is allowed.  It should be factual and comprehensive so that students can gain accurate understanding.

9. Colorado is a local control state and our constitution forbids the Legislature and the State Board from prescribing textbooks.  The teacher is the best person to talk with.

(R) Peggy Probst – QUALIFIED

1. Literacy levels have plummeted – 40 percent leave third grade without reading.  I want to address the declining academic performance. We are seriously jeopardizing our kids.

2. If they can’t read, they can’t do any other content area. We must have  literacy specialists who understand the science of reading.

3. Perhaps retired military or law enforcement who volunteer their time. Arming staff or teachers could be considered.It should not be a mandate.

4. Education is the great equalizer.  A conscientious effort to improve the level of academic achievement is the best way to approach equity.

5. I support parents’ choice because every child is different.

6. Some charter schools have a chartering entity that is for-profit. They have management companies that help run them.

7. In Colorado we receive some federal funding, state funding and local funding, Money could be tied to the child without strings attached from the government. I think all of us are looking very closely at what’s going on in Arizona to see if that experiment works.

8. We have science-based health and sex education.. There should be a parental right to opt in or out and/or provide instruction at home.

9. The State Board of Education sets standards, but we don’t dictate curriculum. That is left to local school districts.

(R) Molly Lamar – Radio Silent

(D) Rhonda Solis – Radio Silent

(R) Dan Maloit – Radio Silent

(R) Steve Durham – Refused interview

UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO REGENTS

1. What are your highest priorities if elected/reelected?
2. How would you define the purpose of higher education?
3. What is your view of affirmative action and the SCOTUS case that will be argued this fall?
4. Colorado funds higher education at one of the lowest rates in the nation. Only 6 states are worse.  How can the system increase revenue or control expenses?
5. The Regents have been widely criticized for the CU presidential searches. Can that process be improved?
6. Do you believe free speech restriction is a problem on Colorado college campuses?

(D) Wanda James – ENDORSED

1. Higher education should be a pathway to success from a traditional four-year student learning from great books at one campus to an older adult gaining new skills  for career advancement at another.

2. Diversity, diversity, diversity.  As the first Black woman on the Board of Regents in more than 4 decades, I wish to see the diversity of our state reflected in the student body, faculty and administration.

3. It is a shame that affirmative action is threatened. This “campaign”dates back to the Carter administration when Ward Connerly, a Black Regent in the University of California system, began a long crusade to eliminate affirmative action, which he saw as a form of racial discrimination.

4. I believe we are 49th or 50th! Unfortunately, there is little that Regents can do but work with the legislature to encourage more support.

5. I support the appointment of Todd Saliman. The recent searches have been well-conducted. If there had been more transparency, the public perception problems might have been avoided.

6. The political rhetoric around this issue is not supported by real experience. I’m not aware of any student whose conservative viewpoint has been repressed in the classroom.

(R) Frank McNulty – QUALIFIED

1. Higher education is to help build better people; to allow them to experience things that they haven’t experienced in their lives.

2. My top priority is to make sure that we have diversity of thought and experience throughout the system. We need to prioritize the Athletics program to make sure that it’s resourced at the very highest levels.

3. Students benefit from learning from others. Experiences we share help make us better people. Diversity makes for a stronger University system.

4. It is important for the legislature to better fund our education system. It is the largest unprotected pot of money in the state budget. Regents must make the case well and make it loudly.

5. I was involved in the presidential search that recommended Mark Kennedy.  Partisans outside of the Board got a hold of that nomination and decided to sink him.  I don’t think that the process is fundamentally flawed.

6. Cancel culture exists on college campuses. Conservatives are the ones most concerned. Regents need to set an example that we can have productive, respectful discussions of philosophical ideas. That example should carry through to the administration, the faculty and the students.

(D) Jack Barrington

1. The purpose of higher education is to enhance people’s abilities to function in our society,  become better, contributing members of society.

2. To make sure that the people are taking care of the students, the faculty and the staff.  I’m going to be considering the effect on people, more than I will be on political expediency.

3. As long as there has been and are still roadblocks or gatekeeping done to keep minorities from accessing the same services and resources as others, we do need some way of balancing.

