We are blessed to live in one of the best places anywhere. But even as great as Boulder County is, we still face a number of urgent challenges. I am committed to working with you to forge innovative solutions to these problems so that our county continues to be a wonderful place to work, play and call home.
When the rain began falling on September 11, 2013, no one knew that this unprecedented storm would ultimately result in more than $2 billion in damages, with thousands of homes and more than 150 miles of roads damaged or destroyed, as well as the tragic loss of four lives. Since then the County has focused significant staff time and resources towards helping flood victims get back on their feet, rebuilding infrastructure and roads, and restoring our creeks. This multi-year effort will likely continue through 2018 and ultimately cost Boulder County more than $280 million, a price tag that will be paid back though federal and state reimbursements, County coffers and local taxpayer contributions. As a commissioner, I am committed to completing the County’s recovery from this devastating event, and ensuring that we rebuild in a resilient way that will leave us safer and better prepared for future disasters.
Accomplishments since 2013:
- Recognizing that the available resources were insufficient, the Boulder County Commissioners put a sales tax measure on the November 2014 ballot – which County voters generously supported – to generate $45 million to fast-track flood recovery efforts like providing housing to flood victims and rebuilding washed out roads.
- In the aftermath of the flood, more than 1,100 people were evacuated from the mountains by air, the multiple Disaster Assistance Centers around the County provided services to 1,879 households, 30 miles of temporary roads were built to provide immediate access and more than 7,850 truckloads of debris were removed from creeks and roadways.
Having a safe and affordable home is one of the most important elements of achieving personal security and self-sufficiency. Unfortunately, while rents and housing prices have skyrocketed since the economic recovery, wages and incomes have not, creating an affordable housing crisis in Boulder County and beyond. The median single-family home price in the county had risen to nearly $500,000 in 2013, as compared to a national median of less than $175,000, making the cost of housing a challenge not just for low income residents but middle class families as well. The result is that in 2013, almost two-thirds of renters and a third of homeowners in Boulder County spent more than the recommended 30% of their income on housing. While there is no silver bullet solution to this complex and far-reaching challenge, I believe through strategic investment and regional collaboration we can make much-needed progress. The County should work with our nonprofit partners to continue and expand our housing programs, including providing affordable housing units, distributing short term rental assistance, and providing housing and financial counseling services, e.g., to prevent foreclosures. Working together with our local municipalities, the County should identify appropriate sites where we can construct additional affordable housing projects that are accessible to transit and fit well with surrounding neighborhoods, building on the success of our recent Josephine Commons and Aspinwall projects. This includes permanently supportive housing for the chronically homeless.
Accomplishments since 2013:
- Boulder County’s Housing Authority completed two affordable housing projects – Josephine Commons and Aspinwall in Lafayette – and started another – Kestrel in Louisville, which combined will house more than 500 low income residents and seniors.
- The County worked with the Consortium of Cities, which includes all of the municipalities in Boulder County, to commission a study in 2015 to identify the barriers to the development of permanently supportive housing for the chronically homeless, potential regulatory solutions for overcoming these obstacles and potential sites within the County to locate supportive housing.
Climate change is the urgent challenge of our generation. From more frequent and intense droughts and wildfires to an increase in extreme weather events like our September 2013 flood, Boulder County already knows firsthand the impacts of a warming climate. While ultimately the climate crisis must be addressed globally, local governments and individuals play an important role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and catalyzing the political will and public education needed to move our society away from an energy system based on burning fossil fuels to one dependent upon clean energy sources like wind and solar. At the state and federal level, I support establishing a carbon tax and increasing the percentage of electricity we get from renewable sources to 100% as quickly as possible. We must continue and expand Boulder County’s award-winning EnergySmart program to help thousands more home and business owners install energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements. We also need to transition away from gasoline-burning cars and trucks to electric vehicles by installing fast-charging refueling stations at convenient locations and securing rebates and discounts that reduce vehicle costs.
Accomplishments since 2013:
- Through innovative pooled purchase programs launched by Boulder County, local residents purchased more than 230 Nissan Leaf electric cars and installed 648 kW of residential rooftop solar at a significant discount between Fall 2015-Spring 2016.
- Boulder County partnered with other local government allies to create Colorado Communities for Climate Action, a coalition composed of counties and municipalities around the state that will advocate for climate friendly policies at the state legislature and key agencies.
In addition to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, sustainability efforts can save consumers money, support the local economy, improve air and water quality and save precious natural resources. Since 2005, Boulder County’s Sustainability Initiative has reduced the environmental footprint of county government and provided key services to County residents and businesses. As a commissioner, I have championed these efforts and will work to secure a long-term source of funding to continue and expand these programs, in partnership with all of the communities in the County.
Accomplishments since 2013:
- An independent review of Boulder County’s sustainability programs found that for every dollar invested, our community has received $5 worth of benefits, including more than $35 million in direct savings to residents and businesses, $62 million reinvested into the community and the creation of more than 185 jobs.
