The year’s first City Council/Mayoral Forum took place at the Longmont Progressive Center this evening and featured questions covering a wide variety of topics posed to eight of Longmont’s candidates. 73 citizens (not including candidates) packed 723 Main for the standing room-only event moderated by John D’Amico.

Questions focused on such topics as affordable housing, small business climate, downtown and mall development, Latino-based issues, train noise and others. Due to the impressively sizable number of questions submitted online and in person at the event, not all questions were able to be addressed.

Candidates in attendance included:

• Sean McCoy (Ward 3)
• Ron Gallegos (At Large)
• Sarah Levison (At Large)
• Dennis Coombs (Mayoral)
• Paul Tiger (Ward 1)
• Suzzanne Painter (Ward 1)
• Brian Hanson (Ward 1)
• John Daniels (Ward 1)

Bonnie Finley (Ward 3) and Brian Bagley (Ward 1) were unable to attend due to prior commitments and current Mayor Bryan Baum and Council candidate Heath Carroll (At Large) declined their respective invitations to participate in the forum.

Posted by President as Announcements at 10:07 PM UTC No Comments 

 - By John Bigger, President, Longmont Area Democrats

Longmont City Council/Mayoral Election

LAD does not formally endorse Longmont city council or mayoral candidates, however, we urge you to please VOTE in the upcoming city election, which will be conducted entirely by mail-in ballot. Please note that the voter registration deadline is October 3 and that ballots will be mailed to voters on October 7. You can check your voter registration info here: https://www.bouldercounty.org/government/elections/pages/voterinfolookup.aspx

In addition to voting, please consider getting involved with your candidate of choice by donating money, volunteering to knock on doors, attending events and anything else which may be needed. You can contact the candidates’ campaigns through their respective websites.

Longmont City Council/Mayoral Forum

If you missed the candidate forum (and, judging by the packed house, it seems that very few of you did!) which was held at the Longmont Progressive Center on September 7, you can catch video of the event, either by clicking on the YouTube link on this page (see post-event announcement below) or by tuning in to Longmont Channel 8, which has graciously offered to air a replay of the forum.

Special thanks to the candidates who were in attendance (John Daniels, Paul Tiger, Brian Hanson, Suzzanne Painter, Dennis Coombs, Sarah Levison, Ron Gallegos and Sean McCoy) and to moderator John D’Amico.

New House District Lines Finalized

The newly redrawn state house districts have now been finalized (pending approval by the state Supreme Court) and I’m happy to say that our voices played a significant role in a positive overall outcome. Longmont and Boulder County Dems and progressives showed up in droves to the committee hearings held in August and September and spoke out against a reapportionment proposal which would have divided Longmont’s Latino community while segregating the heart of downtown Longmont from the rest of the city. Fortunately, the committee listened to reason and redrew the lines to ensure that the disputed areas would not be separated from the rest of Longmont in Deb Gardner’s House District 11.

This is a huge win for all of us and the impact of your efforts cannot be overstated. Thank you for speaking out, either in person or by email!

You can view the new maps here:

New Colorado HD Maps

LAD Membership Drive

2011 has witnessed significant growth in LAD membership and, in an effort to maintain our momentum heading into the 2012 campaign season, we will be conducting a fall membership drive. Keep an eye on this space (and your email) for more details on how you can get involved with the most powerful and effective grass roots organization in Longmont.

LAD Film Series

Throughout 2011, we’ve enjoyed impressive interest and attendance for our monthly film series, which is held on the third Wednesday of each month at the Longmont Progressive Center (723 Main St.). The following films have been screened thus far in 2011:

• Gasland
• Inside Job
• When Kids Get Life
• 8: The Mormon Proposition
• Daniel Ellsberg: The Most Dangerous Man inAmerica
• Freedom Song
• 9500Liberty
• Playing For Change (Sept 21)

The LAD Film Series is free and features spirited, thought-provoking discussion. Join us!

Freecyclin’

Most are probably aware of Freecycle, the Yahoo group which allows you to avoid contributing to landfill population, but for those who are not familiar, it is a great way to offload things that you are no longer using but which still have some life. Personally, I hate throwing things out, especially when someone else might be able to fix, restore or otherwise use my refuse. It’s free and easy to use and you can find out more info here: http://groups.freecycle.org/BoulderFreecycle/description .

If nothing else, it beats huckin’ a couch with a hand-scrawled “free” sign out onto your front lawn, hoping someone might happen by and take it off your hands.

Until next time…

“One defeats the fanatic precisely by not becoming a fanatic oneself, but on the contrary by using one’s intelligence.” – George Orwell

Posted by President as Announcements at 6:54 PM UTC No Comments 

The title tells you our objective so we won’t mince words. But it’s also an opportunity to tell you how proud we are to have brought you the events of the last year. And it’s quite gratifying, knowing that those events were successful, well attended, informative and most importantly, energizing.

