Imagining Hickenlooper's second term

When everyone is ac-centuating the positive, it's especially important to inject a dose of reality into the discussion. That's just what the Cherry Creek News did yesterday in an article entitled "Sending Hickenlooper Back."

Rising above a bland retelling of Mayor John Hickenlooper's fan base, the News investigates some of the soft spots in his strength. They especially note the departure of senior staffers such as Michael Bennet and Cole Finegan, which has left City Council members and others "uncertain as to who to go to on given issues."

The article also discusses serious shortfalls in the current administration:

In three substantial policy areas, Hickenlooper has disappointed: economic development, health care, and community planning. In economic development, the city and region continue to lose headquarter companies, and long term that impact will hurt everything from wages to philanthropy. In building small businesses and attracting start-ups, the cover remains relatively bare. The city desperately needs to pioneer new economic development strategies that go beyond the tired patterns of the past. In health care, Denver’s number of uninsured continues to grow. Hospital beds, trauma care and basic health services continue to leave the city, leaving a crisis for the future. The glacial pace of a zoning update that would protect neighborhoods, and effectively balance scrape-offs with the need for new investment and housing stock has been disastrous. Many neighborhoods are changed forever, and much of the city’s historic character and livability are at risk. Replacing hundred year-old homes with disposable development that won’t last more than thirty years makes today’s bad decisions a painful legacy for future generations.

Video Interview: Shelly Watters (CD7)

Colorado Confidential's Kerri Rebrush interviewed Shelly Watters, City Council candidate for Council District 7.

Watters speaks to her personal background and work with former City Council Councilwoman Joyce Foster and current Councilwoman Carol Boigon.

She speaks to her knowledge of zoning and constituent services, and discusses the fun of running for City Council.

As for the locus of her support, she indicates that she is the only candidate who served on a neighborhood board.

Her top issues are safety and graffiti. She indicates that the rebuilding of higher-density homes is a real issue on the east side of Council District 7 (in contrast, Julie Connor and Chris Nevitt see that as an issue on the west side of the district).

She goes on to talk about the public schools and the impact of city government on the daily lives of citizens.

She pledges to locate her Council office in the district itself, instead of downtown at the City & Council Building, as well as meet regularly with the presidents of registered neighborhood organizations.

Deactivated voters in a sonorous campaign

Guerin Lee Green of the Cherry Creek News provides a good overview of the controversy and fallout of the Election COmmission's decision to decommission Denver's active voter list in "One hundred thousand voters disenfranchised for May election." An excerpt is provided below:

“With more than 20,000 voters leaving the polls in Denver on November 7th, 2006, the Denver Election Commission’s decision to not mail ballots to the additional 50,000 voters who voted in 2004 is adding insult to injury,” said Rich Pelletier, Colorado State Director for America Votes. “It is all of our sincere hope that the DEC will reverse its decision and not multiply the awful effects of the 2006 election here in Denver.”

...Denver Election Commission spokesman Alton Dillard says the Election Commission has ordered four hundred thousand ballots, enough for all of the “inactive” voters. Voters in Denver unsure of their status can call the Election Commission at 720-913-8683 to reactivate or confirm their status.

What the city should call foreigners who aren't allowed to work in the US

A "Tempest in a Teapot" has arisen over the correct phrasing of "undocumented workers" or "illegal aliens," as reported by Dear Denver.

Councilwoman Judy Montero initiated the conversation in a 1-minute segment of a recent City Council meeting.

Meanwhile, Mayor John Hickenlooper denies any official city policy regarding the matter.

Update 4/24: The persnickety George in Denver is outraged by the comments. See his post entitled "Judy Montero - Patronized and Pandered" for his seething anger.

Don't let the dogs in

In an article entitled "An Election? What Election? Oh, You Mean the Developers Dream Team!" George in Denver echoes other discussions of Denver's boring elections. But he offers a twist. Actually, two.

First, as the title indicates, George recognizes that in the absence of public interest, special interests will rule. And who are foremost among those special interests? Developers.

Second, George decides to do something about it. Rather than vote at all, he decides to cast his ballot for his dog.

Will that scare the special interests? I doubt it. I'd rather investigate the candidates, participate in the public process, and vote.

Don't leave city government to the dogs.

Video Interview: Greg Rasheed (CD8)

Colorado Confidential's Mark Mehringer interviewed Greg Rasheed, City Council candidate in Council District 8.

The YouTube servers were having trouble with these videos at press time, so the URL is presented here without comment.

Video Interview: Carla Madison (CD8)

Colorado Confidential's Mark Mehringer interviewed Carla Madison, City Council candidate in Council District 8.

She discusses her background in physical therapy and discusses some of the most important issues to her, including zoning, affordable housing, and neighborhood preservation.

Youth was another major focus, including public schools and gangs.

A new question also popped up in this interview: "what is it like to be a candidate?" Madison speaks of the roller coaster experience, with great highs such as the Denver Post and Rocky Mountain News endorsements.

Later questions went to business needs, vacancy rates, and the like.

Video Interview: Darrell Watson (CD8)

Colorado Confidential's Mark Mehringer interviews Darrell Watson, City Council candidate in Council District 8.

Unlike other interviews, Watson cleverly sat himself in front of a projected image of his campaign advertisement. The camera isn't well placed, however, placing Watson on the extreme right of the screen and washing out his visage.

To more substantive points, Watson begins with biographical details, including his large family and upbringing in the Virgin Islands. He discusses educational concerns, partnerships with private foundations, and community policing.

