Three seats on the nine-member University of Colorado Board of Regents are up for election and the overarching issue involves money — how to keep tuition costs in check, what to do about lack of state funding, and how to cut costs.
Our endorsements recognize the experience of those running and how they plan to address the financial challenges.
In the 2nd Congressional District seat being vacated by Joe Neguse, who is running for secretary of state, Democrat Linda Shoemaker is the best choice.
Shoemaker, an attorney, has served as past president of the Boulder Valley School Board and was the founding chair of the progressive Bell Policy Center. She also co-founded the Brett Family Foundation, which invests in groups working for social justice.
Yet Shoemaker works well with those on the opposite side of the political spectrum and will be a strong advocate for more state funding. Her opponents are Republican Kim McGahey and Libertarian Daniel Ong.
In the 6th CD seat being vacated by Jim Geddes, John Carson is the better choice.
He is an in-house attorney for a mortgage company and was president of the Douglas County School Board during a controversial stretch when it adopted different pay structures for teachers and scholarships for private school students, a.k.a. vouchers.
Carson says he would battle against unreasonable tuition hikes by promoting a five-year budget model, cutting bureaucracy and, he hopes, pushing professors to spend more time in the classroom.
Carson and Shoemaker may be on opposite ends of the political spectrum, but their particular interests will serve to strengthen the Board of Regents.
Carson’s Democratic opponent is Naquetta Ricks, who would like to see the state consider severance taxes to help with tuition costs. While her voice and perspective on the board would be useful, her opponent is the better choice.
The race for the 7th CD seat pits incumbent vice chair Irene Griego against Libertarian Steve E. Golter. Griego, appointed in 2011 by Gov. John Hickenlooper and elected in 2012, has performed admirably as a regent and deserves re-election.
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