4. Since I haven’t gotten to the position yet I can’t speak specifically on any point.

5. My opponent had been heavily involved in forcing through the previous president who was basically run out of town on a rail.  I would try to bring in as many of the varying Community leaders to seek out candidates so that we could have a larger candidate pool of qualified people, regardless of their race, sex, creed or religion.

6. It really is more of a legal question as to what kind of limits can the university put in place on any kind of speech being funded by the government.

(R) Ken Montera – QUALIFIED

1. Higher education is there to not only establish specific skills based on a major but it’s also there to foster one’s ability to make decisions, based on critical thinking skills.

2. The cost of education;Making sure the money that is provided to the university is moving to the areas that are most important. Reaching more students within our state.

3. It’s not just about people of color or people of a certain identity, but it’s also about political thought and representation from rural communities, farming communities, and places that are harder to reach.

4. Only 5.5 or 5.7 percent of our budget comes from state funding and that has a significant impact on the cost that gets passed on to the students. Our donor levels are at all-time highs. When you have a $5.2 billion operating budget, there will be opportunities to evaluate expenses.

5. It’s very difficult for anyone to come out of a contentious search. It was unfortunate for President Kennedy to go through that. This time I think we ended up in a pretty good place.

6. I’m a strong proponent of free speech. If you believe in free speech you’ve got to believe that it offers the same opportunity for everybody.

(R) Mark VanDriel – ENDORSED

1. To prepare students’ minds for all the awesome possibilities life offers. Education should provide good value as students move on to work and life after college.

2. The highest priority is to make higher education more affordable.  As I have had a career in higher education, I know the value of a strong advising system and this should be a priority.

3. Affirmative action has been a crude tool with good intentions. If affirmative action is not permitted, CO might look to workable strategies developed elsewhere, i.e. programs that guarantee admission to the top tier of students at all high schools.

4. Even if CO reached the median, it would be only about $2,400 more per student. We might lower costs by partnering with 2 year colleges to reduce the time and expense at CU. Administrative costs can be reduced.

