October 16, 2014
ELECTION 2014
Tuesday, Nov. 4 is your day to VOTE! WHAT’S INSIDE How To Vote page 2
Candidates & Ballot Issues pages 3-7
Local candidates meet disabled voters page 8
★ Election 2014 ★
PAGE 2 • THE VILLAGER • October 16, 2014
How to vote in the Nov. 4 mail-in election Ballots were mailed last week to all active, registered voters in Arapahoe County. Return your voted ballot by mail with 70 cents postage or deliver it to one of 37 drop-off locations by 7 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 4. There are eight 24-hour ballot boxes, including new boxes at the city halls in Greenwood Village and Aurora. Find the nearest ballot box at www.arapahoevotes.com. “There’s no need to stand in line for this election,” Clerk and Recorder Matt Crane said. “Colorado’s voters will receive a mail ballot in every general election, so you can vote in the privacy and comfort of your own home. We encourage voters to return their mail ballots before Election Day. As soon as we receive your ballot, your name will be removed from campaign phone lists, so you can enjoy a quieter election season.” The mail-in ballot includes local and statewide ballot issues and questions, as well as candidates for local, state and congressional seats. When filling out the ballot, remember to follow these steps to ensure the tabulation machines can read it:
• Fill in the arrow completely to mark your choice. • Vote for only one answer or candidate per race. If you select multiple options, your vote in that race cannot be counted. • Do not draw or write outside of the arrow, except to print the name of a write-in candidate. • Remember to sign your ballot envelope. Every signature will be compared to the voter’s registration record to ensure the correct person has voted the ballot. Voters may sign up for the new Ballot Track service to receive free messages by email, text or phone when their ballot has been mailed and accepted by the Elections Division for counting. Voters would also receive a message if their ballot was returned as undeliverable or could not be processed for a reason that requires the voter’s attention. Ballots are not coded, so votes remain anonymous. “There was some confusion in past elections about whether all mail ballots are counted, so we want to assure voters that we
process every single ballot that we receive by the 7 p.m. deadline on Election Day,” Crane said. If voters make a mistake or wish to request a replacement ballot, they may do so at any one of 25 Voter Service and Polling Centers in Arapahoe County. Citizens may also visit any of these centers to register to vote in-person through Election Day, update their registration, request a new or replacement ballot or vote on an accessible voting machine. Eleven locations will open Monday, Oct. 20 and 14 additional locations will open Saturday, Nov. 1. Hours vary by location. For more election information, to sign up for Ballot Track, or to find ballot drop-off boxes or Voter Service and Polling Center locations, call the Arapahoe County Elections Division at 303-7954511 or visit www.arapahoevotes. com. Election results will be available on the same website after 7 p.m. on Election Day. Follow @arapahoeclerk on Twitter for election updates.
Candidates GOVERNOR
John Hickenlooper, Democrat
Bob Beauprez, Republican
U.S. SENATOR
Mark Udall, Democrat
Cory Gardner, Republican
ATTORNEY GENERAL
Don Quick, Democrat
Cynthia Coffman, Republican
SECRETARY OF STATE
Joe Neguse, Democrat
Wayne Williams, Republican
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★ Election 2014 ★
October 16, 2014 • THE VILLAGER • PAGE 3
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STATE TREASURER
Betsy Markey, Democrat
Walker Stapleton, Republican
Statewide Ballot Issues Amendment 67 Shall there be an amendment to the Colorado Constitution protecting pregnant women and unborn children by defining “person” and “child” in the Colorado criminal code and the Colorado wrongful death act to include unborn human beings? Amendment 68 Shall state taxes be increased $114.5 million annually in the first full fiscal year, and by such amounts that are raised thereafter, by imposing a new tax on authorized horse racetracks’ adjusted gross proceeds from limited gaming to increase statewide funding for K-12 education, and in connection therewith, amending the Colorado Constitution to permit limited gaming in addition to pre-existing pari-mutuel wagering at one qualified horse racetrack in each of the counties of Arapahoe,
Mesa and Pueblo; authorizing host communities to impose impact fees on horse racetracks authorized to conduct limited gaming; allowing all resulting revenue to be collected and spent notwithstanding any limitations provided by law; and allocating the resulting tax revenues to a fund to be distributed to school districts and the charter school institute for K-12 education? Proposition 104 Shall there be a change to the Colorado Revised Statutes requiring any meeting of a board of education, or any meeting between any representative of a school district and any representative of employees, at which a collective bargaining agreement is discussed to be open to the public? Proposition 105 Shall there be a change to the
Colorado Revised Statutes concerning labeling of genetically modified food; and, in connection therewith, requiring food that has been genetically modified or treated with genetically modified material to be labeled, “Produced With Genetic Engineering” starting on July 1, 2016; exempting some foods, including but not limited to food from animals that are not genetically modified, but have been fed or injected with genetically modified food or drugs, certain food that is not packaged for retail sale and is intended for immediate human consumption, alcoholic beverages, food for animals, and medically prescribed food; requiring the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to regulate the labeling of genetically modified food; and specifying that no private right of action is created for failure to conform to the labeling requirements? 1st CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT Diana DeGette, Democrat F o r nine terms, U.S. Rep Diana DeGette has represented what has been considered Colorado’s safest district for Democrats. The attorney and former state representative is chief deputy whip and serves on the Committee on Energy and Commerce and co-chairs the ProChoice Caucus. She received her greatest national attention in 2005 when Congress passed her bill that
