Letters, May 22: Benefits commissioners; Survey; What's the rush?
- Stop the Power Grab
- May 23
- 6 min read
Updated: Jun 5
Letters to the editor at Colorado Community Media, May 22, 2025
Home rule is all for commissioners
I am an active voter of 22 years in Douglas County who has been piecing together information from various sources to understand home rule and what it would mean for Douglas County. The article published 5/12/25 (Debate grows over scope, speed of Douglas County’s home-rule plan) mentioned a key point that I hope more voters will consider.
Only two of 64 Colorado counties (Weld and Pitkin) have established home rule. In both cases, residents in the 1970s (for those of us who remember the 70s, that’s half a century ago) initiated and mandated charters after they became frustrated with their local governments.
In Weld and Pitkin, home rule was an action of the people, by the people, and for the people — exactly the way democracy is supposed to work. By contrast, in Douglas County, home rule has been initiated by sitting county commissioners – an action of the commissioners, by the commissioners, and for the commissioners. Home rule is an example of government taking action to give government more power. That’s a big red flag for me.
On top of initiating the home rule issue, all three Douglas County commissioners have included themselves as at-large candidates for the Charter Commission. They are three of seven at-large candidates, and voters select — three. This seems to be a significant conflict of interest and creates additional opportunity for self-dealing. Of, by, and for the people? Or of, by, and for the commissioners? The answer is clear here.
The 5/12 CCM article reported that Weld County’s citizen-initiated home rule process involved multiple opportunities for public input with 45 meetings spanning over seven months. By contrast, Douglas County’s process is happening in less than half that time and with commissioners offering only a single town hall for questions and discussion before the June election. Of, by, and for the people? Or of, by, and for the commissioners? Again, the answer is clear.
In my efforts to learn about home rule, I’ve found other reasons to vote against it. This one is the most glaring. I have decided to run for the Charter Commission in District 3 to represent the people of my district if home rule passes. I urge voters to vote no on home rule in the June 24 election. In that same election, in case the home rule initiative passes, my name will be on your ballot for District 3. I would be honored to earn your vote.
Michael Lees
Highlands Ranch
Home Rule - Survey doesn't say
Regarding the news story “Debate grows over scope, speed of Douglas County’s home-rule plan”:
Spoiler alert: Douglas County commissioners are spending $500,000 to advance a “priority” that was ranked dead last in a 2023 survey in which only 0.2% of Douglas County voters responded.
Douglas County commissioners have asserted that 79% of Douglas County voters see home rule as an important priority. Analysis of the DC 2023 Voter Opinion Poll raises serious questions about the commissioners’ transparency on that point for two critical reasons.
First, that statistic comes from a survey of a scant 760 voters who responded to the 2023 survey; those 760 voters represent a mere 0.2% of Douglas County’s 314,780 voters. The commissioners don’t want you to know that they’re spending half a million dollars based on a survey of 0.2% of Douglas County voters.
But it gets worse.
Even if we accept the results of a survey with such a small and likely unrepresentative sample of voters, home rule was at the very bottom of a list of four different goals or objectives that survey respondents rated as priorities for county officials. Here’s the full list of priorities and their rankings:
96% — An adequate water supply that meets the long term needs of county residents.
89% — Better mental health programs that are easier to access.
83% — More facilities and fields for youth sports and adult recreation.
79% — Greater home rule, that is, more independence from state controls over county administration.
To be clear, the commissioners are spending $500,000 on a special election to push forward a “priority” that was ranked dead last in their survey of 0.2% of Douglas County’s voters.
Survey results like these should never be used to make decisions for the entire county. Instead, they might be an impetus to engage more constituents on the issues of highest priority. However, the commissioners are doing the polar opposite — not asking for greater input from constituents on the issues but instead pushing forward with their own pet political priority despite the fact that it was ranked dead last by (a small percentage of) their constituents.
And that’s what the commissioners don’t want voters to know — that they are pursuing their own political priorities, not the priorities of the people. Why aren’t the commissioners sharing these details? Why did they turn the lowest priority of a tiny percentage of voters into a $500,000 taxpayer-funded special election?
Dawn Caldwell
Highlands Ranch
Home Rule - what's the rush?
Douglas County is the home to 393,995 residents as of 2024. And each of these people has chosen Douglas County to be their home for assorted reasons. Home rule is not necessarily a bad thing. Only these three commissioners, Ken Van Winkle, Abe Laydon and George Teal behind closed doors, have decided to implement home rule for 393,995 residents that live in Douglas County.
However, this is “our” home. Shouldn’t there be open meetings, surveys, our voices, our views, our votes, for how this would be implemented (really the details of your plan) and is home rule really needed or not? So, what is the primary need to rush this home rule? Usually, the process begins with a citizen petition, drafting a charter, meaningful public input, with transparency and a community-led process.
On the website Colorado Politics the reason stated for having home rule was to maintain conservative “Republican principles.”
We have lived in Douglas County for almost 50 years and have watched Douglas County grow beyond the many open fields that are now housing developments, shopping malls and businesses. With this growth I am quite sure the Douglas County commissioners have had numerous challenges and opportunities as to how and to whom this growth has taken place. I have been to your meetings when as a citizen of Douglas County, we questioned one of “your” projects and it was quite clear our voices and concerns meant nothing. You have had home rule for all the years we have lived here so do you just want a crown now?
So, my question to the commissioners is what are your conservative Republican principles that need to have home rule now? Spell them out with complete transparency for all 393,995 (2024) residents to see and have open discussions regarding this rush behind closed doors home rule.
Tomorrow’s future includes inclusiveness. Commissioners are elected to serve all 393,995 residents of Douglas County. The citizens of Douglas County also need to vote for these commissioners. It’s about time for this to happen!
Sharon Hoery
Highlands Ranch
Oppose home rule
Home rule is being rushed through Douglas County without meaningful public input, transparency, or a clear understanding of its long-term consequences. While it allows counties to write their own charters, this “local constitution” could radically alter how elections are run, how taxes are managed, and how much say residents truly have.
Of Colorado’s 64 counties, only two adopted home rule — both in the 1970s. Douglas County already functions effectively without it. So why the sudden urgency?
Commissioners Teal, Van Winkle, and Laydon are fast-tracking a process that normally takes a year into just a few months, spending $500,000 in taxpayer money with no community vote or consultation. They are operating behind closed doors.
This effort risks concentrating power, reducing accountability, and weakening public oversight. Vague charter language could allow the commissioners to appoint allies, dissolve independent boards, and reshape government in ways that benefit a few — not the public.
Douglas County deserves thoughtful governance, not a hasty power grab. Vote no on home rule on June 24.
Kelly Mayr
Highlands Ranch
Vote against home rule
As a previous elected official from a home rule city, I saw the benefits of having that status to benefit our community. In a county that has many separate governing bodies to be dictated by three commissioners doesn’t make sense. Is this a Republican ploy to take a page from Trump and force their agenda on local communities and taxing agencies? Voting no on home rule for the county is common sense.
Dave Usechek
Parker
Support Van de Water for commission
On June 24, Douglas County residents, including myself, will decide whether to establish a Home Rule Commission. Candidates for the commission will also be elected on that date. With great enthusiasm I support Gordon Van de Water for the Home Rule Commission. His experience, management skills, and ability to bring people together make him an excellent candidate for the commission.
Libby Bortz, LCSW
Highlands Ranch
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