5. The biggest credibility gap arose from having only one final candidate.

6. Restriction of speech at Colorado campuses doesn’t seem to be a real problem.

(D) Ron Casados – Radio Silent

(D) Yolanda Ortega – Radio Silent

BALLOT ISSUES

State

• Amendment D | In 2020, the state legislature passed a law creating the 23rd Judicial District out of the existing 18th Judicial District. A ‘yes’ will initiate a definitive mechanism for transitioning judges currently living within the new district boundaries into their seat position in the 23rd Judicial District. Amendment D amends the state constitution requiring the Governor to reassign judges from the 18th Judicial District the the 23rd Judicial District. | YES
• Amendment E | Colorado currently offers the Homestead Exemption to spouses of 100 percent disabled veterans when the veteran dies. A vote ‘yes’ to extending the Homestead Exemption to Gold Star spouses would reduce property taxes for homeowners who are the surviving spouse of a military service member who died in the line of duty or a veteran or who died from service-related injuries or diseases. | YES
• Amendment F | A ‘yes’ would allow non-profit organizations to operate in Colorado for a minimum of three years instead of five years, the current requirement, before applying for a bingo-raffle license. A ‘yes’ would also allow, but not require, a member of the non-profit organization working as the bingo raffle operator to receive compensation up to the minimum wage before a complete repeal of compensation restrictions on July, 1, 2024. | YES
• Proposition FF | A ‘yes’ will create the Healthy School Meals for All program. Along with additional federal funding, funding would come from an increase in income taxes owed by households with federal taxable incomes over $300,000. Any school meal provider can participate in the program, which will feed any student regardless of income at a participating school. Beginning in the 2024–25 school year, the program will also fund purchasing products grown, raised, and processed in Colorado, increase wages for employees who prepare and serve meals, and fund education and collaboration between schools, communities and local food growers and non-profits. | YES
• Proposition GG | A ‘yes’ would require petitions and ballots from citizen-initiated measures to include a tax information table listing the change to average individual income tax rates for taxpayers in eight specified income categories. The measure would increase information technology costs in the Secretary of State’s Office to modify ballots to include tax information. The measure will increase costs for county clerks to include the new tax information on printed ballots and would increase printing and mailing costs. | YES
• Proposition 121 | A ‘yes’ would reduce the state income tax rate from 4.55 percent to 4.40 percent for individuals and corporations for the tax year 2022 and after. State government currently collects more taxes than it is legally allowed to spend, as mandated by the constitutional revenue limit (TABOR).  If passed, 75 percent of taxpayers will receive a tax cut of less than $63 a year. On average, households and corporations with incomes over $1 million are expected to save almost $7,000 per year. In years when the state revenue is below the constitutional limit (TABOR), the measure would reduce the amount of general funds to be saved or spent. | NO on 121
• Proposition 122 | A ‘yes’ amends Colorado statutes to require the state to create regulations and a system for accessing psychedelic mushrooms for those 21 and over. The measure would allow the supervised use of psychedelic mushrooms for those 21 and older at licensed facilities that follow a state regulatory structure for operation. A ‘yes’ also expands the types of substances used in licensed facilities to include more plant-based psychedelic substances including dimethyltryptamine, ibogaine, and mescaline. The measure would decriminalize personal possession, growing, sharing and use of psilocybin, psilocin, dimethyltryptamine, ibogaine, and mescaline for those 21 and over. Local governments may not ban licensed facilities, services and use of natural psychedelic substances but can regulate the time, place and manner of these operations. There will be an established penalty for those over 21 who possess, use or transport natural psychedelic substances and for those who allow underage access.  “This initiative would give Coloradans access to a new, promising, and research-based treatment option for PTSD, depression, anxiety, and other mental health challenges, in a safe, careful, and beneficial way,” Kevin Matthews, representative for Natural Medicine Colorado said, according to their website. “These medicines can be transformative for people who have suffered for years and struggled to find help.”  | YES
• Proposition 123 | A ‘yes’ would allow a portion of annual state income tax revenue to go toward affordable housing programs, which could possibly result in less money returned to Colorado citizens in their TABOR tax refund. The state already uses over one billion dollars in federal stimulus funds for affordable housing. From lack of affordable housing options in metro areas to people working in resort towns not being able to afford to live in the community they work, 86 percent of Colorado citizens list housing and the housing crisis as a top issue, according to a poll conducted earlier this year by the Colorado Health Foundation. The money collected from tax revenue will run through both the state division of housing and the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority. Those entities will put the funds into land banking, affordable housing equity, concessionary debt, affordable home ownership, homesllessness assistance and local government capacity building. Local cities will have the obligation to make a commitment to growing their affordable housing stock, as well as expediting the planning review for affordable housing developments, according to Brian Rossbert, Executive Director of Housing Colorado. The funding would increase building of affordable housing units from around 3,000 units to a goal of around 10,000 units a year, Rossbert said. The voter-approved investment into affordable housing, which doesn’t increase taxes but uses existing tax revenues, is the first of its kind in the U.S.  “Right now there isn’t a ton of incentive for market rate developers to develop affordable housing because they are able to build, sell, or rent the units that they’re building at market rate,” Rossbert said. “With rents and home prices increasing, the affordable market might start to go away.” Groups like Advance Colorado Action oppose the proposition. “There is nothing ‘affordable’ about taking $300 million of our TABOR tax refunds for a flawed housing measure,” said Michael Fields of Advance Colorado Action. “To fix our state’s housing crisis, we need to build more, not tax more. Coloradans are struggling — and they want their full TABOR refund in upcoming years.”  Yes on 123
• Proposition 124 | A ‘yes’ would allow retail liquor stores to open additional locations from the current law of two stores to three stores between 2023 and 2026, four stores between 2027 to 2036 and unlimited stores starting in 2037. The campaign behind the proposition, Coloradans for Consumer Choice and Retail Fairness, has raised millions of dollars and is backed by David Trone and his brother Robert Trone who co-own the national corporation Total Wine. “These large out of state corporations want it because changing the laws will meet their business model and help them increase their profits, so they’re essentially trying to buy a change of law that they were not able to get done at the legislature,” said Bruce Dierking of Keeping Colorado Local and Colorado Licensed Beverage Association (CLBA). The CLBA estimates that about half of all independently owned liquor stores, majority owned by minorities, would be out of business within five years if this proposition passes. “[Colorado laws] have been this wonderful low barrier to entry opportunity for people of modest means to own their own business and to provide a nice middle class income for their families,” Dierking said. “We’re at risk of losing that to corporations who are just going to chuck the profits back home to other states and pay them out to shareholders, wealthy CEOs and executives at the expense of these Colorado families.” | NO on 124
• Proposition 125 | A ‘yes’ would allow grocery and convenience stores that already sell beer to be able to sell wine. “Colorado is known as one of the best alcohol markets of any of the states in the nation,” said Dierking of CBLA and Keeping Colorado Local. “We have one of the most robust craft industries. Every community has their own unique stores that are different. It’s not like every county you go to has the same stores. When you look at states that have gone to chain licensing in more of what the corporations want, you got a lot more homogeneity and uniformity. Every town you go to has the same stores. When you go from town to town you might see that the only liquor stores are Total Wine and More and it’s not like down in Pueblo there’s Big Bear, and in Colorado Springs there’s Cheers, and Denver has Argonaut, and Fort Collins has Wilbur’s. Everybody’s a little different and they’re all owned by families. Instead it might be that every community has the exact same store. Exactly the same selection, and we’re all owned by out of state corporations.” | Tentative Yes on 125
• Proposition 126 | A ‘yes’ would allow alcohol takeout and delivery from bars and restaurants, which is currently set to be repealed in 2025 and also allow third party companies, like Doordash and Uber Eats, to deliver alcohol to customers. Third party entities would be able to deliver alcohol from establishments that have a liquor license. There would be no regulation mandating the third party delivery services to check for underaged alcohol purchases. “[Alcohol] is not like every other consumer product,” said Dierking of CLBA and Keeping Colorado Local. “It should be regulated. A lot of these big out of state corporations want deregulation because their corporate model makes more money when they don’t have to follow the rules. It really is about money. It’s about greed.” | NO on 126

