Public Comments

I recently read that redistricting is being considered for Arvada, Colorado. I adamantly do not think that Arvada should be moved out of the current Jefferson County boundaries. The culture, community events and all schools have been in Jefferson County for a long time and need to be retained here. Moving Arvada to Adams or Weld counties would be devastating. Please support Arvada to remain in Jeffco. Sherry Clark

I am a long time resident of Routt County and believe to be represented by my government officials, Routt County needs to be districted along with other like minded and geographical Counties. It would make sense to district the Eastern rural Counties together and keep the mountain Counties districted together. The mountain communities have much more in common as far as environmental, health and water issues, development, agriculture and educational issues. The resort communities of Summit, Eagle, Routt, Pitkin, Chafee, Gunnison , and Lake Counties as mountain communities share these same concerns. Most of the water sources originate in these mountain counties and would have much better representation if all in one district. Rural Mountain Resort problems, such as over development, insufficient low cost housing, rising housing costs, transportation, health resources, water resources, resort employment, agriculture, and education should be in the same district and represented in both legislative and congressional districts. In the House of Representative District, I suggest that Routt being included with Eagle, Summit, Pitkin, Lake, Gunnison and Chaffee Counties. Mesa County has much more in common with the far western Counties such as Garfield, Rio Blanco and Moffat Counties. Please keep Routt in District 35 for State Representative. For the State Legislative, Please include Routt County to Distrct 54 and add Mesa to District 57. It is the goal of districting to place Communities of interest together as stated in the Colorado Constitution and it is clear that these issues are shared by all of the mountain resort communities including Routt County. Thank you for your consideration.

I humbly ask that a balance be struck between the aims and goals of the legislation that was passed in 2018 regarding the redistricting process, and the noted and obvious political shift that has taken place in Colorado since then; with the Democratic party being in complete control of state government (as voted into such by the voting public). A true representative democracy needs to reflect the balance of political power in our beloved state. The current proposal for the new map of House District 26 is completely unacceptable and needs to change post-haste.

Having viewed the preliminary maps and after speaking to stakeholders, I find the following concerns and formally request that the Redistricting Commission redraw the Legislative Maps to take into consideration these concerns. One of the most egregious changes is to HD8. This change cracks Denver's historic voice for the Black community. The unique needs of the neighborhoods within HD8 including Five Points, Park Hill and City Park were not considered. A second serious concern is the removal of the Glbeville and Elyra Swansea communities from their HD and their placement into other HDs. This is cracking of a strong community, coalition, and voice for Latinx people. Finally, one more concern or really it's more a question....why does this map draw Denver into 7 Senate districts instead of 5? I have been unable to receive an answer on this. Respectfully, Lisa A. Escarcega

#TossThe Maps The proposed map the would split HD8/District 8 will dilute the voting power of this historical African-American neighborhood. The Commission is tasked with a commitment to racial equality and this map is an illustration of modern Jim Crow racism by seeking to dilute the voting power of African Americans in Park Hill. #TosstheMaps start over, do the right thing and obtain community input from the African Americans that live in Park Hill and leave HD8 in tact.

Colorado has only three rural colleges and together, they have the unique interests, different financial difficulties, and challenging goals the other schools of higher education in Colorado do not. Currently, the three are represented by two different legislators; the new map makes it three. Gunnison and LaPlata Counties have worked together to create and support legislation that helps these schools thrive, and would appreciate continuing to work together, alongside Alamosa County, to ensure the rural colleges have a strong voice in Colorado. The success they are seeing now is because of the hard work done on their behalf during the last 10 years in the Legislature. Please keep Western Colorado University and Fort Lewis College with one legislator, and Adams State College with another. Why toy with a strong voice and successful model for rural colleges in Colorado?

My personal Thank You to the members of our non-partisan structured Redistricting Commission for all of the work, the personal time, energy and focus required to meet challenges of this project. I lived and owned property in House District 53 for 16 years. I know the area and the neighborhoods well. I have many friends who are socially active and serve as volunteers within this community. I feel the Commission prepared map showing the balance of House Districts 52 and 53 is by far the most appropriate for our Fort Collins / Larimer County community and the growing population of the Front Range area. The map reflects support for the related major Universities of Colorado and the primary concerns of our community such as our environment including air quality, our rivers' systems and sustainable land use policies. Please accept the Commission map as it has been drawn by our carefully vetted and appointed Colorado Redistricting Commission. Thank you for your attention and support for our local communities.

I’m curious to hear what will be gained by this. Also, how will this impact the local 4h and FFA programs. specifically if Hayden because part of Moffat county that would place 2 fairgrounds in one county and leave Steamboat (New Routt) with none

My name is Alan Selch. I am a native born resident of Steamboat Springs since 1955. My parents and grandparents were small business owners in Steamboat since 1938. They served the agricultural industry as a dairy, and tourism industry as restaurant owners, I am presently a business owner. First I want to thank the commission for their work in drawing fair and nonpartisan yet logical new districts for all of our legislators. My belief is that the Colorado house district 56 that you have drawn up is extremely well thought given our historic connection to the other counties in the northwest corner of our state. Not only does Steamboat and Routt County share a border with Moffat County but it also shares a large portion of its population due to commuting to Steamboat and other Routt County locations to work by residents of Moffat County. The other issue that seems to have been ignored by many of the respondents to your request for comments is the prominent place that energy extraction still plays in Routt County. I was a coal miner for 26 years in Routt County and most of the people who worked with me there, lived in Moffat County. The aforementioned coal mine (which held numerous world production records) provided most of the tax revenue that supports the South Routt School District therefore any legislation in the Colorado house that deals with energy, specifically coal and coal-fired power plants would have a major effect on both of our counties. There are at this time five major coal-fired power plants and three coal mines in our two counties accounting for a huge portion of the non Steamboat employment in Routt and Moffat counties. Historically the two largest property taxpayers in Routt County are Twentymile coal mine and the Hayden Coal Fired power station . To say that our two counties do not share any commonality of interests is simply ignoring the facts. With regard to Colorado CD 3 I believe you've done a good job once again and including all of the Western Slope counties in one District and not diluting our vote by including any Eastern Slope counties. Which brings me to the Colorado Senate District 5, which in the preliminary District boundary drawing, includes Larimer County outside Fort Collins. Once again we're looking at diluting The Voice of the Western Slope with Eastern Slope votes. The issue of course is water, we have it they want it. I realize you have a difficult job and there are many competing interests to hear, but I think you are doing a great job by including the major ones in our corner of the state, in districts that historically and contemporaneously make sense.

Attached are comments and maps reinforcing the community of interest that exists between Larimer and Weld Counties, distinct from the Denver Metro region. The proposed 8th Congressional District should be centered on Northern Colorado. I will be submitted a proposed map that recognizes Northern Colorado as a distinct region, keeps rural Boulder County in the 2nd District, and unifies other communities of interest with Districts centered on Denver, Colorado Springs, Aurora, Boulder and Jefferson Counties, and the regions of Northern Colorado, the Western Slope and the Eastern Plains. In addition, the proposed legislative districts divide rural Larimer County from its communities of interest. The attached comments demonstrate the communities of interest in Northern Colorado. The proposed Senate District places Larimer County in a District that extends to the Utah line, and is separated from Larimer County by the Continental Divide. Trail Ridge Road is closed for six months of the year. Such a sharp separation of interests cannot be justified, as the communities are not proximate and do not share the same policy concerns. The House District separates rural Boulder County from its communities of interest as well.