Public Comments

I am submitting these comments on behalf of the Board of Directors for EMERGE, located in East Clear Creek County, in the community of Evergreen, CO. Our area is adjacent to Jefferson County. EMERGE stands for East Mount Evans Resources, Growth, and the Environment, which fairly summarizes the principal areas of interest of our organization and community. The EMERGE Board has unanimously approved them. EMERGE was founded in 1993 as a non-partisan, volunteer, community organization. It was founded for several purposes, including acting as a clearinghouse for information regarding local and state government actions, monitoring governmental decision-making, and commenting thereon, as appropriate. Our Board is composed of diverse people with a long-standing commitment to our community, and includes former county commissioners, School Board members, engineers, attorneys, scientists and business-people. We are non-partisan, but of diverse political affiliations. We have reviewed the Preliminary Map and are concerned about Clear Creek County being included in the propose 3rd Congressional District. We believe that it is inappropriate to include us there, for the following reasons. We believe that Clear Creek County should be included in a district like CD-2 or CD-6 with neighboring counties such as Jefferson or Gilpin and not in the proposed far-flung 3rd Congressional District. 1. What shared interests unite your community? Clear Creek County is, for the most part, connected economically and socially with the Front Range communities, such as Jefferson County, Gilpin County, Boulder County and Park County. The unincorporated community of Evergreen straddles the line with Jefferson County, and many of our residents work, shop, and recreate either in JeffCo or the Denver metro area. Many of our residents commute to the Denver Metro Area, so transportation is of critical importance. Additionally, Clear Creek County shares government services with other neighboring counties, such as Gilpin and Park (Education), Jefferson (mental health, education) and Clear Creek is a member of DRCOG (Denver Regional Council of Governments). Our economy is based primarily on small business and tourism/recreation, with some mining and almost no agriculture and no oil, gas, or coal extraction. The only significant remaining extractive business is the Henderson Mine which is the County’s largest taxpayer. Therefore, including Clear Creek with counties like Mesa, Delta,Rio Blanco, makes little sense as we have few shared economic values. Clear Creek does share some common interests with Summit, Eagle and Pitkin, as Clear Creek has two ski areas (Loveland and Echo Mountain) and we are all dealing with skyrocketing demand for recreation, and for that reason, it might make sense to include Clear Creek with those counties. Our proximity with the Front Range and the concerns with I-70 are probably stronger, however. Finally, residents of Eastern Clear Creek County are active politically, and comprise over half of the county’s voters in most elections. 2. What are your community’s public policy concerns? Our public policy concerns are many, but they largely revolve around maintaining the quality of life that we enjoy in the Clear Creek County area of Evergreen. Living as we do in the “Red Zone,” wild land fire is a huge concern for us, and one which we share with other Front Range counties. Transportation is another major concern, both with respect to I-70 as well as our local roads and bridges. Infrastructure is another major concern, not only with roads and bridges, but also with Broadband and Cellular service which is very problematic for many of us. Clear Creek County is a member of the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG), another way in which we are closely aligned with the Denver Metro Area. Managing Recreation is a major concern, as well, and one which aligns us with other Front Range counties along with Summit and Pitkin. Health Care (both physical and mental) and Social Services are critical as our constituencies age or simply get sick or injured, and the majority of Eastern Clear Creek residents obtain those services in the Denver Metro Area or in Jefferson County. Last, but not least, is Education. As mentioned above, we often share resources with neighboring counties, including the BOCES (Board of Cooperative Educational Services with Gilpin and Park) and many of our students and teachers avail themselves of educational opportunities in Jefferson County, including Red Rocks Community College and the Colorado School of Mines, as well as inter-district student transfers between Clear Creek and JeffCo. 3. What geographic areas or features are important to your community. Clear Creek County is a mountain county, with four “Fourteeners” and numerous other peaks in the County, and abundant mountain recreation opportunities such as hiking, biking, river running, zip-lining, etc. Most residents have chosen to live here to have access to those opportunities. Clear Creek’s mining history is also important, and the cities and towns reflect that heritage. 4. What else should the commissions know about your community? Most residents of the EMERGE area (southeast corner of Clear Creek County) are aligned economically, socially and recreationally with other Front Range communities. We share little in common with counties on the Western Slope or the far southwest corner of Colorado, and don’t feel like a Congressional Representative would be able to adequately represent the diverse and often competing interests of such divergent localities. The travel alone would be exhausting, and it seems likely that some constituents would be neglected. Unfortunately, we do not have the resources to provide a map to illustrate proposed alternative districts. We will say that Congressman Neguse and his predecessors have been very attentive to our County’s interests and needs and we would hope that Clear Creek could remain in the Second Congressional District or be included in a district with Jefferson County. Thank you for your consideration of our comments. Please contact me if you would like to discuss these comments further. Sincerely, Peter Monson, President EMERGE Board of Directors pcm004@gmail.com 303-670-9523

