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Home Rule Offers a Route To Local Control for Douglas County
Can a conservative county find a path to freedom in a state dominated by deep-blue progressives?
Douglas County has a proposal: become a home rule county.
Elected officials recently came together to announce its intention to ask voters to take a formal step to empower the county to craft policies more in step with the needs and desires of Douglas County families and businesses.
The process offers significant opportunities for citizens to get involved and voice their views. The first step requires an election to authorize the drafting of a home rule charter.
If voters approve that step, then a November vote will be held to approve the charter.
Learn more about this process, and its benefits, here.
Why is such a step necessary, and why now?
Remember how surprising it was to learn that a non-elected body – the now-defunct Tri County Health Department - could regulate our daily lives, including putting mask mandates in place over the objection of our elected leaders?
County leaders wisely charted their own course more in line with citizens’ freedom-oriented views (and without Douglas County’s financial support, Tri County collapsed.)
Our county commissioners also tried to provide property tax relief when tax rates soared – only to be legally rebuffed by the state government.
And more recently, Douglas County leaders – including the county commissioners and Sheriff Darren Weekly – pushed back hard against sanctuary laws that hamper our county’s ability to address illegal immigration.
There are many other examples.
The point is this: Douglas County’s residents, businesses and taxpayers have views and priorities that are starkly different from liberal legislators and out-of-touch bureaucrats in Denver.
Home rule is a path toward freedom and local control that citizens have been demanding for years.
Recent Headlines
Douglas County explores establishing its own home rule charter
If Douglas County adopts its own home rule charter, then it would become the first Colorado county to do so
in more than 45 years.
Douglas County commissioners voted on Tuesday to explore establishing a home rule charter, arguing the move would allow the county to carve a path that is different than where the state is headed.
Establishing home rule, officials said, gives commissioners and the county more local control.
Douglas County Commissioners to pursue a home rule charter
The Douglas County Board of County Commissioners adopted a resolution to pursue a home rule county charter which will be brought to voters as a ballot initiative.
Colorado Statute determines the form and function of county government. A home rule charter would allow Douglas County government to be more flexible in addressing certain local challenges.
County commissioners in Colorado hope to change governance to home rule
Voters will decide whether Douglas County will control more of its own destiny. County commissioners want to change the current form of government to a home rule county.
That would give the county more power over the area's governance and push back against what they consider "legislative overreach." Home rule counties are not required to follow state statutes in matters of local and municipal concern.
"We want to preserve and protect what we have in Douglas County," said Commissioner George Teal. "We're not talking about changing the way we govern; we're talking about empowering our residents to take control of their own destinies."
Commissioners said they are starting this process to reduce impacts from some state laws, including property tax reductions and sanctuary community policies. It would enable the county to set its own criminal charges and bonds, appoint its own judges and make local regulations regarding collective bargaining and unions.
Douglas County begins process to become home rule county
Douglas County's Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday approved a resolution to start the process of transitioning from a statutory form of government to a home rule county. After years of disagreeing over state laws governing crime, taxes and immigration, commissioners want more local control.
The resolution passed Tuesday calls for an election to establish a Home Rule Charter Commission. That commission would conduct a study and propose an organization and structure of county government. Voters would then be asked to approve the home rule charter.
In a special election June 24, voters will be asked to decide whether to form a charter commission and select 21 members for the commission. On Nov. 4, residents will vote on whether to approve the home rule charter.
There are currently four home rule counties in Colorado: Denver, Weld, Pitkin, and Broomfield.
Denver and Broomfield adopted home rule, given they both have dual city-county status. Weld County’s home rule charter went into effect in 1976, while Pitkin established a home rule charter in 1978, according to their respective home rule charters.
Upcoming News from DCFF
Every other week, DCFF will report on important news and challenges impacting our community. We hope you will stay engaged and connected with us.
