President (To Win Colorado)
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(D) Kamala Harris
(R) Donald Trump
80%↑
20%
CO-01 (Denver)
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(D) Diana DeGette*
(R) V. Archuleta
98%
2%
CO-02 (Boulder-ish)
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(D) Joe Neguse*
(R) Marshall Dawson
95%
5%
CO-03 (West & Southern CO)
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(R) Jeff Hurd
(D) Adam Frisch
50%
50%
CO-04 (Northeast-ish Colorado)
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(R) Lauren Boebert
(D) Trisha Calvarese
90%
10%
CO-05 (Colorado Springs)
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(R) Jeff Crank
(D) River Gassen
80%
20%
CO-06 (Aurora)
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(D) Jason Crow*
(R) John Fabbricatore
90%
10%
CO-07 (Jefferson County)
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(D) B. Pettersen
(R) Sergei Matveyuk
90%
10%
CO-08 (Northern Colo.)
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(D) Yadira Caraveo
(R) Gabe Evans
52%↑
48%↓
State Senate Majority
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DEMOCRATS
REPUBLICANS
80%
20%
State House Majority
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DEMOCRATS
REPUBLICANS
95%
5%
March 16, 2011 01:41 AM UTC
56 Comments
Yes,
It’s grossly fiscally irresponsible, considering the $100+ million Denver is in the hole.
Shame on all ten of these folks that voted for this. Boo to Hancock and Linkhart–neither deserves to be the next mayor of Denver if this is their idea of how to balance a budget.
Where are those high priced political consultants from Denver when the candidates need them?
But Hancock can, and does. I haven’t talked to any of them, but I’m pretty sure they are doing a hard facepalm right now.
gave Hancock the same “help” they gave McInnis.
I guess that’s why they make the big bucks.
It’s disappointing to see these votes from Hancock and Linkhart, political or not. Paul Lopez, who is not running for mayor, said he voted for the raise so that a working person with a family can afford to be a councilman. I’d love to be making $78,000 a year right now, with benefits.
Worse, you know damn well they’ll be asking police, fire and others for pay decreases any minute now.
They are each making close to $110,000 all things included.
But according to Linkhart, the salaries they currently have are based on a survey done 8 years ago so apparently, he’s feeling cheated.
All said and done, it’s an additional $84,600 total increase for the city council alone. That’s two teachers salaries for a year. Forget the increases to the mayor, the clerk, the auditor and the recorder, which is another $40K.
I agree it’s not a huge increase. That’s not the point. When unemployment is over 9% in this state, when Denver is a $100 million in debt and some folks are hanging on by a thread, giving yourself a raise seems more than tone deaf. It seems out of touch with reality.
Way to add another $125K to the city’s debt.
They’ve flatlined. If the basis for the raise is that it’s 8 years old and a middle class person should be able to take the job, well – let me tell you, I’m making almost the same today as I was 8 years ago, and I’m paying more for my health insurance.
Most people I know up here are just grateful to be employed right now. The ones that aren’t would be mighty happy with making what they did 8 years ago and they’d be downright delighted with making nearly $110K with full bennies included in that number.
Basically, the middle is no better off than in the 70s. Still not trickling as promised except maybe as in “Don’t pee on my leg and tell me it’s raining”.
You’d think the whole Gessler I-can’t-afford-this-job-I’ve-been-asking-you-to-give-me dust up would have registered, especially since Council members make more than Gessler to start with. Not to mention the Lopez remark. How many Denver families would love to have the problem of having to “afford’ a $78K salary with 30K in benefits? Don’t think it’s an unreasonable salary but it’s down right offensive to be crying poor over it.
I was wondering where the political gurus who had advised Dan Maes had gone.
It will be interesting to see how they rationalize that vote – couldn’t they have been smart enough to abstain?
Pols should have done a quick poll to find out how quickly Romer capitalizes on the vote.
But it is also an indication of how insulated and outside the political norm Denver city government really is.
“Never interfere your opponent when he’s destroying himself” – Paul Begala
Regardless of who’s running for mayor, who in their right mind votes themselves a pay increase when they already make decent money and there’s a $100 million deficit to tackle? Every single person on the council who voted for this increase should be summarily voted out of office when next they come up for election.
In the meantime, I have to agree with everyone else: Hancock and Linkhart, if they had any chance of being elected Mayor in the first place, can pretty much kiss that chance good bye.
but I think it should be pointed out again that six of the ten are running unopposed. Frankly, had I known how much it pays, I would’ve run. Curiously the vote was after the ballot deadline. I believe Council terms are four years. So six people really voted for their own raises.
But for the few positions that actually already make decent money? Um, no. Try a raise for the Senators working harder, campaigning harder, and making $29,000.
And they (state senators) have to put up much crazier colleagues.
And it’s worth working your ass off.
Sometimes you get a shitty candidate and there’s nothing you can do to protect them from themselves.
When the latter happens, all you can do is let themselves show through.
Sorry for all of you hard-working people who are working for candidates who are now unelectable. Shit happens. It’s not your fault.
I believe this seals it for Chris Romer.
I hate to break it to anyone, but Hancock wasn’t ever really one of the front runners. Linkhart… yeah.
Something happened, and will happen on Monday, but it by no means changes the sealed-ness of the election.