Boulder County

• Ordinance 8542 | Yes on 8542
• Ordinance 8534 | NO on 8534
• Ordinance 8539 | Yes on 8539
• Ordinance 8540 | Yes on 8540
• Ordinance 8546 | Yes on 8546 

Louisville

• The Louisville Fire Protection District Board of Directors election | Residents within the Fire District will receive a mail ballot election for its Board of Directors. The Fire District is a separate governmental entity from the City, which is not conducting the election. If you have questions, please contact the Louisville Fire District at 303.666.6595 or visit https://www.louisvillefire.com/about/contact/.

Erie

• Ballot Question 3E  | A resolution of the Board of Trustees of the Town of Erie to submit a ballot question to possibly form a Home Rule Charter Commission to the Town’s Registered Electors at the November 8, 2022 Special Election, and list candidates for the Charter Commission. A ‘yes’ on Resolution No. 22-104 would mean that Erie would be governed based on a charter written by its residents as opposed to following the state’s statutes. This will mean that the community will be governed by its residents. | Yes on Resolution No. 22-104
  • Candidates endorsed: Bob Braudes, Ken Martin, Ashraf Shaikh, Ben Hemphill, Adam Haid, Sarah Kornerly, Lisa Cunningham, Brian O’Connor and Chelsea Campbell

Full disclosure: YS’s publisher lives in Erie, CO and supports Home Rule. She is involved in supporting the Yes for Erie Home Rule Committee and feels these candidates have the best interest of Erieites in mind.

• Ballot Question 3D | A ‘yes’ on Resolution 22-103 will extend funding to protecting natural areas along Coal Creek and Boulder Creek, conserving scenic landscapes, creating and enhancing hiking trails, protecting wildlife habitat, acquiring more natural areas, and maintaining trails.  This resolution would not increase taxes. Funds would come from the existing Four Mill Property tax, which was approved by voters in 2004. This resolution would extend the tax until Dec. 31, 2024. The intended uses of the funds will include slightly broader intended uses than agreed upon in 2004. No more than four percent of revenue will be used on the administrative costs that come with the annual citizen advisory board and independent audit. | Yes on Resolution 22-103

