AURORA | The Aurora City Council election is virtually set, with 13 candidates vying for five council seats.
The candidates were tagged as “nominated” on Wednesday, however a certified list of candidates that will appear on the Nov. 4 ballot won’t be released by the city clerk’s office until Sept. 5, according to city officials.
There are open seats for two at-large positions, a Ward I position — with the incumbent, Councilmember Crystal Murillo not running for another term — a Ward II position, and a Ward III position.
The Ward I race is stacked with four candidates vying for a position to represent the northwest part of Aurora.
Election campaigns will most likely center around the looming $25 million shortfall in 2026, public safety in the midst of a Consent Decree that involves police brutality and the topic of immigration in the most diverse city in Colorado, with the highest percentage of immigrants, while there is also a concern for Venezuelan gang members allegedly working to infiltrate the city. City growth and issues created by the new Trump administration are likely fodder for campaign differences.
At-Large, two seats
Rob Andrews
Andrews, a Democrat, is the founder of the One Voice Coalition, a local start-up that works with underserved communities. He is a Colorado native and a longtime resident of Aurora, according to his campaign page.
Andrews serves on various nonprofit and public boards and commissions, including the Colorado Workforce Development Board.
He said his campaign will focus on fostering economic opportunity, creating high-quality jobs and taking a unique but proven approach to building affordable housing and community-based public safety.
Andrews ran for Aurora mayor in 2023, but ultimately decided to drop out in order not to “split the vote” with fellow Democrat Juan Marcano, who started campaigning earlier than Andrews.
Watson Gomes
Gomes, an unaffiliated voter, is a Social Science Instructor at the Community College of Aurora. He also teaches Social Studies and Financial Literacy at Rocky Mountain Prep RISE High School, and serves as a youth coach for Colorado Rapids, according to his campaign page.
He said he is a father, husband and teacher who is committed to public service and human rights. Gomes has a Master of Arts in International Relations from the Graduate Center in New York, NY, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Law from Methodist University.
Gomes said his campaign will focus on providing experienced, values-driven leadership for the City of Aurora. He said he envisions a more connected, transparent and compassionate Aurora where every voice is valued and every neighborhood can thrive.
Alexandra Jackson
Jackson, a Democrat, is a social worker and mother to both her foster and biological children.
She is also an Aurora native and the daughter of a Black veteran and a Russian Immigrant. On her campaign website, Jackson said she is running on a community-first platform and is committed to ensuring that Aurora’s growth benefits all residents, not just big corporations or special interests. Jackson said her campaign is centered on economic growth, affordable housing, family matters and support, and community wellness.
Danielle Jurinsky
Jurinsky, a Republican, is an at-large incumbent running for a second term. Jurinsky is an Aurora native and single mother, according to her campaign page.
Jurinsky owns and operates JJ’s Place bar and restaurant in Aurora and describes herself as a pro-business city lawmaker.
During her first term, Jurinsky garnered national media attention and that of the Trump presidential campaign, promoting the narrative that immigrant gangs had “overrun” or “taken over” parts of Aurora. Jurinsky’s critics argue that the exaggerated claims she made were intended to benefit a national election season narrative.
Jurinsky’s campaign is focused on “fighting for a stronger, safer Aurora while bridging the gap between Aurora citizens and our local Aurora law enforcement.” She said she is focusing on economic growth, public safety and reducing taxes and fees.
Amsalu Kassaw
Kassaw, a Republican, is an Ethiopian-born and longtime Aurora resident, serving as the at-large incumbent. He was appointed to former Councilmember Dustin Zvonek’s vacant seat last fall.
Kassaw has worked in the security industry for 20 years and currently serves as a lieutenant at the GEO Group’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). He is the first Ethiopian immigrant to hold office in the state of Colorado. He graduated from Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia and has served his local community in various capacities.
He said he “wants to continue to be a voice for the city’s diverse residents,” in a statement.
Kassaw’s campaign focuses on community, including diversity and civic engagement, public safety, and economic growth, according to his campaign page.
Ward I
Stephen Elkins
Elkins, an unaffiliated voter and a former planner for the City of Denver, is a resident of the Jewell Heights neighborhood. He regularly attends city council meetings, making frequent public comments.
