Arapahoe County Commission District 3: Brown vs Baker

1. 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?
   Cities are primarily funded by sales taxes while Counties are primarily funded by property taxes, although cities get some property taxes and counties can receive sales taxes. Aurora residents make up about half of Arapahoe County’s population and they receive an overwhelming majority of the services the county offers. The Arapahoe County Human Services Department’s main office is located at CentrePoint Plaza, across Alameda south of Aurora City Hall. The Arapahoe/Douglas Works! Division likewise has a large branch office at Altura Plaza at 14^th and Chambers. Yes, Aurora taxpayers fund county services which are usually free of cost to them. Taxpayers also help fund another county function, again one for which they make up the majority of users – the detention facility or county jail.  Of the thirteen cities or towns in Arapahoe County, whose residents pay property taxes, Aurora is by far the largest consumer of our services but you don’t hear those other municipalities or Commissioners complaining about this – they know it is our duty and how Colorado has dictated things to work.     

2. 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?

      All three counties are members of the Denver Regional Council of Governments, or DRCOG.  Aurora is also a member of this 58-jurisdiction regional collaboration and is ably represented by Councilmember Angela Lawson. It is the federally designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) which continues to receive federal funds for transportation (roads & bridges) projects.  It is also the Area Agency on Aging which likewise receives federal funds and grants to aid local services for our aging populations. This funding supplements local taxes in running these programs. The services offered are directly dependent on the amount of money received – we have seen good years and, most recently, we have seen lean years.  Because county staff have been on this roller-coaster ride over the years, they are experts at making the most of whatever we can get. Please ask your members of congress to increase funding for these essential services.  Just a note that I am honored to serve as the Chair of the DRCOG Board of Directors and I am proud to lead this group of elected officials in making some very important decisions for our future. 

3. What is the most important difference between you and your opponent

The primary difference between me and my general election candidate is experience in Arapahoe County.  I was a county employee in two different departments (human services, 5 years and facilities & fleet management, 13 years) before serving as a commissioner these last 7 years.  I have now worked for Arapahoe County over 26 years, and been involved in projects within every department and office.  I was on the project team that built CentrePoint Plaza, the Sheriff & Coroner headquarters, the County Fairgrounds and the Eastern Service Center south of Bennett.  I have planned and managed my division budget and helped put together the entire county budget.  My opponent, an honorable man whom I have enjoyed meeting and talking with on the campaign trail, has been a resident of Arapahoe County and is the relative of a county elected official.  I applaud him for stepping out and wanting to be more active in his government.

4. 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 cost. Should the counties look at new ways to combine resources, saving taxpayer dollars?

There were increased costs involved with creating and running three separate public health departments, not savings.  There were losses in grant funding due to the fact that each health department is now representing a smaller population than Tri-County represented when they were working with the populations of all three counties.  Many federal grants are awarded based upon the number of residents to be served. Arapahoe County was able to set up its public health department without increasing the tax burden on our county residents.  We were able to recruit the most Tri County employees than either of the other two counties because these employees knew what a great organization it could be as part of the rich history of Arapahoe County.  Each county is now managing its own public health department with increased services where it needs them. We collaborate with all surrounding counties, including Jefferson County and the City & County of Denver to make all funding go further.  This is the optimum right now and there should not be any effort to re-combine them. 

5.  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?

I vehemently disagree with the premise in your question that Aurora has a greater homelessness burden than any of the other parts of Arapahoe county. Tell that to the “Tri-Cities” areas of Sheridan, Littleton and Englewood who are also experiencing a homelessness crisis situated as they are along the light rail lines that actually work (sorry ’bout that RTD…) Now, I know the City of Aurora is sooo much more important and that the city’s elected officials are very city-centric, but come on!  Homelessness knows no boundaries, no city limits. One municipality does encampment sweeps and chase the un-housed into another jurisdiction, patting themselves on the back for a job well done.  The greatest impact to reduce homelessness is doing just exactly what Aurora, Arapahoe County and the State of Colorado are doing:  a) Transforming the Ridgeview campus in un-incorporated Arapahoe County’s district 3, my district, into a Fort Lyons model one-stop-shop resource for homeless services – temporary shelter, substance abuse treatment, mental health treatment and employment services. The County has dedicated ARPA funds to this project and will participate in the programs to be offered.  b) Planned services and shelter at the regional navigation campus in Adams County along with increased mental health resources at the Aurora Mental Health and Recovery crisis and acute care center – both of which Arapahoe Contributed funds to. c)  The new supportive housing center Arapahoe County is planning, working with Brothers Redevelopment and All Health Network near Chambers and Iliff. This supportive housing will reduce the number of folks being released from the Arapahoe County Detention Center into a homeless condition.