Forums · Same question, every candidate
Boulder Chamber City Council and Mayoral Candidate Forum
August 26, 2026 · eTown, 1535 Spruce St., Boulder
Hosted by Boulder Chamber.
Season-opener at eTown. Council and mayoral candidates on one stage. Daily Camera (Aug 27) reported 17 of 19 candidates present.
Recordings
- 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber)
Date: Boulder Chamber event listing (already in seed.py); Daily Camera Aug 27 2026 writeup.
Questions and answers, in speaking order
Each question, then the candidates we quote, in the order they spoke. These are short passages. Use the watch link to hear the whole answer. Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. If a candidate isn't listed under a question, we didn't quote them on it.
If elected, name your top three priorities. And do you believe the city is moving in the right direction or wrong direction on those top priorities?
Fiscal sustainability and core services, economic vitality, transportation and street safety.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 7:42 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
they're getting too low fines where people are not doing jail time for serious crimes.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 8:23 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
I would also put climate justice and climate resilience at the top of my list. We have had the warmest and the driest of the seasons that we've ever had before.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 9:22 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
And lastly, public safety for all. ICE is here. We have increased discrimination issues across our community and it's time to make sure that the council is leading on public oversight.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 9:37 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
my top three priorities will be increasing the availability and affordability of housing, increasing our wildfire preparation and resilience, and also streamlining our regulations and permitting to make it easier to work with the city of Boulder.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 10:00 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
there's a thing called TABR and we need to go over TABR on this because we could do a petition drive in one week that would pay for itself.
Transcript note: 'TABR' = TABOR (Whisper spelling).
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 10:45 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
We need an independent city auditor that reports directly to council and is looking at the performance of our programs
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 12:15 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
Fire is an existential threat to Boulder. We must address it. We must address it immediately.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 12:51 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
Housing is my top priority. My family benefited from that in the 1990s and I'm going to work hard to make sure families today and tomorrow have those same opportunities.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 13:28 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
One, to lower the cost of living for everyone. Number two, to adapt our community to a world that it wasn't built for. Three, to make our local government more predictable and effective.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 14:49 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
We're getting infill housing combined with transportation strategies that allow people to structurally get around more efficiently.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 15:07 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
I have one single priority and that is to oppose transportation projects that make things worse.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 15:49 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
the changes they made on baseline are absolutely terrible. They ignored accident data and they made it more dangerous for bicycles than it was before.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 16:06 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
I am a single parent that lives in affordable housing. And so my first priority would be housing. Housing that is accessible to the lowest wages of us and our middle income earners.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 16:42 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
Wildfire mitigation needs to happen. It needs to be more aggressive here in Boulder.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 18:19 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
we need to reduce red tape so people and businesses can get stuff done.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 19:11 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
we need sales tax revenue to pay for all the stuff that we love so much.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 19:38 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
We need to modernize our land use code to create little income housing ownership through inflow redevelopment streamline permitting
Transcript note: Likely 'middle income housing ownership through infill redevelopment' (Whisper).
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 20:06 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
I support a independent performance audit to evaluate outcomes, strengthen long term planning and rebuild public trust.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 20:17 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
We are headed in the right direction with the community wildfire protection plan.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 21:29 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
my third priority is to increase affordable housing through increasing the supply.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 21:49 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
in Boulder, a full time minimum wage job pays about 40% of AMI. And only 0.7% of our housing stock is available to that income category.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 22:27 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
So, no, I can't say we're on the right track, but I believe we can get there and I'm running to be part of that change.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 23:05 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
We have a Kafkaesque sort of process to be able to get approvals for building housing, for opening businesses
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 23:32 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
we can't do anything about climate change if our city is on fire.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 24:01 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
They're going up to seven stories and it's absolutely unsustainable for us to have this much development.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 24:55 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
It doesn't matter how much housing you put here. Everyone's going to come and it's going to be higher.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 25:20 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
Trying to find more middle income housing, making sure that our climate is resilient, working hard on safety, including safety from wildfire
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 25:53 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
The mayor has a unique role in building consensus and setting council priorities. How would you use that leadership role to bring council, city staff, and the business community together around a clear economic strategy and hold the city accountable for measurable progress?
we need to better engage our borders and our commissions in the work that we're doing, as well as in addition to our businesses and recognizing that all of our businesses are not the same.