He currently works for a data center company, which he says frequently collaborates with local governments on permitting and project management. He held various positions as a city planner for the City of Denver for more than seven years.
He said his experience working with municipal bureaucracy will help him effectively represent Ward I residents and improve communication between city officials and the public.
Elkins said, if elected, he would focus on public safety, economic development and government accountability.
According to his campaign website, he plans to focus on public safety, putting Ward I first and accountability of local government.
Reid Hettich
Hettich, an unaffiliated voter, is a well-known pastor and community leader in Aurora, and he brings more than 20 years of community and church service to Aurora, focusing on community revitalization, equity and public safety. According to Hettich’s campaign website, he plans to “focus on community-driven leadership and delivering real results.”
Hettich is executive director and founder of Mosaic Unlimited, a church-based organization, co-owner of the Dayton Street Opportunity Center, chairperson of Aurora’s Key Community Response Team, a member of the Community Advisory Council for Aurora’s Consent Decree, and a host of other community boards and programs.
One notable point of pride for Hettich was the work he did with Aurora Public Schools to connect mentors with at-risk students, helping to improve their chances of graduation. The mentors he helped connect the students with led to an 80% on-time graduation rate for participants.
Gianina Horton
Horton, a Democrat, currently serves as the state’s coordinator for reducing racial and ethnic disparities. She previously served as a co-executive director for the Denver Justice Project and a project manager for the Denver Office of the Independent Monitor.
Horton received a bachelor’s degree from Colorado College in political science and government and went to high school at Denver Center for International Studies. She also served as a member of Aurora’s consent decree Community Advisory Council.
Her campaign plans to focus on empowering communities by ensuring safe and accountable policing and alternatives, affordable housing and support and “embracing newcomers,” including offering more immigrant support such as providing education, job support and other outreach, according to her campaign website.
Leandra Steed
Steed, a Democrat, is a director of Equity Matters at Great Education Colorado. She grew up in the metro Aurora area and attended Denver and Aurora Public Schools and has been a longtime Aurora resident, according to her campaign webpage. She attended the Community College of Denver and received a Bachelor’s in Elementary Education from the University of Northern Colorado.
Steed has served on various community organizations, including as the chairperson for the NAACP Aurora Education Committee.
Steed plans to “champion three critical pillars” in the community: affordable and fair housing, including a clear pathway to ownership, strong tenant protections, public safety such as promoting community-centered safety initiatives and economic development and growth by supporting small and home businesses and protecting workers’ rights.
Ward II
Steve Sundberg
Sundeberg, a Republican, is a longtime Aurora resident who owns and operates Legends of Aurora Sports Grill. He is the Ward II incumbent running for his second term. Sundberg describes himself as pro-small business and has worked on public safety legislation and reducing homelessness, according to his campaign website.
He sponsored panhandling education signage to discourage panhandling and has taken a tough-on-crime approach, as well as a “tough love” approach, to homelessness.
Sundberg’s campaign website said he will continue to focus on public safety, local business, affordable housing and reducing homelessness.
Amy Wiles
Wiles, a Democrat, is a longtime Aurora resident and is actively involved in community-driven groups, working in healthcare in Aurora.
She said she is not a politician, but a community member focused on improving Aurora’s neighborhoods, according to her campaign website. Wiles said she believes in community engagement, volunteering and giving back.
Wiles previously served in groups including Women in Business. She is also a Leadership Aurora Graduate and serves as a City of Aurora Human Relations Commissioner, chairperson and a member of the Community Advisory Council for the Aurora Police Department Consent Decree.
Wiles is a volunteer with Special Olympics Colorado and previously volunteered with Brent’s Place, Homes for Our Troops and as a Big Sister.
Wiles said she plans to focus on infrastructure, streets, youth and food deserts.
Ward III
Marsha Berzins
Berzins is running for city council of Aurora in Ward III. Berzins previously served as the Ward III representative from 2009 to 2021. After stepping down from the city council, she ran unsuccessfully for Arapahoe County commissioner. Berzins is a business owner and a mother. She continues to serve on multiple community boards and commissions, according to her website.