Longmont 

• Amended by revising Sections 2.4, 3.3, 3.6, 3.9, 7.1, and 13.7 of the City Of Longmont Charter | A ‘yes’ on amending 2.4, 3.3, 3.6, 3.9, 7.1, and 13.7 on the City’s Home Rule Charter will remove outdated language and allow for modernization of how city business is conducted. | Yes on revising Sections 2.4, 3.3, 3.6, 3.9, 7.1, and 13.7 of the City Of Longmont Charter
• Resolution R-2022 | A ‘yes’ on this resolution would allow City Of Longmont Revenue Bonds to fund St. Vrain project improvements. Without imposing new taxes or increasing existing taxes, the City would borrow up to $20,000,000 for the purpose of financing storm drainage system improvements, including improvements to the St. Vrain Creek drainageway from Sunset Street to Hover Street to protect downstream areas from future flooding. The proof of the borrowing would be through bonds, loan agreements, or other financial obligations payable solely from the City’s storm drainage enterprise revenues. | Yes on Resolution R-202

City of Boulder

Research on Boulder County and the City of Boulder Ballot issues provided by Shay Castle, endorsed by YS editorial board.

Ballot Issues 2A + 2B: Climate Tax and bonds | Yes on Resolution 2A & 2B

Together, these measures will combine two climate change-fighting taxes into one, increase them a bit and extend them to 2040 (2A). 2B will allow the city to borrow money against the revenue, so it can make large, upfront investments into things like infrastructure (think solar and other renewables, electric vehicles and/or chargers, microgrids, replacing natural gas systems in buildings with electric appliances, etc.). 

Money from it will go toward efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and deal with the impacts of climate change: flood, fires and other extreme weather, etc. Much of this work is ongoing; additional money will help pay for work to prevent and fight wildfires.

Ballot Question 2C: Repeal of Library Commission and Tax if Library District Created | Yes on Resolution 2C

This measure addresses language in Boulder’s charter related to the Library Commission, the group of residents city council appoints to “govern” the library. If a library district is created, the commission will no longer be needed —  a district is its own government entity, and it will be governed by an appointed Board of Trustees, similar to RTD or school boards.

More importantly, 2C gives city council the authority to repeal a dedicated library tax of 0.333 mills that has helped fund the library since the early 1900s. It brings in about $1.4 million each year. 

If voters approve the library district and associated property tax, this dedicated tax will no longer be necessary. 2C allows that tax to stop being collected, providing a bit of a tax break to property owners within the city of Boulder.

The passage of 2C is dependent on the passage of the library district measure. That is, if voters reject a library district and tax, 2C becomes null and void, regardless of how people vote on it.

Ballot Question 2D: Charter Clarification of Candidate Issues | Yes on Resolution 2D

This measure cleans up charter language related to the 2020 voter decision to directly elect Boulder’s mayor beginning in 2023.

It has four parts: 

• Prohibiting a candidate from running for council and mayor simultaneously
• Allowing a sitting council member to run for mayor without resigning
• Defining how vacancies are filled if a sitting council member wins the mayoral seat
• Changing the swearing-in date for new council members

Let’s look at each issue separately:

Candidates may run for council or mayor, but not both

The rationale here is that it reduces conflicts in the event of a popular candidate winning the mayoral seat and a spot on city council. (Which would need its own set of rules: Do they take the mayoral seat or the council one? How do we fill either the council spot or mayoral seat they one in that case?)

The posts are essentially the same. Boulder’s mayor has no more powers than an ordinary council member, though s/he does have certain ceremonial and representative duties.

Council members can run for mayor

This is how things are done now, when council members choose the mayor themselves. This means that a council member could continue serving if they run for mayor and lose.

Filling vacancies

The way council fills vacancies now is to simply go down the ballot; the candidates with the most votes get those seats. If there are 5 seats, the top 5 vote-getters are elected — the top 4 to four-year terms, and the fifth to a two-year term. If there are 6 seats (as has happened in the past with resignations) the sixth-place candidate will fill whatever is left of that term.

2D would apply that process if/when a sitting council member is elected to mayor, filling their now-vacant seat with the fifth or sixth candidate in terms of votes.

Why you might want to vote for this

It’s the way things are done now, and honors the will of the voters (in that the most popular candidates will be elected).

Why you might not want to vote for this

Some have argued that if a sitting council member runs for mayor, then voters should be allowed to choose an additional candidate in case they win.

