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This Speakout has not been edited.

9to5, National Association of Working Women – Colorado Chapter; Colorado Progressive Coalition; Denver ACORN; Front Range Economic Strategy Center; Padres & Jovenes Unidos; Rights for All People; Save Our Section 8; Metropolitan Organizations for People

Community organizations representing a base of hard-working individuals and families, low-income housing residents, parents, church members, and communities of color applaud the vision Mayor Hickenlooper outlined in his State of the City address last week. As organizations working to improve our community, we are excited about the Mayor’s plan to “ensure that Metro Denver continues to grow as a hub of opportunity... and to extend that opportunity to all parts of our community.”

We understand that the Mayor will need support from all segments of the public in order to achieve opportunities for all Denver’s residents, such as good jobs with livable wages, affordable housing, great schools and access to college.

If the Mayor commits to expanding opportunity in the face of the challenges that will arise, and to working closely with impacted communities, we are confident that together we can make opportunity a reality for more Denverites during his next term.

One challenge to achieving the Mayor’s vision is a lack of affordable housing. Denver’s bus drivers, retail workers, hotel employees, and child care providers form the backbone of our community and need affordable housing. Affordable housing, especially along transit lines, would also boost success for the business sector, because it would improve workforce access and retention.

The Mayor’s Task Force to draft a new Housing Plan is on the right track by including a broad array of stakeholders and setting specific goals for production. But creative sources of revenue, a more regional approach, and strong leadership from the Mayor will be necessary to fulfill the plan’s promise.

Another challenge that is not unique to Denver is growing income inequity. Many working families and people of color in Denver are still experiencing the economic “scramble and struggle” that Mayor Hickenlooper described of Denver’s early residents.

Denver’s median income has been declining, while the poverty rate has been growing. Over 15% of our population lives below the federal poverty line, and more than one-quarter of our families (25.8%) earn less than what it takes to be self-sufficient and live without government subsidies. The Mayor has exhibited bold ambition with Greenprint Denver, calling on the public and private sectors to make all aspects of the physical environment sustainable.

The Mayor could be similarly bold in his approach to economic development, involving the public and private sectors in an effort to ensure that Denver creates good jobs with family-sustaining wages, health care and minimum labor standards like paid sick days. The upcoming November $500 billion infrastructure bond and the $1 billion DIA expansion are opportunities for the Mayor to build a Denver not only of “brick and steel,” but a Denver that invests in its people to “thrive, engage and connect.” Such an investment could be in the form of commitments to dedicate a percentage of the bond work to construction apprentices who can learn new skills and help bolster Denver’s skilled construction workforce.

The Mayor reiterated his commitment to helping our children succeed. We applaud the new preschool and after-school initiatives, and hope that they will involve the community to ensure Denver invests in quality programs that better prepare children for school. Excellent public education that prepares all students for college is the basis for a healthy economy and the city of Denver. Additionally, more than one in five Denver children ages six to 11 (21.1%) live in poverty, so addressing opportunity for their parents will contribute to ensuring children’s success.

Finally, Mayor Hickenlooper called for increased “transparency, accessibility, and inclusiveness” in government - priorities we share for building a strong and vital community. We were disappointed that the address calling for this “accessibility” was held at a $65 dollar/plate fundraiser that benefited just one segment of our community - the Chamber of Commerce, in contrast to last year’s free address held at the Webb Municipal Building.

If we are to achieve opportunity for all, then all groups need to have an equal voice in the process and equal access to our leaders - including non-profit agencies, grassroots community groups, labor organizations, charitable foundations, neighborhood residents, working people and many others who have creative ideas and are willing to support the Mayor’s efforts to achieve success and expand opportunity for all Denverites.

With the world “watching us", the Mayor’s challenge is to ensure that opportunities are widely shared, including by Denver’s hard working individuals and their families. Mr. Mayor, we encourage and pledge our support for your leadership on affordable housing, supporting children, and growing an economically secure workforce. We look forward to working with you and wish you the best of luck in your second term.

READER COMMENTS

It was only a matter of time before the advocates of racial division and privilege began to appear. Advocating for civil rights in the new century seems to gain as much resistance now as it did in the old Jim Crow era! The fact is that the racial spoils industry generates a lot of income for itself as it seeks to maintain, and expand, division of our citizenry along racial lines. Fortunately, the mainstream voter as learned to resist this racist approach and will so demonstrate in November of 2008 when given the common Colorado voter is given first opportunity ever to vote directly against racism.

One is a socialist group.

There are some narrow-minded people out there who must not really be “hard working” as they have time to blog. Maybe they just are antisocial so they ostracize others anonymously. I am so glad that you aren’t spending money in my city. This is why I don’t take comments from blogs seriously—especially if people think they are anonymous so they can just be jerks.

To those who referred to these community activist groups as a "hate group", that's wrong and irresponsible in so many ways. Here’s one: Linking civic engagement/practice of democracy to the term's original intent fashioned for scientifically proven socially destructive ideals such as white supremacy, homophobia, etc.??? Or maybe that's the touchy sensitive spot - privileged folks feel attacked by this because you got yours and who cares about the rest? Even Hickenlooper would disagree with that.

One of the readers who posted here implied that the groups involved in this speakout article get their money from "taxpayers." That isn't true: as far as I can tell, most of the groups listed at the end of the Speakout article are non-profits, (501c3 organizations) which means they survive on grant money from foundations and/or voluntary dues from their members.

What the article is obviously trying to point out, however, is that our tax money DOES go to various city-sponsored economic devlopment projects in Denver, and that taxpayers should have a voice in how that money is used. (What an amazing concept: democracy!)

I for one would rather have my taxes supporting affordable housing for working families rather than my money going to help build more high-rise condos in downtown denver....

Hopefully the Mayor will work with all the groups listed in this article to help make Denver a thriving and diverse city that honors the contribution of low-wage workers and not just developers looking to build more golf-courses.

"Denver’s median income has been declining, while the poverty rate has been growing. Over 15% of our population lives below the federal poverty line, and more than one-quarter of our families (25.8%) earn less than what it takes to be self-sufficient and live without government subsidies."

I didn't realize that Hick has been doing such a lousy job. In sharp contrast to the rest of America, the city's economic collapse (above) sounds like its being flushed right down the mahoula. The financial and economic wheels are flying off and Hick's busy planting trees, stepping over the bums and street urchins, restoring the ozone layer and protecting us from global warming.

Priorities?

My question is: of the employees of the organizations listed, what percentage are provided with paid sick days, health care benefits and wages such that they can afford to support their families in decent housing.

Of course the op is all for more taxes so that they can make more coin at our expense. Gee, I wonder where the salaries come from for all these hate groups. Yep, the taxpayer.

I am so glad I got out of Denver. I make a vow right now,. I will not spend a dime in Denver.

This should be easy.

The entire letter could have been explaned in a few short sentences.

The mayor of Denver feels that taxes should be raised on the hard working people who do not recieve any public monies to provide for the ones not working hard enough.

Wow, a very revealing column from a coalition of "hate" groups! The blatantly racist "of color" terminology was used more than once - an indicator of the continuing effort to divide citizens based upon their skin color. The message is clear - hard working people need to keep themselves, and especially their money (the product of their hard work) OUT of Denver!

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