She said that, if elected, she plans to act as a “unifier and to serve everyone in Aurora,” according to her website.
Her campaign website said she plans to focus on public safety, jobs, the economy and community support.
She said she plans to continue participating in the local community and meet people where they are.
Ruben Medina
Medina, a Democrat, is a longtime Aurora resident and a project manager at the Foundation for Sustainable Urban Communities. Medina is the incumbent in Ward III, running for his second term.
A Community organizer, a wrestling coach, a father of three and a former firefighter/EMT, Medina said he sees his priority as listening keenly to his community, representing them on the dais with his vote.
Medina spent his last term building the city’s relationship with his diverse constituency. He is community-focused in both his work and his position on the city council.
Medina said he plans to focus on building a safer Aurora, breaking the stigma surrounding mental health, especially among youth, and ensuring strong support for the elderly community, according to his campaign website.
Candidates: Thank you for stepping up!
With sales tax serving as the city’s primary source of funding and with the city’s retail and dining economy per capita being among the weakest in Colorado, I certainly hope you all recognize that revitalizing retail, dining and entertainment must be Priority #1.
Weak retail/dining is not a sexy issue. But every difficult issue the city faces has a significant financial component. You may think crime, homelessness, or housing affordability are far more important but the city can’t accomplish jack___ without adequate funding. You are certainly not doing voters any favors just ignoring this in your campaigns.
Also, some leaders including Mayor Coffman and most of the ultra-conservatives on Council abjectly refuse to even acknowledge that the weak retail plays a direct role in determining the city’s financial capacity. They would have us believe that there’s nothing they can do. Yes, set the bar low. Blame the other side. Solve nothing. Repeat.
With the exception of Danielle Jurinsky, none of the incumbents running has even acknowledged the tremendous opportunity to improve retail, dining and entertainment in Aurora. Why is that?
If you ask, you may hear of a slow-moving venue study the city has commissioned. Don’t be fooled. Without a funding solution, the study is merely a distraction and expensive fantasy.
Aurora can confront and the fix retail, dining and entertainment issue. We already pay over $8 million per year for cultural facilities but over 90% goes elsewhere with Denver’s five major venues taking the first 63% right off the top. What’s needed is leadership ready to put Aurora well ahead of the party pressure coming out of Denver.
Reauthorization of the Denver Scientific and Cultural Facilities District is on the horizon. Now is the time for Aurora to both plan its exit and introduce a new solution so our $8 million/year may be invested in revitalizing Aurora.
Any candidate that disagrees is setting the bar too low and does not have a good handle on the criticality of the city’s revenue issue. Nothing will improve without addressing the chronically weak retail, dining and entertainment here. Things will become worse. Policy changes are absolutely meaningless if the city can’t fund them.
Any candidate that claims people will never come to Aurora for a concert is setting the bar too low and is peddling a feigned Stockholm Syndrome that –left unresolved — will result in having nothing but the Fox Theater for the next 20 years.
The truth: The Denver SCFD has economically sodomized Aurora for three decades and nothing will change without electing actual leaders. So who are the candidates with actual vision and courage to execute a real strategy?
Voters: Pin the candidates down and demand specific solutions to Aurora’s deep problems with retail and dining– specifically achieving regional draw. Are they willing to pursue an exit from the Denver SCFD? Yes or no? If no, then what’s their alternative? Do they even have one? Don’t vote for anyone with a vague answer.
Mr. Brown, you are nothing if not persistent. As your neighbor on the NextDoor app, I’ve witnessed your incessant drumbeat on this subject for years. Always with the same accusation and metaphors (sodomizing seems to be your particular favorite.)
But I’m not here to harangue you, as you do to the city council in EVERY POST.
Quite the contrary, I think you make some good points. Not the least of which is the immutable reality that Aurora is definitely light on destination entertainment.
Fixing that, I’m sure, is more complex than you suggest. The majority of this current council are pro-business. I believe they’d love to have new revenue generation sources in their city. Heck, it would directly benefit several of them as business owners. So there must be something more to it. Maybe they’re leery of putting your gamble on the backs of taxpayers as another tax. Maybe it’s a costly and complicated endeavor to withdraw. Maybe Aurorans and Aurora schools actually benefit from membership in SCFD. I really don’t know, and I don’t think you do either.
