Public Comments

Fort Collins should not be stripped out of the rest of Larimer County and lumped with the Eastern Plains district. Fort Collins is the largest urban center in a county that has become a center of manufacturing and technology rather than agribusiness. Fort Collins residents share far more concerns with other communities along the Front Range than the communities of the current 4th district.

Dear Commissioners and staff: I was very impressed with the legislative maps that were released Sept. 23. Thank you to you all for your hard work once again—it is evident you are listening and deeply considering all the testimony and comments offered. On Senate District 5 I would like to offer the following slight modifications. I am concerned about the City of Montrose being split in two. I think if there is a split needs to be made, perhaps you would consider moving the line back to Cerro Summit, as anything west of that boundary shares more with the west side of Gunnison County. Additionally, I find the split in Garfield County awkward and believe Garfield County should be kept whole, thereby removing it from SD5. Understandably there are population goals to meet. Perhaps in lieu of those two splits, Mineral and/or Chaffee counties could be incorporated into the mix. Gunnison County shares two transportation corridors with Chaffee—Hwy. 50/285, and Cottonwood Pass (especially since its recent paving.) Policy makers from both counties quite often collaborate on transportation and other issues. Additionally the northwest corner of Saguache could be added, as it is very much consistent with the agricultural nature of east Gunnison County. I have attached a proposed drawing, which is also very competitive. Thank you again for the time, thoughtfulness, and indeed creativity you have put into planning these maps. Your work is greatly appreciated. Chris Rourke Gunnison County

I do not support the 3rd Staff Map for these reasons: 1 CD 3 is too large. Communication in an area with unreliable connectivity (transportation and internet) will be difficult. 2 Southern Colorado is split and its Communities of Interest are divided. Southern Colorado has 13 of the 15 most economically disadvantaged counties. We have no east to west four lane highway in Southern Colorado. Our Cultural Heritage will be diluted. Our needs will not be addressed if our community is split between CD 3 and CD 4. 3. CD 3 is not competitive. Why should a Republican Representative ( with a 10 pt advantage )drive 11 hours from Craig to Durango to Trinidad ? We in Las Animas County will be ignored and neglected . Please consider the more compact and culturally connected CD 3 of the Tafoya.005 and Schuster maps. This CD 3 offers a cohesive Community of Interest in culture, economics, infrastructure, water concerns, and higher education. To adequately address and explore an east to west four lane highway and support our economically disadvantaged counties, CD 3 must be more compact to serve Southern Colorado. Thank you for your service, Teresa Grunewald, Las Animas County

I am opposed to your maps that puts Wellington in District 4 and not in the same district as Fort Collins. Wellington is essentially a bedroom community of Fort Collins. Most people in Wellington work, recreate, shop and have many friends in Fort Collins. Demographically and electorally, Wellington is very similar to Fort Collins. My favorite map was the Preliminary Staff Plan that kept Wellington in District 2. I fear that my property values will drop if Wellington is put in with the Eastern Plains and not in the more desirable 2nd congressional district.

Regarding the discussion "Greeley vs. North Dougco" as Community Center of New CD4. As Dem Chair of CD4 for last 10 years with both Greeley and Dougco in CD4, I would be in favor of North Dougco being the Community Center for CD4. 1) I believe the urban population influence on CD4 as an Ag community would be less (or do more to support Ag CD4) than Greeley's influence that is becoming a larger metro area. 2) Both Parker and Castle Rock populations have strong links to their historical "cowboy/rural roots." Highlands Ranch, not so much. (HR was a development resulting from growth in the Denver Tech Center.) But you could say that HR is in minority, in this situation. 3) The Dem CD4 Exec Committee did feel that BOTH Greeley and Northern Dougco should be mapped into a "metro CD," but if we have to choose, I would put Greeley in CD8.