would have lifted President George W. Bush’s limits on federal funding for embryonic stem-cell research. Although Bush vetoed the bill, President Obama later issued an executive order allowing the research. “I think the issues I’m talking about – issues like job creation, sensible energy policy and access by all Americans to health care, including birth control – I think those are issues that resonate in this district,” the Denver Democrat said. Martin Walsh, Republican Martin Walsh, a resident of Denver’s Washington Park, is the latest in a long line of Republicans to set sights on the 1st District. “The challenge to me is to appeal to moderates and independents, folks who traditionally may not have considered voting for a Republican candidate, but are unhappy with what’s going on in Washington,” Walsh said. The candidate believes his mix of fiscal conservatism and temperate positions on social issues will make him a viable candidate while frustration about Congress is high and President Obama’s approval rating is relatively low. While Walsh cites conservative Rep. Paul Ryan as a role model on budgetary and business-regulatory issues, he strongly supports gay marriage and a pathway to citizenship for many illegal immigrants. “My first principle is toward individual liberty without qualification,” he said.
6th CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT Mike Coffman, Republican Incumbent U.S. Rep. Mike Coffman is a veteran of both federal and state government, having served as Colorado’s state treasurer and secretary of state and in both houses of the General Assembly. The three-term congressman and onetime Aurora business owner is also an Army and Marine Corps veteran who served in the Reserves during both Iraq wars and has been a member of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee. Coffman says his positions speak well to the newly competitive district, which now boasts a virtual three-way split among Republicans, Democrats and independents. “I fought for reform of Congress as an institution,” he said. “From a balanced-budget amendment to cutting congressional pay and promoting term limits – I think those issues have a broad bipartisan appeal.” Andrew Romanoff, Democrat Andrew Romanoff, a former speaker of the state House of Representatives, is Continued on page 4
★ Election 2014 ★
PAGE 4 • THE VILLAGER • October 16, 2014 Continued from page 3 emphasizing education, health care and job creation. “If you do that, a lot of other problems take care of themselves,” he said. The candidate worked for Gov. Roy Romer before serving four terms in the statehouse. “I spent a lot of time trying to find common ground,” Romanoff said. “I earned recognition as the most effective legislative leader in America because I was able to forge agreements between the two political parties.” In 2005, Romanoff authored Referendum C, a voter-approved ballot initiative that temporarily overrode some government-spending limitations in Colorado’s Taxpayers Bill of Rights. In 2010, he waged an unsuccessful primary challenge against Sen. Michael Bennet before resettling in Aurora. STATE HOUSE DISTRICT 3 Daniel Kagan, Democrat Two-term incumbent Daniel Kagan, of Cherry Hills Village, grew up in England the son of Holocaust survivors. After receiving his law degree at Yale, he entered private practice specializing in criminal defense of indigents and civil suits against corporations. Kagan is a selfdescribed proponent of a healthy business climate for companies of all sizes. He also touts his support for affordable housing, improved public safety, better public schools and a fairer, more accessible justice
system, as chair of the House Judiciary Committee. “I’m guided by the principles that the budget must be balanced, every spending proposal must be evaluated as carefully as a family evaluates its household spending, state economic policy must work for all Coloradans, not just a select few, and the guiding principle of save, save, save!” Candice Benge, Republican At 30, Candice Benge is among the youngest candidates on the ballot. “It’s time for my generation to be involved. It’s clear people are tired of hard lines on both sides and a complete unwillingness to work together,” she said. Although Benge, who lives in Englewood, says she is conservative on social issues and gun control, she says she is willing to work across party lines for reasonable compromise. “In business, I don’t have the luxury of digging in my toes in disagreeing with somebody. We’ve got to come to the table and get things done,” she said. If elected, Benge says her top priority would be building the economy to foster a business-friendly atmosphere where entrepreneurs create jobs with minimal interference. STATE HOUSE DISTRICT 37 Jack Tate, Republican Jack Tate, a mechanical engineer, believes his business experience would suit him well in a place as
