Running for Mayor of Boulder · 2026
Fred Smith
Smith has run for Boulder council four times and is now a mayoral candidate.
Money (city clerk; 14th day before election report, filed Oct. 21, 2026; retrieved Oct. 30, 2026): raised $1,375 · spent $1,317.57 · matching funds received $0.
About this candidate
Smith has run for Boulder council four times and is now a mayoral candidate. Known as “The Grateful Fred,” he proposes a local income tax on high earners, which would require a change in state law.
- Occupation: Laborer
- In Boulder: moved to Boulder in the 1980s
Bio sources: boulderreportinglab.org
Source availability is narrower than for questionnaire respondents; silence is not a policy position. The city elections page lists “Fred Smith,” while the official campaign-finance list calls the ballot name “Grateful Fred Instead” and records legal name Michael Smith: https://webapps.bouldercolorado.gov/election/report.php?electionID=25&report=candidateList .
In their own words
Short passages from questionnaires, interviews and the campaign website, by topic. If a topic is missing, we have no quote on it. That says nothing about their view.
Budget
Students deserve a real voice in how Boulder raises and spends money, not a seat at the table after the decisions are made.
Source: Campaign website: Fred Smith · campaign website · Campaign priorities: Fred Smith
What reporters wrote
These are the reporter's words about the candidate, not the candidate's own.
Fred wants Kinetics back at the Boulder Reservoir on the first Saturday in May.
Campaign website: Fred Smith · Campaign priorities: Fred Smith
Smith fiercely opposed the TABOR Act and described how progressive taxes could strengthen the city.
Yellow Scene · 2026-09-05 · Profile source: Lisa Ann Jacobs
Fred's proposal is a 10% city tax on household income above $184,500.
Campaign website: Fred Smith · Campaign priorities: Fred Smith
Smith proposes a 10% city income tax on household income above $184,500, which he estimates would generate $185 million annually. Because TABOR prohibits Colorado municipalities from imposing income…
Smith proposes a 10% city income tax on household income above $184,500, which he estimates would generate $185 million annually. Because TABOR prohibits Colorado municipalities from imposing income taxes, Smith proposes pursuing a statewide ballot measure to authorize such taxes. He proposes using the revenue for public facilities, childcare, affordable housing and mental health care.
Boulder Reporting Lab · 2026-08-28 · Profile source: Fred Smith
Endorsements
Each line says where the endorsement comes from.
What the labels on each endorsement mean
- Endorser's own statement
- The organization or person announced it themselves (their site, their press release, or a news story reprinting that release).
- “X campaign lists Y”
- Only the candidate's (or ballot campaign's) own website says so. We didn't find the endorser saying it. It may be true, but it is the campaign's claim.
- City filing
- A committee's registration with the city clerk names the candidate or measure it supports.
- News listing
- A news outlet lists the endorsement, but we did not find the endorser's own statement.
Titles (e.g. “U.S. Representative”) are as printed on the cited page and describe the person, not an endorsement by their office. A blank title means the source did not give one.
No endorsements on file. That is not opposition.
At the forums, in their own words
Short passages from 2026 candidate forums, by topic, with the question and a link to that moment in the recording. Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. If a topic is missing, we have no quote on it. Compare answers to the same question.
Housing
League of Women Voters forum · September 26, 2026
(EFA) What specific policies, development strategies, funding approaches, or partnerships would you pursue to increase or preserve housing affordable to families at approximately 30 to 40 percent AMI?
This is extra money which could be pumped into affordable housing, which I'm all for.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 2:23:51 · September 26, 2026 League of Women Voters of Boulder County Candidate Forum (City of Boulder, YouTube)
League of Women Voters forum · September 26, 2026
Ballot issue 2J, the residential vacancy excise tax (~$4,000 on residential property vacant more than half the year). Do you support this tax and will it generate enough income to pay for administering it?
No yes/no label: Calls it 'a great idea' and then doubts $4,000 would make a difference; no explicit yes/no.