New swearing-in date

Newly elected council members currently take office the third Thursday of November. (It’s actually Tuesday, but council meetings recently moved to Thursdays, so this would also change charter language to reflect that.)

The problem? Election results aren’t official by that point. It hasn’t been a problem; the results are typically pretty clear. But this would ensure that newly elected officials don’t take office until the first Thursday in December — after the results are certified.

Ballot Question 2E: Change Regular Municipal Election to Even Years | Yes on Resolution 2E

Boulder’s city council is currently elected in odd-year elections (2019, 2021, etc.) This would move city council elections to even years — when far more people vote.

On average, 30,000 more people vote in even years than odd. Even when looking solely at local ballot measures, 17,000 more people, on average, have voted for the down-ballot local measures on even years over the past decade.

While ballot drop off doubles in even years (to 8%, on average), the loss in voters is not enough to offset the gain by moving away from odd years. 

Studies of moving local elections to even years in other jurisdictions (primarily California) show that even-year elections bring a greater diversity of voters. That is reflected in the candidates they represent.

However, studies also suggest this effect is limited in majority-white places like Boulder. Turnout is still more diverse in even years, but gains are not as great as in cities with more diverse populations.

Ballot Question 2F: Repeal of Ordinance 8483, regarding the annexation of CU South

This would undo the city’s annexation of the land known as CU South, 308 acres south of the city (along U.S. 36) owned by the University of Colorado. (Annexation = officially adding the land to city limits, which provides access to city services such as water and sewer.)

The land is owned by the University of Colorado, who plans to build a southern campus there. In exchange for annexation, CU is donating land for Boulder for flood protection.

This spot was identified as the most optimal by a 2015 study of South Boulder Creek, given the number of homes and businesses downstream and the waterway’s history of flooding.

The annexation agreement includes much more, including limits to the amount of housing and traffic the campus can generate, plans to donate and sell open space to Boulder, requirements for affordable housing and options for Boulder to buy the land should CU choose to sell and not develop. 

Ordinance 8483 was passed by a 6-1 vote of city council in September 2021, approving the annexation.

Boulder County

Research on Boulder County and the City of Boulder Ballot issues provided by Shay Castle, endorsed by YS editorial board.

1A: Countywide Wildfire Mitigation Sales and Use Tax and Revenue Change | Yes on Resolution 1A

This would create a new sales tax to fund wildfire prevention and response, through four primary focus areas: 

(a) Strategic forest and grassland management projects;
(b) Community partnerships and programs to help residents prepare for wildfires, create defensible space around homes, make homes more fire resistant, and provide technical assistance and rebates to homeowners;
(c) Fire mitigation staffing; and
(d) Other projects and services to proactively address the increasing risk of climate-driven wildfires.

Community partnerships refers to an expansion of the Wildfire Partners program into the eastern part of the county. The program provides assessments, recommendations and certification for fire mitigation at private properties.

The sales tax is 0.1%, equal to 1 cent for every $10 purchase.

1B: Emergency Services Sales and Use Tax and Revenue Change | Yes on Resolution 1B

This would create a new sales tax to pay for emergency services (ambulances, fire response and open space search-and-rescue teams) in areas of Boulder County not already served by various cities.

This money will be used to supplement all the aforementioned emergency services with additional staff and equipment, including:

• Extended contracts of currently part-time, seasonal wildland firefighters 
• Funding first responder training
• Providing multilingual dispatch services
• Purchasing radios and other communication equipment, vehicles and personal safety gear
• Supplementing funding for mountain and rural fire districts

Funds will also provide staffing and shuttle services to address congestion and traffic concerns at trailheads.

It includes beefing up search-and-rescue resources. Boulder County contracts for these with volunteer organizations Rocky Mountain Rescue Group (primary contractor), Boulder Emergency Squad, Front Range Rescue Dogs, and Mounted Search and Rescue, which provides horseback searchers and assists with large animal evacuations.

Of this tax’s initial revenue, ~$17 million will help build a (county-owned) facility for Rocky Mountain Rescue Group to use as a home base for equipment maintenance and testing, outdoor safety education, meeting space, sleeping quarters for out-of-town responders assisting with large missions, and storage space for county and RMRG equipment.

The tax would be 0.1%, or 1 cent on every $10 purchase, declining to half a cent for every $10 after the first five years. 