contentious as the state Capitol. “ W h e n you’re in business as long as I have been, you work with a lot of different people and you don’t have the luxury of being able to get away with a lack of results because there are differences between you and the rest of the project team,” said Tate, who ran unsuccessfully for Centennial City Council last year. Although he makes no bones about his Republican credentials, Tate says his candidacy is based on practical experience and business sense, not a political agenda. “In some ways, people just want to have the long-passing game. But in some ways, you get more sustainable results by running the game and playing good defense and changing your field position,” Tate said. Nancy Cronk, Democrat Nancy Cronk says her experiences growing up in working-class Detroit helped form her political views and what she says is her tendency to advocate for the disadvantaged. “I am someone who listens to everyone, someone who sees the whole picture,” she said. Cronk earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology before manning a suicideprevention hotline and running a
licensed childcare facility. A convert to Judaism by marriage, Cronk says she is an “ordained interfaith chaplain,” who has married about 75 couples of varying religions. The board member for Cunningham Fire Protection District has taken the unusual step at the state-legislative level of hiring a full-time campaign manager. “Part of growing up in the Detroit area is I’m a fighter,” she said of her commitment to the race. “It’s not about me. It’s about the next generation.” STATE HOUSE DISTRICT 38 Kathleen Conti, Republican Last year’s legislative session has been characterized by two-term Rep. Kathleen Conti, “as Democrats [waging] war on rural Colorado and [forcing] their liberal agenda.” But she says she still managed to cosponsor a number of bills, including one that created the Hit and Run Medina Alert Program. “Hit-and-run accidents, even the ones that rise to serious bodily injury or death inside the city of Denver, are becoming literally an epidemic problem and that impacts all of us,” she said. The Littleton resident is also proud of her related bill to extend the statute of limitations for vehicular homicides. “I very much believe in working across the aisle to get things done and that if you quit caring about who gets the credit for it, it might just be a
little easier to get something accomplished,” Conti said. Robert Bowen, Democrat Although Robert Bowen now lives in Centennial, he served three terms representing northwest Denver in the 1980s. During that period, the Democrat sponsored the House bill that helped create the metro area’s light rail system. He counts that bill as part of his long track record of working with the opposing party on difficult issues. “I couldn’t have passed bills without working across the aisle,” he said. The retired real estate developer says, if elected this year, he would back a long-awaited increase in Colorado’s minimum wage, arguing that low wages have overburdened government programs. “Who’s helping Walmart or McDonald’s? The taxpayers,” he said. He defends “commonsense” gun laws passed last session. “Gun sales have gone up. It hasn’t hurt anyone’s Second Amendment rights,” he said. ARAPAHOE COUNTY COMMISSIONER DISTRICT 2 Nancy Sharpe, Republican “I feel like I’ve made a difference and I want to be able to continue to do that,” said first-term Commissioner Nancy Sharpe, who was board chair in 2012 and oversaw the Open Spaces, Intergovernmental Continued on page 5
★ Election 2014 ★ Continued from page 4 Relations and Human Services departments. She also chaired Colorado Counties’ Human Services Steering Committee, lobbying the General Assembly on such issues as child welfare and elder abuse. In a second term, Sharpe, a former Greenwood Village mayor, has a range of priorities – from replenishing the Highline Canal to developing a strategic plan for seniors. “That will be a major issue,” Sharpe said of the county’s aging population. “I’m really concerned about the impact on our county. How do we work with our partners to help those seniors who want to be independent stay in their homes?” Martha Karnopp, Democrat “I care about the common people and meeting the needs of the citizens, especially the needier citizens,” candidate Martha Karnopp said. The c o u n t y ’s workers and seniors would be a m o n g Karnopp’s priorities. The Aurora attorney says the five-member board of commissioners should more accurately reflect the political makeup of the county. “I’d like to have some balance,” she said. “They’ve been pretty much run by the Republicans for a long time and it’d be nice for the Democrats to have a say.” Karnopp, who formerly served on the county’s Ethics and Budget Review committees, says she would strive to initiate a greater emphasis on county residents with lower incomes. “They do a pretty good job [with the bud-
October 16, 2014 • THE VILLAGER • PAGE 5 get], but sometimes financial decisions might be made that could be a little fairer to some of the [poorer] population.” Karnopp has previously run for county commissioner and the State House. ARAPAHOE COUNTY COMMISSIONER DISTRICT 4 Nancy Jackson, Democrat Incumbent Nancy Jackson, an Aurora native and longtime community activist, was first elected to the board in 2010. She says her major firstterm accomplishment was re-energizing the c o u n t y ’s Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee. “The biggest challenge is still learning and still understanding how to bring change through the legislative process,” she said. “I’m a good problem solver. I work across all kinds of divides, whether they are political or organizational, but I like to bring people together to brainstorm and come up with new solutions to problems.” Jackson serves on boards for Gateway Shelter for Battered Women, Aurora Mental Health, the Fox Aurora Board, Developmental Pathways and the Aurora Chamber of Commerce. She attended the University of Colorado, where she earned a degree in psychology and a master’s in counseling, along with a Ph.D. in communications. Tory Brown, Republican The candidate did not respond to The Villager’s request for an interview and does not have a campaign website.
