AURORA | The race for Adams County Commissioner District 1 offers voters a decision between two candidates to replace Eva Henry: Democrat Julie Duran Mullica and Republican Shelly McClure.
District 1 is in the western part of Adams County, taking up a small area between 88th Avenue and 120th Avenue and Huron Street and Colorado Boulevard, with a small pocket that reaches east to Quebec Street and a small area that reaches west to Sheridan Boulevard.
All Adams County residents vote for District 1 County Commissioners.
Mullica has focused her campaign on affordable housing, public health and smart growth, aiming to balance economic development with infrastructure and family needs.
Her opponent, Shelly McClure, prioritizes reducing taxes, supporting law enforcement and promoting fiscal responsibility, with a focus on local business growth, senior care and preserving community values.
As voters prepare to make their choice, they must weigh Mullica’s institutional knowledge and focus on housing, science and health against McClure’s personal knowledge in education and business and focus on fiscal responsibility, community support and economic growth.
Mullica is married to State Senator Kyle Mullica, who represents Thornton and Northglenn through Federal Heights in Senate District 24.
Meet Julie Duran Mullica
Julie Duran Mullica, a Democrat, has experience serving Adams County through Northglenn City Council and as co-chair to the Tri-County Board of Health, according to her campaign website.
The mother of three said she aims to address community issues like attainable housing, smart growth and public health. She wants to prioritize tackling the regional housing crisis by advocating for affordable housing solutions for families, seniors and young adults.
Mullica also wants to focus on the importance of smart growth, balancing economic opportunities with infrastructure and water management to ensure the county’s development benefits both businesses and working-class families.
With a background in public health, she said she is excited to support the new Adams County Public Health Department in addressing health disparities, focusing on diabetes, asthma, reproductive health and air quality. Her vision is to create a healthy, vibrant, thriving community for future generations.
Meet Shelly McClure
Shelly McClure, a Republican, describes herself as a wife, mother, grandmother and woman of faith, focused on family, education and business.
As a fourth-generation Coloradan and long-time Thornton resident, she emphasizes community. Having cared for her elderly parents and raised her family, she emphasizes the importance of service and hard work, according to her campaign website.
McClure has a background in education and owns her own business. Her goals include reducing property taxes, strengthening the economy and ensuring fiscal responsibility in infrastructure maintenance.
She supports law enforcement and first responders and advocates medical freedom, which means believing in no medical mandates. McClure plans to prioritize local business growth, park preservation and senior care. She also plans to address county challenges by advocating for free and fair elections and responsibly managing natural resources.
Shelly McClure Q&A
- Aurora elected officials regularly complain that its three counties are the statutory recipients of funds for public health, elderly care and many other social programs, yet Aurora city taxpayers must also pay for those services. Is Aurora getting its fair share?
The issue of whether Aurora is getting its fair share of funding for public health and social services is complex and may involve multiple factors, including budget allocations, the distribution of state and federal funds, and the specific needs of the community.Aurora, as a city within three counties, may face challenges related to overlapping jurisdictions and funding streams. If local taxpayers are contributing to services that are primarily funded at the county level, it could create a perception of disproportionate distribution, especially if the services provided don’t adequately meet the city’s needs. With a population of approximately 400,000 residents, 65% of which are between the ages of 18 and 64, and approximately 28% of the population being elderly, the needs are diverse. To determine if Aurora is receiving its fair share, it would be important to analyze:
1. Funding Sources: Understanding how much funding is allocated to Aurora versus what it contributes can provide insight into any disparities. County appropriations for public health can vary widely and the amount of State and Federal Appropriations is based primarily on real property tax revenue generation. With a 62.5% owner occupied housing rate, Aurora’s taxation base is above the national average. The property tax rates applied to the property owners in Douglas County and Arapahoe County are .69% and .68% respectively, while Adams County’s property tax rate is quite a bit higher at .78%. Most Aurora residents (87%) live in Arapahoe County, while 12% live in Adams County, and the remaining less than 1% live in Douglas County.
2. Service Utilization: Examining the actual use of services by Aurora residents can reveal whether the funding is aligned with the community’s needs.
3. Comparative Analysis: Looking at similar cities in other counties can help gauge whether Aurora is receiving a proportional share of resources.
4. Community Input: Engaging with residents and local organizations can shed light on perceived gaps in services and funding.Ultimately, addressing these concerns may require advocacy for more equitable funding formulas or changes in how resources are distributed across the counties. - Aurora is aging along with the rest of the state and the nation, with the median age of Adams, Arapahoe and Douglas county residents climbing from 35.7 years to 37.1 years between 2012 and 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. What more could the county do or what could it do better to serve older residents?
