Public Comments

I am a 5 year resident of Summit County. I believe Summit County should be grouped with the I-70 and Front Range communities that share similar demographic characteristics, and not with western slope communities that are more agricultural and rural. The key characteristics of Summit County are our reliance and connection to Denver and the Front Range by our proximity to, and near total dependance on, travel on I-70. Our economy is tied to tourism, outdoor recreation, skiing, hiking, biking and visitors year round who drive west on I-70 to enjoy our outdoor recreational treasures. We are tied together by issues of transportation, environmental sensitivity, concerns over draught, water, and climate, and a shared economy. Many residents work remotely from home in professions and positions tied to the larger national and international economy. Proximity to Denver International Airport is a key factor for many. We have nothing in common with farming, agricultural issues, mining and oil, and the other economic mainstays of the Western counties. In order for our vital interests to be represented, we need to be part of CO-2 or CO-7, with whom we have so much in common. Thanks. Jed Callen

To the Commissioners, Hello, my name is Benjamin Whitmore. I have lived in Summit County for 15 years. Not all Mountain Communities are alike. There is more to consider than just looking at small mountain towns and assuming they go together. The Commission needs to keep that in mind when it is drafting these maps. Putting Summit County with the Western Slope does not make sense. Putting us with the other Mountain Communities like Boulder and Gilpin and Clear Creek Counties does. Larimer too. We belong in CD-2 or CD-7 with these communities. We are defined by our high-income, high-education, high cost of living communities built on tourism. Just because we have few full-time residents does not mean we have anything in common with rural towns with a similar population. Clear Creek, Gilpin, Larimer counties are all similar to our own. These communities rely on tourists from the front range like we do, and they have similar service-based economies which are not based on oil and gas, agriculture, or mining like many of the western slope communities. We all struggle with housing and transit issues and we all depend on the flow of traffic along Interstate 70. These common interests unite us and require effective representation in Congress. Please keep us with similar communities so we can address our problems together. Best, Benjamin Whitmore Male, 37 Silverthorne, CO

To Whom It May Concern: Not all Mountain Communities are alike. There is more to consider than just looking at small mountain towns and assuming they go together. The Commission needs to keep that in mind when it is drafting these maps. Putting Summit County with the Western Slope does not make sense. Putting us with the other Mountain Communities like Boulder and Gilpin and Clear Creek Counties does. This is also true of Larimer. We belong in CD-2 or CD-7 with these communities. We are defined by our high-income, high-education, high cost of living communities built on tourism. Just because we have few full-time residents does not mean we have anything in common with rural towns with a similar population. Clear Creek, Gilpin, and Larimer counties are all similar to our own. These communities rely on tourists from the front range like we do, and they have similar service-based economies which are not based on oil and gas, agriculture, or mining like many of the western slope communities. We all struggle with housing and transit issues and we all depend on the flow of traffic along Interstate 70. These common interests unite us and require effective representation in Congress. A second key concern involves our access to health care. There has been a lot of focus on the tourism traffic that comes from the Denver area to Summit County and the other I-70 corridor communities. That is very true and should be a major consideration. But traffic flows the other way too. Access to healthcare is a critical issue for our community, especially now in the midst of the ongoing pandemic. Our doctors and nurses work exceptionally hard and we are all grateful for their tremendous efforts. But the simple fact is that specialty and high-level care is simply not readily available out here. We have to travel to the front range. If you need a burn ward, level 1 trauma care, intensive cardiac care, high-level neurologic care, or any one of a thousand specialized medical procedures, you’re going on I-70 through the tunnel to the front range. If you are lucky enough to find a doctor who both practices out here and has access to the required facilities and support staff to provide the care you need, they may not be on your insurance. And of course all of these issues are made worse by the pandemic. Healthcare access becomes even more limited when COVID is such a drain on manpower and resources. We need to be with other communities aligned with us on this issue: Districts 2 and 7. The communities in these Districts have common interests with us in healthcare access and pandemic response. These communities recognize this vital common interest we share together. Please keep this in mind and keep us together. We are long time full-time residents of Summit County and these issues are important to us. Please keep us with similar communities so we can address our problems together. Thank you for your consideration, Susan Propper and Don Dankner

