AURORA | State Sen. Rhonda Fields has announced she will run for a seat on the Arapahoe County Board of County Commissioners next fall, targeting the seat of term-limited Democrat Bill Holen.
Fields, also a Democrat, has spent more than a decade representing Aurora in Colorado’s General Assembly — first in the Colorado House of Representatives from 2010 to 2016 and then in the Colorado Senate since 2016.
She, also, is term limited in that seat.
During her tenure, her legislative priorities have included law enforcement reform, crime victims’ rights, health care funding and early childhood education, among other topics. She said in a statement that she hopes to improve the quality of life for residents as Arapahoe County continues to grow.
“Arapahoe County’s population and economy are booming. In fact, within a few short years, we are destined to become the most populated county in Colorado,” she said. “As county commissioner, I intend to use my influence to enhance our community as an idyllic place to live, work, raise a family, grow a business and retire.”
Holen endorsed Fields in the same statement, describing her as “independent, thoughtful and known for respectfully but effectively taking on legislative leaders of both parties to serve her constituents.”
Fields said she plans to encourage economic growth by promoting the work of the county’s employment agency, Arapahoe Works, and incentivizing businesses to relocate their corporate headquarters to Arapahoe County.
In the realm of public safety, she said she wants to work closely with the sheriff’s office as well as Aurora and Glendale police, and offer enrichment programs for young people to steer them away from crime.
She also described plans to shape development in Arapahoe County, in part by planting trees to “enhance the tree canopy and beauty of our county, to combat the pervasive heat-island effect, and to provide residents with more shady respites during historically hot, dry summers.”
Fields has lived in Aurora for 30 years and raised two children in Aurora Public Schools. In 2005, her son, Javad, and his fiancé, Vivian Wolfe, were fatally shot, inspiring Fields’ entry into politics. She has an adult daughter, Maisha, and four grandchildren today.
Elections will take place in fall 2024 for the seat representing District 5, which includes much of north and central Aurora.
Arapahoe County spokesman Anders Nelson said no one had filed paperwork with the county to run for the seat in 2024 as of Wednesday afternoon.
God help us. She did enough damage with her Police Reform Bill that drove thousands of officers out of law enforcement.
those bad cops who left needed to leave!!!!
Hate filled race baiting liberal
I can’t think of a less qualified person than this for the commission. After being an unimpressive legislator she wants to retire as a commissioner.
Who else is running?