He also discusses zoning as a long-term planning tool, ensuring higher density structures among major thoroughfares and opposing comprehensive overlays as negative expressions of neighborhood fears.

Profile: Stephanie O'Malley (Clerk & Recorder)

We found it! For the first time, we can actually access Stephanie O'Malley's own online presence at her campaign website.

We have no idea how long it's been online, but persistent efforts to locate the same (as outlined in several previous posts) finally paid off.

You are invited to visit her site for more details on O'Malley's candidacy, but we found her biography most interesting. Why? Because she utterly failed to mention who her parents were. They were kind of important to Denver, and to her governmental appointments.

What an interesting (and yet understandable) omission.

Turnout so far... and where to vote

Colorado Confidential's Mark Mehringer reports that 30,000 voters have submitted ballots in May 2007's all-mail election, representing roughly 16% of the electorate.

That percentage seems fairly healthy given the recent delivery of ballots and the weeks remaining until D-Day, but is perhaps less impressive considering the nearly 100,000 people who are no longer counted as "active" voters.

Folks who haven't yet submitted a ballot by now to get out and vote. To that end, Mehringer also offers the following public service message:

Voters have until 7pm on May 1 to get their ballots in to the Election Commission by either mailing them in at a cost of 63 cents in postage, or dropping them off at one of 14 locations across the city.

April 23-27 and April 30, 8am to 7pm
Denver Election Commission Office - 303 W. Colfax Dept. 101

April 23-27 and April 30, 10am to 7pm
Athmar Recreation Center - 2680 W. Mexico Avenue
Barnum Recreation Center - 360 Hooker Street
District 3 Police Station - 1625 S. University Boulevard
Eisenhower Recreation Center - 4300 E. Dartmouth Avenue
Harvey Park Recreation Center - 2120 S. Tennyson Street
Wellington Webb Building - 201 W. Colfax Avenue
Scheitler Recreation Center - 5031 W. 46th Avenue
Montbello Recreation Center - 15555 E. 53rd Avenue
Montclair Recreation Center - 729 Ulster Way
Tattered Cover Bookstore (Lodo) - 1628 16th Street
Tattered Cover Bookstore (Colfax) - 2526 E. Colfax Avenue

May 1, 7am to 7pm
Denver Election Commission Office - 303 W. Colfax Dept. 101
Drive Thru Ballot Drop Off - Court Place off of Colfax Ave

Election information on Channel 8 TV

Channel 8 TV is patting itself on the back, calling itself "the one place where you can compare candidates, explore the issues and get all your election information."

That may be a bit self-congratulatory, but since they're not running for office, we'll let it pass.

And we do encourage you all to visit their election programming online for "candidate introductions, community-based debates, complete transcripts and Election Night results."

Take special note of the navigation bar on the right, with the full Meet The Candidate links and an ever-expanding list of community forums to watch.

You should have your ballot by now

If you haven't received your ballot yet, it's time to be worried. The Denver Election commission has issued the following press release regarding ballots:

Active Denver voters who haven’t received their ballot for by their regular mail delivery time on Wednesday, April 18, should contact the Denver Election Commission to get a replacement ballot form.

The DEC can be reached at 720-913-VOTE (8683). The office is located at 303 W. Colfax Ave. Dept 101 and will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. through April 20.

Beginning Monday, April 23 through Friday, April 27, the office will be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and also on Monday, April 30. The DEC will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day and replacement ballots may be requested on Election Day.

Ballots must be returned to the Commission by 7 p.m. on May 1. Ballots received after 7 p.m. will not be counted regardless of postmark.

Did the Clerk & Recorder election break election laws?

According to former Denver Election Commissioner Jan Tyler, Denver's January 2007 election violated Ordinance #851. It was conducted after just 30 days notice, yet the controlling ordinance requires at least 60 days notice.

Dear Denver wonders "What if, on May 1, a judge declares Denver's January special election void?"

In essence, the judge would have to decide whether the election violated city election laws. And if so, what's the remedy?

It's possible that our current Clerk & Recorder race between Stephanie O'Malley and Jacob Werther would be for a non-existent seat. We'd have to have another special election to validate the need for an elected Clerk & Recorder, and one more special election for the potential candidates for this seat. All of this would be the result not of some "mad" judge, but of the city's failure to follow its own ordinances.

What a shame. But what a question. Where do you think it'll land?

More details available from Lisa Jones in "Can An Election Be Nullified"?

Video Interview: Niccolo Casewit (CD3)

Colorado Confidential's Mark Mehringer interviewed Niccolo Casewit, City Council candidate for Council District 3.

Casewit focuses on the use of Federal Boulevard as a pedestrian zone, instead of just an automotive thoroughfare. As a working architect, he believes he has special insights into zoning concerns. As a lifelong Barnum resident and graduate of the public schools, he believes he understands the special qualities of the district.

As for crime, Casewit talks at length about graffiti, illegal dumping, and gangs.

Whereas most CC interviews have ranged from 10-15 minutes, this discussion extended to nearly a half an hour. We welcome visitors to view the entire discussion.

Denver Direct posts impugning the Madison candidacy

Does Denver Direct have it in for the Carla Madison campaign? A series of negative posts this week seem to run a one-note theme.

The Darrell Watson campaign has previously indicated that the author of Denver Direct supports their candidate. However, the site does not indicate open support of any other candidate, and the posts (which are listed below) provide objective data, so visitors are welcome to interpret the posts however they choose.

April 17th - "Flag This" about Madison's use of the Colorado flag into campaign materials.

