URGENT MESSAGE FROM DCF:
Special Election on Home Rule Charter in Douglas County June 24th
Have you heard about the Douglas County Home Rule Charter Special Election on June 24th? If you haven't, that may have been intentional.
What is a Home Rule Charter?
Home Rule is like a local constitution. It allows counties to write their own structure for county government. But everything depends on who writes it, why they’re doing it, and whether the public has a say. It's also extremely difficult to reverse.
It could change:
- How long county commissioners are elected for
- Whether key officials are appointed versus elected
- Whether public input is reduced or ignored
- Oversight of land use, libraries, and public health boards
Why does this special election matter to teachers and staff?
If voters establish a Home Rule Charter in DougCo, county officials can override state law in certain subject areas and would effectively dilute our county’s voice at the state legislature. The sitting county commissioners pushing the charter have already voiced plans to circumvent state statutes on:
- Collective bargaining and the right to unionize for public employees
- Gun regulations
- Immigration laws
- Water rights
- Board of health mandates
- Publicly owned land use
All of these things could affect school district policy in DougCo. We could lose our union rights. We could be forced to cooperate with ICE in our school buildings. More school staff could be armed. We may have to implement strict water usage rules due to controversial plans to export our water sources. We could be left to our own devices when it comes to disease outbreaks in our schools. Land marked for District use could be given away.
Regardless of personal opinion on the above issues, it’s important to recognize that decisions on these subjects will be made without our voice, or the voice of voters. Power will be concentrated in the hands of our county commissioners who could pursue their personal agenda over the needs/wants of the people.
The DCF Union Executive Board has endorsed a “VOTE NO” position on the Home Rule Charter Proposal.
Other counties have indicated that they are watching this special election closely as a blueprint.
Why DougCo Residents Should be Concerned:
It’s rushed-- only a three month process with no public engagement
It’s costly– $500,000 taxpayer-funded special election and opens us up to expensive lawsuits with the state
It’s not community led– sitting county commissioners brought this idea, there was no petition, no town halls
It favors insiders– some groups got access to the process, others were denied
It can shift power– fewer checks and balances, more concentrated control
What You Can Do:
- Learn the facts: StopDougCoPowerGrab.com
- Ask: who benefits from rushing this process?
- Talk to your friends and neighbors-- talk to five people and tell them to talk to five people, we have to spread the word
- Attend a '"VOTE NO" rally on June 2nd at the Douglas County Office, SIGN UP HERE
- VOTE NO by June 24th
Important Dates to Know:
- June 2nd- Vote No Rally at the Douglas County Office in Castle Rock
- June 2nd- ballots mailed to eligible voters, 24hr drop boxes open
- June 24th- Election Day (polls and drop boxes close at 7pm)