When Denver Mayor Michael Hancock is sworn in for a second term Monday, he’ll gaze out on a city with the wind at its back and growing confidence in its future.
“It became clear sometime in 2013,” he told us last week, “that this was one of the most transformative moments in Denver history, in terms of the development that is occurring, the growth that is happening, the global interest in Denver, the national interest in Denver.
“People were sitting up and taking notice.”
With its population and jobs base still expanding, its real estate more than recovered from the Great Recession (and how!), and a budget reserve that Hancock says will close this year at 17 percent, Denver is in a strong position.
Plus, the mayor quips, “We’ve become one of the hip cities in the nation.”
As many Denverites know, the mayor has big plans for the next four years, too. For starters, he’ll be asking voters to approve an extension of lodger’s and rental car taxes to rebuild the National Western Center, as well as ratify an agreement with Adams County and suburban cities for an “aerotropolis” on airport land.
In addition, his priorities include more affordable housing, better mobility that includes wider choices, and “next-gen commerce” — by which he means, “How do we catch hold of and capitalize on the cutting-edge industries of the global marketplace?”
If that sounds hard to get your head around, think of the Panasonic Enterprise Solutions Co. headquarters facility that will be going in near DIA. That sort of industry, he means.
It’s a fine agenda, but let’s hope the mayor attends to the nitty gritty of governance, too. Reform at the jail, while comprehensive, has been embarrassingly slow. The mayor says that’s because “every layer we pulled back there was another challenge.” Meanwhile, though, the city still awaits a new sheriff.
The city’s child protection service badly needs attention, too, after yet another child recently died who evidently had been the subject of calls to child protection workers.
Then there’s the widespread and sometimes justifiable angst over major development thrust in the midst of neighborhoods. And while Hancock defends his planning and development office, he also notes that “we are planning to revisit Blueprint Denver” after 13 years to update the map of “where development should occur.”
Good idea. Even in this era of good feelings for Denver, the mayor needs to pay attention to signs of disgruntlement.
To send a letter to the editor about this article, submit or check out our for how to submit by e-mail or mail.