April 18th - Financial hope and resignation in the City Park West Neighborhood Association, suggest improprieties in the Madison's leadership.

April 19th - "The Overlay Railroad" questioning whether Madison "implemented a 30-block overlay with 100% approval."

Update 4/24: A new post has now been added, with the author converting an informal interview after the Denver Democrat's spaghetti dinner into a series of questions and answers. While we were not there, "Why are You Being So Mean to Me?" seems to offer rather unfair characterizations of candidate Madison's statements, and thus strikes us as more attack than journalism.

Video Interview: Marcia Johnson (CD5)

Colorado Confidential's Mark Mehringer interviewed Marcia Johnson, incumbent City Council candidate for Council District 5.

Councilwoman Johnson outlines her political life, starting with work in her father's failed election campaign and moving on to her own service in the Denver School Board and Election Commission.

Regarding issues, she searches for more business development on Colfax, redress of traffic congestion on Quebec, and completion of a regional bicycle path to Lowry/Stapleton.

Video Interview: Chris Nevitt (CD7)

Colorado Confidential's Kerri Rebrush interviewed Chris Nevitt, City Council candidate for Council District 7.

Chris indicates the top issues in District 7 as united around the question of schools, but that the east side of Broadway is more interested in controlling development and the west sides of Broadway is more concerned with crime.

As for his support, Chris mentions politicians, neighbors, and businesses, with a brief mention of his union friends.

Regarding redevelopment, Nevitt supports voluntary downzoning of neighborhood homes to preserve single-family neighborhood quality.

Finally, regarding his unique qualities for City Council, he mentions his ability to create results in a short period of time, referencing negotiations within the Gates redevelopment project.

Video Interview: Julie Connor (CD7)

Colorado Confidential interviewed Julie Connor, City Council candidate for District 7.

Describing the district and her constituent services in Councilwoman Kathleen MacKenzie's office, she jokes that she is a "professional meeting-goer." As for particular accomplishments, she notes improved bicycle pathways in the Gates redevelopment and a new South Broadway business improvement district.

Perhaps the most telling question was what would change in the District 7 council office if Julie were elected. She remarked, "On Monday nights [weekly City Council meetings] I have to sit on the dias and vote. That's how things will change."

She also makes the case for focusing on city government, and how fixing potholes can expand horizons for local residents.

POLL: City Council District 3

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Official Disclaimer: Internet polls are NOT scientific and anyone who suggests otherwise is a fool.

O'Malley's daddy

Does anyone find it strange that virtually all of the campaign financing in support of an elected Clerk & Recorder position was provided by "Wellington Webb International"?

Having Webb's daughter (Stephanie O'Malley) appointed to the position by Mayor Hickenlooper seems rather... convenient, doesn't it?

Does it make it better that Dad waited two months to fund the campaign, or more suspicious?

Questions should be directed to Hick, O'Malley, Webb, and the group's treasurer, Dennis Gallagher.

Candidate responsiveness in Council District 8

Denver Direct has analyzed candidate responsiveness to Internet questioning in Council District 8.

The winner? Greg Rasheed.

The losers? Lynn Smith and Sharon Bailey.

Tidbits from Council District 8

Denver Direct offers several tidbits about the election, including Harold Brewer's support for Darrell Watson and a photo of a Carla Madison yard sign placed in a rather inauspicious location.

What about Iraq?

What do City Council candidates think about the Iraq war?

Denver Direct videotapes their answers in a recent community forum.

To save you time, we will note that their responses were universally against the war.

Candidates in Council District 3

George Merritt of the Denver Post has turned some focus to the issues, looking in on the City Council race in Council District 3.

Each candidate has two sentences to highlight their campaign platforms in this morning's article: "7 run to revitalize district: West Denver hopefuls target graffiti, foreclosures."

Denver Politics endorses... Julie Connor in District 7

What do you look for in a City Council candidate? We think four things are paramount:

• Intelligence applied to real-world problems
  
• Commitment to public service
  
• Identification with ordinary citizens
  
• Experience in city government

City Council District 7 is fortunate to have several committed candidates. But in terms of the listed characteristics, one stands above the rest: Julie Connor.

Connor knows the ins and outs of city government, having worked in constituent services for outstanding representative Kathleen MacKenzie. She knows each and every major (and minor) question before our district, and she has developed the personal relationships necessary to achieve desired outcomes.

Even more importantly, she identifies with ordinary citizens, helping the advantaged and disadvantaged alike to participate in city government. As a historian, I was impressed by Connor's dedication in finding common ground in the contentious DeBoer Historic District, reconciling divergent interests so that a compromise could be reached.

And she is smart. Watch the forums, read the interviews, and talk with her. She is sharp, alert, and alive with the issues. That's the sort of person I want on City Council.

Chris Nevitt is also a great candidate, with both the "common man" viewpoint and the intelligence to carry through the work, but he has been on the fringes of public policymaking. Meanwhile, Shelly Watters has become a favored candidate, raising lots of money from development interests. But the trust of such well-heeled insiders and politicos leads to questions of access, fairness, and perspective. I want someone who will hear the rest of us: new participants and old hands, small donors and no donors, and previously-excluded as well as seasoned veterans.

Connor has been committed to public service from the Peace Corps to the present day, in wide-ranging issues facing the district in all of its complexity. For all these reasons, we enthusiastically endorse Julie Connor as our next City Councilwoman from Council District 7.

More Post complaints about the election

The folks over at the Post must have some rather scintillating lives. I'm growing bored with Denver Post comments about boring elections, such as Susan Barnes-Gelt's article entitled, "Denver's doldrums election."