- Since its creation, our EnergySmart program has helped more than 14,000 residents and 3,800 business owners assess the energy performance of their buildings and install money-saving improvements such as insulation, solar panels, efficient appliances, water-conserving fixtures and zero waste practices.
- Opened in August 2015, Boulder County’s new St. Vrain Community Hub is the first-ever County-owned LEED Platinum Building (and the first LEED Platinum building in Longmont) and was given the coveted U.S. Green Building Council’s Colorado 2015 Commercial Real Estate Greenest Building Award (the only building in the state to receive this award for 2015).
- The Boulder County Commissioners have put on the November 2016 ballot an extension of our current 0.25% open space sales tax, which expires at the end of 2019, for another 15 years. Issue 1B directs half of the monies, or 0.125%, to continue to be spent on acquisition and management of open space, and allows the use of bonding to pull that money forward for immediate use, while Issue 1C would direct 0.125% to sustainability, including programs on water conservation, zero waste, energy efficiency and renewable energy, local food production and multi-modal transportation.
Our quality of life and economic prosperity are greatly influenced by our ability to travel affordably, safely and conveniently to our homes, jobs and other destinations. To achieve this goal, we need an efficient, effective multi-modal transportation system that allows us to move easily throughout the County and to regional points beyond, while at the same time decreasing traffic congestion, reducing air pollution, and saving commuters time and money. I am committed to making sure the Northwest Corridor gets its fair share of transit investments from the 2004 FasTracks sales tax. I have worked hard as the County representative to the US 36 Mayors & Commissioners Coalition to support bus rapid transit (BRT) on US 36. Recognizing that much of the traffic in the County is through and along its eastern border, I also support investment in BRT on other key roadways, such as Highway 119, Highway 7 and 287. I help lead the working group to study the feasibility of a countywide Community Pass Program, which has the potential to assure affordable transportation options to every County resident and dramatically increase transit use. I also support bicycle and pedestrian projects that improve mobility and health, and help address the first and final mile challenge to accessing our transit system. Additionally, I am committed to continue working with rural subdivision residents to find an equitable and collaborative solution to the multi-million dollar challenge of how to pay for the reconstruction of subdivision roads within the County.
Accomplishments since 2013:
- After more than a decade of work by Boulder County and its partners along the US 36 corridor, the US 36 Managed Lane project opened in January 2016, with its new Flatiron Flyer BRT service, HOV carpools and a bikeway from Boulder to Denver, as well as a tolled option for single occupant vehicle users, resulting in significant increases in convenience, options and time savings for travelers in this critical corridor.
- Boulder County has pioneered the use of EcoPass and free bus programs in Lyons, Nederland and Longmont, as a way to increase transit use, provide affordable transportation options and improve the efficiency and success of the bus system by filling existing buses with passengers.
- As the chair of the Denver Regional Council of Governments (the 56 cities and counties in the greater metro area), I am working with partners across the region to enhance equitable and strategic investments in a region-wide multi-modal transportation system that harnesses the latest technological and sharing economy innovations.
- In response to a request from local citizens, the Boulder County Commission placed a measure on the November 2016 ballot, Issue 1A, to increase property taxes by 0.785 mills ($6.25 per $100,000 of home value) for 15 years for the purpose of rehabilitating local subdivision roads, as well as providing a share back to municipalities for their transportation needs.
The combination of fracking and horizontal drilling has opened up expanded oil and gas reserves, triggering major drilling projects near homes and in neighborhoods up and down the Front Range. People are rightfully concerned about the impact this intensive industrial development might have on their health, air and water quality, property values, and the quality of their day to day lives as nearby truck traffic, dust, odors and noise increase. Unfortunately, while local governments can use their local land use authority and zoning powers to regulate all other industries, from mining operations to marijuana grows to chemical plants, cities and counties are not allowed to use these same tools and powers to assure the health, safety and wellbeing of their residents when it comes to the siting and operation of oil and gas facilities. I believe this must change. In addition to transitioning to a clean energy future and the adoption of stronger statewide protections for air, water and public health, local governments should be able to go beyond state standards if they want to decide if, when and how drilling occurs within their borders based on the desires and needs of their residents and local economies.
Accomplishments since 2013:
- I helped lead the effort to extend Boulder County’s moratorium on new oil and gas development until July 2018, when important health studies are scheduled to be completed, providing us with a clearer understanding of the potential public health risks associated with oil and gas development. Unfortunately, the Colorado Supreme Court ruled against long-term moratoriums in May 2016, so we had to end this moratorium and replace it with a six-month moratorium so that we can update our regulations to ensure we have in place the strongest possible environmental and public health protections allowed under law.
- I’ve personally advocated for greater local control over oil and gas development at more than a dozen hearings and policy forums, including debating the Governor and testifying before the Colorado Oil & Gas Conservation Commission, Air Quality Control Commission and Governor’s Oil & Gas Task Force multiple times.