Transcript note: 'borders' = boards (Whisper).
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 28:10 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
Start with what staff is recommending. It's not always the direction we should go. Work with the colleagues. Work with the community.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 30:52 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
I think the city of Boulder is too strict on codes.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 31:16 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
What we have is not a failure of values. Everybody here has incredible values. It's a failure of delivery.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 32:39 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
Boulder Area Rental Housing Association question on rental housing (question wording not captured in the recording/transcript)
we need to be able to strip out a lot of those regulations and make it faster and easier to build more rental properties.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 35:52 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
the older housing has to be torn down, built new, and the broken housing needs to be fixed before new better housing would be built.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 37:02 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
What are your thoughts on the highest and best uses for Area 3 Planning Reserve? And what resources and tools can the City of Boulder use to help the land comprising Area 3 Planning Reserve achieve its highest and best use, particularly as it relates to bringing utilities and infrastructure to this site?
we could create middle-income ownership housing in ways that are unattainable within the City limits.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 40:09 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
we should make sure we're looking within the city limits first and having a good financial analysis to make that investment here first if we can.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 41:43 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
I'm not interested in opening up the planning reserve if we're going to get a bunch of luxury townhomes.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 42:33 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
Tell us one city issue on which you changed your position after considering new evidence or another perspective.
Have we laid the groundwork to be successful at Area 3? I don't believe we have. Where's the money going to come from?
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 45:43 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
it would be important to utilize our limited resources where the high risk areas are because that's going to keep us all safe.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 53:58 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
I don't want Iran to have nuclear capability. And I don't want Israel to have nuclear capability because we can't afford war anymore.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 56:58 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
I've come around on that issue because as I have seen buildings along 28 that are higher, we're able to increase the supply of housing.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 57:57 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
my opinion has turned, and I don't think that we should take on such a large chunk of debt. I think we should prove first that we can actually execute against smaller projects before we take on bigger ones.
Speaker identified from speaking order; the moderator did not name them.
Transcript note: Moderator said only 'Ryan'; Schuchard had already answered in this round, and speaker's bond stance matches Jamieson's.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 59:22 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
I would not have funded RGB so many years ago if I knew that they weren't going to actually get service to Boulder.
Transcript note: 'RGB' = RTD (Whisper).
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 59:56 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
What role do you see public and private partnerships playing in some of our greatest areas of need?
I'd be really curious about ways that we can work together with childcare providers, and especially with this new tax that we're considering
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 1:01:22 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
Public-private partnerships have always kind of disturbed me because it seems to usually be that the private part is making off like a thief.
Transcript note: Moderator's cue ('Lynn, and then Tina') is garbled in the transcript; speaker confirmed by a listener to the recording, 2026-09-29.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 1:02:14 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
we identified a problem with our unsheltered homeless population and looked to see how we could support them and also maintain our public safety goals.
Transcript note: Moderator called 'Lynn, and then Tina' (garbled in the transcript; confirmed by a listener).
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 1:03:20 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
Lightning round: Boulder voters will consider authorizing up to $400 million in new debt paid through additional property taxes (recreation, public safety, other city facilities). Do you support this measure? (one-sentence explanation)
No yes/no label: Talks about other taxes; no yes/no on 2K in this quote.
with the progressive income tax, in tax and actually tax, we could triple our general fund costs. I have no problem with the tax
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 1:10:26 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
It's $650 million. It's not $400 million. There's another $250 million in interest that we have to pay a quarter billion.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 1:11:21 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
No yes/no label: Critical of the bond but does not say yes or no in these words.
