Better Boulder offers the following endorsements for the November 2018 ballot:
RTD Board of Directors – District O – Lynn Guissinger
Better Boulder is pleased to endorse Lynn Gussinger for RTD District O representative. Lynn has served on Boulder’s Transportation Advisory Board, including 2 years as chair. She owns a bicycle publishing business in Boulder. Lynn has a keen understanding of transportation issues and directly aligns with Better Boulder on transportation, including promoting bicycling and transit. Lynn shares Better Boulder’s commitment to making Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) along 119 (the Diagonal), 287 and SH7 (Arapahoe) a top priority for RTD. We are confident Lynn will work hard to move these project forward. Continued issues Boulder has with RTD are the Ecopass (availability and pricing), frequency of bus services and increased bike capacity on buses. Better Boulder looks forward to having Lynn as Boulder’s advocate on the RTD board to tackle these issues.
Boulder County Commissioner – Matt Jones
Better Boulder works to create and enhance sustainable, well-designed affordable housing and infill redevelopment as part of the effort to reduce our impact on the climate. We are environmentalists, and our mission reflects that strongly-held core belief. Matt Jones has been a champion on environmental issues during his distinguished legislative career serving 14 years in the Colorado State legislature. In addition, his 18 years of experience as a planner and manager for City of Boulder Open Space will be an asset in working with citizens and effectively managing the County. Matt has pledged to work toward the Boulder County Regional Housing Partnership’s goals of 12 % permanently below market rate housing by 2035, employing housing strategies that realign regulatory processes and promote redevelopment prioritizing diverse housing. Matt is also committed to multi modal transportation improvements as detailed in the Transportation Master plan, including the continued construction of safe bicycle facilities throughout the County. Matt has been an excellent listener and a strong collaborator and we look forward to working together on housing and transportation issues to support his vision for a thriving, vibrant Boulder County.
City of Boulder2H – Expand Housing Advisory Commission to Seven Members – OPPOSE
Better Boulder supports changing the city charter term “sex” to the more inclusive “gender identity,” and would wholeheartedly endorse it as a stand-alone charter change on the ballot. We do not, however, support adding members to the city’s housing and other advisory commissions. We are particularly troubled that a truly progressive element is bundled together with changes that appear designed to further consolidate power to the growth-averse majority on Council. In principle, appointing seven members instead of five on city advisory commissions could diversify the demographics, life experience and political views represented. Since expanding the number will not promote broader representation if council simply appointments more like-minded members, we would rather see diversity achieved through mindful appointments with the current five-member scenario.
Amendment 74-Compensation to Owners for Decreased Property Value – OPPOSE
Vote NO on A-74! Of all the measures to make it to the ballot this year, this wins the prize for most insidious. Billed as safeguarding private property and funded by Oil and Gas industry dollars, Amendment 74 is dangerously broad and would have sweeping consequences. If passed, this measure would constrain the ability of state and local governments to regulate activities on any private property. It could effectively paralyze local government due to lawsuits challenging programs, projects, rules, policies, or zonings. Further it would make it extremely difficult for the state or any local government to address community concerns such as environmental health and safety, and any action taken could become the subject of expensive lawsuits and cost taxpayers millions of dollars. Please join us in voting NO.
Proposition 109- State Transportation Bonding Measure – OPPOSE
We ask that you vote NO on Proposition 109. The initiative, brought forward by the Independence Institute, asks voters to approve a bonding measure without identifying a new stable source of revenue to pay it back. Better Boulder feels that this is an extremely irresponsible way to run government. The measure specifically excludes any funding for transit projects and multi-modal options. What’s more it would potentially decrease the limited amount of money CDOT has available to maintain its existing transportation system. Vote NO on Prop 109.
Proposition 110- State Transportation Sales Tax – SUPPORT
Here’s a transportation measure we do like. Proposition 110 would increase the state sales tax by 0.62% for twenty years to increase funding for state and local transportation. The list of projects to be built with the new revenues would greatly benefit Boulder’s mobility options and reflect the work of the Northwest Area Mobility Study, by improving the Diagonal Highway, State Highway 7, State Highway 287, and State Highway 42, as well as many of our local needs. This is a forward-looking initiative that allows flexibility and local control to help point us towards a safe, modern and effective transportation system now and in the future. Projects that would benefit Boulder County are outlined in Resolution 2018-88.