Overview:
Ahead of the upcoming primary election, five residents shared their thoughts on the direction of Colorado for Bucket List on the Street.
The June 30 primary is almost here, and Colorado voters are hearing plenty from the candidates. We wanted to hear from residents instead.
For the latest edition of Bucket List on the Street, we asked five Denver-area citizens, “With the primary election coming up on June 30th, do you feel optimistic or frustrated about the direction Colorado is headed? Why?”
Here’s what they had to say:
‘I am feeling frustrated’
Yolanda has lived in Colorado her entire life and expressed her dissatisfaction with Governor Polis’ leadership. She believes Polis hasn’t shown concern for the state’s environment or natural resources.
“I am feeling frustrated,” Yolanda said. “I’ve lived in Colorado my entire life. This is the driest winter that we’ve ever experienced. And instead of having institutions that are protecting our natural resources, we have Governor Polis, who is welcoming data centers that just consume incredible amounts of water (and) pollute like crazy.”
“We have failing electrical grids that can’t support these data centers, and for what? For mass surveillance,” she added. “This is not because you want to imagine what you would look like as a fish. This is to collect incredible amounts of data on people as they move throughout the state. And yeah, I don’t want to be a commodity for another group.”
‘I guess optimistic’
Brandon, who lives in the downtown Denver area, appeared cautiously optimistic. He stated that, while he believes the state aligns with his personal values, he is dissatisfied with “right-leaning politicians” actions on public land in the western part of the state.
“I guess slightly optimistic,” Brandon said. “I think Colorado kinda aligns with my values generally. I don’t love what’s going on with public lands, but I think that’s more focused around right-leaning politicians out west. But, yeah, I guess optimistic.”
Conflicted about the state
Carter, a business owner in Denver, believes the state’s current direction is bad for business. He feels that businesses are either “choosing to stay away” or relocating due to the state’s actions.
“So currently, I’m a little frustrated with how things are,” Carter said. “I think that the business climate could be a little better. I know a lot of companies are choosing to stay away from Colorado or to move away because of just how things are being handled at the state level.”
But Carter believes his grievances are being addressed and that the state is being proactive in combating the issues.
“I’m optimistic now because I think people, business leaders and officials are starting to recognize that and will put a plan in place to get that in the right direction.”
‘Things are looking up’
Dawn, a long-time Denver resident, believes things are trending upwards for the state. She expressed her support for several candidates running for office.
“I’m starting to feel a little bit more optimistic,” Dawn said. “I like some of the candidates who are running. I would like to see some younger people running for Senate or US Senate instead of the folks we currently have. But I think overall things are looking up. There are some really strong women running for positions, and I find that encouraging.”
‘I could care less’
Charles has lived on Denver’s Colfax Avenue for decades. He is extremely frustrated with the current public transportation construction, which he believes is ineffective and detrimental to businesses. He also feels dissatisfied with the area’s safety and wishes for a stronger police presence.
“Running for any office, I don’t give a shit what affiliation,” Charles said. “I could care less. I want you to walk from the Capitol in downtown Denver at Broadway and go against the mountain, that would be to the east, and walk yourself to Colfax. I hope you make it.”
We’ll be back next Sunday, June 28, with another edition of Bucket List on the Street. June’s installments will focus on the primary election, but the series will continue exploring the everyday questions shaping life across Colorado. Thank you for reading!
At its core, Bucket List on the Street is all about listening. We’re keeping our boots on the ground, talking to residents and bringing their voices into the conversation. Thank you for reading. If you have a question you’d like our team to ask residents, contact us here.