1C: Transportation Sales and Use Tax Extension and Revenue | Yes on Resolution 1C

This is an extension of an existing tax, one that funds transportation programs and services. The 0.1% sales tax (a penny on every $10 purchase) raises $11 million per year.

The tax expires in 2024; 1C would extend it in perpetuity. 

Special districts

6C – Library district | Yes on Resolution 6C

The Boulder Public Library is currently the responsibility of the City of Boulder. This would create a library district — a separate government entity similar to RTD or school districts — whose sole purpose is to run the area’s libraries. It would be funded by a property tax. 

The property tax will be 3.5 mills for a large part of Boulder County. For residents within the city of Boulder, it will be 3.167 mills, once a 0.333-mill dedicated library tax is repealed. (That’s measure 2C on City of Boulder ballots.)

The city has developed a searchable map so property owners can see how much their property taxes will increase (https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/8f0fafc66c7f4d0e9aba1084e37de9b7) but generally it’s $230 per year for a $1 million home outside the city of Boulder, or $208 for one inside the city (again, assuming the repeal of the current dedicated library tax).

Commercial properties will pay more, due to the Gallagher Amendment: $976 per year for every $1 million of commercial property outside the city of Boulder, and $884 per million inside.

Of note: This is on the assessed value of a home — that is, the taxable value — not the market value, or what it could sell for.

Also similar to RTD or schools, the library district will be governed by a five- to seven-member board of trustees appointed by Boulder City Council and Boulder County commissioners. 

5A – BVSD bonds | Yes on Resolution 5A

This would increase taxes to Boulder Valley School District by $32 million per year and allow them to borrow $350 million, primarily to repair buildings and other facilities (like playgrounds). It would also pay for two new school buildings: A replacement for Vista High School and a new elementary school in Erie.

Lastly, it would expand BVSD’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) job training programs.

Taxes would increase by about $120 per year for a home worth $600,000 and $840 per year for a commercial property worth $1 million.

The post 2022 Election Guide appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

PRESS RELEASE: Press Releases are provided to Yellow Scene. In an effort to keep our community informed, we are now publishing some press releases in whole.

Sabrina Arredondo Mattson, left, senior research associate for the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, and gun retailer Jacquelyn Clark, right, hold up materials from the Gun Shop Project. (Credit: Glenn Asakawa/CU Boulder)

March 4, 2021—The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has awarded University of Colorado Boulder researchers $2 million to study the important role gun retailers can play in suicide prevention.

The three-year study centers around the Gun Shop Project, a national public-private effort.

Launched by a New Hampshire retailer in 2009 after three of his customers took their own lives in one tragic week, the project has spread to 21 states, with public health agencies providing educational materials and support for thousands of gun shops. About 275 Colorado gun retailers participate so far. And at a time when both suicide rates and gun ownership are rising, advocates say such efforts are more critical than ever.

“If we can really reduce suicides through this program, it’s important to document that, and understand what’s working and what’s not,” says study leader Sabrina Arredondo Mattson, senior research associate at the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence (CSPV) at CU Boulder.

Over the last two decades, she notes, suicide rates in the United States have risen 35%, with white, male, working-age and older adults at greatest risk.

Colorado ranks seventh highest nationally for its suicide rates, with nearly 1,300 people taking their own lives annually.

And gun ownership and suicide risk are inextricably linked. In fact, having a gun in the home triples the odds of death by suicide, not because a gun prompts thoughts of it or because people with guns are more likely to attempt it, but because firearms are more lethal than other means.

Nationwide, half of all suicide deaths are via firearm. In Colorado, there are about four firearm suicides for every firearm homicide.

And the lingering COVID-19 pandemic has raised concerns.

“Firearm and ammunition sales have gone up, and mental health needs are high,” Arredondo Mattson says. “These factors combined are likely to increase the risk of suicide.”

Research shows that if a person in crisis can be kept away from a gun temporarily, tragedy can be averted. But only recently have suicide prevention advocates looked to gun sellers as an integral part of the solution.

“The firearm community has a very strong bond,” says Arredondo Mattson. “People don’t just go in to shop. They go in to hang out with the owners and managers and there is a lot of trust there.”

