Denverites weigh in on Mayor Mike Johnston’s first two years, from cheers to disappointments
The Denver Post appealed readers to give feedback on Mayor Mike Johnston after his first two years in office for a story on his performance so far Here are a few of the hundreds of responses including comments from a variety of neighborhoods and from people who did and didn t vote for Johnston in the voting process Certain responses have been lightly edited for clarity Ray Perry Wellshire I did not vote for him but I would definitely promotion him in the future I understand he is very controversial but I wholly believe his heart wants for what is best for Denver I have never been more converted on a candidate before https www denverpost com denver-mayor-mike-johnston-homeless-housing-record-two-years Rachel Feres Central Park Mayor Johnston s leadership is all optics and no substance He hasn t solved homelessness he s just relocated it His fiscal choices are reckless favoring insiders while burdening taxpayers Denver voters were right to reject his affordable housing tax He s lost the masses s trust Beth McCann Congress Park former Denver district attorney I think he is doing well He was thrown a curve ball with the settlers and he might have spent too much money but he couldn t let them stay in the cold with no food and water I think that sometimes he has great ideas but maybe doesn t think through how to accomplish them Bill Winn University Park Excellent job He has vigorously addressed the homeless predicament He has stood up to federal overreach He has a vision for Denver s future Nice to have an honest and compassionate society servant Giovanni Gomez Five Points The biggest glaring miss is the absolute disgrace that is the Denver Police DOTI and City Council s failure to rein in the Mad Max traffic behaviors and protect residents who choose to walk and ride instead of driving Heidi Hemmat South Park Hill I think he s doing a great job I see far less homeless people in City Park and Civic Center Park I have also noticed more police officers patrolling the neighborhoods Overall crime is down and I feel safer I lately dined in LoDo after years of avoiding the area and it felt cleaner and safer I think he s on the right track and doing a great job despite the challenges he faces Rob Greer City Park Eviction filings are still near record highs Johnston has made negligible progress on housing affordability He s also done far too little to combat car dependence and the waste it causes Related Articles Broncos mayor s office inquired about urban-renewal tax incentives for expected Burnham Yard stadium site Denver mayor piloting new tax break for middle-income housing projects Denver will now consider merit when deciding who is laid off in upcoming cuts reducing role of seniority Tell us How do you feel about Denver Mayor Mike Johnston after his first years in office Amid Broncos stadium talks Denver Water quietly seeks to buy more than properties near its campus Mary Sue Kessler Central Park He is very smart extremely energetic and represented us well in the national congressional hearing on sanctuary cities Aaron Knoll LoDo Ballpark I like his strategies on homelessness and his willingness to stand up for Denver on the national stage I wish he did more or got the right people on city planning Patrick Graham Highland I think it is an incredibly mixed bag On his signature issue homelessness it is undeniable that there are less encampments in and around downtown but at what cost The multiple attempts to drive the city further into debt are concerning as are cuts to central services that all of us rely on Stay up-to-date with Colorado Politics by signing up for our weekly newsletter The Spot