Dear Redistricting Commissioners: I am a 40+ year resident of Boulder County. I have examined the proposed political redistricting maps and am bringing my concerns to your attention. Those concerns are grouped into the following areas: 0) Map Error. 1) The treatment of Hispanic Communities of Interest in the overall State plan. 2) The disconnection of the City of Boulder, from its mountain communities to the west. 3) Splitting of University of Colorado/Boulder. 4) The inclusion of part of eastern Boulder County into District 38, which consists largely of Weld County communities like Erie, Firestone, Frederick, Fort Lupton. 5) The disconnection of the City of Boulder, from its business interests to the east. 6) Erie/Louisville/Lafayette ITEM 0: MAP ERROR The large draft district which is like a donut around the "donut hole" of draft districts 36 and 37, is un-numbered. This large district includes the mountain areas west of 36/37, and a large area of Boulder County east, and north-east, of districts 36/37. Colorado 119 (Diagonal Highway) is the principal man-made feature in the eastern part of this un-numbered district. Browsing through all 65 map districts does not identify a number for this un-numbered district in the openstreetmap.fr maps. Please correct this ASAP. I refer to this un-numbered district below as the "donut" district. ITEM 1: HISPANIC COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST In regard to the redistricting website: https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__redistricting.colorado.gov_content_prelim-2Dcongressional-2Dmaps&d=DwICAg&c=sdnEM9SRGFuMt5z5w3AhsPNahmNicq64TgF1JwNR0cs&r=O7NKXmL5ZM0P70mMudKo2BwR6cgqIrKh4mhO5-CaY89WUWaN2_m-sCCNp8Vd1x1P&m=uwcxDsLwjIhFW32VSQAWdVwSn1fajzhWn3JKZiXx9QM&s=t0WSyyXpJ18dqk068vXs84kpbvtzV74_2poWAhstMTg&e= I examined "Attachment B - Population Summary & Race and Ethnicity.pdf". This "Ethnicity and Race Summary" page makes it clear that White and Hispanic populations are the only racial groups of a size that can assert their political wishes in Colorado. The Hispanic population is represented in the 8 proposed Congressional districts, in proportions varying from 12.5% to 29.9%. This division makes it clear that the Hispanic community is unlikely ever to be able to assert its political wishes. Because of Colorado's large and growing Hispanic population, the Commission should attempt to group Hispanic populations into 1 or 2 districts where Hispanic population is on the order of 50%, so that Hispanics have a fair opportunity to promote Hispanic candidates and issues. ITEM 2: BOULDER'S DISCONNECT FROM MOUNTAIN COMMUNITIES The City of Boulder currently has strong connections with mountain communities in the areas of conservation, water/floods, fires, and wildlife management. Boulder has a strong environmental advocacy connection to these communities. For example, Boulder and other Boulder County communities have an interest in water conservation, not in enlarging Gross Reservoir to feed grass lawns in Denver County. Current districts have west Boulder and Nederland together, as well as west Boulder together with recreational areas like Betasso and Caribou Ranch. The large draft "donut" district, surrounding the "donut hole" districts 36/37, includes the mountain communities west of Boulder, Lafayette, and a large area of eastern Boulder County approximately centered at Haystack Mountain. Boulder districts 36/37 are disconnected from this "donut" district. ITEM 3: UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO SPLIT (DIST 36/37) It is my understanding (though the map detail I have is not sufficient) that the University of Colorado is split between draft districts 36/37. CU is a vital Community of Interest which should not be split. ITEM 4: EASTERN BOULDER COUNTY INCLUSION INTO WELD COUNTY DRAFT DIST 38 I view this change as negative for the environmentally-minded residents of eastern Boulder County. Boulder County has environmental attitudes that have brought about community solar gardens and a large number of EVs in Boulder. These attitudes are reinforced by the highly-educated scientific staffs of organizations such as NOAA, CU, and NCAR. The laissez-faire, pro-fracking attitudes that prevail in Weld County, are at odds with both laws recently passed in the Colorado legislature, as well as the truly frightening realities of climate change which have fouled the air in Boulder for the two past summers. Regrettably, this will pair residents of eastern Boulder County, with Weld gas & oil interests who are in total denial about the fact that survival of the biosphere, depends on rapidly decreasing emissions of CO2 and CH4. ITEM 5: DISCONNECT OF BOULDER, FROM BUSINESS INTERESTS TO THE EAST Business parks/corporate campuses along the Diagonal Highway (including Gunbarrel), and along the eastern edge of draft district 37, have been disconnected from Boulder. Previously, businesses between 47th and 63rd St, and as far north as Boulder Reservoir, were included in the current district 10. These business communities are now thrown in with the large "donut" district around 36/37. I fail to see how the community of interest of these businesses, combines well with a draft district that includes mountain communities on the west, and rural communities towards the east centered around Haystack Mountain. ITEM 6: ERIE, LAFAYETTE, LOUISVILLE These 3 bedroom communities should be considered a Community of Interest. They share community services, as well as a school district. Regrettably, Louisville/Superior, Lafayette, and Erie are all in different draft districts. I am strongly in favor of combining Lafayette into draft district 24 with Louisville/Superior, and then moving the eastern boundary of the large "donut" district, towards Erie. (submitted by email 8/15/21)

