Public Comments

Here in Douglas County, we have many interests that, while diverse, tend to unite us as a community. I also feel that while our roots are of an agricultural nature, we are very much an urban county. This is very obvious when one looks at the ever growing Highlands Ranch Community, the new and rapidly expanding Sterling Ranch Community, Shea’s new Solstice Community, the rapidly expanding Castle Rock Community, the city of Parker, and so many other successful and growing communities. I strongly feel that the citizens of Douglas County would be best served by the entire county being represented in the same congressional district. Please allow Douglas County to be accurately represented as one unified county in the new Congressional Redistricting. Thank you for your consideration. Kim Haarberg

Commissioners; Grand County, as a Western Slope county is distinct from adjoining Eastern slope counties of Larimer and Boulder, and even Gilpin and Clear Creek counties both in historic terms, and geographically. Others will note divergent and possibly conflicting current economic, demographic, and other issues but I'd simply like to point out the fact of geographic separation of the main population centers; The connecting highways are seasonal or simply don't exist at all. The populations of Larimer and Boulder Counties and the population of Grand County simply are separated by several hours of drive time even though they share a common border. The National Park, Continental Divide, public lands, and Wilderness-designated areas are of common interest to our populations, however, they also act as obstacles to common, daily interaction among the populations of neighboring counties. For either population to perceive that they are properly, fairly, and adequately represented by an elected official who lives on the opposite side of the Divide has been asking a lot; even with tours, townhall meetings, and virtual connection. If travel time (excluding small aircraft or other less utilized means) were a significant factor in determining legislative and congressional districts, which i believe it should be, then Grand County should not be amalgamated into these type districts with Boulder and Larimer Counties. If drive time and proximity of populations is not a significant factor, then one could certainly advocate for any kind of arrangement and connections of disjointed or separated counties or populations. Why not then legitimately consider joining Logan and Lincoln Counties to Boulder County, and Grand to Broomfield and Douglas Counties? Thank you for taking this basic factor into account. With respect and appreciation, W. Gardner

I've been residing in Northwest Colorado in Routt County since 1981, right next to a county called Moffat that is "Wester" yet than we are. We may share the same geographic region of our state but couldn't be less different in our interests, concerns and lifestyles! Here, we are dependant upon a vibrant tourist economy that was once centered upon Winter Sports but now goes year-round and includes hunting and fishing, river sports, music festivals and many other arts-related ventures. And now we are dealing with a very scary extreme drought which is threatening all of that and the beauty which brings so many visitors to our Valley in the first place. Other western counties like Moffat, Rio Blanco and Garfield have but one thing in common with us and other tourist-centric counties. The Drought. And most of them don't even believe that our weather woes are driven by Climate Change! In order for the citizens of Routt County to feel represented in Congress we would love to be grouped with others that are more like us! Please keep us with Eagle County and add in Summit County and let the Far-West keep their vote as it already is. Give me my deserved representation!

Congressional Redistricting Commissioners, During the hearings, the parties went back and forth about which district Pueblo should be placed in. The court relied on the lack of shared communities of interest between Pueblo and El Paso County (Pueblo was industrial, while El Paso County contained a more technical community; both counties also had different housing growth rates) to find that Pueblo should not be included in the same district as El Paso County. The court found that it was more appropriate for Pueblo to be included with the San Luis Valley because together they constituted a community of interest due to the strong similarities, shared trade, and reliance on health, educational, and employment resources. My family has lived in the San Luis Valley and Pueblo since before this was United States Territory. Generation after generation, these two communities have been inextricably tied because of our culture, heritage, and rich history, a history that too often is viewed by those with positional power as more of a liability than the tremendous asset it is. Those historical ties are significant and continue to this day in how we exist between San Luis Valley and Pueblo. Our families are spread across both regions, and many times, critical private and public resources that we access are in Pueblo. Please continue to keep in mind that because this area identifies more with northern New Mexico than northern Colorado, our unique history and the ways we live our lives presently must be accounted for in the development of maps. Thank you for your time.

See attached letter.

Redistricting Commission, As a former state elected official, I felt it necessary to reach out and share my thoughts on the importance of the San Luis Valley and Pueblo being recognized as a single community of interest. There is significant legal precedent that has consistently noted the importance of this community of interest in redistricting. It should be preserved as part of your redistricting work. Do not split our historical community of interest up in the preliminary or final plan. I urge you to learn more about the unique issues we face that makes us a community of interest, specifically the Latino community that has called the San Luis Valley and Pueblo home for hundreds of years. I will certainly make myself available for public hearings on the issue and will encourage others to speak up about the importance of this region remaining whole. It is our strong traditional ethnic, cultural, and religious similarities, and shared trade, employment, education, and health resources and facilities which make it imperative to treat us as one community of interest.

Keep Aurora United! As a part of the Armenians of Colorado- our community already has the largest concentration and diving districts will make it worse. Our current and last congressman has been doing a good job acknowledging the Armenian community in Aurora by keeping it in one district!

This map was presented by Darren Garcia. It is not perfect but I would like for it to be considered during the drafting of the preliminary plan. I am not sure of Mr. Garcia's affiliation. He has drawn a map that appears to be competitive and inclusive. https://davesredistricting.org/maps#viewmap::c6558bab-bfb3-4891-96de-e3563f9f0fa8

I am Armenian but I was born and raised in Aurora and I always appreciated the congressman’s attention to the Armenian community within one district. I feel like separating Aurora in different districts will make the voices of the Armenian Americans more difficult to hear.

Commissioners, I chair the Board of Directors of El Movimiento Sigue, a non-profit representing activists that have been working in this region for the past 50 years. Chicanx and Latinx folks have called this region home for centuries. I’m sure you know that before the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, the US-Mexico border was the Arkansas River which cuts through the city of Pueblo. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed in February 1848, bringing an official end to the Mexican-American War. Among other things, it moved the southern boundary of the U.S. to the Rio Grande River, instead of the Arkansas River. This is significant because families continue to have a profound sense of belonging here for hundreds of years. This extends to our family in the San Luis Valley. As a historic community of interest, we are interconnected and often experience the outcome of federal legislative action and public policy in very similar ways - for better or for worse. I urge you to consider us a community of interest as you develop preliminary plans. Do not erase our history. Pueblo and the San Luis Valley are a joint community of interest. Our families traverse between Pueblo and the San Luis Valley regularly as we live, do business, and work in both. Legal precedent has upheld our voice and representation in the past. Not doing so risks cracking our community in a way that dilutes our voices and erases the generational connections that are significant in this region. Pueblo is often the closest economic and cultural hub for many in the Valley, and they access many resources here. Thank you for your consideration.