No plan. No budget. No trust. It's nuts.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 1:11:36 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
If elected, what is the single most important new initiative you would pursue in your first year to improve Boulder's business climate? Are there any past policies the Council has adopted you would consider reversing?
We need to start looking at two-hour parking to start bringing folks into our downtown businesses.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 1:13:06 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
My number one is always going to be do something about Title IX, and that is our land use code
Transcript note: 'Title IX' = Title 9 (Boulder land use code).
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 1:13:35 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
the amount of time it takes to get a permit is insane.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 1:14:08 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
my initiative for businesses would be to revisit how we structure some form of downtown development before it.
Transcript note: Refers to the Downtown Development Authority (DDA); 'before it' likely 'authority'.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 1:14:56 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
Do you support continuing to prioritize alternatives to driving, or do you think the city should shift more investment back towards roads and automobile capacity?
these deadly crashes are not generally accidents. They're designed.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 1:21:28 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
In fact, I want to make this the e-bike capital of the world.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 1:22:18 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
So I absolutely do want to invest in other ways of transportation.
Speaker identified from speaking order; the moderator did not name them.
Transcript note: Third respondent; moderator named Tina immediately after (unpaid-parking remark).
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 1:23:57 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
What specific strategies would you recommend that the City of Boulder initiate to recruit and retain businesses in our community? What kinds of industries or businesses would you target?
if you're going to live in Boulder, they got to be better paying jobs because people can't live in Boulder on $15 an hour jobs.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 1:26:10 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
I work on strategies to reduce the cost, both in terms of permitting and also in terms of local tax districts and things.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 1:26:46 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
I'd like to look at opportunities and ways for us to address the start of costs of creating businesses in the community.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 1:27:39 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
What specific actions would you take to ensure Latino entrepreneurs have equitable access to city contracts, business resources, commercial space, and economic opportunities?
I believe that there is a real need to aggressively partner with chambers.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 1:31:57 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
What specific strategies would you recommend for improving our permitting and development review process? And what standard would you set as our benchmark?
I would prioritize making it easier for businesses to renovate and open through code review.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 1:34:14 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
it's taking about six months to get a permit, and in that time, you're spending high commercial rent.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 1:35:09 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
If elected, what specific actions would you take to support downtown businesses, encourage investment, and make economic vitality a priority?
I would have an initiative where we look at where can we get savings and make it more affordable for businesses to open.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 1:38:58 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
I think the DBA wouldn't be necessary if we stopped the war in Iran
Speaker identified from speaking order; the moderator did not name them.
Transcript note: Moderator called 'Scott, Lynn, Taishya' (garbled) then 'Wendy'; second respondent.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 1:39:36 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
We have 16,000 acres of agricultural land in our city. Why aren't we creating stronger partnerships so that we can reduce those food costs
Speaker identified from speaking order; the moderator did not name them.
Transcript note: Third of the called respondents (garbled 'Venetatia').
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 1:41:13 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
In your first two years on city council, what specific land use or housing policy would you champion? What types of housing would you prioritize? How would you accomplish this?
But the most opportunity is in our low density zones. For incremental owner driven housing, this could look like lot splitting
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 1:43:39 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
there are opportunities for us to look at conversion of commercial spaces for being unused into residential spaces.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 1:44:31 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
Choose another mayoral candidate. Identify one strength or policy idea that person would bring to city leadership and explain how you look forward to working together.
I will not not charge for parking. Parking is a significant source of revenue for the city.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 1:49:13 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
I think that the council needs to take a stronger role in setting direction and holding ourselves accountable to the goals and the activities and the budgets that we set.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 1:50:47 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
Name one issue on which you believe you could work constructively with this candidate.
I would like to work with Tina on this persistent problem of the missing middle income housing.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 1:54:57 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
we would work really well together in trying to streamline that process and reform Title IX and make it a more predictable process.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 2:01:25 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)