Public Comments

I wanted to express my opinion about redistricting Larimer County with any other adjacent nearby county. If Larimer County were to be redistricted with a nearby county it makes most sense that it be Boulder County because of so many similar and shared interests. These commonalities include: 1. We both have a major university 2. Both universities have strong research components and high tech relationships 3. Both communities have an interest in aeronautical science and development. 4. We both depend on tourism 5. We both share interest and depend on outdoor recreation for our citizens 6. We both share interest in clean energy. 7. We are under the same UCH healthcare system 8. We both must contend with and share resources in fighting forest fires. In short, no other county is as similar and has the shared interests to Larimer as Boulder has. On the contrary, Weld County to our east is more dissimilar than similar with its rural setting and interests and dependence on agriculture and fossil fuels.

Dear Sir or Madam: First of all, how could you have chosen Danny Moore as one of your commissioners, and then, how could you have made him chairman? Are you people nutty? This guy sounds like a whack-job! Thank you for allowing me to rant. I am in favor of asking Mr. Moore to go play with his conspiracy theories, and leave the intelligent work to other humans. Sincerely, Andrea Waner

My vote is to align with Boulder County

For the state senate redistricting, we need to go back to each county having its own senate district. This setup is important and would create, once and for all, a check on gerrymandering and for each county to have its say, unlike now, where Denver and the front range cities control our state legislature.

I'm a farmer and with the impact that Washington can have on water, markets, energy costs and all of agriculture it makes good sense to have two rural districts on the northern front range. As far a our Legislative district It is very important for San Luis Valley district to be as contained within the Valley as possible and as even as possible with regard to Political Party.

The western slope must remain intact from Jackson County to La Plata County during the redistricting process. Our economies and our way of life has been shaped by the land we live on and industries that built the state. The western slope is a community that can only thrive under a single voice in Washington DC. Agriculture has always been an industry that has linked the western slope together. Most of the fruit production in the state takes place on the western slope and is shipped out globally. These fruits include, grapes, apples, peaches and more. When the state was first created the regulations on these crops were sparse. However, through time they have become mired in regulatory quicksand. Pesticide use, migrant labor, and water rights are several reasons why representation in the nation’s capital is pivotal to the western slope. Outdoor recreation is also one of the larges economic draws to the western slope. Many of the state’s best hunting units for Elk and deer are located on the western slope. Sportsmen from across the nation come to the western slope for their chance at a trophy buck. They also spend money in the communities surrounding our wild lands on things like dining, lodging and other hospitality services. This economy has undoubtedly created a community of interest in the western slope. Please work to keep the western slope intact for the best possible representation in our nation’s capital.

I am writing to encourage the Congressional Committee to preserve the genuine communities of interest on Colorado’s Western Slope. Geographically the Western Slope has a responsibility to manage the water flowing through its communities. The vast majority of the water that leaves the state flows through the Western Slope. The water on the Western Slope is used for much more than just drinking. We use our water for agriculture—both livestock and crops, for outdoor recreation, energy development and more. A unified voice in Washington DC is a must for Colorado’s water interest. Similarly, the Western Slope of Colorado is responsible for a large amount of beef production in the state. Beef and beef products are some of the largest contributors to Colorado’s economy. There are multigenerational cattle ranching communities on the Western Slope that have provided beef to the state and abroad for decades. Recently, Colorado became the biggest beef importer for South Korea. If we want to preserve these communities and the benefits they’ve provided our state, we must keep the Western Slope whole! Respectfully, Ed Krey, Grand Junction

As a farmer in Eastern Colorado, I feel that redistricting our state is necessary due to the fact that our voices aren't heard out here. Our small towns are very dependent on the agriculture community. Agriculture provides jobs and industries they don't have in the cities. People depend on these jobs. That includes the oil and gas industry as well as farming and ranching. We need to be in a district with others of similiar interests instead of including us in with the urban areas. The cities have more population and can vote in whoever they want without considering how it might affect our lives. We need representation that is fair and balanced in this state. When I write to a congressman or representative, I feel like it's a waste of time because they seem to only be concerned about what's going on in the urban corridor. Please consider moving the cities out of our district and include the counties who partner with us to make our part of this state great.