Please keep the existing Congressional map for district 3. We live on the Western Slope for a reason and DO NOT want to be thrown in with the front range!! We have different problems and need different solutions, than the cities of the front range. Don't dilute our vote with all the people on the front range. Keep the Western slope separate!!!

Eagle county has nothing in common with Boulder and why does the Commission seem incapable of drawing a map that doesn’t include some part of the I-25 corridor in almost every CD? We do not have anything in common with the I-25 Corridor or Boulder. Colorado is a lot more than the I-25 corridor. This Violates the most fundamental principle of congressional redistricting: that communities of interest have representation in our Congress. Give those areas on the Front Range their Congressional voices, and give a voice to the Western Slope by keeping all of the Western Slope in CD3.

As a resident of Routt County I am opposed to being included in District 2!! Our area is primarily agriculture and tourism both of which have no commonality with Boulder and Larimer counties which are metropolitan areas...our extreme drought and water issues are huge concerns for us. Our needs are so much different that these crowded Front Range cities. We need representation from our area who is familiar with the issues here--coal-fired power plants being one of these situations. Where will our electricity come from and how will jobs lost here in rural Routt County be dealt with by a Boulder resident?? Please keep our representatives local!! We need folks who care about our issues here in rural Colorado. Thank you

As a resident of Routt County I am opposed to being included in District 2!! Our area is primarily agriculture and tourism both of which have no commonality with Boulder and Larimer counties which are metropolitan areas...our extreme drought and water issues are huge concerns for us. Our needs are so much different that these crowded Front Range cities. We need representation from our area who is familiar with the issues here--coal-fired power plants being one of these situations. Where will our electricity come from and how will jobs lost here in rural Routt County be dealt with by a Boulder resident?? Please keep our representatives local!! We need folks who care about our issues here in rural Colorado. Thank you

As a decades long resident of Longmont I am writing to express my deep concern over the most recent draft map of the new legislative districts for our state. I am a physician in Longmont and have worked to deliver babies and care for people over the years as our town has doubled in size since I arrived here. I came here to serve our local hospital, Longmont United Hospital, which has been part of the community since 1959. It was the appeal of the small town atmosphere, the friendliness of its residents, and the growing need for health care that attracted me to settle and raise my kids here. I, and many physicians in the community where I live, came here to build a health care system to provide for our neighbors across Longmont. The town of course has grown into a good sized city with close to 98,000 people. There has been tremendous growth in new neighborhoods to the east and in the southern part of Longmont as more and more folks have moved here in search of more affordable housing than could be found in the city of Boulder and town of Niwot. My concern lies in the fact that the area where I live has not ever been severed from Longmont proper when it comes to our representation at the state level. I live near McIntosh Lake and see that this corner of our city has been cut out. The lines have shifted here and there, but we have never been cut out from our town as this latest map shows. I know that many of my neighbors here in town have submitted comments to your commission on this topic before this latest map was released. I was hopeful that perhaps their voices would've been taken into serious consideration. I know now that it is my time to speak up. State representation matters. It matters in issues of health policy. It matters in matters of funding for our medicaid patients, of which we are seeing more and more. It matters when it comes to the future of our town and vitality of our main street and small businesses which have been the heart of our town for 150 years. It matters when we as a city are experiencing more and more poor air quality days as a result of the oil and gas operations right next door in Weld County. The wind brings those noxious pollutants over our city and as a consequence we are seeing more health related problems due to pollution. Longmont needs to remain as whole as possible in your final map please. Using the county line boundary makes sense. Using major highways such as south of Hwy. 66 and south and west of Hwy 119 make sense. The residents of Longmont would understand these boundaries. This would keep the historical part of Longmont whole. Folks that have been here 40, 50, 60 years would stay together. Those of us that have been here for so many decades do not have commonalities with western Boulder, Gilpin and Clear Creek counties. Please consider the historical aspect of how Longmont has progressed over the years and which parts of Longmont have been part of this district's legacy. Thank you for your service in what I'm sure is a difficult process.