She thinks that "[t]he climate reflects too much groupthink leading to a faux election where important issues (and there are several) aren't debated." I think that the lack of a serious mayoral contest has destroyed any campaign coverage, meaning issues have not been presented in the mainstream press until very recently (and limited at that).

Barnes-Gelt can talk all she want about the serious questions in front of us - including government privatization, FasTrack compromises, the zoning code update, and the infrastructure task force - but until the media seeks (and publishes) answers about serious questions from our local candidates, we'll have the kind of vapid race their coverage demands.

Denver Post endorsements

Again, the Denver Post strikes on the theme of boring elections. The campaigns "have generated only a handful of competitive contests and all too little public interest." How is the public supposed to be interested in a campaign the Denver Post news division does not cover?

Nevertheless, they claim to have been "struck by the quality of candidates who have put themselves forward for city offices." Their endorsements represented frontrunners in every race with just one exception: Council District 3's JoAnn Phillips. Since she has scant been mentioned in this entire campaign, the full text of that endorsement may be helpful:

Our choice is JoAnn Phillips, who has an intimate knowledge of the district gleaned from her service as an aide to former Councilwoman Ramona Martinez. Phillips has solid views on economic development, strengthening neighborhoods and public safety. She faces Kathy Sandoval, Paul Lopez, Mark Roggeman, Ben Romero, Antoinette Alire and Niccolo Casewit.

Their complete list of endorsements is below:

Clerk and Recorder: Stephanie O'Malley
Auditor: Dennis Gallagher
Council District 3: JoAnn Phillips
Council District 4: Peggy Lehmann
Council District 5: Marcia Johnson
Council District 7: Shelly Watters
Council District 8: Carla Madison
Council District 9: Judy Montero
Council At-Large: Carol Boigon and Doug Linkhart
Ballot Question 1A: "Yes"

Divided Council District 7

Daniel Chacon of the Rocky Mountain News has written about the chasm between communities in City Council's District 7.

The article was entitled: "In divided District 7, there are two sides to everything: East, west zones split by wealth, development."

In some ways, [Councilwoman] MacKenzie said, District 7 is "like two different districts."

"On the east side of the river, I get constant complaints about scrape-offs and infill developments because there's so much private investment, and people want it to stop," she said.

"But on the west side of the district, they'd love to have pop tops and scrape-offs and that kind of investment that indicates that people want to stay in the community."

The candidates mainly offered platitudes about spreading the wealth, encouraging redevelopment in the western "areas of change" and supporting the eastern "areas of stability.

In terms of neighborhood character, three of the four were in agreement:

Connor, Watters and Nevitt said they support private investment but would work to preserve neighborhood character.

The fourth candidate, Dennis Smith, a teacher at South High School and the only Republican in the nonpartisan race, said the development in the east side is "a nice problem to have."

Watters was described as "supported by development interests," while "Nevitt and Connor have received campaign contributions from several labor interests" and "Smith is neither soliciting nor accepting campaign contributions."

Biographical sketches and forums below:

JULIE CONNOR
Age: 40
Occupation: Senior analyst for MacKenzie.
Family: Single, no children.
Etcetera: Speaks Spanish and served in the Peace Corps in Paraguay.

CHRIS NEVITT
Age: 45
Occupation: Political economist. Former executive director of the Front Range Economic Strategy Center.
Family: Married, no children.
Etcetera: Born in Thailand and has lived in Africa, Australia and Russia, among other places.

DENNIS SMITH:
Age: 48
Occupation: Teacher at South High School.
Family: Married, two sons, ages 12 and 8.
Etcetera: Serves on the Denver Parks and Recreation advisory board.

SHELLY WATTERS
Age: 61
Occupation: Former aide to at-large Denver City Councilwoman Carol Boigon and former Councilwoman Joyce Foster.
Family: Married, one adult daughter.
Etcetera: The New York native has lived in Denver for more than 30 years.

Denver's five nonvoting political candidates

We care to know that political candidates show political leaders, so it is discouraging when they fail to fulfill even the most basic democratic responsibility to vote. Daniel Chacon of the Rocky Mountain News has investigated the voting records of the current candidates for municipal office, and found that five didn't vote at all in the January 2007 election.

They want your vote, but five candidates running for office in Denver in May didn't cast ballots in the last election.

Their reasons for not voting in January - when voters were asked whether to replace the troubled Denver Election Commission with an elected clerk and recorder - are as varied as the candidates.

Dennis Smith didn't remember receiving his ballot.

Bill Wells lost his ballot.

Greg Rasheed forgot to mail it.

Mitchell Poindexter said he didn't understand the question.

Waldo Benavidez thought it was a waste of money.

View the entire article online at "Five city candidates didn't vote in January election."

Changes to Auditor and Clerk & Recorder positions

Bob Ewegen of the Denver Post outlines some of the changes in Denver's elected Clerk & Recorder and Auditor positions in an editorial entitled "Denver pours 'new wine' in old offices," noting:

For the first time, [Denver voters] will directly elect their city clerk and recorder, pouring new powers into that old office in hopes of solving Denver's election mess.

Additionally, whoever wins the familiar office of city auditor will face a radically different set of duties than the office formerly performed...

Support for Roggeman

Donald Hildmann has penned a "Letter to the Editor" to the Denver Post in response to George Merritt's April 10 story, "Council candidate indicted in 1981":

I cannot imagine what purpose your article served except to sully the character of a really good man, Mark Roggeman. This article dealt with an incident that happened 26 years ago. Charges were eventually dismissed. What really happened is that Mark was trying to save a girl's life. Letters she had written to her parents showed she was on the verge of suicide. Mark helped to locate her. I know Mark Roggeman to be a compassionate, honest person who can be counted on to take action in tough circumstances. West Denver has tough problems. That is exactly the kind of person I want as my city councilman.