ARAPAHOE COUNTY SHERIFF David Walcher, Republican Former Undersheriff David Walcher was appointed to the top job earlier this year after the retirement of longtime Sheriff Grayson Robinson. “This has been in my sights for quite a period of time when Sheriff Robinson started recruiting me to come out here. It’s always been in the back of my mind. [Robinson] has been a great mentor to me,” the Aurora resident said. The sitting sheriff was first enlisted as Robinson’s division chief in 2009. Before that, he served 21 years in the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office after starting his law enforcement career in the FBI’s Denver bureau. In his campaign, the candidate is focusing on issues of community safety, engagement and trust. “I don’t think there’s a lot of trust in government right now, but I think people can really have an influence and make a difference at the local level,” Walcher said. Tyler Brown, Democrat First-time candidate Tyler Brown says it is time for change in the Sheriff’s Office. “Over the last 40 years, Arapahoe County has kind of implanted who was going to run for office, and then that person gets to run as the incumbent because the sitting incumbent retires. I want it to be a true election,” he said. The resident of unincorporated Arapahoe County was a patrol officer and SWAT team member for
Laura Christman for Mayor
Transparency • Value • Trust 25 Year Village Resident Chair of Planning & Zoning A Parent, Not a Politician I believe that effective leadership is about empowering others to achieve their full potential. www.cherryhillsconcernedcitizens.com paid for by laura christman
the Northglenn Police Department before working as an armed campus-safety officer for Aurora Public Schools. He says interagency partnerships and community policing are what makes for effective law enforcement, and he says he would improve communication channels to build trust in all directions. “I want to have a committee of community members that comes in and provides oversight and a direction,” Brown said. “Law enforcement has lost the trust of the people.” He would support the unionization of deputies. ARAPAHOE COUNTY CLERK AND RECORDER Matt Crane, Republican Incumbent Matt Crane was appointed last year after Clerk and Recorder Nancy Doty was elected to the Arapahoe County Board of Commissioners. Crane had earlier worked for the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office and the City and County of Denver. He is a certified state and national elections official and has helped identify best practices with the Election Assistance Commission in Washington, D.C. “Under my leadership, Arapahoe County is now a leader in election integrity in Colorado through stronger post-election audits and greater transparency,” he said. “We continue to reduce wait times in our offices and provide better services.” Crane says he has implemented enhanced access for disabled citizens, improved communications and cross-trained employees for increased efficiency. Crane was unanimously elected vice president of the Colorado County Clerks Association. “I’m the only candidate in this race with the knowledge, skills, expertise and leadership experience necessary to lead this office,” he said. Joan Lopez, Democrat Joan Lopez is a 12-year veteran of the Clerk and Recorder’s Office. “I’ve actually worked for Motor Vehicle for 10 years and moved over to Driver’s License for going on three years,” the Centennial resident said. “If someone has lived in Arapahoe County for any number of years, I’ve probably helped them.” Lopez would plan to improve efficiencies and instigate more cooperation among different divisions within the clerk’s office. “When Driver’s License is completely dead, we should be able to just walk over to Motor Vehicles and help out and vice verse,” she said. Lopez says she would also place a greater emphasis on strategic, but nonpartisan, placement of the county’s increasingly limited voting machines. “Not everyone feels comfortable with a mail-in ballot,” she said. “Last year when we were at the Lima office, we had only two machines and three completely stressed-out employees. There was about a three-hour wait.” ARAPAHOE COUNTY TREASURER Sue Sandstrom, Republican First-term incumbent Sue Sandstorm has lived in Arapahoe County
28 years. Prior to county office, the certified public accountant served two terms on the Aurora City Council. As county treasurer, Sandstrom has touted replacement of a 30-year-old computer system and notes she has cut spending by $600,000. “A new state-ofthe-art computer system … is saving Arapahoe County $800,000 a year, and that’s a huge accomplishment,” she said. Sandstrom is also proud of having established an excess-foreclosure-proceeds program that has returned $500,000 to property owners. “My biggest achievement is just returning the integrity and accountability to the office,” she added. “I have a wonderful staff. They are just awesome. Customer service is the number-one priority, with a high degree of integrity and accountability to the taxpayers and maintaining a treasurer’s office that Arapahoe County taxpayers can be proud of.” Doug Milliken, Democrat The certified public accountant that served as treasurer from 2007 until 2011 says he is vying for the job again to return the county what he considers a more proactive investment of taxpayer money. “I earned more than $40 million in investment earnings that paid for a lot of services that didn’t come from taxes,” Milliken said of his first term. The candidate, who earned his master’s in accounting and taxation at