Our scenic mountain vistas and pastoral landscapes are a defining element of Boulder County, integral to our way of life and the health of our local economy. These special lands are home to our abundant wildlife, provide buffers between our unique communities, support our agricultural heritage, attract visitors and residents, and give us wonderful places to recreate and connect with nature. Through the generosity of our voters and their repeated approval of dedicated open space sales taxes, Boulder County has been able to secure protection of more than 103,000 acres of open space and conservation easements. I believe it’s critical that we continue this enduring legacy by purchasing the remaining parcels of key open space, ensuring proper management and stewardship of these lands, and providing trail access where appropriate so that current residents and future generations can enjoy these beautiful places.
Accomplishments since 2013:
- Over the last three years, Boulder County has safeguarded nearly 5,000 more acres of open space, including a 1,500-acre conservation easement on the Tolland Ranch, which will help permanently preserve the upper reaches of the Middle and South Boulder Creek watersheds, Eldora Nordic ski trails and summer habitat for the Winiger Ridge elk herd, and secure a regional trail connection from West Magnolia to Jenny Creek.
- In September 2015, Boulder County passed a Pollinator Resolution, which barred the use of neonicotinoid pesticides by the County government, pledged to minimize use of all pesticides on County lands and facilities, and committed to creating a comprehensive pesticide use policy across all County departments and enhancing pollinator habitat on County-owned lands.
- Boulder County is well on its way to meeting our goal of transitioning at least 20% of our 16,000 acres of County-owned cropland to organic production by 2020, with 15% certified or transitioning to organic at the end of 2015.
- The Boulder County Commissioners have put a measure on the November 2016 ballot, Issue 1B, to extend our current 0.25% open space sales tax, which expires at the end of 2019, for another 15 years. The measures directs half of the monies, or 0.125%, to continue to be spent on acquisition and management of open space, and allows the use of bonding to pull that money forward for immediate use. (A separate measure, 1C, would direct the other half of the monies to sustainability programs.)
We are a nation of immigrants, whose diversity of backgrounds, perspectives and experiences makes our nation and our communities richer and stronger. While Boulder County has a long history of working to protect the civil rights and liberties of all of our residents, unfortunately, some members of our community continue to experience discrimination, harassment, and intimidation based on their cultural, religious or personal beliefs, identities, and practices. According to the 2015-16 Community Foundation TRENDS report, less than half of Boulder County residents feel we are welcoming to immigrants from other countries or racial and ethnic minorities. I believe it is critical that we work to make our County welcoming to everyone regardless of who they are or where they come from. An important piece of this effort is increasing the diversity of the County workforce and the County’s many boards and commissions, as well as revamping the County’s employee training and policies to foster a more inclusive County culture.
Accomplishments since 2013:
- In 2014 we created a Cultural Responsiveness and Inclusion Committee to draft a road map of goals and strategies for further advancing inclusivity at Boulder County, which we then adopted in 2016.
- Boulder County passed an Inclusivity Resolution in December 2015 to reaffirm its commitment to being an inclusive and welcoming community and to push back against the national-level spate of hateful rhetoric and actions against refugees and people of certain religious faiths.
- The County expanded employee health benefits in 2016 to cover hormonal therapy, clinical examination and psychotherapy related to gender dysphoria, as a way to be more responsive to the needs of County staff.
One of the most important roles of county government is providing a strong safety net for those in need. While the economic recession is technically over, not everyone has recovered equally and many in our community are still struggling to make ends meet. Economic self sufficiency is further exacerbated by Boulder County’s high cost of living, particularly childcare and housing. According to the 2015-16 Community Foundation TRENDS report, our local poverty rate is growing, from 7% in 2000 to 11% in 2013 – and is substantially worse for Latino children, who have a rate of 39%. To address this critical challenge, Boulder County needs to continue and expand its innovative service delivery model, using our “any door is the right door” philosophy and focusing on integrated, upstream preventive measures over costly, emergency interventions after families are already experiencing crises. In this way, we can help break the cycle of poverty rather than just treating its symptoms.
Accomplishments since 2013:
- Our state of the art St. Vrain Community Hub in Longmont, opened in August 2015, co-locates multiple agencies in a one-stop center for health, housing, and human services to maximize our effectiveness in providing County residents with the housing, food, childcare, public health, job training, mental health and other programs and assistance they need to thrive.
- Boulder County voters generously approved a 15-year extension of the Human Services Safety Net Tax in November 2014 to ensure our ability to provide housing, food, health and other services to families and individuals in need.
- Taking advantage of the new federal healthcare law, the County helped sign up nearly 50,000 uninsured or underinsured County residents for health insurance or Medicaid coverage, reducing the uninsured rate in the County from 11.8% in 2013 to 5.2% today.
- – Claire Levy, Former State Representative (House District 13)During her first term as a County Commissioner, Elise Jones has demonstrated her commitment to addressing the near and long term needs of Boulder County. She understands the county's vital role providing services to those less fortunate, as well as protecting our environment and responding to disasters. Elise has served the people of Boulder County well.