Public Comments

I have currently seen 4 options for redistributing Colorado, staff map 2 and the “Shuster” map both seem told have merit in that they give the varied rural and mountain areas a distinct voice. As a long time resident I have heard for many years that the rural voice has too often been ignored. Three possible seats should move towards a solution.

I STRONGLY SUPPORT "Statewide_Map_2nd_Staff_Plan_20210915" PLAN.

I am a forth generation resident of Creede CO. I very much support the Schuster map because 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 is the most competitive map 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.

Honorable Commissioners: I moved to Steamboat Springs 28 years ago from the Tampa Bay area of Florida. I wanted to move from a densley popupulated area of approximately 2,500,000 people to a quiet western town with open landscapes and a real heritage of mining and ranching. In this northwestern corner of Colorado we have much more in common with the history of Moffat county than with any city on the front range. The Rocky Mountains form a natural dividing line separating the history and rural nature of western colorado from its front range, densly populated urban neighbors. Anyone who has lived in Colorado for any length of time should realize that Steamboat Springs is not like, nor has much in common with, the urban, densley populated city of Boulder. UC has approximately 35,000 students in Boulder, many of whom are eligible to vote. They likely have little knowledge of the history of the western slope and I would guess, not much knowledge of the issues of our area either. One of our serious local issues is housing. The shortage of housing for local workers has been exacerbated by city dwellers purchasing local homes and condos and turning them into nightly rentals. This eliminates them from the long tern rental pool formerly rented by local service workers, teachers and tradespeople. These changes are having a huge impact on the nature of our community and the quality of life here. It is very hard for me to find the words to express to you how absurd it seems to me that you would mate us to city of Boulder. I urge, plead, no beg you to leave us connected to our rural friends and neighbors and our western, rural, agricultural, pioneer heritage. Sincerely, Winchester E. "Win" Dermody Registered Voter in the city of Steamboat Springs, Routt County

Please utilize the Schuster map for our Congressional districts in CO because we need more competitive and not gerrymandered districts.

I’m Emily Tracy and I’m not representing any organization with my comments. I have lived in rural Colorado since 1977 and vote in Fremont County. I have just become aware of the Schuster Map. I support this concept which includes a competitive southern Congressional District. As I’ve noted before, creating only western slope and eastern plains rural districts obliterates the diversity of rural Colorado. A strong, competitive southern District captures the actual community of interest of that part of the state and keeps the connection between the Pueblo area and the San Luis Valley strong. The proposed map also accomplishes a number of other priorities in other parts of the state including emphasizing the particular rural issues of northwest Colorado and preserving the Roaring Fork Valley in one district. The Constitutional requirement for competitiveness (very important to me and many other voters) is also better met with this map which creates three competitive districts in the state, one more than the Second Staff Plan which dooms CD3 to be noncompetitive for 10 years. With the required focus on priority Constitutional issues including compliance with the Voting Rights Act, compactness, same population in each district, etc., the critical importance of increasing the number of competitive districts should not be lost.

Commission, Earlier this year the Mesa Democrats submitted in support of the North/South district and would like to reiterate our support for a similar Shuster map submitted. It is imperative that the South be representative of the Hispanic and Native American groups and the North feed in to a more tourism/ag group. Among the points we like: -We like the Schuster Map. It not only makes a Southern Colorado district with Latino and Native heritage possible, it creates three competitive districts in the process - more competitive than the Second Staff Map. - 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 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. Our first letter is attached as a reminder. Thanks all, Scott Beilfuss (Co-Chair MC Democrats) Robert Traylor Tanya Travis

I am in favor of making Congressional districts more competitive in CO and the Schuster map does this. Please use this map to make Colorado better.

I like this district as it separates Southern Colorado from the Northwestern stronghold it has been for decades now. This would give Pueblo and other cities and towns on the Arkansas and other water districts more say in water issues, in agricultural issues and is cultural issues. We have been silent and thereby unable to grow at the rates of other Northern Front Range Cities or even in Northwest Colorado. It is time we in Southern Colorado have a voice in our own future. Thank you for your consideration for this Schuster Map.

I am a resident of Loveland and would like our community to remain in Congressional District 2. This allows our Loveland citizens to remain in cluster of communities west of I-25.