Contact: Pat Shanks, 303-819-3315, or Susan Morris, 303-666-9263

Oct. 1, 2007

(Boulder, CO)—PLAN-Boulder County announced its endorsement of three candidates to fill the seats in contention in the upcoming Louisville City Council race, as well as city and county ballot issues pending in the election on November 6th.

"PLAN-Boulder County is endorsing three candidates for the Louisville City Council that would combine experience and knowledge of environmental and city planning issues with some new faces and fresh energy,"stated Pat Shanks, Chair of PLAN-Boulder County. "An important quality in all of our endorsees is a commitment to good government, open space, and pursuing sound growth management."

Specifically, the Board of PLAN-Boulder County endorsed the following three candidates:

• Chuck Sisk for mayor-for his experience both within the city and his regional cooperation with our neighboring communities;
• Annie Hughes for Ward 1-for her neighborhood activism and knowledge of fiscal and land use issues; and
• Matt Jones for Ward 3-for his experience as an elected official and support of planned growth and open space.

"In addition to selecting candidates that embody the principles and positions of PLAN-Boulder County, we also placed a premium on individuals that believe strongly in listening to and representing the citizens of Louisville,"explained PLAN-Boulder County board member, Susan Morris. "We think participatory democracy is a critical aspect of good government."

PLAN-Boulder County also endorsed city ballot initiative 2A. This initiative would transfer the responsibilities of the urban renewal process from the unelected Louisville Revitalization Commission to the elected Louisville City Council. The current Louisville Revitalization Commission would then become an advisory board to the City Council.

"Ballot Initiative 2A is a good government issue," added Morris. "It assures that the City Council, not an unelected body, will be in charge of the urban renewal process and the millions of dollars that accompany it."

PLAN-Boulder County endorsements requires a two-thirds majority of the board, based on the criteria that a candidate stands firmly for PLAN-Boulder County's principles, understands municipal issues, is experienced in city government (either in elected office, on city boards/commissioners, or with activist groups), and shows a clear ability to assume a leadership role on the council. During regular municipal elections, PLAN-Boulder County makes endorsements of city council candidates based on a rigorous inquiry by the board into candidate qualifications. To that end, PLAN-Boulder County distributed an in-depth questionnaire focused on growth and environment issues to city council candidates. The candidates' responses to PLAN-Boulder County's questionnaire are posted on the group's website at www.PLANBoulder.org.

In addition, PLAN-Boulder County is also endorsing two Boulder County ballot initiatives:

• Boulder County Initiative 1A, which would extend Boulder's current open space sales tax from 20 years to continue preserving, improving and maintaining important open space lands around the county; and
• Boulder County Initiative 1B, which would extend Boulder's current transportation sales tax for 15 years to pay for a mixture of projects including roadway reconstruction, safety and maintenance; bicycle shoulders on county roads; pedestrian underpasses and sidewalks; transit funding and countywide EcoPass program; and completion of our regional trails system.

Concluded Shanks, "With so many important environmental and open space issues at stake, this election will be important in determining the future of Longmont and Boulder County. We hope everyone gets involved and makes sure to vote."