Boulder Progressive Candidate Forum

A Boulder city council candidate forum was organized by the Boulder Coalition and Alliance on Race, Boulder Community Housing Association, Boulder Rights Watch, the Family Learning Center, and Showing Up for Racial Justice.  Topics of a social justice nature including racial and economic segregation in Boulder, fostering a culture of inclusion, affordable housing, Boulder’s camping ban, the creation of a citizen’s oversight board over police, and the importance of including the voices of underrepresented groups in city policy were part of the forum.  Questions from the audience were invited.

Attending the October 13th event were candidates Aaron Brockett, Jan Burton, Don Cote, Ed Jabari, Jared Kaszuba, Michael Kruteck, Julie McCabe, Comrade Keith Percy, Jyotsna Raj, Cha Cha Spinrad and Bob Yates.  Candidates Bill Rigler and Cindy Carlisle initially confirmed but due to illness on Riger’s part and an unexpected conflict on Carlisle’s neither attended nor did they submit answers to submitted questions.  Leonard May did not accept the initial invitation to participate although he sent a response but did not directly answer the questions according to organizers.

Questions for the candidates centered on:

• Housing the Unhoused
• Camping Ban
• Welcoming Minorities and Immigrants into our Community
• Racial Discrimination in Policing
• Regulating Occupancy vs. Quality of Life Impacts
• Renter vs. Owner Interests in Shared Housing
• Proactive Engagement With Underrepresented Populations
• Following Through on Public Processes
• Leadership in the Face of Conflict
• Responses to the forum questions from three candidates, all incumbents who attended the city council meeting which conflicted with the forum are posted in written form here.

photo credit:  Boulder Coalition and Alliance on Race and Boulder Rights Watch