Well, I think it's a great idea.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 2:51:19 · September 26, 2026 League of Women Voters of Boulder County Candidate Forum (City of Boulder, YouTube)
League of Women Voters forum · September 26, 2026
Ballot issue 2J, the residential vacancy excise tax (~$4,000 on residential property vacant more than half the year). Do you support this tax and will it generate enough income to pay for administering it?
I don't know, truly, if $4,000 would make a difference
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 2:51:39 · September 26, 2026 League of Women Voters of Boulder County Candidate Forum (City of Boulder, YouTube)
Budget, debt and the 2K bond
Boulder Chamber forum · August 26, 2026
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?
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)
Boulder Chamber forum · August 26, 2026
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)
Arts and culture forum · September 15, 2026
Final council-candidate arts question on implementing adopted plans/priorities (question wording partly lost at the Pt 2/Pt 3 video split)
I'm saying we need to work on the revenue stream, it's not the expense stream
Speaker identified from speaking order; the moderator did not name them.
Transcript note: Pt 3 begins mid-answer; Fred Smith was first of the three named (Smith, Marquis, Richmond).
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 1:11 · (Pt 3/5) 2026 City Council Candidates Forum on Arts and Culture (Boulder County Arts Alliance, YouTube)
League of Women Voters forum · September 26, 2026
Mayoral opening statement (one minute)
And I think this is by City Income Tax to help supplement sales tax.
Transcript note: Whisper renders the name as 'Instead or Smith'.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 2:12:13 · September 26, 2026 League of Women Voters of Boulder County Candidate Forum (City of Boulder, YouTube)
League of Women Voters forum · September 26, 2026
Ballot measure 2K: Boulder voters will consider authorizing up to $400 million in new debt through additional property taxes for recreation, public safety and other city facilities. Do you support this measure? Why or why not?
No yes/no label: Suggests a smaller first step; no yes/no in this quote.
I think we could get a lot of fixes for half and then two or four years come back and ask for the second half
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 2:29:21 · September 26, 2026 League of Women Voters of Boulder County Candidate Forum (City of Boulder, YouTube)
League of Women Voters forum · September 26, 2026
What types of housing would you prioritize? How are you as mayor going to promote housing for middle-income families?
I think we could do all this if we had more money.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 2:46:11 · September 26, 2026 League of Women Voters of Boulder County Candidate Forum (City of Boulder, YouTube)
Transportation
League of Women Voters forum · September 26, 2026
What are your feelings about the bus-only lanes and the core arterial network (CAN)? Should Boulder continue prioritizing protected bike lanes?
And it's really mixed bag on bicycles.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 2:34:50 · September 26, 2026 League of Women Voters of Boulder County Candidate Forum (City of Boulder, YouTube)
Growth and development
Boulder Chamber forum · August 26, 2026
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?
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)
Climate and wildfire
Empower Our Future climate forum · October 6, 2026
Climate hushing: political leaders now seem reluctant to connect negative everyday experiences to climate change and its driver, carbon pollution. How do you plan to be vocal and lead on climate?
we need to make gasoline pay its way and fossil fuel companies to pay their own way.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 11:42 · Empower Hour 2026-10-06 Climate & Energy Forum with Boulder Boulder Mayoral Candidates. (Empower Our Future, YouTube)
Empower Our Future climate forum · October 6, 2026
Xcel says it will deliver 100% clean electricity by 2050, not Boulder's 2030 goal, and has presented no concrete plan under the 2020 franchise agreement. What remedies would you propose for Xcel's failures to deliver, at the city level, at the PUC, or at the state level? And would you be open to inviting cities that have gone to market for their electricity to come to Boulder to educate us about life after Xcel?
But I think you need to find benchmarks with Excel and say by 2033, you need to do this and this, or you get fined millions of dollars
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 35:11 · Empower Hour 2026-10-06 Climate & Energy Forum with Boulder Boulder Mayoral Candidates. (Empower Our Future, YouTube)
Empower Our Future climate forum · October 6, 2026
Xcel is preparing a decade-long remediation of nearly 2 million tons of coal ash at the Valmont power station. Should Boulder use its franchise and partnership agreements with Xcel to require strong, independent air quality monitoring throughout the cleanup? And if so, how specifically would you do this?