Taylor endorses Carol Campbell

Rick Taylor, former president of the Athmar Park Neighborhood Association, endorses Carol Campbell in her bid for an at-large seat for City Council. He writes, in part:

Carol has never waited for others to lead. When an issue arises, she finds the solutions. As the chair of APNA's zoning committee, she spent countless hours assisting neighbors with code compliance issues and implemented the "Landlord Project" to foster cooperation between residents and owners of rental properties. She was a strong advocate of "Broken Windows" policing in 2005 after a series of crimes in Athmar Park that included the murder of a Denver police officer and her advocacy helped to convince the Denver city administration to implement "Broken Windows."

This year she is "stepping up to the plate" again to run for City Councilmember-at-Large. Typical of Carol, she has the courage of her convictions to take on two well-known and well-funded incumbents. She is unwilling to wait for a "safe" time to run for office and believes, strongly, that every election should be contested.

I strongly urge Denver voters to elect Carol Campbell to the Denver City Council.

Rocky endorses frontrunners

The Rocky Mountain News today issued official endorsements for the May 2007 municipal election. With due caution, they endorsed the frontrunner in every race... except for Council District 8, in which they offered kudos for both Sharon Bailey and Carla Madison:

Mayor: John Hickenlooper
Auditor: Dennis Gallagher
Clerk & Recorder: Stephanie O’Malley
District 3: Paul Lopez
District 4: Peggy Lehmann
District 5: Marcia Johnson
District 7: Chris Nevitt
District 8: Sharon Bailey or Carla Madison
District 9: Judy Montero
At-large: Doug Linkhart and Carol Boigon

Financial questions regarding Festival of the Arts

Denver Direct is leading a discussion about potential financial irregularities between the City Park West Neighborhood Association and the City Park Festival of the Arts, as led by Paul Weiss (husband of Carla Madison).

First, the questions are raised and then conversation ensues.

Profile: Sharon Bailey (CD8)

Several readers have mentioned Sharon Bailey's husband, John. For the record, John Bailey ran for City Council in 1991, 1999, and in a special election in 2000. Scott Stocker & Gerry Valerio also wrote an article for the March 29, 2007 Rocky Mountain News regarding his work, entitled "Bailey's effort a cornerstone."

A quick Google search also revealed the article below, which references both Sharon and her husband upon the bestowal of a service award from Princeton University. Below is a short excerpt:

Sharon Bailey, who studied anthropology and teacher preparation at Princeton, volunteered at Community House as an undergraduate and became its director after graduation. Her future husband, John, a Princeton resident who attended Wagner College in New York, was mentoring local students through the Princeton Youth Center at the time.

The two collaborated to develop mentoring programs in academics and sports, focusing on youth in the predominantly African-American John Witherspoon community.

"We really appreciate the award," Sharon Bailey said. "I really felt a great grounding [in my service], and I'm still indebted to Princeton. The motto 'Princeton in the nation's service' has really stuck with me."

Diversity in the City Council District 8 campaign

Finally, an informative article in the Denver Post regarding the shape of our upcoming election, focusing on issues and illuminating heretofore unknown challengers.

Hopefully the dailies realize that this is a mail-in ballot, and they can't wait until the weekend before the election to provide fuller coverage.

Constituents in Council District 8 should definitely read this article by George Merritt. It's entitled "Diversity shaping election."

Yard sign allegations

The following email was sent this morning, alleging improprieties by the Sharon Bailey campaign. This information was sent by a "Seth Oake" but has not been confirmed (Google revealed not even a single listing for a "Seth Oake" and official Denver records reveal no homeowners with that last name):

After a call to Sharon's city office to let her know of her illegal campaign signs, I received a disturbing voicemail from her husband John Bailey. My message to Mrs. Bailey was that she knows she has illegal signs and she is responsible for making sure they are placed in legal areas. I let her know that I have been and will continue to remove the litter I find on public property. Her husband left me a voice mail a couple hours later that warned me to not let him catch me out there removing signs, that "aggressive campaigning is what I do" and it's "not my job to police him". He continues "if I catch you out there, there's going to be a problem". "Don't let me catch you out there."

I find this very disturbing that the campaign manager for one of our city employees is using threats when he is actually the one breaking the law.

"seth"

What others think of City Council

Penny Parker of the Rocky Mountain News sums up the dull (but important) work of our city council:

EAVESDROPPING on a man at Elway's: "Denver City Council is like a really long PTA meeting."

Apparent end to the "Anybody But Hickenlooper" campaign

John Wren has apparently abandoned his write-in campaign for mayor. The plan was to get dozens of minor candidates with their own group of supporters to write in various names. The idea was to deny the Mayor a majority (the "50%+1" rule), and thus force a runoff, during which Republicans and disaffected others could coalesce behind the "Anyone But Hickenlooper" alternative.

But yesterday, he threw in the towel:

We Will Re-elect Mayor Hickenlooper. He is absolutely unbeatable. It would be a complete and total waste of energy to continue to promote a write-in campaign against him.

What a brilliant insight, right?Everyone else could see this months ago, but not me. It finally sunk into my thick skull when last night I attended the first of a series of meet the Mayor events that are being held around the city.The next one’s in South Denver tonight, but I think I’ll pass. If you want to go, see http://hickenlooperformayor.com.

