1. As the City Budget tightens in response to the economic downturn, and in response to a projected long-term revenue gap, which programs and services should receive the highest priority?
The priority responsibilities of government are those that create public goods that are not provided by the private sector. These include social services, fire and police, roads, bike/ped facilities, transit, libraries, open space, rec centers, affordable housing, water, and sewer. As categories of service, none could or should be eliminated completely. However, there are inefficiencies within each of these areas that need to be addressed, including reductions in staff. After an extensive outreach to the community and within the City itself, these inefficiencies and staff reductions have been addressed by the City Manager in the 2010 City Budget. Overall, the City Manager has done an exemplary job.
2. The current City Council has identified as one of its priorities creating a welcoming, inclusive and safe community for all. How can our police department best support this vision?
It is absolutely essential that our police not engage in racial profiling, and that they treat everyone with whom they come in contact with equanimity and respect.
3. The City has made many fine efforts to solicit input from underrepresented communities, such as the “Meetings-in-a-Box” component of the last community survey. Participants often feel, however, that they do not know what happens as a result. How can the City do a better job of following up with those underrepresented communities on their input?
Communication is the most important element to establishing an environment of inclusiveness. We must improve our communication with underrepresented communities. One way to accomplish this would be to more fully utilize the excellent outreach and collaborative potential provided by such organizations as the Anti-Defamation League, Bias Incident Hotline, Boulder Pride, Community Action Program, El Centro Amistad, New Vista Equity Cohort, Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center, Strategies to End Oppression, and the YWCA in order to better serve people in underrepresented communities.
4. What is your position relative to the City’s diversity initiative and what more can or should the City do to support expanded leadership representation for underrepresented communities on Boards and Commissions and on City staff? Would you, for example, support a City Charter amendment to allow resident non-citizens to serve on Boards and Commissions?
The diversity initiative is important, and it is important too that Councilors take initiative in promoting diversity. Here is what I have done during the last two years to increase the meaningful participation of ethnically diverse people in the City of Boulder.
First, I have encouraged the participation of two minority women who applied for Boards and Commissions. One of these women, Mary Young was appointed to the Planning Board. The other woman, Jyotsna Raj, was not appointed, but I encouraged her to run for Council and she is now a candidate—an excellent one—for City Council.
Second, I am the point person in saving the O*r*c*hard G*r*ove (please leave the asterisks in the name) Mobile Home Park from development, which would have thrown out all the residents of the Park to make room for a medium density development. I brought the impending sale to the attention of Council in 2008, made the appropriate motions, obtained the cooperation of others on Council and as a consequence the property was rezoned to prevent this community from being taken apart. It should be noted that this is a highly diverse and vital community. 39% of the people identify themselves as ethnic minorities. It is also an economically stressed community: 26% of the residents live below the federal poverty line; and 77% of households in this community earn less than 50% of the Area Median Income.
Third, I was the only Boulder City Council member to participate in the August 2009 Intercambio Dialogue with immigrants in the county. From this Dialogue I learned about the many hurdles faced by Latinos in our community and particularly in our schools. This led me to initiate a follow-up meeting between myself, several Latina representatives, two members of the BVSD, and the number two staff person at BVSD, so that we can engage in further conversation, with the goal of producing a solution to ending the prejudicial behavior that was identified at the first dialogue.
Fourth, I supported elevating the rights of mobile home residents as a priority issue on which the City will ask our local state legislators to advocate at the state capitol this year. Fifth, I obtained the consent of the rest of Council at a meeting on September 9, 2009 to make the passage of The Dream Act a legislative priority for the City. This Act—with both federal and state counterparts—would make it possible for children who have graduated from Colorado high schools to go to Colorado colleges and pay in state tuition.
5. Mobile homes provide some of the most affordable housing in Boulder, but mobile home residents are quite vulnerable because landlords control pad rent and park management. What should the City's role be in preserving this form of housing and protecting mobile home residents?
First, we need to complete the work in saving the mobile home park that I referenced in my previous answer. Second, we need to encourage the development of additional land that is zoned manufactured housing in the county, so that mobile home owners will be less vulnerable to the threat of eviction from their current mobile home park. Third, we need to work with state legislators to improve the rights of mobile home owners in relation to the park owners.
6. Many in the community feel that the contamination issue at Valmont Butte, a sacred Arapaho site and home to an historic settler’s cemetery, remains unresolved. How would you propose to address this issue?
I believe the first step is to more clearly define the extent of contamination. Once we more fully understand the extent of the problem I recommend that we take the appropriate remedial measures.
7. Would you consider ensuring access to recreational and sports activities for children and youth of all backgrounds a priority? If so, how would you accomplish this?
This is an issue that I raised in my 2007 campaign. In response to my concerns and others, the Parks Department has stepped up its efforts to ensure that City sporting fields are accessible to teams of all backgrounds. Furthermore, I am concerned that the price of our recreational facilities is too steep for many Boulder families that are economically stressed. To that end, I want to see the Parks Department develop a program that will permit these families to use Recreation facilities at a lowered fee.
