Denver District 5 | August 2021
Councilwoman Amanda Sawyer  
District 5 | 720-337-5555 |  DenverCouncil5@denvergov.org  
Senior Aide: Logan Fry | Aide: Jenn Gross | Aide: Felicia Rodriguez | Aide: Sara Visser
RISE GO Bond Proposal
Will Be on the
November 2021 Ballot
Dear Neighbors,

You may have heard that during last night's City Council Meeting, Council voted to refer the full RISE Denver Bond package - totaling $450M - to the voters on the November 2021 ballot. Our office has heard from community members who both support and oppose the package. As an elected official, I am not allowed to advocate for or against any measure that will be voted on by the people. However, I think it is important for you to understand the package, and why I voted to refer all of the measures to the ballot.

TABOR requires that each vote pertain to a single subject. So when you look at your ballot this November, you will see six votes related to the RISE Denver bond proposal. The votes will pertain to:
  • Facilities Improvements (not including the National Western buildings)
  • Parks Improvements
  • Transportation and Mobility Improvements
  • Shelter and Housing
  • National Western Arena & 1909 Buildings
  • A companion ordinance listing all the RISE Bond projects and funding amounts for each project

Here is the list of bond projects included in the proposal:
Here are the projects specific to District 5:
I believe that the community deserves to have a conversation about each of these proposals, and the National Western project in particular, and that is why I voted to refer this bond proposal to the ballot. I appreciate that the bond language was changed so that residents will be able to vote on the National Western projects separately from the other projects listed in the Facilities Improvements. This adds transparency to the process, and allows the community to have a conversation about where we see Denver heading in the future. When I ran for office, I did so to bring the voice of the people back to our local government, and I believe that having you - the voters - decide whether to approve this bond funding is the right way to accomplish that.
 
Please read below for more information and resources about the RISE Bond projects. As always, feel free to reach out to our office if there is anything we can do to assist you. Thank you for being among the most engaged communities in Colorado!
 
Gratefully,
 
Councilwoman Amanda Sawyer 
District 5 

2021 RISE GO Bond
Rebuilding for an Inclusive and Sustainable Economy (RISE) is Mayor Hancock’s plan to move Denver's economy from the rescue to the recovery phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. The plan focuses on the economy, our unhoused and unsheltered neighbors, and overall community safety. The $450 million GO (General Obligation) bond infrastructure package is a key component of the City’s financial plan for economic recovery.

The Mayor's office says that the investments are expected to create an estimated 7,500 good-paying jobs, $483 million in worker wages and benefits, and $1 billion in economic benefits. Please see the map below for a geographic overview of the projects and see the links below for more detailed information and resources.

Resources: