Guest Column – The Hornet’s Nest Has Been Kicked Open

TO BOULDER’S NEXT MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL

The opinions, beliefs, and points of view expressed by our guest columnists do not reflect the opinions, beliefs, and points of view of this publication.

by Rob Schuham

The election will end. The demand for accountability won’t.

Aquiles La Grave has kicked open a hornet’s nest in Boulder. And frankly, I think it’s about time.

Whether you like his style or not, he’s challenged a political establishment that has grown far too comfortable defending its decisions and far too accustomed to being given the benefit of the doubt.

Now we’re hearing an awful lot about Aquiles’s tone, his temperament, and whether he knows how to play nicely with others. Some of that critique is fair. But I find it striking how much energy is being spent dissecting the challenger while the actual performance of the city government gets comparatively little attention.

Since when did being agreeable become more important than being accountable?

I’ve lived in Boulder for 33 years, and I can’t remember a time when I’ve been more concerned about the direction of our city. I’m hardly alone. Residents and business leaders are tired of being told everything is under control while costs keep climbing and questions keep piling up.

I’m tired of illegal camping and blatant open drug use that continues while our elected officials tell us that things are improving. Yet even with “slightly less” frequency, I still see plenty of piles of litter next to our public walkways and bikeways, and the destruction of our precious open spaces. Bike theft and petty crimes are insane, as is when I witness people being approached by, or yelled at, by folks who are obviously high, or suffering in some other way. A trip to the Farmers Market via the creek path, or a walk by the bandshell can feel downright dangerous. And I fear it’s only a matter of time before an illegal camper somewhere in one of our city parks or up on our hiking trails sets off a wildfire, accidentally or otherwise.

Let’s face it, we still have a real problem here, and we continue to reputationally sink under the weight of trying to do what’s right, while at the same time, experiencing profound embarrassment that our once shiny magnet of a city feels like a zombie apocalypse at times. And it wasn’t always that way. And it’s under the guise of elected officials who have been slow to respond over the last decade and point to incrementality as a win.

There’s something profound we are losing: the very essence and character that makes Boulder special. What makes a city charming isn’t its municipal buildings, its master plans, or its bureaucracy. It’s the independent restaurants, cafés, shops, galleries, and small businesses that give its streets personality. It’s the people who take risks, open doors, create gathering places, and give our community its distinctive identity.

These businesses aren’t incidental to Boulder’s character. They’re essential to it. And when a city becomes too expensive, too difficult to access, too dirty, or too dangerous, it slowly erodes the very qualities that draw in visitors from surrounding areas, as well as far away. Sadly our downtown is much less magnetic now and the downstream financial impacts are impacting the whole city’s tax base.

At what point does consensus become complacency?

Consider Alpine-Balsam’s projected $366 million cost, Ballot Issue 2K’s proposed $400 million in borrowing which could add up to $650M over time. And the Mayor and council’s surprising acceptance of the situation we are in, combined with their lack of accountability, and an attitude that we’ve come too far, so alas, Alpine-Balsam is what it is. As in too big to fail. Any successful business person knows you don’t throw good money after bad. And as we also say in business about hatched ideas that don’t pan out, sometimes you have to kill your darlings.

Add to this the persistent public-safety concerns, and we can all see these aren’t ideological questions as portrayed by the candidates bristling at opponents’ campaign styles. They’re questions of governance. Progressive values and fiscal accountability aren’t mutually exclusive. In fact, one depends on the other.

Four Recommendations for a Boulder Reset:

Interestingly, many of the reforms now being discussed gained prominence only after Aquiles entered the race and began challenging the status quo. I welcome that. But recognizing problems and fixing them are different things. So let’s get down to business:

Here’s what the next mayor and council should deliver:

1. Put Alpine-Balsam under independent financial review. Yes, I understand that some of this has been proposed, but it really needs to consider all potential outcomes and be done within 90 days. Commission an outside assessment of remaining costs, financing, and alternatives, including selling the property and relocating city employees into existing downtown office space. Publish the findings and require a public council vote on the recommended path forward. And related to this, require independent financial reviews before Boulder takes on any major new debt or capital commitments.

2. Set public-safety targets with consequences. Within 90 days, publish measurable goals for police staffing, retention, response times, and camping enforcement. Report progress quarterly, and require corrective-action plans when targets are missed. Public spaces must be safe and accessible. Incremental improvements need to instead be significant improvements.

3. Protect the businesses that make Boulder, Boulder. Within 100 days, publish a downtown revitalization and support plan focused on filling vacant storefronts, increasing foot traffic, exploring free parking options, strengthening police presence as well as addressing trash, excessive loitering and panhandling. Conduct a comprehensive audit of permitting costs, approval timelines, fees, and regulatory barriers facing independent businesses. Set measurable targets for reducing delays and create a simpler, more predictable path for opening, operating, and expanding locally owned businesses.

4. Create an independent Business and Resident Accountability Council. Within 120 days, establish a standing review committee composed of local business owners, residents, and independent financial and operational experts. It should be separate from Open Boulder and other existing political or business advocacy organizations, with transparent appointments, conflict-of-interest disclosures, access to public financial information, and the ability to issue independent findings. Require City Council to respond publicly to its recommendations. Make city performance publicly measurable, and within 180 days, launch a dashboard tracking capital spending, public safety, permitting timelines, downtown economic vitality, and delivery of essential services. Assign a responsible official and deadline to every major commitment. Hold quarterly public accountability sessions where council and city management answer for results.

The Election Will Be the Easy Part.

While I respect those who serve our city, and I agree collaboration matters, it should never substitute for accountability. In the same breath confrontation should never substitute for competence.

Jill Adler Grano, Aaron Brockett, and others now recognize the need for stronger oversight. Good. But perhaps the political establishment should spend less time criticizing the messenger and more time explaining why meaningful reform has taken so long.

Aquiles didn’t create Boulder’s problems. He helped bring them into sharper focus. And regardless of who wins, residents and business leaders are highly activated now and will continue demanding answers. So to the winners of next week’s election, be careful what you wish for.