Public Comments

Broomfield should not be separated into two judicial districts. Broomfield has community specific concerns regarding oil and gas and education that cannot be weakened by splitting them into two districts. The current proposal lumps 2/3 of Broomfield in with Weld County. The community make up of these areas is extremely different. Weld contains far more rural areas than broomfield, and is less of a suburban family community.

Don’t split up Broomfield. We should not be in with weld county who has vastly different makeup.

I am opposed to splitting up the city and county of Broomfield into two congressional districts. I live east of Lowell Blvd and the new congressional redistricting would place me in a district separate from 2/3’s of my city. This would be dividing a community that has been working hard to unify our diverse community. Just two decades ago we were part of four different counties. We voted to become one county. Drawing a congressional line right through our city is not in the spirit of community interest. Please keep Broomfield in one congressional district. We are not even I the top ten largest cities in the state. Keeping my city in one congressional district.

I am very concerned about the possibility of Broomfield being divided into two Congressional Districts. All of Broomfield is a north metro, oil and gas impacted, suburban community of interest. That means we fit with southeast Boulder County where we have common transportation and economic interests including housing issues. It might make sense for Broomfield to be part of a CD-8 that includes parts of eastern Boulder County with a larger suburban population that is impacted by residential fracking and a smaller rural component. We are not a rural community. Aside from oil and gas Broomfield must remain whole because the city-county is a single community of interest. CCOB has unique responsibilities including public health, water, business development and transportation. Additionally it would be impractical for the smallest county in the state to have to work with two different congressional offices. After population equality and adherence to the Voting Rights Act the Colorado Constitution in Article 5, Section 44.3 directs the Commissions as follows, "As much as is reasonably possible, the commission's plan must preserve whole communities of interest and whole political subdivisions, such as counties, cities, and towns." Broomfield is a "whole community of interest." Section 44 (3)(B) defines communities of interest as reflecting "Shared public policy concerns such as education, employment, environment, public health, transportation, water needs and supplies, and issues of demonstrable regional significance." Please place all of Broomfield into CD-8.

My name is Megan Miller and I'm writing to share my thoughts about redistricting. Those of us who live on the western side of the state are proud of our unique setting and the life-style it involves - a unique combination of mountains, deserts, and rivers, agriculture, and cities.  The issues involving water and the care of our basins, our tourism, our agriculture, our forests and federal land - our concerns and areas of focus, are not the same as the Front Range.  We need to have a well planned representation that can speak for these areas and preserve and help to manage them well. The preliminary plan released on June 23 is a balanced, well proportioned plan, looking realistically at the needs of our state.  I encourage the committee to follow that plan.  Please keep the Western Slope intact. Thank you for your attention. Sincerely, Megan Miller

The notion of redistricting such that the western slope is no longer one district seems impossible to understand as to how anybody would think that would be in our best interest. We are an area of rural character and are often resort oriented. Our water is critical and the western slope voice should not be intentionally muted by this redistricting. Combining us with urban areas would clearly be to make sure our voice is no longer heard.

I was at the Steamboat Springs meeting where the proposed map was completely different than the map being proposed today. I am adamant that Eagle County and the Western Slope should not be joined with Boulder County under any circumstances. The voices at the Steamboat Springs meeting were clear The Western Slope should not be divided or joined with Boulder County period! Our economic, geographic, industry and demographics do not share common interest with Boulder County. This appears to be a power grab with Boulder County wanting ownership of us. I moved my family to the Western Slope back in 2016 to escape the politics of the front range which were not in line with our family values. The Western Slope is ruled by hard working families who cater to the ranching, natural resource, farming, mining and tourism industries. The front range focus is completely different from the focus of the Western Slope and we don’t want decisions made impacting our communities that are not in line with our focus. Boulder needs to stay in their lane and partner with like communities. The Western Slope needs to stay intact and continue to focus on the needs of our diverse community.

Johnstown and Milliken need to stay in the same district! And not neither should be aligned with Boulder. I dont even agree with aligning areas of northern colorado with any part of the metro area. Our voices will be silenced behind the metro area. Greeley johnstown Milliken all need to be where their voices are heard and respected. Our rural farm communities need representation that understands what need to live and work in these areas. Much of Adam's and Boulder County do not understand nor do they agree with the agricultural ways or oil and natural gas in the area. These two industries are what keep our areas working and thriving. Please reconsider breaking up weld county we know what is best for us up here. Don't let the metro make our decisions.

I understand that you have put a tremendous amount of time and effort working on these maps and I think you for that. I live in Routt County and I feel like our comments are falling on deaf ears. What started out as a relatively good map has gone completely the opposite direction. I do not understand your constant desire to link Routt County to Boulder. We have absolutely nothing in common with urban cities. This has to be the worst map of them all. The rural areas of our county will have absolutely no say in what goes own anymore. We have so many issues that they will not understand and our voices will be silenced. It is truly heartbreaking to see this map and how you have placed Routt County with front range areas instead of keeping the western slope whole.

Commissioners, I am commenting on the Second Staff Congressional District Map and the First Staff Plan for Colorado Legislative Districts. My comments are: 1) The Second Staff Plan for Colorado Congressional Districts is Fair and Balanced and should be selected (and the First Staff Plan was terrible), i.e. the Western Slope should be kept whole and in CD3. The First Staff Plan was horrible and I wrote previously that you need to scrap it. Hopefully you have done so. 2) For the Legislative Senate District map – All of Delta should be kept whole and placed with Mesa County. It shares the same watershed and most of the Grand Mesa. They are much more unified communities of interest. Place Montrose County with Gunnison County, they have more shared interests then Mesa and Montrose Counties. 3) For the Legislative District map - All of Delta County should be kept whole and placed with Mesa County. It shares the same watershed and most of the Grand Mesa. As described above, splitting Delta County reduces its voice and places undue hardship on the citizens, businesses and governing officials of our county. David Bradford