the University of Denver, is a near-lifelong resident of presentday Centennial, where he served as that city’s first elected treasurer from 2001 until 2006. In the early 1980s, Milliken was reported to have been among the youngest vice presidents on Wall Street. The former Prudential Securities executive says he managed $5 billion in assets for 500 municipalities. “Making this office work produces a better county, a better experience and a better financial climate for the citizens,” Milliken said. ARAPAHOE COUNTY ASSESSOR Corbin Sakdol, Republican Corbin Sakdol, a longtime Littleton resident who was first elected in 2006, highlights his more than 30 years in real estate, business and technology, including 24 years in the Assessor’s Office. “The voters are hiring an a s s e s s o r, and in my personal opinion you should not be looking at politics – you should be looking at experience,” Sakdol said. The incumbent has a degree in architectural technology and has held his real estate broker’s license for 20 years. Sakdol began working for the county as a senior commercial appraiser in 1990. “We value over 200,000 properties,” he said of his job. “Under my leadership, we have passed every annual state audit. I’ve reduced the annual budget every Continued on page 6
★ Election 2014 ★
PAGE 6 • THE VILLAGER • October 16, 2014
Continued from page 5 year in office. I’ve reduced my staffing levels through attrition from 72 to 63.” Two years ago, Sakdol was unanimously named the Assessor of the Year by the state’s association of 64 county assessors. P.K. Kaiser, Democrat “I have a long passion for serving people,” candidate P.K. Kaiser said of his reasons for running for assessor. “Being in politics, you can make more material impact in the lives of people you’re living around, if you bring fair value to people’s property and tax it properly.” Kaiser, who holds a master’s degree in economics and business administration, says he would bring a new perspective to the office. “Being a fresh person, being an educated person and being a person from the people, I can incorporate the most modern techniques to bring a fair value to the people of Arapahoe,” he said. Kaiser would also bring his own version of the American dream as an emigrant from a politically volatile section of rural northern India. Since moving his family to Aurora in 2004, Kaiser has made two tries for City Council and two additional runs for the Colorado House of Representatives. ARAPAHOE COUNTY CORONER Kelly Lear-Kaul, Republican Incumbent Coroner Kelly LearKaul was appointed earlier this year upon the retirement of longtime Coroner Michael Dobersen. The veteran deputy coroner and forensic pathologist is running unopposed after a Democratic-nominated co-worker withdrew from the race. “I’m not a
politician. I don’t pretend to be a politician. I am first and foremost a doctor,” Lear-Kaul said. “My main concern is making sure the patients I serve – or the community I serve – is getting the appropriate care. There’s really nobody else that’s qualified to do it.” The Columbine Valley resident started her work in Arapahoe County nearly two decades ago as a medical student and became a full-time medical examiner for the county in 2004. STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION DISTRICT 1 Valentina Flores, Democrat Valentina Flores, who is running unopposed, has worked in education for 43 years as a public school teacher, an education policy analyst, a curriculum-development professional and a professor at several universities. As such, the Denver resident says she is uniquely qualified to serve on the to the Colorado State Board of Education. “I oppose big money and corporatization in our public education system,” she said of her policy views. “I oppose high-stakes testing that takes away valuable classroom learning time. I oppose a reform model that is slowly privatizing our public education system. We cannot allow free public education to be traded on NASDAQ and sold to the highest bidder.” UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO REGENT DISTRICT 6 John Carson, Republican As president of the Douglas
County Board of Education, Highlands Ranch attorney John Carson led the way for vouchers and pay for performance, ended a long-standing agreement with the teachers union and helped implement budget changes to increase financial reserves. In his move to higher education, the onetime Republican congressional staffer says he is committed to keeping a college degree affordable. “My principal concern is the high cost of tuition, fees and other expenses,” he said. “The burden falls particularly hard on the middle class, whose children often do not qualify for significant amounts of financial aid.” Carson also emphasizes the importance of “intellectual diversity,” saying “CU must continue to attract thinkers from diverse points of view and ensure that students are exposed to a full range of ideas.” Carson received degrees from CU in political science and law. In 1983, he received the university’s Thomas Jefferson Award for leadership. He has served on the Law Alumni Board. Naquetta Ricks, Democrat The first-generation African immigrant and a single mother who launched her own financial-services business says she would bring a unique voice to the CU Board of Regents. “Colorado working families are looking for leaders who will put aside partisan bickering and focus instead on giving their children access to the education they need to compete in a 21st century economy,” Ricks said. She says growing up in Liberia, an African nation founded by former U.S.
