Campaign Launch -and- August Newsletter
We hope you are having an amazing summer! One free of the smoke and dryness of the last 3! We are loving the consistent monsoon and the flowers and lush hillsides it provides. And with that, let’s get movin’!
BIG NEWS!
Council has spent a few months debating a measure that would move local elections to even years and TONIGHT they’re going to put this on the ballot! We cannot emphasize how important this is for local democracy and representation. Democracy works best when all our voices are heard. Or as Michelle Obama puts it “When we all vote, we get new ideas and new energy. We get leaders who share our values and listen to our voices.”
A Boulder City Council elected by 90% of the voters will be a council more representative of the community they serve than one elected by only 50% of the people. When you fill out your ballot this fall help spread democracy by voting YES to move elections to even years. Tune in to council this Thursday to hear the public comments on this and other council-initiated ballot measures, and check out the group supporting the even-year elections campaign.
Awesome:
The Boulder Library Champions have successfully petitioned onto the ballot for November, for a measure that would bring sustainable funding to one of our region’s most beloved institutions. With Canyon Theater closed, Carnegie Library closed, NoBo library on shortened hours, and the BLDG 61 Makerspace open only 2 days a week, the library is underfunded and pandemic budget cuts by the city have exacerbated the problem.
The library district measure has secured endorsements from Boulder County NAACP, Boulder Area Labor Council, State Senate President Steve Fenberg, State Representative Judy Amabile, the majority of the BVSD school board, city council, and many more.
The Champions are in fundraising mode, and they’re also offering these amazing t-shirts! Support a great cause AND show your library love! Other ways to support and learn about the campaign can be found on the Champions website.
Not Awesome:
We’re not surprised, but it still comes off as out-of-touch, when Boulder’s conservative leaders Sam Weaver and (till recently, Republican) Bob Yates, are already calling for elections to remain low turnout affairs despite all the known social and racial good that such a move would result in. What could they possibly be afraid of? That their issues can only win if fewer people vote? Now what national party does that remind us of? Our friend Doug Hamilton had thoughts on this (note: paywall).
Sadly we have to double up in the Not Awesome, category this month…
In a rare, controversial move, Boulder’s Colorado House District 10 seat was vacated after the primary and before the general election. So instead of the people being able to choose a new representative, the party will do so. Amongst others, both Mayor Aaron Brockett and Councilmember Junie Joseph have come forward to run for this seat, but there has been some inequitable public treatment of Councilmember Joseph we want to call out.
The xenophobia Councilmember Joseph (the only Black woman and immigrant in the running) has received, is disgusting. We’ve seen how white supremacy has become an organizing principle of the Republican party, but liberal spaces like Boulder can also perpetuate a culture of exclusion, particularly when they are majority-white. While we’re not taking a position on the closed-door HD10 race, we call on those who uphold anti-racism principles to do better at not only preventing such racist vitriol from happening, but naming and shaming when it does.
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As always, find us on our social channels for the latest news and views.
Till next time,
BP