My input: Please keep the Windcrest Community together and don't split Highlands Ranch to the West. Our Congressional District representation should remain all suburban. (submitted by email 8/14/21)

Dear Commissioners, My family and I work and live in the La Alma Lincoln Park Neighborhood (LALP) in the Denver Art District on Santa Fe just south of Downtown Denver. LALP is a fast changing area with booming Main Street developments, brand new Historic Cultural District designation, and the popular First Friday Art Walk. We will soon be part of the I-25 corridor expansion along the rail yards. We used to be in HD5 connecting us to a variety of neighborhoods and economic strength, from North of I-70 down to Evans Ave. (Athmar Park, Auraria, Baker, Capitol Hill, Central Business District, Chaffee Park, Civic Center, Cole, Elyria, Five Points, Globeville, Highland, Jefferson Park, Lincoln Park, LoDo, North Capitol Hill, Sunnyside, Swansea, Union Station, and Valverde neighborhoods) I would like to make 3 points concerning the problems of the new District 2 boundaries. 1. The current economic mix makes us urban - sharing resources, cross-cultural appreciation, value and networking easily through our legislative representatives, similar to the benefits of busing in schools. The new proposed redistricting plan for District 2 basically lumps the lower property tax working class neighborhoods together, which could create an unintended “ghetto” effect in the next 10 years. 2. The most destructive change is the removal of the Auraria Campus from the neighborhoods that can benefit best by sharing the same legislative voices. Seeing the careful scalpeling away of Emily Griffith Technical College campus is particularly painful. In fact, Ms. Emily Griffith’s home is located in our Historic Cultural District. By aligning Auraria Campus with District 3, the corporations of Downtown and the higher income populations of the Highlands will have more access to the legislative representation of these urban educational institutions than the neighbors who sacrificed their homes and businesses through eminent domain 50 years ago for the creation of Auraria. 3. The Metropolitan State University of Denver (MSU) is the largest educational institution on the Auraria Campus. It has been developing connections with LALP with their Center for Visual Arts on Santa Fe, UCD’s DIME musical program on Kalamath and participation in the neighborhood association. LALP can be a natural “College Town” for MSU with student support services that Downtown cannot provide. The severing of Auraria Campus in the proposed redistricting would damage that carefully nurtured potential. Please consider including the Auraria Campus in the new District 2. Thank you for all your hard work and your attention to these suggestions. Sincerely, Stella Yu and David Griggs Denver 80204 (submitted by email 8/13/21)