Wren goes on to endorse Dennis Gallagher and Stephanie O'Malley. He also mentioned Ike Kelly in District 4 who "seems to be attracting support in his tough race to beat a popular incumbent."

POLL: City Council District 8

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Official Disclaimer: Internet polls are NOT scientific and anyone who suggests otherwise is a fool.

Denver Politics endorses... Sharon Bailey in Council District 8

Council District 8 has been filled with brimstone and fire. At the beginning of the race, City Park West representative Carla Madison seemed to hold the lead. But the Darrell Watson campaign came roaring back, gaining powerful endorsements and raising lots of cash.

And then came Sharon Bailey. Although late to the campaign race, she brought a level of understanding and gravitas previously unappreciated. As a former elected Education Board representative and current employee in the Auditor's office, Sharon Bailey seems to understands what it is to govern.

If we were calculating folks, we'd look at the financial disclosures and decide between Darrell Watson and Carla Madison. But voting isn't a horserace, and City Council isn't a gamble. Considering the best person available for the job, we select Sharon Bailey as your next City Council representative.

Carla Madison, Darrell Watson, and Greg Rasheed may well climb to greater posts in Denver city governance... and we hope all do. But the most seasoned, intelligent, and worthy candidate for Council District 8 is Sharon Bailey.

Dennis Gallagher on the hot seat

Sometimes the most important news about an election is never mentioned, because the newspaper dailies are too busy figuring their advertising revenues to figure out what's happening.

And then... something strange appears.

Such is the case with Dear Denver's revelations regarding the Denver Auditor's office:

In January 2007, Denver voters received a strange phone call:

"This is Thomas Jefferson. I'm told that 20,000 people lost their right to vote in Denver last November. That is appalling. And it is not what I had in mind when I wrote the Declaration of Independence and we fought the Revolutionary War. It can't happen again. Please vote yes in the January 30th election to create an elected Clerk and Recorder in Denver. It works in the rest of Colorado. It will work here. Protect your right to vote. Reform the system. Vote yes for an elected Clerk." (Listen to the mp3.)

Dear Denver describes several reasons why this solicitation was suspicious. Was Gallagher responsible for illegal (or at least illicit) phone calls in the 2006-07 election campaign?

The mystery lingers: Who paid for the weird "Thomas Jefferson" robocalls during the January special election? It's not a mystery, really. Auditor Dennis Gallagher's campaign was responsible. Even so, questions remain.

I do not classify myself as a credulous supporter. I have mentioned before my personal affiliation with Denver Auditor Dennis Gallagher. We are not personal friends, but as a fellow Jesuit graduate, politico, and Irishman, I could hardly oppose my compatriot.

Even still, these are serious allegations requiring serious answer. I hope the public process can help illuminate the situation.

The full article is entitled "No one audits the auditor."

Mark Roggeman's past

I like Denver Post reporter George Merritt as both a journalist and as a person. But really - does every one of his articles about challengers in the 2007 municipal elections have to be an expose?

The below article regarding Mark Roggeman may well appear a serious matter at its face. But for a 1981 mistrial of a public officer who has served the community for nearly three decades since, is this news?

Without further review, I direct your attention to "Council candidate indicted in 1981."

CD8: Watson on national coverage

Keith Boykin is the host of BET's My Two Cents, the best-selling author of three New York Times listed books, and a regular commentator on CNN's Paula Zahn Now."

And now, he's endorsed Denver City Council candidate Darrell Watson. In the interview, he indicates that he is supported by The Kenney Group, Denver's most savvy political consulting firm.

Earlier this month, the Watson campaign sent out a misleading press release regarding campaign finances. For the first time, Darrell Watson himself engages in the process, as described below:

Boykin: How much have you raised?

Watson: We’ve raised $34,000 and I believe our nearest opponent raised $26,000.

As of the March 2006 reporting period, the Watson campaign had raised $31,554.91 and Carla Madison had raised $26,385.99. Might he have been comparing his own April figures against Madison's March figures? That's a bit disingenuous but not unprecedented for this campaign.

And then finally:

Boykin: So if I come to the convention will you give me a hookup?

Watson: [He almost says yes, and then laughs.] I’ll make sure you’re treated well.

Unseemly, but certainly not important for the voting public.

No on Campbell

The Wash Park Prophet urges a "No" vote on Carol E Campbell for the City Council At-Large seat.

Political force in the Home Builders Association of Metro Denver

I have been openly (sometime unreservedly) critical of the Denver dailies. But occasionally critical and hard-working reporters do slip through the cracks. One such reporter is Stuart Steers of the Rocky Mountain News.

It takes more than a little gusto to rip through the campaign statements over every political candidate for municipal elections in Denver. But if you want to understand the power of such powerful organizations as the Home Builders Association of Metro Denver, that's what it takes.

Especially when one of the most important tasks of the next Denver City Council is going to be implementing the recommended changes of the Zoning Code Taskforce.

Review Steers' article entitled "Developers build campaign coffers: Elected officials bound to have say in major projects." Specific mention is provided to council candidates Marcia Johnson, Carol Boigon, Jeanne Faatz, Peggy Lehmann, Doug Linkhart, Shelly Watters, Carla Madison, and Charlie Brown.

Ho hum... mayor's race

In a politics without season, I guess the Denver Post has decided that the campaign of a mayor "who does not face serious opposition in his bid for re-election" deserves attention without further review.

Nevermind that Danny Lopez has offered an alternative, and that John Wren is working furiously on write-in candidates.

