Rapid Organizing

I urge you to support the repeal of Colorado's ban on local rent control (C.R.S. 38-12-301). Denver rents have increased 85% in a decade while wages have not kept pace. Over 7,300 Denver residents are experiencing homelessness. The repeal bill HB 23-1115 passed the Colorado House but died in the Senate by a single vote. Colorado is one of the only states that prohibits its cities from enacting rent stabilization. Denver residents deserve the right to decide this issue for themselves. Please support repeal legislation or a ballot initiative to let voters decide.

Colorado has no law requiring city council approval before police departments acquire surveillance technology. This gap allowed Denver's mayor to deploy 111 Flock automatic license plate reader cameras without a council vote and then bypass the council after they voted 12-0 against renewal. I urge you to introduce and support a Colorado surveillance oversight bill modeled on California's AB 481, requiring legislative body approval for all law enforcement surveillance technology acquisitions, with annual reporting, public comment periods, and enforcement penalties. Colorado already requires council notification for facial recognition under SB 22-113. We need the same protections for all surveillance systems.

I urge you to reintroduce and support SB25-148, the campaign finance reform bill that would ban year-round lobbyist contributions, require 24-hour reporting of independent expenditures over $1,000, and mandate donor disclosure for federal PACs contributing to Colorado elections. This bill failed by a single vote in committee in March 2025. Colorado lobbyists self-reported nearly $500,000 in contributions to statehouse candidates during the 2024 cycle. The Independent Ethics Commission has advanced complaints against 17 legislators for accepting lobbyist hospitality. Coloradans deserve to know who is funding our elections.

I urge you to support HB26-1005, which reduces barriers in the Labor Peace Act to promote good faith collective bargaining. Colorado's union membership rate is approximately 7.2%, below the national average, while wages have stagnated for decades. Workers in hospitality, food service, and home care - the sectors with the worst wages and conditions - have near-zero collective bargaining coverage. This bill strengthens workers' ability to organize and negotiate fair wages and conditions. When workers can bargain collectively, entire communities benefit through higher wages, better working conditions, and reduced inequality. Please vote yes on HB26-1005.

I urge you to support HB26-1106, which strengthens eviction protections for tenants in Colorado. Denver County Court processed over 15,000 eviction filings in 2025 - 72% above pre-pandemic levels. Over 90% of landlords have attorneys in eviction court while fewer than 10% of tenants do. The current system is designed for landlords. Tenants deserve meaningful protections: adequate notice, access to counsel, and fair processes. No one should lose their home in 48 hours without a fair chance to respond. This bill moves us toward a Colorado where housing stability is a reality, not a privilege. Please vote yes on HB26-1106.

I urge you to support SB26-071, which regulates law enforcement surveillance technologies. In Denver, the mayor deployed 111 Flock automatic license plate reader cameras without council approval. When council voted 12-0 against renewing the contract, the mayor bypassed them by structuring a $498,509 deal just under the $500,000 approval threshold. Audit logs revealed Denver's Flock data was searched over 1,400 times by ICE. This is exactly why we need SB26-071 - to require democratic oversight of surveillance technology before it is deployed against our communities. Colorado residents deserve to know what tools police are using and to have a say in whether they're used. Please vote yes on SB26-071.

I urge you to support SB26-005, which creates state court remedies for violations of federal constitutional rights during immigration enforcement. Everyone in Colorado - regardless of immigration status - has constitutional rights. When federal agents violate those rights during enforcement operations, people need a meaningful remedy in state courts. Denver's Latino community is over 30% of the city population. Our immigrant neighbors pay taxes, own businesses, and raise American children. They deserve the same constitutional protections as everyone else. SB26-005 ensures that rights violations have consequences. Please vote yes.

I urge you to support SB26-002, which establishes an energy affordability program providing income-qualified utility customers a minimum level of electricity service at marginal cost. Thousands of Colorado families face impossible choices between heating their homes and paying for food or medicine. Energy is not a luxury - it is a necessity for life and safety, especially for medically vulnerable residents. This bill ensures that low-income Coloradans have access to a baseline of affordable electricity. No one should freeze in the dark because they cannot afford Xcel's rates. Please vote yes on SB26-002.

I urge you to support Denver charter amendments that would strengthen democratic oversight: lowering the veto override threshold from 9-of-13 to 8-of-13, requiring council approval for all surveillance and AI technology contracts regardless of dollar amount, lowering the $500,000 contract approval threshold that was exploited to bypass the council on the Flock camera contract, and requiring council confirmation of key cabinet appointments including the Chief of Police. Denver is the only major Colorado city with a strong-mayor system, and the current structure concentrates too much power in the executive at the expense of democratic accountability.