(Please, oh please, don’t say who I think you’re going to say.)
“but it by no means changes” No credit where it’s not due though.
Honestly, I think the time in between his primary win and now he may have killed his brand. Especially among the younger voters who didn’t know (or worship) his daddy. I connect his name with “idiot” automatically at this point. My non-pol friends do, too.
Isn’t that the pot guy (he gets hit twice for that; for his attitude before and after)? Isn’t that the toll guy?
I wouldn’t “bet my house” on any of them right now. The biggest challenge, from my already known standpoint, is picking one of the legitimate candidates to throw everything behind. We may have to wait for the run-off, which I lean just so to saying, without undue wishing, that he may not win. There has to be some kind of punishment for repeated stupidity. Denver went for Kerry! 🙂
I had a feeling that’s who you thought. Ick. That’s all I have to say. I’m not a fan. I’m in the Anybody But ***** camp.
So go *****! (Take that, dumbass.)
So, let me say loudly and clearly for all to hear, “I wholeheartedly, enthusiastically, and 100%(ly), endorse Chris Romer for Mayor of Denver”!!
shouldn’t that be enough to kill his chances ?
Sadly, that does not appear to be happening.
you are just underestimating Josh’s majic 🙂
it should be a majical election!
Pot guy, toll guy PLUS trolley-car guy.
It deserves some attention.
Linkhart said he’ll forgo the increase if elected Mayor.
Mejia would roll the entire package back.
Also, this diary is famous and we’re all geniuses (presumably until you read the comments).
http://www.kdvr.com/news/polit…
As of today: Mejia. Just received former Mayor Pena’s very enthusiastic endorsement. That’s going to turn a lot of Denver’ progressive voters’ heads his direction. He doesn’t have any money, but he’s definitely got the qualifications as a can-doer.
A PeГ±a endorsement? PeГ±a is remembered fondly in certain circles, but he hasn’t been in office for two decades. No, GL, what it does is it says it’s OK for the business and investment folks to get behind Mejia. But you’re way inflating the value of this endorsement (or any endorsement but Hickenlooper’s).
Have you taken a peak at Romer’s campaign contributor list recently?
http://denvergov.org/CampaignF…
And I still say, that’s the effect of a PeГ±a endorsement, not that it moves a lot of progressive voters.
should make more money.
And, while we are at it, pay the School Board members some real money.
And free ponies for the whole lot of them. We can afford it! We’re only $100 million in debt. Why the hell not?
make more than $83k w/ benefits? Wow.
I think that argument can be made for state legislators, but given the budget situation this is hardly the time for ANY elected official to be asking for a raise.
Not only is it incredibly stupid politically, it shows a lack of conviction and sacrifice in solving the city’s budget woes.
So. Stupid.
I think every person able and willing to work should have a job. Just a fucking job with a decent paycheck and the human dignity that comes with it. City council members and school board members aren’t visiting food banks. When we get regular people working again, then let’s talk about raises for the governing class. And then let’s talk about raises for the working class.
Do you know what their pay seems like to someone who can’t even find a job? A blessing. Where’s their fucking gratitude?
Speaking from experience, when you are asking city employees to take a pay cut, you lead by taking a larger percentage pay cut yourself. These twerps are no better than Wall St. executives.
I like a lot of the people who voted for this, but (hand to face). How are city employees supposed to accept furlough days, lowered benefits and reduced pay while council members are flippantly voting for pay increases?
You don’t vote yourself a raise while asking all of your employees to take a cut. At least not if your job is politics.
Leaders lead by example.
There appears to be little limit to what CEOs can get away with on the naked greed front.
or does the pay raise just apply to next term?
Article XX, Section 2 of the Colorado Constitution says (emphasis mine):
Part in two years, the rest two years after.
and takes effect during the next term. That’s one reason there’s some attention paid to all the council members running for reelection unopposed.
I’m not surprised about Linkhart. He’s a guy who will stick to his principles even as the realities change, even if it’s politically stupid.
Hancock surprised me. I thought he was more politically adept.
Boigon should pick up some points for this. Guess I’ll have to check out D-Pols and the Big Line more often.
http://blogs.denverpost.com/th…
Politicans have fed us crap for so long this actually sounds right to them. Politics is now, has always been and will be a game of the elite class.
Our only hope is that people began to read this crap and say, “wait a minute… school budgets are being cut to the point where parents will have to pay for text books, but my city council should get a raise so that poor people can afford to run for office! WTF!”
How can poor people run for an elected office that pays a lot, if they don’t have the money before they run for the office? Did I miss something?
and therefore automatically suspect.
I use quotes because she’s thrown in $100K +/- to her own campaign. More than most people have hanging around I suppose.
OTOH, I’m fully capable of living decently on about $20K/year. … How long has Hancock been on the Council? Eight years (some as President of the Council – that position makes more, but we aren’t using that here) x (78,173 – $50, 000 (average in district 11, Hancock’s)) = $225,384 he could’ve saved to toss into his own campaign.
The man’s poor! You’re just an insensitive jerk who’s clearly missed the point. Or Hancock is a fucking pandering moron. I’m sure it’s one of the two.
Nothing bad to say about this blog. Nice job.
You do realize a liberal Democrat is still going to win, whatever happens to these guys?