Home rule special election questioned by Colorado county voters, as well as developer backing
A special election will ask voters if they want the county to create their own home rule charter and who should serve on a charter commission. If voters say yes to home rule in the special election, the commission will craft a charter that will be voted on in November.
CBS
County leaders say that charter could free the county from strict state laws and increase local control over things such as taxes, gun laws and immigration enforcement.
Douglas County residents should already have received their special election ballots. That June 24 election is costing the county about $500,000, and many are asking why it needed to happen so quickly.
"I've never seen such backlash across party lines in the county," said Barrett Roth, a Douglas County resident. "If you rush, we don't have time to ask questions of the people that matter and can influence our votes."
When Barrett Roth first heard about home rule, he wasn't sure how to feel.
"I think, like everyone else, I was kind of shocked, and had to learn a lot about it," Roth said.
And learn more he did. Reading through campaign finance reports, Roth found the "Yes on Local Control" campaign had received $110,000 in donations.
Westside Property Investment Company, the developer behind Dawson Trails, contributed $10,000.
Ventana Capital, which has numerous projects underway in the county, contributed $50,000, far surpassing any previously recorded donation under their name.
Ventana is also involved in litigation with the city of Castle Pines over the city council's denial of a proposed McDonald's.
"Why would a land developer be interested in home rule? If it's for all these liberal versus conservative policies, it's clearly for a land grab," Roth said.
CBS Colorado reached out to both companies to ask why they supported the campaign. Westside had "no comment," and Ventana did not respond.
"There are four committees that are set up in favor of home rule. I actually don't know all these people. So I don't know," County Commissioner George Teal told CBS Colorado. "We will have greater control of how we set the tax base for businesses under home rule. Maybe that's their interest."
Teal says he doesn't know why the developers support home rule, but that the charter could give the county more local control over zoning and exempt them from some state development statutes.
"We're pursuing home rule to put ourselves in a legal position here, as a legal entity of the state of Colorado, to have more local control," Teal said. "When you talk about public safety, you talk about having more control over our taxes and being able to lower taxes when we want to as we need to. And then when it comes to being able to work with other government agencies, home rule gives us far greater control with how we interact with other levels of government here in America."
Other donors to the pro home rule campaign include "The Cundy Harbor Irrevocable Trust," which contributed $50,000, Teal's wife Laura Teal, who contributed $100, and Laura Tonner, who contributed $100. Tonner is married to Sean Tonner of Renewable Water Resources, the water developer behind a controversial plan to bring water from the San Luis Valley to Douglas County.
On the other side, "Stop the Power Grab", a group opposing home rule, has received a total of $30,000 from hundreds of donors, including local Democratic politicians.
Roth is a member of the group. He feels the promises being made about home rule are misleading. Metropolitan State University of Denver professor Dr. Robert Preuhs previously told CBS Colorado home rule does grant more policy-making authority to counties, but it may not be so easy to disregard state laws. Legal battles may ensue after controversial decisions to determine whether the matter is truly a local or a state concern.
"The county commissioners will tell you that home rule will allow them to supersede state law," Roth said. "They've talked about how they can pass laws on gun safety, on abortion rights, on plastic bag fees, and try to battle the state. Well, the battles will take place in court."
"As long as it is not a matter dealt with in state law, the home rule county does have the ability to legislate," Teal said.
Roth feels home rule will waste taxpayer money on legal battles and the special election.
"We're going to have an election in November 2025, so just in a few months, they could have placed it on the ballot for free in just a few months," Roth said. "But, instead, they're rushing it over the summer to the tune of $500,000 of taxpayer money. That's real money."
"Right now, the cost of the election is coming in at just under $500,000," Teal said. "Average cost of a home in Douglas County is $800,000, so for less than the average cost of a home here in the county, we get to chart our own course and have that legal mechanism under the state constitution for complete local control."
Roth was also upset to receive a white book from the county on the home rule measure that did not include an opposing viewpoint.
"They're essentially putting out campaign literature on taxpayer dime," Roth said.
The county says they have pro-con statements on their home rule webpage.
"I do think home rule is the right thing to do, and I certainly encourage everyone to vote yes," Teal said.
As the election draws near, tensions are running high over the county's future.
"Often, the community feels very divided. If you talk to people, they feel pretty united that this is being rushed," Roth said. "It's a waste of money. It's something no one asked for, and I do think it's going to fail pretty substantially."
One week before the special election, the county will hold one last town hall to answer any remaining questions. The town hall will be online at 6 p.m. June 17.
Saturday, a "No Kings" protest held in Castle Rock will also protest the home rule initiative locally.
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