June ’23 Letters To The Editor
What John Lewis Would Say
“A body at rest tends to remain at rest unless acted upon by an outside force.”
These are the words of the great English scientist Sir Isaac Newton that comprise one of his Three Laws of Motion, which may be used to describe the low participation rate of 38 percent of registered voters in Districts 8 and 9 in the April 4 election. Too many bodies at rest.
We all know that voting is important, but nevertheless it requires us to expend a bit of energy to do so. While some states are making it more difficult to vote, the aim in Colorado is to make it as easy, safe and secure as possible. If you are not yet registered or need to reregister (perhaps you moved or changed your name), you should Google “Voter Registration in Colorado,” click on Vote.gov and follow the prompts to begin the registration process.
Once registered you will then be sent a ballot for the June 6 election. You may drop your completed and signed ballot at one of several drop boxes located throughout the city. It must be returned by June 6 at 7 p.m.
While it is improper to tell others how to vote, you may assist them in registering, filling out their ballot, (sign the appropriate area on the ballot if you do so), and carrying it for them to a drop box or mailbox.
Let that outside force that was mentioned earlier be the memory of the late congressman and civil rights leader John Lewis, who nearly lost his life in 1965 from a severe beating by Alabama State Police at a voting rights march at the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama. Were he still with us, his concise message would be, “VOTE!”
Frank Tapy, Park Hill
Nobody Gets His Vote
There is a grassroots campaign underway to skip a vote on the pick for mayor — even as you do vote for your choice on the city council. Not voting for mayor, and returning your ballot would create an “under vote” for those who are worried about out of state donations and the problems the two candidates are having distinguishing each other’s policies from their own. Both candidates on the June 6 ballot combined failed to appeal to 56 percent of the voters in the first round. Since there is little difference and no mayoral candidate appealing to 56 percent of the votes, the only way to express our disappointment and no vote seems a reasonable one for those of us who fight for our neighborhoods against a series of tone-deaf mayors. The winner might interpret the under votes as our disappointment.
Tom Morris, Cheesman Park
The Time Is Now
The runoff election for Denver mayor is on June 6 and we have two candidates with some clear differences.
Years ago, I was a council aide for longtime Park Hill resident, At-large Councilwoman Carol Boigon. In this position, I saw firsthand the complexities of our city operations, which have now grown to a more than $3 billion budget and 14,000 employees. Being mayor is an executive-level job for someone with deep experience and understanding of city operations and budget. Kelly Brough worked at the city level, in a full range of positions, from an on-call snowplow driver out at the old Stapleton Airport, to the head of human resources, to chief of staff for then-Mayor Hickenlooper. She knows Denver, and she not only has detailed plans, but she also has the ability to implement them.
I was on a community steering committee for two years during the creation of a proposed plan for the development of Park Hill Golf Course. In fact, I was in favor of the development. However, voters have spoken clearly about what they want and what they don’t want, and Kelly was the first of the two candidates to meet with SOS leaders and to commit to following the will of the voters and to work to buy the Park Hill Golf Course land.
Finally, let’s make history. We have a fully qualified, capable, female candidate who would break the 164-year streak (!!) of male mayors. The time is now. Vote for Kelly Brough.
Lisa M. Zoeller, Park Hill resident and Kelly Brough for Mayor volunteer
Save Open Space Denver’s Post-Election Statement
Editor’s note: On May 3, the group Save Open Space Denver issued the following position statement after Denver voters rejected by a near 2-1 margin the proposal for a massive development of the Park Hill Golf Course land.
For the third time since November of 2021 (Yes 301 and No 302 and No 2 O), voters in the City and County of Denver have sent a decisive message in overwhelming fashion that they wish to guarantee the open space and recreational future of the Park Hill Golf Course land. As the leaders of this multi-year fight, Save Open Space Denver feels it is our responsibility to lay out the principles that should guide any future discussions regarding this invaluable land. We expect the following:
1. That future city leaders will respect and honor the conservation easement and its conservation purposes of providing open space and recreation to the people of Denver.
2. That open space and recreation are the only legal and appropriate uses for this land.
3. If Westside Investment Partners chooses not to re-open golf operations, that city leaders will facilitate the city’s purchase of the property for a designated city park at its fair market value (as encumbered by the easement) by using funds from the Referred Measure 2A 0.25% sales tax revenues.
4. That the newly elected mayor engage a wide range of unpaid Denver community volunteers in a measured and thoughtful planning process to define a broad outline of features and amenities that will activate the land consistent with the conservation easement’s open space and recreational purposes.
5. That the outgoing administration will respect the next administration’s ability to fully take on this once-in-a-generation opportunity to strengthen our parks system by refraining from any type of intervention in this process before July 17.
6. That full appraisals of the property will be conducted to determine its fair market value both with the conservation easement in place and without the conservation easement in place.
7. That the incoming administration will comply with state law in its future dealings with the protected land.
8. That the newly elected mayor and city council will repeal the small area plan approved on Dec. 5, 2022, in accordance with the voters’ rejection of Measure 2 O.
— Save Open Space Denver
We love your letters, and give preference to those that address an issue that has been covered in the newspaper, or a topic that is Park Hill or Denver-specific. Send letters to editor@greaterparkhill.org, and include your full name, and the neighborhood in which you live. Deadlines are the 15th of each month, for the following month’s issue.