Oaths to Constitutions or to top monarch/oligarch party HACKS ??? ------------ Gerrymander Math for Dummies - esp in the Courts JULY 2021 1/2 or less votes x 1/2 cracked/packed gerrymander areas [using prior election results in precincts] = 1/4 or less CONTROL = OLIGARCHY -- ALWAYS WITH MONARCH LEADERS. UNEQUAL WINNER VOTES AND TOTAL DISTRICT VOTES. VOTERS VOTE - NOT CENSUS POPULATIONS. SUBVERSION OF USA CONST. 4-4 RFG AND 14 AMDT-1 EP CL. 14 AMDT-2 O-N-L-Y ABOUT INTEGER NUMBER OF USA REPS AND ANY USA DIRECT TAXES AMONG STATES. MUCH, MUCH, MUCH WORSE EXTREMIST PRIMARY MATH - ESTIMATED 5-12 PCT REAL CONTROL. LOTS OF MINORITY RULE EXTREMIST COMMUNISTS AND FASCISTS -- making most laws IN THE USA. ******* REMEDY -- NOOO PRIMARIES, CAUCUSES AND CONVENTIONS. SECRET NOMINATING PETITIONS AS WITH SECRET BALLOTS -- ONE VOTER FORMS. PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION -- around since 1840s - 1840s. Simple P.R. --- Total Votes / Total Members = EQUAL votes to elect each member. Candidate rank order lists of other candidates. Surplus votes down. Lowest loser votes up. ALL votes count. ---------- WHO will inform / educate SCOTUS and the lower courts ??? 1/2 X 1/2 = 1/4 2021-1964 = A MERE 57 YEARS AND COUNTING OF JUNK SCOTUS G OPINS. -------------- Ask for MODEL STATE CONST. (submitted by email 8/13/21)

Dear Commissioners, My wife and I moved to Durango many years ago for reasons of quality of life, exceptional schools, outstanding outdoors opportunities and the community of Durango itself. Not having been able to attend last Saturday's redistricting meeting in Durango, I am sending you my comments in writing. Colorado is, possibly more so than any other US state, known for its outdoor recreation and tourist industry, an important reason for people living and moving here. Our national forests, wilderness areas, ski resorts and more benefit our state's economy and provide jobs. While the present congressional preliminary maps drawn take into consideration different "communities of interest", be these based on economics, education, ranching etc., CD3's preliminary map is dominated in favor of farming, water and extractive based industry interests. These interests are diametrically opposed and not compatible with the outdoors industry, resulting in Colorado's scenic beauty, outdoor opportunities and tourist industry being drowned out. Our outdoors and tourist industry needs and deserves to have a voice benefitting all Coloradoan and CD3 needs to be redrawn. To achieve the latter may require dividing a several counties, yet I feel strongly that our exceptional recreational opportunities and economy deserve that voice. Thank you for your efforts drawing fair and competitive districts, a challenging and important undertaking especially in regard to CD3, yet in need to be addressed. Sincerely, Werner Heiber (submitted by email 8/13/21)

As a resident of Summit county, I would prefer our county be reassigned to the 3rd Congressional District with other similar type skiing communities like Aspen, Vail, and Beavercreek of the western slope. I believe being included in an Uber Liberal district like Boulder or Denver does not represent me or small town folks. I think it would be nice if at least every 10 years, we rotate from liberal to conservative or vise versa, districts so voters do not feel completely without representation if the district is not competitive. I believe this is why Colorado has rightly implemented independent redistricting commissions. Thank you for reading my comments and your time.

Climate change is the existential threat of our time and watersheds need to remain intact along district lines if we are to advance resilient policies to address our changing climate. Please keep the Gunnison River Basin intact along district lines. In particular, keep the North Fork Valley (Paonia, Hotchkiss, and Crawford) watersheds intact and in the same district as Gunnison County. Thank you, Chuck Raleigh

I am very much in favor of adding Summit County to the 3rd congressional district. Thank You!

Summit County has a rustic, rural character by design. Think Victorian, historic mining community, very laid back attitudes which align much closer with the 3rd district than the 2nd district which includes urban and metropolitan areas such as Boulder. Please consider putting Summit County in the 3rd district.