Arredondo Mattson will team up with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the Colorado Firearm Safety Coalition and the Firearm Safety Advisory Board to survey and interview project participants in-depth.

Then, she’ll take the research national, quantifying whether counties with Gun Shop Projects experience less suicide than those without.

With more data could ultimately come a more refined program that works the best it can, and heightened buy-in from retailers who might otherwise be skeptical, says Arredondo Mattson.

Jacquelyn Clark, owner of Bristlecone Shooting, Training and Retail Center in Lakewood, was one of the first in the state to join the Gun Shop Project in 2014.

Inside her store, a bright orange sign reads: “Gun owners, you can help! Putting time and distance between a suicidal person and a gun can help keep them safe.” She also carries flyers highlighting the “11th Commandment” of responsible gun ownership—“Consider temporary off-site storage if a family member may be suicidal”—and wallet cards listing suicide hotlines.

“I am uber conscious of the fact that we deal in something that can be dangerous in the wrong hands,” says Clark. “It’s important that we provide resources for people and let our staff know it’s OK to have what could be difficult conversations.”

Other members of the research team include CSPV Director Beverly Kingston, CSPV research associate Erin Kelly, Dr. Emmy Betz, an associate professor of emergency medicine at the CU School of Medicine, and Dr. Eric Sigel, a professor of pediatrics at the CU School of Medicine.

The post Why working with gun retailers is critical in the fight against suicide: CU Boulder | Press Release appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Who among us isn’t a little wistful as the year ends and a new one begins? Really, all it means is another revolution around the sun, but we have some need to extol the virtues of closure and seek out optimism in the form of a collection of pledges we make to ourselves…which normally end in failure…which then lead to binge drinking, excessive eating and watching reality TV. The truth none of us want to admit: There’s a Real Housewives Of…in all of us.

So, as we wrap up 2011 and look forward to the last year of our existence, I figured listing a slew of resolutions would be even more pointless than usual. Instead, I only have one: to survive.

That’s it. And I’m going to do it. This is one resolution I won’t toy with for a few weeks and then leave languishing on the floor of a 7-11 as I walk out with a bag of Funyuns and a Dr. Pepper under my arm. Nope. This time, it’s for keeps.

So, you can either bow to the whims of the fatalist Mayans and wait for the end, or you can stand up and refuse to go gently into the night. I’m going rage against the dying of the light like a room full of honey badgers on an epinephrine bender. And here’s what I’m going to need to do it:

Guns

First thing’s first, in post-apocalyptic Earth: Protect yourself from the hordes of the dying. For that, I’m heading to Grandpa’s Pawn and Gun, 312 Main St., in Longmont, where they have an enormous arsenal of new and used weaponry and ammo. grandpaspawn.com

Survival Gear

Obviously infrastructure’s going to crumble and that means basic necessities such as power, running water, etc. will cease. So, we’re gonna need to load up on everything from tents and tarps to matches and rope. So I’m heading to Jax Outdoor Gear, a locally owned company (just because the world’s ending doesn’t mean I can’t shop local) that has pretty much everything I’m gonna need, 900 Hwy. 287, Lafayette, jaxmercantile.com

Transportation

If zombie movies have taught us anything, it’s that the end of the world will result in a mass gridlock of dead cars on the highways. Which means, if we want to get around, we’ll need off-roading vehicles, and for that, Rocky Mountain Kawasaki, 645 Frontage Rd., Longmont, fits the bill just fine. I mean, a side-by-side will make getting around in post-apocalyptic Earth possible and fun! rockymountainkawasaki.com/

Electronics

Sure, electricity won’t be an option for very long, but there is no shortage of battery- and solar-powered options available for pretty much anything I’m going to need. Remember how awesome Radio Shack used to be? You could pretty much buy and assemble a robot henchman purely from stuff you bought there. Now, however, Radio Shack is where you go to buy remote control cars and sign up for cellular phone service. No worries, though, because there’s SparkFun Electronics. It’s like the way Radio Shack used to be, but times a thousand. Screw the generator. I’m gonna build a particle accelerator with their stuff! 6175 Longbow Dr., Ste. 200 Boulder, sparkfun.com

Alright Mayans. I’m prepared now. Give me your best shot.

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