and British slaves, helped develop her interest in political leadership. “I saw the importance of education,” she said. “When my family moved to Aurora in 1980, I truly discovered a land of opportunity. Today, higher education is the path to opportunity and everyone deserves a chance to walk on that path.” Ricks is a graduate of the CU-Denver Business School. She served as vice-chair on the board of the Aurora Public School Educational Foundation and was a board member of COMTO Colorado, a forum for minority professionals in the transportation industry. CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE MAYOR Doug Tisdale Mayor Doug Tisdale served eight years on City Council before being elected as mayor in 2012. Since then, he negotiated the donation of the Alan Hutto Memorial Commons to the city and oversaw the opening of the Joint Public Safety Facility. Tisdale has made a point to increase the national and regional visibility of the Village, which The Wall Street Journal listed the Best Suburb in America. The attorney and 26-year city resident has served as an executive officer on the Denver Regional Council of Governments and on the Executive Committee of the Denver Metro Mayor’s Caucus. He was the Policy Committee chair for the Colorado Municipal League. Tisdale says his focus for a second term would be “preservation and enhancement of our lifestyle, our surroundings, our economic health and our open space.” His priorities include relocation of Public Works, implementation of the Quincy Farm Visioning Committee work and continued collaboration with neighbor-
Elect Experience! Community Safety Community Engagement Community Trust “Please join me in supporting a man of purpose, principle, integrity and vision; please support David C. Walcher for Arapahoe County Sheriff.” J. Grayson Robinson Former Arapahoe County Sheriff “Dave Walcher has my support for Arapahoe County Sheriff.”
Local and Regional Involvement:
George Brauchler District Attorney for the Eighteenth Judicial District
•State of Colorado Correctional Treatment Board Co-Chair •Highlands Ranch Law Enforcement Training Foundation Board Chair •University of Colorado Denver Adjunct Faculty Contact Dave: •Aurora Mental Health Center Board of Directors 720-338-6895 •Arapahoe County Justice Coordinating Committee •National Sheriff’s Institute DaveWalcherForSheriff@gmail.com
ing cities on traffic control and urban wildlife. Laura Christman Laura Christman, a 26-year year city resident, chairs the Planning and Zoning Commission. She is also a member of the Quincy Farms Visioning Committee. The semiretired real estate attorney has spent 20 years representing commercial institutions in land use and structuring financing for real estate transactions. She is also an active investor and director in the organic foods and sustainability industry. Christman’s community service includes serving as executive officer of the Starlight Children’s Foundation and founding the nonprofit WithOut Words. Christman says her priorities as mayor would include a heavy emphasis on preserving existing open space before it is too late and accelerating implementation of the city’s Master Plan. “I am grateful to have had the opportunity to live in Cherry Hills Village and it is important that it continues to be as wonderful and beautiful for the many generations of Villagers to come,” she said. CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 2 Earl Hoellen Earl Hoellen, a 21-year city resident, has served on the Cherry Hills Board of Adjustm e n t s and Appeals since 2006. He is also a member of the Utility Line Undergrounding Continued on page 7
Dave
Walcher for
Arapahoe County
Sheriff
•Arapahoe County Sheriff •Colorado Native, City of Aurora Resident •33 Years of Progressive Colorado Law Enforcement Experience •Bachelor of Science, Accounting •Master’s Degree, Criminal Justice •Top Secret Clearance
Vision and Commitment:
•Fiscally Conservative •Effective and Efficient Government •Dedicated to Community Policing •Committed to Public/Private Partnerships •Best Practices and Evidence-Based Decisions Paid for by Committee to Elect Dave Walcher, Arapahoe County Sheriff
★ Election 2014 ★ Continued from page 6 Study Committee. The private investor and consultant spent 35 years in nuclear power and energy trading, including as a CEO. He founded several companies before retiring last year. Hoellen has also been a trustee of Denver Academy and a member of the Jefferson Scholarship committee for Colorado. His priorities are to ensure that the Village maintains its tranquil character in the midst of surrounding development. He says that any plans to expand or rebuild administration and public works facilities must be done with maximum community input. “I believe that part of a life welllived includes community service,” Hoellen said. “I value the privilege of being able to live in such a unique community – feeling rural, but only a stone’s throw from a vibrant multicultural city.” Maria Mendelsberg First-time candidate Maria Mendelsberg, a seven-year Vi l l a g e resident, earned her certification as a chartered financial analyst after receiving a bachelor’s degree in business economics. She has served as treasurer of Colorado Ballet Auxiliary since 2012. The candidate says she most values the open space and trails in Cherry Hills and cites quality of life, closeness to Denver’s city life, safety and the Village being ranked the best suburb in America by The Wall Street Journal last year. Her concerns center on managing the increasing traffic in such areas as the busy intersection of Hampden Avenue and Colorado Boulevard and stresses the need for cross-jurisdictional cooperation. “I’d like to maintain the great quality of life in the Village,” Mendelsberg said. “Working with communities surrounding Cherry Hills Village is something I believe is also important.” CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 4 Mike Gallagher Mike Gallagher, who has lived in Cherry Hills Village for 32 years, currently serves on the city’s Parks, Trails and Recreation Commission. Since 2000, he has owned an Englewoodbased independent insurance agency and he is former president of the Professional Independent Insurance Agents of Colorado. He has also coached lacrosse and cross-country at Cherry Creek High School. Gallagher says he is focused on preserving the Village’s rural environment while managing increases in traffic. He further emphasizes the aging city center and a need to update the public works facility. “My background in risk management and in running my own business will contribute well to the issues facing council,” Gallagher said of his candidacy. “This is an opportunity to contribute to the com-