4-30-2021 Dear Colorado Congressional Redistricting Commissioners: RE: Justification of Dividing El Paso County (currently all in 5th Congressional District) into the newly proposed South-Central Colorado Congressional District (either named 8th or 3rd), and taking the northern portion of the current Colorado 5th Congressional District and combining it with Douglas and Teller Counties. The last email we sent you was to create a boundary at US Highway 24 on the Teller/El Paso border and run this boundary east to where 31st Street in Colorado Springs meets Pikes Peak Ave which remain the boundary between the 5th and the new South Central Colorado Congressional 8th District ( 8thSCCCD) until it reaches Colorado Highway 94 and that highway will continue the boundary until it meets El Paso/ Elbert County Line. The reasoning we gave you is to create the new district consisting of South- Central Colorado from the eastern edge of the Continental Divide and encompassing the South-Central portion of the State. In order to do this and meet the congressional population requirements we would need the approximately 350,000 El Paso County residents that live south of this proposed border to included in this newly proposed district (SCCCD). The remaining 350,000 residents of El Paso County who live north of the proposed boundary will merger with Douglas and Teller counties the new 5th Congressional same basis of District. This proposal will be based on the following reasons. Using the same model as Colorado House Districts 14,15,16,19 as north of the proposed border and assuming the population base of these districts are at least 77,372 residents the population of those remaining in the 5th Congressional District and joining Teller and Doulas Counties will be approximately 350,000 residents. Assuming the same population estimates for Colorado House Districts 17,18,29,21 will also be a minimum of 77.372 population and should allow approximately 350,000 residents to become part of the newly proposed 8th (SCCCD). This will allow El Paso County to keep its integrity as a strong member of the 5th Congressional District and allow that portion of Northern /El Paso ‘County to retain its leadership rode in the 5th Congressional District and allow it’s base to forge new political, economic, and cultural alliances and at the same time keeping the integrity of geographical representation. With this alliance, the citizens of Southern El Paso County will assume the same type of leadership role by joining is Southern Colorado neighbors to forge a strong Congressional District within the mainframe of geographical integrity. A major positive that would be affected by this new alignment would be a healing process that is much needed between Colorado Springs and Pueblo, and Southern Colorado. I can remember as a young boy in the 1950’s that there was defiantly political, economic, and culture fiction between Colorado Springs and Pueblo, this friction still exists. I have lived in Pueblo most of my life (I am 74 now) and in Colorado Springs for twenty years and have seen it on both sides of the county line. (Ask Commissioner Leone, he grew up in Trinidad – he knows what I am talking about). By creating a Congressional District that at least half of El Paso County and all of Pueblo County, along with other Southern Colorado counties, will go a long way to help this healing process and provide the necessary representation that is healthy for Colorado. South El Paso and all of Pueblo counties together will merge around 550,000 people which is a big step in creating a Congressional District. That alone is reason enough to create this new district along with the obvious tangible benefits of the other counties. Commissioners, please consider this as a win/win situation for all of Colorado and again bring true representation to the worthy citizens of True South-Central Colorado, we, in Southern Colorado are not second-class citizens as we have been treated by the Colorado Congressional delegation for the last forty years, and it’s about time to unite Colorado in our Congressional Delegation instead of sending a divided state to Washington. Thank You Thomas McKenna – Pueblo

I believe Boulder County is a community of interest and should not be split in the 2022 congressional map - in particular, Longmont should share a district with Boulder rather than the eastern plains counties. Longmont has a long history of connections with Boulder, being its largest suburb. The public policy concerns of Longmont align much more closely with those of the rest of Boulder County than the plains counties. Both are urban areas, close to the mountains, and the policies that Boulder and Longmont want to pursue in Congress are probably quite different than those of the current 4th district. I understand that creating competitive districts is an essential part of the Commission's mission, but keeping Longmont in the 4th district won't make the 4th or 2nd significantly more competitive. I believe that the entirety of Boulder and Larimer counties should be in the 2nd district, even if it remains dark blue, and competitive districts should be drawn around the Denver suburbs where they can be drawn more compactly.