They say one should fish where the fish are. What data and or study have you undertaken to decide that a large live music venue is the answer for Aurora? Why not build on the successful Aurora Sports Park to dominate the youth sports scene? Why not create a truly unique year-round international food experience far beyond Globalfest? Why not lean into the toehold Aurora has in aviation and aerospace? I recall an council effort years ago to even create a destination for Nascar.
None of these are absolutely predicated on being in or out of SCFD.
Bottom line, why do you think you’re having such a hard time getting the city council on board? Could it be that you’re patently condescending?
Final question: Why isn’t your name on the above list?
Thank you, Mr. Fix for your comment. I suffered a serious brain injury in 2015 and civic engagement has been a very effective part of my cognitive therapy. Its by choice that I stay focused on the city’s chronically weak retail tax base. Call it a personal goal to affect serious change for the better. If anyone has a problem with this, then they can simply ignore my comments.
Regarding the gamble you allude to, my proposal for a public-private partnership (P3) to build a large Performing Arts Center caps the city’s financial exposure to 69% of the .1% cultural sales tax. The financial risk would be borne by the commercial partners. Currently, over 90% of our cultural tax is leaving the city so any blind concern about financial risk is entirely without basis. Rather than dismiss my proposal on purely ideological grounds, lets have an honest discussion on risk mitigation. Here, a P3 can certainly protect the city from financial harm.
With respect to Aurora schools, my proposal reserves 10% for grants focused on our youth– regardless of the provider’s location and 20% for past recipients of SCFD grants in Aurora with a 20% bump in grant amounts plus annual adjustments for inflation. Perhaps I’ve thought this through far more than you’re giving me credit. Again, note that over 90% of the tax currently collected here, is going elsewhere so yes, this math works.
Sports — youth, minor league or professional — will not generate the consistent demand needed to get Aurora up to average in retail/dining activity throughout the year. Irving, Texas (pop. 252K) learned this after they lost the Dallas Cowboys to Arlington. They replaced the 800K fan visits per year with 2 million concert fans when they built the CITY-OWNED Toyota Music Factory under a P3 partnership where LiveNation acts as operator for the main stage. Note that the Factory enjoys direct access to DFW much like NE Aurora enjoys with DIA. And the Factory includes 20+ bars and restaurants, plus boutique retail. Is this not potentially consistent with your suggestion for a “year-round international food experience?” What’s key is sustaining regional draw.
Irving’s also home to 13 of the Fortune 1000. Does anyone honestly think the Fox Theater will attract such companies to Aurora? For more on the Music Factory, see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaHDyRBbR9U
Are there other solutions that don’t require exiting the Denver SCFD? If yes, then put them on the table and lets have an honest discussion. But for City Council to act as if everything is okay revenue-wise while they are closing facilities, borrowing money for simple street maintenance and floating proposals to raise tax rates…? “Oh but Brown is so condescending.” How about brutally pragmatic and totally non-partisan.
Why isn’t my name on the above list? Currently, it would be perceived as a conflict of interest with my day job. But 2027 is a distinct possibility and I certainly don’t plan to let up on my therapy or personal goal of fixing Aurora’s deep deficiency in retail/dining activity. Stay tuned!
Superb analysis. One of Aurora’s main problems is its boredom. I say that as a lifelong resident.
Jeff Brown’s comment here should be framed and high placed in the city hall:
“The truth: The Denver SCFD has economically sodomized Aurora for three decades and nothing will change without electing actual leaders. So who are the candidates with actual vision and courage to execute a real strategy?” (Brown).
I’ve followed Jeff Brown’s thoughts for many years. I don’t believe he’s really condescending to our leaders, he’s just wants something that is impossible to achieve as far as local sales taxes are handled.
Aurora seems to love the fact that we are such a diverse community. Well that diversity doesn’t come with wealth or high personal income. Not now, not ever, not in the future. Aurora will glide along with sales taxes because most all of it’s citizens spend all the money they make or borrow on personal local needs. Not to mention the high amount of money sent back to the diverse citizens home country. Of course local economics are not that simple but I assure you that it’s the umbrella that covers most of the spending in north half of Aurora.
