Public Comments

Hello, and thank you for taking my comments once again. I care deeply about the maps you are working on, because I worry a lot that my vote doesn’t make an impact on Colorado, due to being swamped by city interests. I am still worried looking at the latest map. I live in rural Routt County, as does about half of the county (49%). Steamboat Springs proper gets all the attention, but Hayden, Clark, Phippsburg, Stagecoach, Yampa, Toponas, Milner, and my town of Oak Creek are important to our county as well. Steamboat has 2% more population than us (the rural folk) and we’re a small county, so that isn’t a lot of people. They regularly overwhelm the rest of the county with their issues, (rural Routt has MUCH more affordable housing, for example, but that is a major focus for Steamboat. I bought my 4 bedroom, 2 bath house for 250k 5 years ago. A similar house in Steamboat would be between 800k - 1 million). They present their problems as being county problems and dictate their policies to the rest of us by a mere 2% majority. That slim 2% should not be able to disenfranchise the 49% all the time, but I’m afraid that’s what’s happening with your map. We are an agricultural and coal mining people. We have no commonality with Boulder! I have never even been there in all of my years living here. There is not even a mountain pass between us and Boulder. Furthermore, all of the Front Range competes for our water. We can’t collect rainwater off of our roofs because of strict water contracts, and I’m overwhelmed by the idea of having a representative primarily elected by a Front Range city influencing policy that affects our water supply. I am not confident that they will have my best in mind. Please do not unite rural Routt with Boulder. Our agricultural/water needs, our jobs, our public land use (grazing) are all so different. Boulder has a huge animal rights movement (think wolves) and the beliefs they hold would affect our jobs are in animal agriculture and welfare. I would prefer for Routt to stay together, as there are many in Steamboat who work in ag, rodeo, and in our South Routt coal mine and Hayden power plant. But if Steamboat is the reason we keep getting lumped in with Boulder, my second choice would be for splitting the county. Please consider both options. Your first map was my favorite in regards to Routt. Thanks again for your time.

The Western Slope has different priorities than the Front Range and needs a representative concerned about the local residents, problems, and opportunities here. Eagle Country must be in a District of like-minded people and not lumped in and diluted by Boulder.

I am a resident of Hot Sulphur Springs in Grand County. I am imploring you to take Grand and Jackson counties out of the district with Boulder County and put us back in with the Western Slope district. Most of the residents in these two countries have nothing in common politically with Boulder and resent being represented by someone in Boulder. If you insist on putting Grand Couny with Boulder, then you must cut the County in half and put the western end of Grand County back in the Western Slope district. The majority of the people in Grand and Jackson Counties have much more in common with the west slope than with people on the east Slope, especially Boulder. Thank you for your consideration of my request. Linda Gerrans (submitted by email 9/16/21)

Greetings, My name is Alyce Kaehler. I have been a resident of Fort Collins since August of 1962. At that time Larimer County was part of District 4 which covered all of the eastern plains, northern Colorado counties all the way to Grand Junction. Wayne Aspinall was our Congressional Representative. Not a workable plan. Am aware of the difficulties in dividing Colorado into fair districts. However, in my opinion taking Fort Collins out of Larimer County and connecting it to the eastern plains and southern Colorado urban counties, means that we will, as we were 60 years ago, be poorly represented by someone who lives hundreds of mile away with entirely different perspectives, needs and motives. In other words, inadequate representation. Arapahoe County has more in common with Colorado’s plaines counties and other large southern counties than we do. We now have little in common with Weld County, but a lot in common with Boulder and other northern Colorado border counties. Surely the Districting Commission can find 170,000-plus Colorado residents somewhere between our Wyoming and New Mexico borders to leave Fort Collins in District 2. My request is that Fort Collins remain in Larimer County and that Larimer County remain in District 2. Thank you for your consideration. Alyce Kaehler, Fort Collins, CO 80525 (submitted by email 9/9/21)

Dear Commissioners; Thank you for volunteering for this important (and time consuming) endeavor to redistrict our beloved state. Your efforts are truly appreciated. In reading through your documents, I was nonplussed to see that Fort Collins has been plucked from its home in District 2. The rationale for this may lie in population balance. However, Fort Collins is not only Larimer County's seat of government, but also the glue between numerous districts here in Larimer County. It is an essential and important part of our school district, library district, Northern Colorado Health District, judicial center and the list goes on. To divide it from these entities is not logical. As you are well aware, Fort Collins also has the largest population in Larimer County. In order to achieve the balance that you seek, why not consider aligning Loveland, a fast growing municipality with a cultural and economic ethos more closely tied to the Eastern Plains than to the Front Range communities of Fort Collins and Boulder, with District 4? I hope that you will consider my suggestions seriously. In appreciation, Margaret B. Gough (submitted by email 9/14/21)

Dear Committee, I am signed up to testify at the Legislative hearing beginning at 6pm Friday, Sept 17th 2021 I would like the following map proposals to be made available to the commission during my testimony. Thank you, Doug Roth Montezuma County GIS Manager (970) 739-8428

Dear Committee, I am signed up to testify at the Legislative hearing beginning at 6pm Friday, Sept 17th 2021 I would like the following map proposals to be made available to the commission during my testimony. Thank you, Doug Roth Montezuma County GIS Manager (970) 739-8428

Dear Commissioners, I am a resident of un-incorporated Routt County and made comments at the "in person" redistricting meeting held in Steamboat Springs in August. My comments at the time reflected a positive response to the 3rd and 4th Congressional Districts shown on the preliminary map. I felt that the commission had it right by recognizing the unique characteristics of rural Colorado vs. the Front Range. To reiterate my comments, here is my reasoning for favoring a "North - South" view using the Continental Divide as the best approach: First, Routt, Moffat, Rio Blanco, Garfield, Jackson, and Grand Counties all have approximately 10 people/square mile while most of the Front Range Counties are in the 400-500 people / square mile. This creates very different challenges and focus areas for these counties and the last map lumping Routt, Jackson, Grand and Eagle County into a district with Boulder County makes no sense. Secondly, agriculture is still a significant economic driver in these counties along with mining. Third, water source and use is also unique given the continental divide. Fourth, our economies overlap to a great degree. As a matter of reference, 30%+ of our work force in Routt County commutes daily from Moffat County next door. Shouldn't we be represented together? Finally, transportation is also unique again due to the continental divide and the shared airport we utilized, Hayden/Steamboat/Craig Regional Airport. Please go back to your first "Preliminary Map" shown to us in our meeting in August. If we are lumped with Boulder County you are not recognizing the unique nature of the Western Slope and I would feel disenfranchised with my vote diluted by the urban nature of Boulder County. Thank You for your consideration.

I would like to add my voice to the comments regarding redistricting. I don't believe that most people here in Routt County have common or similar interests as people in Boulder Colorado. The residents of the front range generally don't like hunting, gun ownership, or the livestock industry that is so important here in Routt County, or most of the activities that myself and friends enjoy here near Steamboat Springs. I'm very much afraid that including our community with Boulder and other front range communities will only serve to further divide us as a people and as Americans. This is still very much a rural County with interests and concerns different from the front range towns and cities of eastern Colorado.

I viewed the newly proposed redistricting map and was very happy with it. It keeps Park County intact. We are not grouped in with the Western Slope, which Park County is not a part of. I encourage you to make this proposal permanent. (submitted by email 9/12/21)