Public Comments

Dear members of the Committee: Thank you for giving the public an opportunity to give input to redistricting. As a western slope resident of Colorado, I have seen that redistricting can have a profound effect on representation at the state and national level. It is imperative that like-minded communities are given representation that fit with their political, moral, and ethical values. The State of Colorado is a special place as the Rockies have become a natural buffer between rural and urban areas of the state. Recent happenings across the state have revealed that there is a definite split in opinions on many fronts amongst counties in Colorado. I recently learned about talks of trying to redraw the third district by redrawing districting lines to exclude Pueblo county, replacing it with Boulder, and or Summit, Eagle counties. I do not have to point out the political leanings of said counties- and the dis-service this would be to each of the other counties for obvious reasons. I respectfully hope that as an independent commission, an honest and thoughtful discussion will be forth coming when considering the redistricting and the peoples wishes to be represented by individuals that have their best interests in mind. Please let this comment be noted that the lines should remain the same for third district. Thank you for serving the citizens of this State!

Please leave Mesa County, in the 3rd District, associated with Counties which share our values, our economic bases of farming and ranching, energy development and scenic tourism. Mesa County is not compatible with ski towns and urban areas. Our representatives need to reflect us. This should have nothing to do with party affiliations. Thank you, Caryn Romeo

I appreciate the work that has gone into the creation of the preliminary map. Maintaining the integrity of the 3rd and 4th Congressional Districts as shared communities of interest will greatly benefit both agriculture and energy production. These industries are vital to Colorado and I do hope the commission will not make any substantial changes to this map.

Dear members of the Committee: Thank you for giving the public an opportunity to give input to redistricting commission. Redistricting can have a profound effect on representation on the state and national level. It is imperative that like-minded communities are given representation that fits with their political, moral, and ethical values. There are clearly different opinions in many areas of Colorado and all should be represented equally. It has recently come to my attention that talks are underway to redraw the third district and the intent is to exclude Pueblo county, replacing it with Boulder, and or Breckenridge, and Vail counties. It is obvious the differences in political leanings of these counties and how it would deprive the current district of being heard and fairly represented in our State and Federal governments. I respectfully request that this independent commission will be mindful of how your discussion will effect the peoples of the third district and their desire to be represented by individuals who know this area and have our best interests in mind. Sincerely Yours, Paul J. Sheridan

Dear members of the Committee: Thank you for giving the public an opportunity to give input to redistricting. As a recent resident to Colorado I know from experience in Ca that redistricting can have a profound effect on representation at the state and national level. It is imperative that like minded communities are given representation that fits with their political, moral, and ethical values. The state of Colorado is a special place as the Rockies have become a natural buffer between rural and urban areas of the state. Recent happenings across the state from immunizations to voter integrity have revealed that there is a definite split in opinions on many fronts between several counties in Colorado - I recently learned about talks of trying to redraw the third district by redrawing districting lines to exclude Pueblo county, replacing it with Boulder, and or Breckenridge, and Vail counties. I do not have to point out the political leanings of said counties- and the dis-service this would be to each of the counties for obvious reasons. Respectfully hope that as an independent commission an honest and thoughtful discussion will be forth coming when considering the redistricting and the peoples wishes to be represented by individuals that have their best interests in mind. Sincerely, Linda Feather Boulder, CO

Dear Redistricting Team, Why does the Denver metro area under the proposed redistricting map receive 5 of the 8 seats in Congress? The Colorado Springs Area, the second largest metro in the state only receives 1 seat? Does that really seem fair to the second largest metro with giving fair and equitable representation in Congress? Thank you for your time! Regards, Jason C Green

To the members of the Committee: Thank you for giving the public an opportunity to comment on redistricting. I know that redistricting can have a profound effect on representation at the state and national level. It is imperative that like-minded communities are given representation that fits with their political, moral, and ethical values. We do live in a unique state that has a distinct natural barrier between the more urban areas of the state and the more rural. I have recently become aware of talk of redrawing the third district, excluding Pueblo county and replacing it with Boulder, and/or Summit and Eagle counties. This would dramatically shift the political leanings of the third district away from its traditional rural base. It would also be a disservice to the other involved counties for the same reason. I do hope you will consider this carefully and take a honest and direct look at all the factions to consider. I think you will find that the old saying applies here. "If is ain't broke then don't fix it!" We really wish to be left as we are. Sincerely, Ruth Kinnett Mesa County Grand Junction

I am against redistricting. It is politically motivated to give conservatives on the Western slope less of a voice than we already have.

Weld County is united by the shared interest of energy production and agriculture. Weld’s economic base is very different from that of the Denver Metro area. Don’t split up Weld County and assign portions of it to different Denver metro population groups that will overwhelm Weld.

It is our understanding that there is a movement afoot to remove the Pueblo area from District 3 and replace it with Boulder, Breckenridge, Vail, and Aspen. This is an absolutely bizarre proposal. That should be blatantly obvious to intelligent individuals. Mesa County is not a tourist region, but mainly rural agricultural and oil and gas interests. Furthermore, it is not a mountainous region, but a high desert area. Thus, none of our interests are consistent with those of the Boulder, Breckenridge, Vail, and Aspen areas, but are quite consistent with the Pueblo area. In addition, it makes no sense to have areas that have different geographical traits, and totally different economic interests in one district; the result is that neither area has the opportunity to speak for the interests of its residents. All this does is put people in contention with each other and doesn’t solve anyone’s problems, which is probably your main objective in combining these two areas with totally different interests. Not only this, but cultural and ideological interests (not to mention moral and ethical values) are vastly different as well in the Boulder/Breckenridge/Vail/Aspen areas compared to the Pueblo and Mesa County areas. This cockamamie scheme serves no one’s best interest except possibly the politicians’. We’re extremely frustrated with the failure of many of the people governing this state to listen to the people whom they purportedly represent, and who pay their salaries. May I please remind you that we do not work for you; you work for us. I would say, “What on earth were you thinking when you came up with this inane proposal?” However, the intent is quite obvious and we do not appreciate the interests of Colorado residents being put second in line to politicians’ personal and political ambitions. Forget this idea of putting any mountain tourist district in the same district as a rural agricultural/oil and gas region, and moving another oil and gas/agricultural area out of the district.