Dear Commissioners, My name is Carol Hess. I have lived in Summit County for 5 years. I write today to support including Summit County in the same district as I-70 and Front Range communities. As you know, Summit County is only ninety minutes away by car from metro Denver, Boulder and other front range communities making it very easy for day and weekend visitors to drive up. Tourism is the basis of our economy, we have no mining or farming to speak of. And since we have no airport, driving is the only way for tourists to get to us. I cannot overstate how dependent we are on I-70 and the Tunnel. Beyond the physical link, we are more like these Front Range communities than we are like the Western Slope. We are deeply challenged by growth which has required us to focus on sustainable development. The Pandemic has increased this pressure as we have had an influx of people seeking to make Summit County their permanent home due to its convenience to the Front Range for people who are not commuting 5 days a week. We need to have someone in Congress who understands the vital link and common vision we share with the Front Range communities. Please keep this in mind when redistricting. Thank you very much. Very truly yours, Carol Hess

Not all Mountain Communities are alike. There is more to consider than just looking at small mountain towns and assuming they go together. The Commission needs to keep that in mind when it is drafting these maps. Putting Summit County with the Western Slope does not make sense. Putting us with the other Mountain Communities like Boulder and Gilpin and Clear Creek Counties does, as does Larimer. We belong in CD-2 or CD-7 with these communities. We are defined by our high-income, high-education, high cost of living communities built on tourism. Just because we have few full-time residents does not mean we have anything in common with rural towns with a similar population. Clear Creek, Gilpin, Larimer counties are all similar to our own. These communities rely on tourists from the front range like we do, and they have similar service-based economies which are not based on oil and gas, agriculture, or mining like many of the western slope communities. We all struggle with housing and transit issues and we all depend on the flow of traffic along Interstate 70. We are also depended on our natural surroundings and have a significant interest in making sound environmental decisions to stop climate change. These common interests unite us and require effective representation in Congress. Please keep us with similar communities so we can address our problems together. Please help us sustain our community by grouping us with truly similar communities, not just size or watershed! Kelly Owens

To the Commissioners, There has been a lot of smart and necessary focus on the importance of I-70 and ski tourism to Summit and why that means Summit should be in CD-7. I want to highlight the other side of that: summer tourism. Breckenridge may be best known for its winter activities, but Summit County is equally beautiful in the summer months. Over those summer months Summit sees huge numbers of visitors who come to eat, drink, and play. One of the most popular summer activities is hiking. As a practical matter, that means hiking on federal lands. We should have common representation either with the other I-70 communities in CD-7 or we should be in CD-2 because those communities share the same issues and interests as we do with summer tourism. In Boulder as much as Breckenridge—people love to take day trips to hike. That brings people on federal highways to federal lands. Sustainable use of those lands is a constant challenge—overflowing parking lots, trail congestion, litter. And it’s only going to become more of a challenge over time as more and more people move to Colorado. We need to have a common representative so this issue can be addressed at the federal level. That will ensure that we can continue to represent the important interests of our national forests and national parks at the federal level. All the best. Aaron M. Snider

Please see attached, thank you.

Dear Commissioners, After reviewing the preliminary Colorado State House and Senate District maps, the City of Centennial City Council requests that the Redistricting Commission maintain the City’s representation from two House Districts and one Senate District. The Commission’s latest preliminary maps propose two state Senate Districts for the City of Centennial, which would be divided between one Senate District to the west of I-25 and one Senate District to the east of I-25. While the City recognizes that Redistricting Commission is making best efforts to ensure population equality within the newly redrawn districts, the Colorado Constitution also puts an emphasis on the preservation of the integrity of counties, cities and towns within state legislative districts. With a population of approximately 110,000, the City of Centennial is capable of being represented by one competitive Senate District. On behalf of the City of Centennial, I request that the Commission reconsiders the proposed map to maintain one Senate District and two House Districts in order to maintain consistent representation since the City’s incorporation. Sincerely, Mayor Stephanie Piko City of Centennial

Please see the attached letter on behalf of the City of Centennial. Regards, Mayor Stephanie Piko

I have updated my map based on census data and comments. Even if Jefferson county is to be kept whole, I would like to see Westminster be kept whole, and therefore, I placed it in CD8. I also do NOT believe that Greeley is a good fit for CD8 and therefore excluded it and Evans in my map while keeping the smaller communities of Weld county in the district. I do feel Broomfield belongs in CD8 especially because I am keeping Westminster whole and it is difficult to distinguish where city boundaries are, especially around 120th & Sheridan Blvd where Adams and Jefferson meet. I also put Douglas back into CD4 and gave the Jeffco district more metro-mountain communities. According to the data, this now gives 3 Democrat districts, 2 GOP districts and 3 "competitive" districts. I believe this best reflects both public comment and the calling of this commission to create compact, competitive districts.