Other metro area citizens have not and will not come to Aurora because of our long time reputation of not being a nice place to be. Prostitution, past gang warfare, recent gang warfare, stolen cars, Aurora mall is our history. So we have always relied on citizen spending and Mr. Brown’s dream of something exciting to build is just a pipe dream. SCFD understands this.
Do you ever wonder why a city of 400,000 has never had a successful county club? This falls under the point, I’ve always tried to make. Ward VI has “all” the money in Aurora and now has Blackstone and to some degree Eagle Bend and it seems they are a million miles away from East Colfax. I hope you see that point.
As far as the news article goes, I’d like to make two additional points. A huge shout out to Crystal Murillo for not running again. No need to go into the history of her lack of leadership.
Lastly, the citizens in Wards IV, V and VI needs to come out strongly for the two conservatives Danielle Jurinsky and Amsalu Kassaw. The first three Ward voters will be out in force and they probably will go socialist or far left wing in the at large arena.
Sorry Dick but you are either a victim of Stockholm Syndrome or you are just faking it. “We’re not worthy of having nice things” is what you’re saying. That attitude has driven our retail economy into the ground.
Aurora can only transform if we elect leaders who (a) flatly reject the notion that Aurora can only remain a sh_hole, (b) recognize SCFD for the Ponzi scheme it is, and (c) aren’t afraid to actually execute at a strategic level.
Dick I respectfully disagree with you that Danielle Jurinsky and Amsalu Kassaw are the answer.
While some advocate for conservative candidates like Danielle Jurinsky and Amsalu Kassaw, it’s important to remember that under recent Republican-led councils, Aurora faced significant budget crises that impacted city services and community support. Party ideology should never come before effective governance and the well-being of all residents.
As an independent candidate, I am committed to representing every Aurorean—beyond party lines—focusing on local issues that matter most: public safety, economic opportunity, and equitable services across all neighborhoods. Aurora deserves council members who prioritize solutions over politics and work together to solve problems for everyone, not just a select few. Let’s build a future that includes all Aurorean, with leadership that listens and acts for the whole community.
I live in Ward 1. My wife and I earn more than the average salary in Ward 1. We pay full price for childcare. Our disposable income goes to our house and our retirement accounts.
We trust Amazon over Five Below. We cook at home. We work out at home, not at Orange Theory. We buy used whenever possible – never from a car lot. We share tools with our neighbors before buying.
We do not have the capacity to support retail in any meaningful capacity. We are subsistence purchasers. I expect many of my neighbors have similar lifestyles. We have not stepped foot in 85% of the shops in Aurora, and that number will not drop any time soon. We don’t see the benefit of most of these stores – and don’t understand why anybody would advocate dearly for them.
We don’t want to spend more.
Thank you for your comment. The Police, Fire and street maintenance we all rely on depend largely on retail sales tax to operate.
The core problem is that those across the Front Range who do have money to spend are not coming to Aurora to spend it. We’re not offering them much in the way of fun. Same with leisure travelers visiting Colorado via DIA.
Either we start drawing people TO Aurora to spend or we’ll need to start paying higher taxes ourselves.
Hi Jeff, Thank you for this platform.
I am strongly believe that Aurora’s economic future hinges on bold funding measures that redirect local investment toward revitalizing its retail, dining, and entertainment sectors. The proposal calls for exiting the Denver SCFD to reclaim over 8 million annually, creating a dedicated cultural and entertainment district with its own funding through special taxes or sales tax increments, and offering targeted incentives such as grants, tax abatements, and low-interest loans. Additionally, forging public-private partnerships, revising sales tax structures to stimulate spending, leveraging state and federal grants, and implementing appropriate user fees for city-run venues are essential to fostering regional draw and sustainable growth, thereby transforming the city’s revenue base and boosting its overall economic vitality.
Why is Leandra Steed’s candidate page hyperlink the only one that goes to a Facebook page? She has a real candidate page.
This was beautifully and inspiring, I would love to journal because of this very well written piece. Also very informative. I can faithfully vote from this article.