To best serve and support the needs of this age group, the following should be areas of focus:
• Family Support Services: Many in this age group may have children. Offering resources like childcare assistance, parenting classes, and family counseling can be beneficial.
• Career Development: Providing access to job training, career counseling, and networking opportunities can help individuals advance in their careers or pivot to new ones.
• Affordable Housing Initiatives: Address housing affordability and availability, as many in this age group may be looking to buy homes or rent.
• Health and Wellness Programs: Focus on preventive, healthcare, mental health resources, and fitness initiatives tailored to busy lifestyles. Workshops on nutrition and stress management can also be valuable.
- What is the most important difference between you and your opponent?
While I respect people’s rights to their own opinions and positions, I stand for medical freedom of choice, which does not include medical mandates or a mandate-driven approach to public health. I believe that individuals have the right to make health decisions for themselves and their families and that we each have a right to our medical privacy. - Since the demise of Tri-County Health Department, all three counties have created their own health departments, and all three counties have seen marked increase in health-department savings. Should the counties look at new ways to combine resources, saving taxpayer dollars.
Revisiting the statistics I listed in the first question; Aurora’s population is disproportionately heavy in Arapahoe county. So much so that combining resources with Douglas and Adams County might be counterproductive. The services and population’s needs should be analyzed, and the advantages and disadvantages of combined resources assessed for viability and success before the idea is adopted or ruled out. - Homelessness affects Aurora greatly, and to a lesser extent other parts of the county. What one thing above all do you think would have the greatest impact on reducing homelessness, and how can the county take part?
Stabilizing our economy and increasing full-time job opportunities is the single step that we can support that will have the greatest, longest lasting, and life-changing impact on the largest, number of people currently in need.
The lighter side of Shelly McClure
• What food do you hate most? Beef Stroganoff. Ick.
• What was the last book you read? Be honest. Magnolia Table, Volume 3. I love Joanna Gaines!
• What’s your favorite TV show of all time? It’s a tie between Fraser, Seinfeld, and Downton Abbey.
• Dog person? Cat person? Both? Neither? Both! We have two dogs and a cat.
Julie Duran Mullica Q&A
Aurora elected officials regularly complain that its three counties are the statutory recipients of funds for public health, elderly care and many other social programs, yet Aurora city taxpayers must also pay for those services. Is Aurora getting its fair share?
Adams County is working to provide services to the entire county including the residents in North Aurora. I look forward to working with the Aurora City Council and the non-profits already supported by Adams County after the election and establishing new relationships as needed.
Aurora is aging along with the rest of the state and the nation, with the median age of Adams, Arapahoe and Douglas county residents climbing from 35.7 years to 37.1 years between 2012 and 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. What more could the county do or what could it do better to serve older residents?
Serving our older residents will need to be a continued focus for each county moving forward. I’ve already been connecting with our aging agencies locally to learn more about ways we can improve programming and support. We can look to some model counties for improvements, and I look forward to digging into that work after the election.
What is the most important difference between you and your opponent?
My experience serving in local government and working regionally on issues like transportation, early childhood education, and public health positions me well to be successful in this role. I’m ready to hit the ground running and look forward to the opportunity to fight for the county I was born and raised in.
Since the demise of Tri-County Health Department, all three counties have created their own health departments, and all three counties have seen marked increase in health-department costs. Should the counties look at new ways to combine resources, saving taxpayer dollars?
I served on the Tri-County Board of Health, and the dissolution greatly impacted me. Regardless, the decision to move forward separately has been made, and my goal is to advocate for and support the Adams County Public Health Department’s growth and meeting our unique community’s needs. I look forward to supporting those joint efforts if there are opportunities to combine resources.
Homelessness affects Aurora greatly, and to a lesser extent other parts of the county. What one thing above all do you think would have the greatest impact on reducing homelessness, and how can the county take part?
Homelessness impacts all municipalities, Aurora included. We need to start looking at long-term regional solutions such as transitional housing programs and wrap-around services, including community navigation, access to healthcare services, and job training. Locally, each municipality has its own program, and we need to better coordinate all our efforts.
The lighter side of Julie Duran Mullica
• What food do you hate most? Any seafood is a definite no for me.
• What was the last book you read? Be honest. Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod
• What’s your favorite TV show of all time? Outlander
• Dog person? Cat person? Both? Neither? I am 100% a dog person. I have a chocolate and yellow lab.