While Autumn doesn't official begin until next week, I'd say fall has already arrived based on the number of political yard signs popping up! You can expect to see a few more signs donning yards and fences in the coming weeks as we get closer to November. Off-year elections occur during odd-numbered years and generally feature candidates for local office such as city council and school board. They may also feature a wide variety of citizen initiatives.

Off-year elections are just as important as the ones featuring federal and state legislative candidates, but they tend to generate lower participation. I believe local government issues are the most likely to influence our everyday lives, so it's important to become acquainted with your local candidates. This is the main reason we are dedicating this month's town hall to getting to know the candidates running for the Jefferson County School Board. You can find more details on our forum this coming Saturday below or by clicking HERE.

In addition to municipal and school board elections, there will be a few ballot initiatives as well. According to a newly published legislative memorandum on the history of statewide ballot initiatives, "Odd-year election proposals are limited to "matters arising under TABOR," such as taxes. This year there are three such measures:

You can find more information on these statewide ballot measures, including and con statements, in the Colorado Ballot Information Booklet, also known as the "Blue Book." The Blue Book also comes in Spanish and audio formats. Click HERE for links to the Blue Book and for more information on the initiative process.

Election Day is November 2 and mail ballots will be sent to all eligible voters beginning October 8, so don't delay! Now is the time to begin educating yourself on the candidates and issues. See below for a list of candidate forums in the area, and please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions about this year's election. Happy Fall everyone!

Colorado Nursery and Greenhouse Association event: Last week I was was very pleased to join members of the Colorado Nursery and Greenhouse Association at a membership barbecue at a local greenhouse right here in Senate District 19. Brown's Greenhouse was founded in 1981 and moved to its current location in 1990. Chief Plant Officer, Jeremy Friedman, and staff member Ryan Giacomin, gave us a fabulous tour of both their new and existing greenhouses, and described for us how the nursery and greenhouse industry operates in Colorado. Brown's Greenhouse is a premier wholesale grower of annuls, perennials, and vegetables, and they have a passion for delivering beautiful plants all year round, with the selection changing seasonally. To learn more about this fantastic business, click HERE.

Redistricting update: Colorado's Independent Redistricting Commission released the "First Staff Plan" maps for both congressional and legislative redistricting following their first round of public hearings. These maps were drawn by nonpartisan redistricting staff and were based largely on a decade of demographic changes reflected in the 2020 census. While the public hearings on the first congressional redistricting map have concluded, the Commission will hold virtual public hearings on the first legislative map on September 17 and 18. For more information on how to testify and/or submit feedback online, click HERE.

Interim Committees: During the legislative interim--the time period between sessions--a number of committees meet to discuss a variety of policy areas. Currently there are 16 active interim committees and task forces that have been meeting since the conclusion of the 2021 session. Legislative Council Staff recently published a memorandum that provides a nice overview of the interim committees including their charge, make-up, and general structure. Notably, the memo also contains a list of important meetings dates and deadlines which are coming up quickly for many committees. You can track the meeting dates and how to listen/watch by clicking HERE.

September economic and revenue forecast: On September 21, at 9:00 am, Legislative Council's Economics team, and the Governor's Office of State Planning and Budgeting, will present the September Economic and Revenue Forecast to the Joint Budget Committee. These forecasts are used by the General Assembly to help develop the state budget and monitor state spending in relation to revenue. LCS and OSPB provide these updates on a quarterly basis and can be viewed live on our Watch & Listen page.

Financing Public Schools in Colorado: During the 2021 legislative session there were three bills enacted that substantively impacted the financing of public schools in Colorado. I was very pleased to be the prime sponsor of all three bills!

The Office of Legislative Council (OLS) put together a memorandum summarizing the primary funding changes for school finance and can be found HERE.

Click HERE for a list of ways to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage month!

Election Day is Tuesday, November 2, 2021. You can register to vote online at www.GoVoteColorado.com. October 25 is the last day to register online to receive a mail ballot. Mail ballots will be sent to all eligible voters beginning October 8. Here is a non-exhaustive of some forums for local races.

7:30 am - 9:00 am

Arvada Chamber of Commerce

Featuring candidates running for the Arvada City Council

The event will take place at the Lamar Street Center in Arvada. For more information and to register for the event, click HERE.

10:30 am - 12:00 pm

Legislative Town Hall Meeting

Featuring candidates running for the Jefferson County School Board

The event will take place at Pomona High School. For more information, click HERE.

6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

League of Women Voters of Jefferson County

Featuring candidates running for the Arvada City Council

The event will be cablecast and rebroadcast on the local Channel 8. For more information, click HERE.

10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Westminster Chamber of Commerce

Featuring candidates running for the Westminster City Council

The event will take place online. For more information and to register for the event, click HERE.

Find local shops near you:

Small businesses are still recovering from the economic effects of the pandemic. That's why this session we made it a priority to support them with the creation of new recovery programs and grant/loan opportunities.

Find all of Colorado's new recovery programs by clicking HERE.

Take part in Small Business Week by shopping locally too! When you shop local, you help drive our economy and workforce, create new jobs, and enhance opportunity in our community.

Here are the latest press articles that touch on legislative issues from the past few weeks. You can view the full list on my website by clicking HERE.

The Colorado Sun: Democrats poised to keep control of Colorado legislature under latest draft redistricting maps

Pagosa Daily Post: Colorado Laws Addressing Gun Violence, Teacher Shortages, Affordable Housing, Became Effective Yesterday

EIN News: Laws to Prevent Gun Violence, Address Teacher Shortages, Promote Affordable Housing & More Become Effective in Colorado

Denver Gazette: State education assessment shows 'significant decreases' for Colorado students

Please join Sen. Zenzinger, and Representatives Brianna Titone and Lindsey Daugherty, for our next legislative town hall meeting featuring candidates running for the Jefferson County School Board. We will be meeting in person at Pomona High School on Saturday, September 18 at 10:30 am.