Editor: Tonight was, yet again, another political circus when a white minority held hostage the future of Aurora. Over a dozen times, the Democratic representatives nominated and supported black leader, Dr. Ryan Ross, for the Ward II vacancy. Mayor Mike Coffman had the audacity to speak about the NAACP and local black leadership out of one side of his mouth, while leading the charge and voting against Dr. Ryan Ross, preventing him from filling the vacancy in Ward II.
After two meetings, the vote remains at 5 votes for Ross (Coombs, Hiltz, Lawson, Marcano, & Murillo) and 5 votes against (Bergan, Berzin, Gardner, Gruber, and Mayor Coffman). After rounds and rounds of voting, Councilpeople Marcano, Murillo, and Lawson were floating solutions and looking for answers — and what was Coffman doing? Still running interference and preventing progress. Not one conservative offered a solution at the end, even when asked point blank by Lawson.
Finally, Council voted to delay the vote once again, but admitted they don’t expect the votes to change. If that doesn’t speak to the dysfunction and obstructionist views of our current Council & it’s leadership, Mayor Mike Coffman – I’m not sure what does.
It is time for new leadership in Aurora. One that values excellence, leadership, and diversity in Aurora. At the very least, we deserve leadership that will provide solutions and do what’s best for the City.
Mayor Mike Coffman, above all, needs to set a better example and a way forward. If the only solution he can come up with is to deny Ward II representation and obstruct his colleagues from moving our City forward, then it is time for him to go. 2023 cannot come soon enough.
— Kristin Mallory, via letters@sentinelcolorado.com
Are you the same Kristin Mallory who heads the Arapahoe Democrats? The one who flaunts the socialist rose icon on your social media, signalling your membership in the largest socialist organization in the US?
If so, you’re right on brand again, playing the race card while you promote policies that ultimately stack the deck against the very people you espouse to care about, relegating them to the urban plantation. Why can’t you see people as human beings instead of pigmentation?
It’s nice to meet you – although, I am brave enough to believe in what I do and lead the City and County forward. I don’t hide behind a screen name. Race matters because white supremacy is a plague on this nation – and one you support by requesting we all go colorblind. Policy is never colorblind. Money is never colorblind. When you decide to come out from behind a screen name and a computer, I would love to talk more.
Citizens of Aurora, understand that the author of this letter is a progressive, if not socialist leader of the Arapahoe County Democratic Party. You could take every sentence in her tirade, change the words to the other side of this equation and have the same result and be even more truthful.
I hope what she calls the “white minority” on Council holds on to their principles as long as it takes. This is not about race at all but conservatives against socialists.
This is America and not a socialist state. Please remember this next November at the polls.
Mayor Coffman has done a very good job at holding the active progressive, socialists at bay. Keep up the good work, Mike. We the voters will eliminate the socialists in the next few elections.
Do you realize how ridiculous you are to blame one side when there is a 5-5 deadlock? You are acting like a partisan hack and it’s an insult to people’s intelligence. Each side is equally responsible for not filling the vacant seat, but given the yawning gap between what the left and right members want to focus on and accomplish, it is not surprising they cannot agree.
Coffman was a terrible choice to lead Aurora, as he already showed as House Rep that he followed trump down the road of ending healthcare in Colorado and the entire US for 20 Million Americans by undermining and ending the Affordable Care Act. He would not hold real town halls and interact with his constituents, and ran out on us (I was there). His efforts are around making outrageous claims with no facts (e.g. about homeless community) and just trying to keep his name in the news that way and get more Koch Brothers funding. He did nothing for us during Covid and spoke out against the American Rescue Plan and unemployment compensation and eviction assistance. He has never been an innovative and caring leader, and never will. I have heard him speak in person at professional events for Aurora older adult needs and for healthcare needs and he is not competent to problem solve, learn new information and help develop solutions.
When council members asked those who were not voting for Dr. Ryan what was their problem with having him fill the vacancy – no response from those
who refuse to vote for him. How can Council negotiate if only one party is asking questions to avoid a tie?
I had comments here but got censored. My points were similar to FeelingsAreNotFActs so I’m only mad that your censored me again for my right wing thoughts.
Also, I didn’t get to see what stupid things Kristin could say to me seeings how I used my real name. This Ward II thing has absolutely nothing to do with race. Have no idea what she is trying to say about white supremacy, nor money and policy being colorblind. Over time I’ve never thought she has had many coherent thoughts anyway.
I wish you would publish how you, the Sentinel, make decisions on your rampant censorship, (of me anyway). I have been censored about 25% of the comments that I have made over the past few months
100% agree with your opinion. I watched most of the votes. Heard the liberal council members explain why he should be appointed. The conservative members offered nothing in rebuttal except NO votes.
Auroras future being held hostage by liberal city council members
Last I read it was a principled disagreement. Personally I try hard to understand what is happening by listening to what is being said. There are a lot if people on both sides who could benefit themselves, their families, their cities rt al. by simply taking the shit out of their ears and then perhaps strive to stop throwing it at those they refuse to acknowledge might have a valid reason to think the way they do think.
Interesting that you are making this about race and not qualifications and what each would bring to Aurora. There is no relevant information in this article about pros and cons for either candidate….only race. By the way, Steve is married to a woman from Rwanda and has two bi-racial children so there is that. I guess that destroys that narrative!!
Yes, and it was never intended to be this way.