Johnston’s Bond Package Facing Challenges

Park Hill Golf Course Photo via Colordo Golf

Denver voters will be asked on November 4th to vote on a $935 million five bond package for buildings, roads, bridges, parks, and recreational centers/libraries. Over the last twenty years, Denver mayors have won voter approval for many bond packages, often at or in excess of half a billion dollars but not without challenges, and this year they are formidable.

Denver voters are concerned about the economy and especially the cost of living, and feeling powerless to stop or influence the direction of the national government.

• Economic uncertainty has people cautious about their finances and especially concerned with the cost of living.
• Denver’s city government is in financial hard times exacerbated by the federal government causing a budget shortfall, a hiring freeze and layoffs.
• The mayor, two years into his term, is dealing with a down economy, poor city financials and considerable criticism from various civic factions. Polls show his approval rating is low. In 2024, his affordable housing proposal lost a city-wide vote.
• The bond package assemblage process and major elements received criticism from various stakeholders, especially city council.

A view of the Park Hill Golf Course in northeast Denver, which closed in 2018. Photo via Colorado News Online

However, Denver city government and various interest groups will conduct a major campaign, or even several. Early polling is positive. The Denver Post has endorsed it and a major theme is repairing and investing in what Denver has. History suggests it should pass even handily, but many observers today are cautious.

Eddie Robinson, the Nicest Guy

Edward A. “Eddie” Robinson

Barry Hirschfeld said it best:

“Eddie was the sweetest... he didn’t have a mean bone in his body. In the almost six decades we worked together in the Jewish and secular community, he always showed up. He was always there to help, regardless of whether the need was large or small. He will be sorely missed by all who were fortunate enough to know him and call him a friend.” Barry Hirschfeld, JEWISHcolorado Lifetime Achievement Award recipient and founding leader of Colorado cultural funding organization, the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District.

Eddie was a long-time president and member of the Denver Zoological Foundation board and a stalwart supporter of Denver and Colorado’s tourism, hospitality and cultural organizations, including the nationally recognized SCFD.

Eddie will be missed.

Peña Administration 1983–1991 Honored

The Denver City Council officially recognized the accomplishments of Federico Peña and his administration with a proclamation on August 25.

In attendance and in the picture were David Miller, David Greenberg, Tom Gougeon, Steve Katich, Happy Haynes, Catherine Archuleta, Zeik Saidman, Steve Kaplan, and many others.

A great team.

Is Denver’s News Leader in Crisis?

The Denver NBC affiliate 9News in located on the corner of Speer and Logan in Denver, Colorado. (Google maps) via The Colorado Sun

Channel 9 Denver, Colorado’s TV news leader for decades, has been purchased by a larger, conservative news group, Nexstar. In the Denver market, Nexstar owns Fox News 31 and Channel 2.

Many observers believe 9 News will change but carefully. It is a potent, valuable brand in the Denver market. Some of the changes won’t happen for a year or more given regulatory and litigation delays. The attrition of staff and talent looking for other jobs or stepping-up retirement is the biggest concern of 9 News management. They are trying to reduce this by urging calm.

(L to R) Floyd Ciruli, Amb. Chris Hill, former 9News political reporter Brandon Rittiman and 9News anchor Kyle Clark

I worked with 9 News for 3 decades starting in 1987 with Ed Sardella, Mike Landess, Paula Woodward and Ward Lucas. Then Adele Arakawa, Gary Shapiro, Mark Koebrich, Kyle Dryer, Kim Christiansen, and many others. I provided political commentary, especially for elections, and with Ciruli Associates, polling in partnership with KOA radio and the Rocky Mountain News. The political commentary continued into the new century working with political reporters Adam Schrager, Brandon Rittiman and anchor Kyle Clark.

RELATED:
Colorado Is a Great State to Watch Politics June 17, 2022
9News Balance of Power: Enemies Foreign and Domestic? March 16, 2015

Denver Food Court - C Concourse

From left to right: Bar Dough, ChoLon, and La Casita

Marczyk, ChoLon, Bar Dough, Smashburger, and the anchor, La Casita. The C Concourse is a hometown food court and great fun for Denverites returning.

Polar Bear SCFD

The Denver Zoo’s earliest and most renowned exhibit held for a Rocky Mountain Brown Bear. In 1918, the Zoo built Bear Mountain, one of the nation’s first naturalist animal exhibits, no bars. Just as the 1988 campaign for the newly conceived SCFD (Scientific & Cultural Facilities District) began, the Zoo opened Northern Shores, a popular polar bear exhibit. A regional poll showed that polar bears are an especially popular animal, so the campaign retained the Zoo’s design artist to create the SCFD bear logo, a version of which has been with the campaigns and the district’s marketing ever since

The LA County Fire Will Super Charge Wildfire Awareness

Lahaina and Pacific Palisades fires

Wildfires in California, because of their scale, duration, and frequency, are high in the public’s awareness. But now, due to the Pacific Palisades, Eaton and other LA County fires, public attention is riveted on the fires and concern about wildfire will be at an all-time high.

In Orange County, an August 2023 poll on wildfires showed that wildfire was judged the number one county environmental problem by half the public. But after the news reporting of the Lahaina fire on Maui on August 8, the wildfire response jumped 11 percentage points and moved wildfires ahead of drought/water supply, as the top environmental problem.

Statewide, the latest PPIC poll shows wildfire now the top environmental concern of residents, ahead of drought and water supply, which lead the list in 2023.

If extreme weather events such as wildfire continue, public concern and desire to do more to prevent and contain wildfire will increase.

The survey concerning fire prevention and mitigation was conducted for an association of Orange County fire agencies and conservation groups by Ciruli Associates with YouGov America. The survey of 1000 residents was conducted from July 20 to August 27, 2023. A total of 573 interviews were conducted before the fire was reported on August 8, 2023, and 427 after. It had a margin of error of ±4.8 percentage points at the 95 percent confidence level.

REALTED:
Wildfire – California and Orange Counties Top Environmental Concern August 7, 2025