We live in difficult times, and it’s easy to get discouraged. Believe us when we say, ‘we’ve been there.’ But the thing that will ultimately embolden our great country is the strength of our people-powered democracy. A simple principle that has managed to stay true for 235 years, no matter the state of our economy, no matter how divisive issues will threaten to make us.

We believe the best way to counter that discouragement is to do SOMETHING. First, to be informed. This year LAD brought you the documentaries Gasland, Inside Job, When Kids Get Life (with discussion lead by our State Representative Claire Levy-HD13, who has worked tirelessly in Colorado juvenile justice issues), 8: The Mormon Proposition, Daniel Ellsberg: The Most Dangerous Man in America, Freedom Song (with discussion lead by our own resident civil rights veteran Stider Benston), 9500 Liberty, and Playing for Change.

LAD is your source for one-on-one interaction with elected Party chairs as well as elected officials in our districts. We brought you Rick Palacio this year, newly elected chair of the Colorado Democratic Party. This was a unique opportunity and Rick was warm, gracious, stayed with us well into the evening, and didn’t shy from the tough questions. We presented a legislative roundup with candid inside stories from State Senator Brandon Shaffer (SD17) and Democratic Chief of Staff for the House, Paul Weissman, of what our elected officials deal with as they work in the trenches. Many LAD meetings are regularly attended by elected officials who are at the ready to answer questions, as well as allowing citizens to get to know them.

A few short weeks ago LAD brought you the 2011 Longmont City Council Candidates Forum. Although a non partisan race, we will take every opportunity to support the principle of an informed citizenry. Well attended, the Forum was expertly moderated by John D’Amico, and gave Longmont citizens an opportunity hear candidates answer questions and articulate their stance on the issues.

Longmont is blessed to have an active grassroots network of concerned and involved individuals who never hesitate to roll up their sleeves for local and national causes. And they are effective. Longmont’s activist community is recognized as a source for how to get the job done. LAD is an important link to informing our citizens of what issues need immediate action. We have received unending support from the Boulder County Democrats who held their Annual Truman Dinner once again here in Longmont just last week. We were gratified and humbled that they were so generous in their support of us.

LAD’s history explains why our group thrives to this day. Created by then Boulder County Commissioner Ron Stewart and Eileen Penner in 2002, and originally named The Longmont Area Democratic Women, it soon grew in numbers and was renamed Longmont Area Democrats (LAD) in late 2003. LAD Members have gone on to be party chairs, elected officials, as well as playing an important role in working on — and winning with —  issues and candidates, thus making our community and our world a better place.

We love to see the familiar faces of members who have been with us from the beginning. And we offer our heartfelt thanks for your support.

Now is the time to broaden our Democratic Community.

We are enjoying an unprecedented growth of membership in the Longmont Area Democrats and we’d like to continue that trajectory. Fresh faces and new ideas are always welcome. We also hope that those who attend a meeting for the first time can feel listened to and that their voice is honored. Lively but respectful debate does not scare us, in fact it can be a catalyst for real progress and solutions.

Because frankly, it’s fun to learn how to register someone to vote. It’s encouraging to learn about a difficult issue and know that there are those right here in your neighborhood, with tools to help you get involved. It’s empowering to meet other intelligent, soulful, (not to mention fun!) critical thinkers who care deeply about our country, for they are the true patriots.

Please consider a membership with the Longmont Area Democrats. Our Membership Drive special is $25 for programs for the rest of 2011 — and all of 2012 ($45 for dual memberships). (normal annual rate is $20 / $40 for dual membership)

Quite the bargain!

Posted by Marisa Dirks as Announcements at 10:08 AM UTC 2 Comments 

IF YOU ARE NOT REGISTERED TO VOTE, YOU MUST BE REGISTERED BY MONDAY, OCTOBER 3. Please make sure your address is current on your registration.

Every vote counts. Every election counts. And when Dems don’t show up to vote, our community suffers. For instance, last fall, we lost our majority in the Colorado House by only 197 votes.

When Dems DO show up to vote, the issues that matter are strengthened, and the scary measures that have no business in a democracy are thwarted. Democracy is messy, afterall.

That’s why we are bringing you this informative discussion about the ballot issues for the quickly approaching November 1 election. Ballots are being mailed starting on Tuesday, October 11, and it is a MAIL-IN BALLOT ONLY ELECTION. We’ll have some discussion about reinstating your mail-in ballot status if you did not vote last fall. (That’s right, you won’t get a ballot if you did not vote, or if you did not return the card that the County Clerk has sent you by now). You can reinstate your mail-in ballot status up until October 25.

Not only are Longmont City Council candidates being decided, Prop 103, St. Vrain Valley School Board positions and Ballot Question 2A (that’s the one about telecommunications service here in Longmont) will be voted on as well.

Please join us! You will feel empowered and prepared.

Know Your Ballot!

Wednesday, October 5, 6:30pm

723 Main Street

Longmont

Posted by Marisa Dirks as Announcements at 4:26 PM UTC 1 Comment