Polis at Political Risk with Proposition HH

State Sens. Julie Gonzales and Bob Gardner, Photo: Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite

In the last week of this legislative session, Governor Polis and Democrats fashioned a complex solution to a pending property tax increase in 2024. It will appear on the ballot this November. The Magellan polling firm just completed a 662 voter poll that showed an initial reading of Proposition HH had 54 percent voter support. But providing additional information about it saw support decline to 43 percent and opposition rise to 46 percent from 34 (see table – Second Read). Even after providing additional information, the confusion continued; more than 70 percent of voters were basically uncertain on the highly complex ballot proposition.

READ Colorado Politics: Polis' property tax ballot measure is a toss-up

Inflation and Housing Top Concerns for Coloradoans

Photo: Andy Colwell 2021

A new statewide survey of 2,600 Colorado residents for the Colorado Trust shows cost of living and its associated problems of housing affordability and homelessness are the top concerns of Coloradoans. Renters and minorities were the most worried about affording their apartments and homes.

Crime and public safety were also in the top five of serious problems.

Like most polls in the U.S., the sorry state of politics and government was high on the list.

READ Denver Post: Nearly half of Colorado renters fear losing housing because of costs, new survey finds

Colorado’s Civic Contributors

For a community to thrive it needs a marketplace of civic activists and leaders, people who within their neighborhoods, communities and professions, feel a responsibility to make things better. Three of Colorado’s civic contributors who I had the privilege of knowing have just passed from the scene – Bob Ewegen, Kay Pride, and Kathy Farley.

	Bob Ewegen Bob was a longtime editorial writer at the Denver Post. He was an archive of state history and political lore. His special strength was knowledge of natural resources, the state’s water, mining, farms, ranches and land use. We taught together at CU Denver campus graduate school media and public policy, and he told the greatest antidotes on how to write an editorial that could make a difference for a candidate or ballot issue.
	Kay Pride Kay believed public relations was a profession that required accuracy, attention to detail and frequent follow-up. She represented Mountain Bell, Jefferson County schools, including during Columbine, and the Jefferson County Library. She lived in and loved Denver’s civic life such as the City Club, its Park Hill and Cherry Creek neighborhoods, and its opera culture. Kay was a Denver treasure. She and I worked on numerous polls for her communication projects.
	Kathy Farley Kathy worked with a group of women and others to make Pueblo a better place for its residents her entire adult life. She served in elected office but mostly was a behind-the-scenes activist. My last contract was joining her at a League of Women Voters talk on politics, her favorite topic.

Ukraine Will Join NATO

President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, right, with G7 leaders at the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, on Wednesday.Credit...Doug Mills/The New York Times

At the NATO summit in Vilnius, Ukraine received more military aid and a commitment to join, but it had conditions that disappointed President Zelensky. However, it was the position that had a consensus. The summit also welcomed two new members, Finland and Sweden (soon). NATO became stronger and disunity in Russia’s government more apparent.

Boebert Goes Full MAGA

Boebert and Trump Jr. in Pueblo, CO | Photo: The Peublo Chieftain

Boebert and Trump Jr. in Pueblo

Pueblo loves politicians to pay attention to it, and Lauren Boebert in a fight for her political life, intends on targeting it. She helped bring Donald Trump Jr. to a crowd of 700 roaring fans to what was billed the Grand Old Party Freedom Fest. The Colorado State Fair hall was filled with MAGA paraphernalia, and the speakers played the greatest hits on immigration, Hunter Biden and transgender rights.

Boebert has rejected moving to a more centrist position and instead headed straight to full MAGA–Impeach Biden direction. And the presidential frontrunner is endorsing her in spite of Taylor Green’s “little b_ _ _ ” fight.

Boebert only won her last election by 546 votes and lost Pueblo County by about 4,300. (She nearly broke even in 2020.) To survive, she needs every possible Pueblo and surrounding rural area vote. Her main opponent, Adam Frisch, running again after his close loss, raised $2.6 million in the last quarter of fundraising.

In April, I asked if this could be Boebert’s last term. She’s in the fight and Pueblo will get the attention it likes.

RELATED: https://fciruli.blogspot.com/2023/04/boeberts-last-term.html