Public Comments

I support the Shuster map for the proposed redistricting for two major reasons: 1. It creates competitive districts, which I believe is crucial for increasing dialogue between competing interests. 2. It fosters the inclusion of communities with common interests. Colorado sets a model for the nation in the voting process and in fairness in creating congressional districts. This should continue to be the guiding principle for the commission.

I support the Schuster map for several reasons. First the northwest area of the state has a different economic base that the southwest. The northwest lags behind the recreation and tourist economy of the southwest. The climate is also significantly different and tends to be wet when the south is dry and the opposite. For these reasons separating their representation makes sense.

I am a resident of Pueblo, CO. I am writing to support the Schuster map. It creates a sorely needed southern CO district and would most fairly represents the Latino and Native nations who have long been ignored in the districting process, creating inequality and under-representation. Every other map before your committee will continue to under-represent these communities. It's time to address this and the time is now. Further, it is the only map that creates 3 competitive districts. Competitive districts will force our badly splintered politics/politicians to talk to each other and seek solutions. Safe districts encourage both parties to disregard the minority party and their constituents. The southern area must cope with drought and lack of water (or massive displacements of its currents water resources) for its agricultural base. We should not be lumped in with ski/tourism/oil and extraction based communities such as Grand Junction and Mesa county as is currently the case and as is perpetrated in all the other maps. Thank you for your consideration and hard work for the citizens of our state.

1. I support the Schuster map because it creates Western and Southern competitive districts. 2. This map maintains a more compact district and preserves our community of common interests in Southern Colorado, much like the SCRB

The Shuster Map is the best option I have seen because it keeps areas of similar interest together better than the Staff Maps and creates three competitive districts in the state. Schuster uses two districts for Western Colorado that much more compactly reflect communities of similar interest.

I am supporting the Schuster Map for Congressional re-districting based on its overall effort to keep districts competitive.

Loveland has no business being lumped in with Weld County. As the gateway to Rocky Mt National Park it focuses on tourism and recreation, not agriculture and fracking. The Loveland/Fort Collins corridor connected by I-25 and 287 is its own community. Many Lovelanders have use professional services available in Fort Collins and belong to social groups and churches there. There is more "like thinking" in these communities than ever could exist in Loveland and Weld. We wear masks and get vaccinated! People buy property and like living in Loveland because of its proximity to all that CSU has to offer, green businesses, Old Town, and medical facilities. We love our Congressman find Weld's representation very wrong on most issues. Being in Weld County will set Loveland back by decades. It just isn't a fit. Many of us are working hard on environmental issues to support decent air quality and the health and welfare of our residents. 21st century businesses like E-Motors which provide hundreds of local jobs are less likely to move or stay here if we are part of a county that actually wants to secede from the state. Good grief. Please do the right thing and keep Loveland in District 2. Thank you.

I like the Schuster map. It creates a southern Colorado district which we so desperately need. Latino and native voices will be represented using this plan.

I strongly support the Schuster map! I have followed this process closely and really think the LULAC map was the best but it's apparently no longer on your docket and Schuster is the next best. I understand you have many criteria to consider. However COMPETITIVENESS is what we the citizens voted on and while you have to consider all the criteria, don't kick competitiveness to the curb! Your current map looks like very thinly veiled gerrymandering keeping "safe" R and D seats. B.S. - The Schuster Map is the most competitive map still on the commission's docket, creating three competitive districts. Southern Colorado is so diverse in our politics between communities but so interdependent in our economies and future. Rural agricultural communities need mountain town markets and jobs. Competitive districts are needed for our region to create solutions and work together. -The Schuster map honors "Communities of interest" with Latino and Native heritage areas grouped together. - Southwest Colorado has very little shared common interest with Grand Junction, Craig, and Boulder. Schuster uses two districts for Western Colorado that much more compactly reflect communities of interest on the ground. - The Schuster Map keeps Southwest Colorado together, keeps the Roaring Fork Valley together, and keeps the San Luis Valley together with Pueblo and Pueblo's agricultural region. It keeps more communities of interest whole than the Second Staff Map. - The Schuster Map keeps Mesa County whole with its major economic and extractive industries neighbor of Garfield County to the north. -The Schuster Map honors strong requests from the Roaring Fork Valley - Eagle, Vail, Frisco, Glenwood, Aspen - to be kept together. It honors strong requests from the San Luis Valley and Pueblo to be kept together. It puts Grand Junction (Mesa County) with its twin city of Ft. Collins in Larimer County IF YOU SUCCUMB TO GERRYMANDERING YOU WILL HAVE FAILED IN YOUR LEGISLATIVE CHARGE. Give us competitive districts as much as possible and let the candidates who appeal to the greatest number of voters win. THAT is democracy. Thank you

I would like to see the Schuster map adapted. We here in Chaffee County have been trying to get out of Doug Lamborn's district for years as we have little in common with that district and the Schuster map puts us in a district much more in line with us. - The Schuster Map also keeps Southwest Colorado together, keeps the Roaring Fork Valley together, and keeps the San Luis Valley together with Pueblo and Pueblo's agricultural region. It keeps more communities of interest whole than the Second Staff Map