October 16, 2014 • THE VILLAGER • PAGE 7 munity. It’s been a privilege to live in our city and I want to make sure we maintain our high quality of life, now and into the future.” Lisa Pinto Attorney Lisa Pinto is a fiveyear resident of Cherry Hills Village. Her interest in serving in city government goes back to her sense that civic involvement is what improves a community. As both a lawyer and a media specialist, her recent work has included serving as the director of communications and spokeswoman for the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office. For most of the 1990s, Pinto served as a New York City prosecutor focused on crimes against children. As a candidate in Cherry Hills Village, Pinto’s areas of interest include reducing speeding in residential neighborhoods, monitoring crime and then keeping residents notified about it. “Our town is a beautiful haven for our family,” Pinto said. “If elected, I am determined to keep our community safe, so that our kids can play in our yards without danger from outsiders or reckless drivers. I hope to bring energy and legal experience to council.” CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 6 Jim Turner Four-year resident James Turner served eight years in the military a f t e r graduating from medical school. He subsequently served on the faculty at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. The diagnostic radiologist is now president of Qew Imaging Associates. Turner’s community work includes serving the indigent population at Denver Health Medical Center and providing Web-based medical diagnosis to the French humanitarian-aid organization Médecins Sans Frontiéres. Turner says he values the quality of life and great neighbors of Cherry Hills Village, but is concerned about “keeping the Village a great place to live while Denver and the south suburbs grow around it.” He says he is seeking office to “learn about local government and [give] service to the community.” Katy Brown Incumbent Katy Brown, a 10-year Village resident, was appointed two years ago to fill a vacant seat. Her civic service had included four years on the Parks, Trails and Recreation Commission and a year on the Quincy Farm Visioning Committee. She also serves on the Centennial Airport Noise Roundtable. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology graduate owns a
Web-development company and was included on The Denver Post’s “40 Under 40” list in 201l. Brown’s priorities on council include protecting the community’s pastoral character. “Undeveloped land in the Village is vanishing quickly,” she said. “City Council must focus on the resources and policies to protect open spaces with due respect for individual property rights. … Attention must [also] turn to the Village Center campus, the public works facilities, administration building and John Meade Park, all of which will have a lasting impact.” SOUTH SUBURBAN PARKS AND RECREATION BALLOT QUESTION 4C Voters in the South Suburban Parks and Recreation District will decide whether to approve a proposed mill-levy tax increase to maintain the district’s aging parks, trails and other facilities. If approved, South Suburban property taxes would increase by about $4.5 million every year for a decade The tax increase would cost homeowners an extra $4-7 a month, depending on their home’s assessed value. The district’s board has not asked voters for an operations-based mill-levy increase since the 1990s. Tax votes in more recent years were specifically confined to land purchases.
Lisa Pinto
for Cherry Hills Village City Council District 4
CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE BALLOT QUESTIONS Question 2F Cherry Hills Village voters are being asked whether the city government should have the restored authority to provide high-speed Internet or cable television services to residents, businesses, nonprofit organizations and schools, either directly or indirectly, through public or private-sector partners. The city does not currently own any fiberoptic networks. Passage would free the home-rule city from the constraints of a state statute that prevents municipalities from entering the telecommunications market, unless city voters decide otherwise. Centennial passed a similar measure last year. Question 2G This ballot question would amend the city charter in relation to City Council meetings and the council’s election of the city’s mayor pro tem. CITY OF ENGLEWOOD BALLOT QUESTION 2E Englewood voters will be asked if the city should be allowed to exchange utility property the city owns in Douglas County for property of similar or greater value to “promote development opportunities that will generate long-term revenue for the public.” The question stems from the city’s 1948 purchase of several properties to the south of the city in an effort to secure water rights for construction of a water-storage reservoir that was completed in 1965. According to the city, passage of the ballot question would allow the city to trade a 12.3-acre parcel for a similar property “to better facilitate development east of Lucent Boulevard.” The city charter requires such a vote before it sells property purchased for utility purposes. C
A Vote for Our Families “I am committed to protecting the Number 1 Suburb in The Nation.” Paid for by Lisa Pinto for Cherry Hills Village City Council District 4 Marty Villager Ad week 2 BW.pdf 1 10/8/2014 5:07:27 PM
When you vote for MARTHA KARNOPP, a 36-year Arapahoe County resident and elder law attorney, you support a dedicated voice of and for the people who wants government to work for all.