George Merritt's "Mayor touts tenure without politics" leaves us to suspect (but not understand) issues in the article's final sentence:

Danny Lopez, a public works employee, is Hickenlooper's only challenger in the May 1 mail-only election.

Thanks for the public service announcement.

If journalists don't cover the news, is it news?

I love it when media outlets proclaim elections boring... as if the candidates are somehow supposed to amuse them or cause news to happen.

Elections are about ideas and policies and the future of our community. Perhaps that's boring, but the most important focus for a democracy.

Yet candidates are in a lose-lose situation. If they make the slightest misstep, they're hung out to dry. If they play it straight, they're boring. Turns out the way to get coverage is by clowning around or injecting emotional attacks into the race.

And if it's just issues and ideas to trumpet, well... let's go with that story about a shooting in southeast Denver. Sad, and more to the shame of our local media.

It's enough to make one wax philosophic. If a candidate stirs imaginations and injects life into a campaign, but no one is there to report it... was it news?

I don't expect the CBS Evening News to cover local elections, but when the Rocky Mountain News, Denver Post, and 5280 (among others) all decide to ignore campaigns in the search of something more "compelling" in the days and weeks leading up to the ballot, well that really gets my Irish up.

Jason Bane at 5280 has dubbed the "Denver Election a Yawner," with the thrilling conclusion that "politics is normally good theater, but this show is boring."

There's your media, folks.

Prophet predicts

In early March, the Wash Park Prophet predicted victories for Chris Nevitt in Council District 7, Darrell Watson in CD8, and Stephanie O'Malley for Clerk and Recorder. He had no prediction for CD3, and anticipated incumbents would win without a runoff in all other races.

He added to those predictions today, indicating the likelihood of Shelly Watters getting into a CD7 runoff, Carla Madison making the CD8 runoff, and Paul Lopez facing down Ben Romero in a CD3 runoff.

The Prophet's predicted winners all have one thing in common: they are the financial frontrunners in their race. Furthermore, his predicted runners-up all have the second largest coffers. And the races he anticipates to avoid a runoff all have enormous financial divides between the frontrunner and any challengers.

We understand that the "money primary" represents votes - and the opportunity to get more votes. Those facts lead toward the obvious conclusion: candidates with the most money normally win. Nevertheless, simply following the money line doesn't strike us as a terribly inspired "prediction."

But it does lead us to wonder... does the Prophet moonlight as an Accountant?

The battle for Denver Auditor - full profiles and issues

Some of the most informative pieces regarding Denver politics are not available on the Web. The Colorado Statesman has been around for more than 100 years, providing in-depth coverage of policy issues, elections, and political personalities at both the state and local level. Yet it's small, with monthly editions available only in the State Capitol Building and through online subscription.

In February 2007, reporter John Schroyer offered the following article entitled "Denver auditor faces 'candidate of destiny' in May election." Reprinted in its entirety with permission from the author, this article provides extensive profiles of each candidate along with the issues animating the campaign.

If you don't think this is the most thorough and engaging story of the 2007 Denver auditor's race, I'll eat my hat.

For Bill Wells, the job of Denver City Auditor isn’t just a job. It’s a calling.

“It’s just something I’ve got to do,” Wells explained. “It’s a dream.”

Wells, a retired automobile parts manufacturer who’s been filling his spare time working as an airport inspections officer for TSA, has already run for the auditor’s job, in 1979 and then again in 2003, when current Denver Auditor Dennis Gallagher won his first term. But Wells isn’t letting his past failures distract him from his goal.

“I started campaigning shortly before the November election. It’s been a very behind-the-scenes thing so far, but I’m not going to lose,” Wells said. “I knew, election night four years ago, that I was going to run again. It didn’t make any difference who else was running.”

Though he came in dead last of the five candidates listed on the ballot in the 2003 election, with only 5 percent of the vote, the 60-year-old Wells says this time will be different (Gallagher took first in the 2003 general election with 31 percent and then won a run-off a month later against second-place finisher Ed Thomas).

With a campaign slogan of “An auditor for auditor — what a novel idea,” Wells has been quietly shoring up support and canvassing neighborhoods. He’s been talking about the different ways he wants to cut out inefficiency from Denver’s daily operations, which he learned about firsthand between 1973 and 1980, when he served as Denver’s Budget and Management Analyst.

“I was bewildered to see the amount of government waste and the bureaucracy that prevented any improvements. I know what some of the problems are, and I know what some of the solutions are,” Wells said.

He said one of the biggest problems he noted at the time was the inefficient upkeep of municipal vehicles.

“I uncovered the city spending $10,000 to $15,000 thousand a year on vehicles that were only worth $5,000. The same amount of dollars could have purchased a new vehicle that would have lasted longer,” Wells recalled.

“That’s kind of a no-brainer,” he said with a chuckle.

Wells also cites his ingenuity and foresight in devising a method for calculating licenses and permit fees, a fifty-point plan that was adopted by the Denver City Council while he was working with the Budget Office. In 1999, Wells said, the Financial Accounting Standards Board adopted a similar plan and required it be implemented nationwide.

“I started that twenty years before it became the standard,” Wells said.
More than his qualifications, though, Wells says Denver voters are tired of Gallagher’s style.

“Dennis wasn’t cut out to be an auditor,” Wells said. “Dennis just doesn’t have the makeup to be an auditor. He’s a very good politician, no one will disagree with that. He’s probably one of the best. Meeting and greeting people and name recognition, he’s very good at that, but when it comes to running an office of professionals in a non-political way, I don’t think he knows how to do that.”

