Denver has been put through more than its share of trials and tribulations in the past few years. That’s over and above the generational phenomenon of a global pandemic. The short list of travails has been daunting. Spiking crime; surging homelessness; the continuing aftereffects of 2020’s downtown riots, and declining schools top the list.
Yet, hope springs eternal. We continue to believe Colorado’s largest city — ever a bastion of talented, educated, skilled and dedicated citizens who value Denver’s economic and civic vitality — can turn the corner toward a brighter future. In that spirit and toward that end, here are some of our highest hopes for Denver in 2023. Think of them as New Year’s resolutions — the most pressing priorities to which the community’s leadership should commit
Crack down on crime. This has been the wish of rank-and-file Denverites for years, yet City Hall’s response has been to blow hot and cold on the crime fight. After flirting with the disastrous “defund police” agenda of 2020, the Denver City Council left one of the city’s most important services, Denver police, struggling to staff up. Meanwhile, crime itself — fostered by reckless legislation lowering criminal penalties and making it harder to arrest criminals — has been soaring along the Front Range, with Denver as the epicenter.
See the full article by The Gazette editorial board, January 1, 2023