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I believe the purpose of government is to address the needs of our most vulnerable citizens and to ensure an orderly and safe environment for homes and businesses so that all citizens can thrive.
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★ Election 2014 ★
PAGE 8 • THE VILLAGER • October 16, 2014
Local candidates meet disabled voters Developmental Pathways and Arc present forum
Elect Jack Tate
to HD 37
jacktate.org Paid for by Jack Tate to HD 37
ELECT Maria
MENDELSBERG QUALITY OF LIFE • OPEN SPACES Cherry Hills Village City Council District #2 MariaMendelsbergCHV
@Maria_4_CHV
VOTE! 11/4/14
Paid for by Maria Mendelsberg for Cherry Hills Village City Council District 2
Still Fighting For: ★ Jobs and the economy ★ Responsible education funding ★ Increasing public safety ★ Our most vulnerable citizens
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John Carson for CU Regent John is committed to:
Affordability cap tuition increases at the rate of Colorado family income growth Intellectual diversity on the faculty Efficiency in the budget Highest academic standards Paid for by Carson for CU Regent
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By Peter Jones The hopefuls in state House District 37 shared more than political ambition at an Oct. 7 candidate forum sponsored by Developmental Pathways, a nonprofit agency serving people with developmental disabilities in Arapahoe and Douglas counties. “Our family has benefited from this organization. It hits very close to home,” said Jack Tate, the Republican seeking the Centennial-based seat. The candidate introduced his wife Kathleen and 12-year-old son Joey, who as a newborn required emergency surgery due to a rare heart condition. “Unfortunately, he experienced a lack of oxygen for quite some time,” Kathleen said. “When he was 15 months of age, Joey couldn’t speak, couldn’t walk, couldn’t eat.” Then Kathleen’s sister-in-law referred her to Developmental Pathways, which since 1964 has delivered a broad range of services based on the principle that full inclusion in community life is attainable for everyone. “[Joey] has benefited from early childhood intervention. He had speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and is now able to do all those things,” Kathleen said. Later when District 37’s Democratic candidate Nancy Cronk took the podium, she shared her own experience raising three sons with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, dyslexia and autism, respectively. “When I graduated from college, the first thing I did was I ran a group home for 16 people with developmental disabilities,” Cronk said. “That was a very, very long time ago when all the terms were different and we were facing very different issues. But my heart has always stayed with people who need a stronger voice.” The sentiment was echoed by incumbent state Rep. Daniel Kagan, the Cherry Hills Village Democrat seeking re-election in House District 3. “When a family member has some form of disability,” Kagan said, “that is the time when a civilized society gathers around and says, how can we help … and support and value those in our so-
State Rep. Daniel Kagan, D-Cherry Hills Village, addresses disabled voters and their families during an Oct. 7 candidate forum at Cherry Creek High School sponsored by Developmental Pathways. ciety who are struggling with the disability?” Kagan, Tate and Cronk were among about 20 candidates for the state legislature in Arapahoe and Douglas counties who were invited to the forum to interact directly with members of the disabled community. Melanie Worley, CEO of Developmental Pathways and a former Douglas County commissioner, organized the forum at Cherry Creek High School in partnership with The Arc of Arapahoe and Douglas counties. Kagan’s Republican challenger, Candace Benge, was among the local candidates of both parties who did not attend the forum. “In the past two years, our legislators have been very, very responsive to the needs [of the disabled community],” Worley said. “It’s extremely important for all of us to work in partnership with our legislators … by providing opportunities [for the disabled] to live full lives.” The outreach to an oftenunderserved voting block was enough to take many of the candidates off script for an evening. Kagan, in particular, was impassionate about the disabled community. “One thing I’ve noticed is if someone cannot see, they can often hear much better than those of us who can,” he told the group. “If someone can’t speak, they can often express love and affection much more easily.”
Kathleen Tate, wife of state House District 37 Republican candidate Jack Tate, introduces the couple’s 12-year-old son Joey at last week’s candidate forum for the disabled. As a newborn, Joey suffered disability after losing oxygen due to a rare heart condition. Photos by Peter Jones
Even politics as usual seemed to fall by the wayside as some of the politicians in the room were inspired by the stories of their differently-abled constituents. “[Tate is] a nice man and he has a beautiful family, so whatever your choice in this race, I think you’re going to have a good choice,” she said. “Isn’t it refreshing to see people running against each other who actually get along and respect each other?” Developmental Pathways cited a recent poll of disabled voters and their household families that showed those voters’ chief interests were employment, long-term support and Medicaid. They were least interested in guns, immigration and marijuana.
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