Wells said though Gallagher has made a number of mistakes over the years, one that stuck out for him was the “$9 billion mistake,” at the very beginning of his term, when Gallagher calculated the amount of debt Denver has. His office somehow misplaced a decimal point, and instead of the true amount of debt, Gallagher wound up proclaiming that Denver was $9 billion less in the hole than it actually was.

Wells has held office before — he ran for and won a seat on the city council of Smethport, Pennsylvania, a town of roughly 1,700 people, where he lived from 1983 to 2001. Wells said he moved to Smethport when his father, who was ailing, asked him to run the family business, Smethport Auto Parts, a now-defunct parts manufacturer. Simply moving from one state to another didn’t relieve Wells’ desire to serve in public office, though, and he wound up serving on Smethport’s city council, from 1988 to 1996, and was elected council president both terms.

So far, he’s hired no official campaign staff, and though he said his campaign will be “the typical deal,” he also said it would be much smaller and less of “a high-profile type thing.” His strategy was to keep his candidacy quiet until the last minute in the hopes that “no one else would jump on the bandwagon.”


Gallagher, by contrast, has been proudly extolling his campaign to voters for months, and was even able to kill two birds with one stone, thanks to the special election in January when Denver voters approved a measure to disband the Denver Election Commission in favor of an elected clerk and recorder. Gallagher, a longtime proponent of the switch, campaigned hard for the measure, and was delighted when it passed.

“The campaign is going very well,” Gallagher said. “I got a little bit of an early start because I was supporting the amendment for the elected clerk. That was a sort of prelude to the campaign. By supporting that, I reminded everybody that I’m up again in May.”

The 67-year-old Democrat has held public office without a break since 1970, when he was first elected to the state House of Representatives. He stayed there until 1974, when he moved over to the State Senate. Once term limits for public officials were approved by voters, though, Gallagher found himself term-limited after the 1994 election, and quit the senate for a Denver City Council campaign a year later. He served there until 2003, when he was again term-limited, and then was elected to city auditor. For this election cycle, he’s already turned in his petitions, weeks ahead of the deadline, and with 500 signatures as opposed to the requisite 300.

After this term, though, he says he’ll be done with politics, and plans to retire and write short stories “like James Joyce,” he said with a grin.

For now, however, he’s taking reelection quite seriously.

Gallagher laughed at Wells’ slogan, and retorted, “That’s a great motto. Mine is ‘audit the hell out of them, no matter what.’”

He also rejected Wells’ suggestion that he was unqualified for the post.

“I was sixteen years on the state audit committee. Do you think that’s long enough?” Gallagher asked rhetorically. He served on the state senate audit committee from 1978 to 1994.

He also scoffed at the insinuation that the so-called $9 billion mistake was a crucial slip-up, and said he even heard from his 7th grade math teacher about that snafu.

“She said, Dennis, I’m praying for you, and with a mistake like that, you should be working for the federal government,” he laughed.

His mission, he said, is bringing ever more accountability and efficiency to Denver city departments. Gallagher cited one example where his office had discovered an agency using 411 every time they needed to find a phone number, instead of simply using either the Internet or a phone book, at an estimated annual cost of $25,000. After they brought the matter to light, Gallagher said, the cost was reduced to just a few thousand.

“I’m looking forward to continuing to improve city government and making it more accountable to the taxpayers,” Gallagher said.

Another issue Gallagher says resonates with voters is performance audits, which his office was authorized to begin after Denver voters passed 1B last November.

“That is going to be our new thrust,” Gallagher said. “It’s through performance audits that you find out almost everything that’s going on.”

Gallagher said that tool is going to increase Denver’s bureaucratic effectiveness by allowing his office to “get in deep” and find out how to help city offices figure out the best and most effective ways to do their jobs.

Another aspect of 1B Gallagher’s pleased with is that from now on, the city audit committee will be comprised of financial experts from outside the city’s infrastructure, which he believes will increase the committee’s objectivity and integrity.

“If you remember Enron, that’s how they got in trouble,” Gallagher said, referring to the past structure, which allowed for two members of the committee to be appointed by the mayor. “I’ve always supported getting outside members on the audit committee. All along, in my years in office, we’ve been pushing for a totally independent audit committee, and I’m pleased to report that we’ll have that now.”

Gallagher said he will also be campaigning on his role with the prevailing wage law, which protects construction workers and other contract employees from being undercut by companies with which Denver contracts for projects. The law requires employers to pay a competitive wage, and Gallagher says his office has concentrated on enforcing those protections.

“We’ve made it very clear from the beginning with construction companies and companies that do business with the city what prevailing wage is,” Gallagher stated.

Gallagher’s also being supported by an enormous contingent of Colorado Democrats, including Denver lawmakers Sen. Paula Sandoval and Rep. Jerry Frangas, former legislators Regis Groff, Paul Sandoval, Rob Hernandez, Frank DiFillipo, Bill Thiebaut, Gloria Tanner, Wilma Webb, and Frana Mace. Gallagher has also been endorsed by the Colorado Building and Construction Trades Council, the Laborer’s local 720, the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees local 821, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers local 68, the Teamsters local 2004, the United Food and Commercial Workers local 7, the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades local 930, the Plumbers Union local 3, the Plumbers and Pipefitters local 208, and the Colorado State Electrical Workers. Gallagher has also been endorsed by U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter, D-CD 7.

As of Feb. 5, Gallagher had $29,672 on hand. Wells has not filed campaign finance reports with the Denver Election Commission yet.