My point is it's going to be real short answer is to study hard, get many opinions and don't rush into it and do it the right way.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 46:27 · Empower Hour 2026-10-06 Climate & Energy Forum with Boulder Boulder Mayoral Candidates. (Empower Our Future, YouTube)
Arts and culture
Arts and culture forum · September 15, 2026
Final one-minute statement
if we build it tomorrow, it'd be the cheapest time to build it.
Speaker identified from speaking order; the moderator did not name them.
Transcript note: Sixth of drawn names; Pt 4 opens with this speaker.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 0:28 · (Pt 4/5) 2026 City Council Candidates Forum on Arts and Culture (Boulder County Arts Alliance, YouTube)
Workers and wages
Boulder Chamber forum · August 26, 2026
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)
Other topics
Arts and culture forum · September 15, 2026
If elected mayor, how would you use your leadership role to help ensure that adopted plans are translated into action and that major projects are delivered responsibly and within budget?
I'm a super majority guy. I think in big decisions you should have a two-thirds majority for them to pass.
Speaker identified from speaking order; the moderator did not name them.
Transcript note: Fifth in moderator's announced order (after Jacobs); not re-named.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 10:37 · (Pt 3/5) 2026 City Council Candidates Forum on Arts and Culture (Boulder County Arts Alliance, YouTube)
League of Women Voters forum · September 26, 2026
What are the unique roles of the Boulder mayor that make the job different from being a city council member?
Why wouldn't you want 19 and 20 year olds in the bars?
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 2:18:30 · September 26, 2026 League of Women Voters of Boulder County Candidate Forum (City of Boulder, YouTube)
League of Women Voters forum · September 26, 2026
If elected, what is the single most important new initiative you would pursue during your first year as mayor? (30 seconds)
do four hours of community service a month
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 2:55:08 · September 26, 2026 League of Women Voters of Boulder County Candidate Forum (City of Boulder, YouTube)
League of Women Voters forum · September 26, 2026
Tell us about one city issue on which you changed your position after considering new evidence or another perspective. What changed your mind?
I really wrestle around with the amount of spending on rich schools to poor schools.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 2:59:45 · September 26, 2026 League of Women Voters of Boulder County Candidate Forum (City of Boulder, YouTube)
Empower Our Future climate forum · October 6, 2026
Mayoral opening introduction, climate and energy forum (one minute)
We're the only Western state that doesn't get the full amount of severance tax,
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 5:05 · Empower Hour 2026-10-06 Climate & Energy Forum with Boulder Boulder Mayoral Candidates. (Empower Our Future, YouTube)
No earlier questionnaire answers on file.
Money
- $1,375Raised
- $1,317.57Spent
- $0Matching funds received
- $57.43Cash on hand
2026 · Grateful Fred Instead · 14th day before election report, filed Oct. 21, 2026; retrieved Oct. 30, 2026.
Clerk contribution total includes $1,200.00 in loans.
6 contribution lines, 3 expenditures. City clerk, not TRACER. Clerk statements · Everyone.
Who gave: all 6 contribution lines
| Name | Type | Date | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fred Smith (from candidate) | Loan | 2026-09-23 | $1,000 |
| Fred Smith | Loan | 2027-10-08 | $200 |
| Jim Masson | Monetary | 2023-10-07 | $100 |
| Jim Colpo | Monetary | 2026-09-29 | $25 |
| George Grandits | Monetary | 2026-09-25 | $25 |
| Joe Harrison | Monetary | 2026-09-27 | $25 |
Spent on: all 3 expenditure lines
| Payee | Purpose | Date | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swan Ink | Campaign T-shirts | 2026-09-23 | $772.50 |
| Matea Chavez-Grandits | Campaign Artwork and Logo Design | 2026-09-30 | $300 |
| Fedex/Kinkos | Printing Campaign Literature | 2027-10-08 | $245.07 |
Campaigns
| Year | Office | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Mayor of Boulder · campaign | on the ballot |
Forum attendance
- 2026-10-06 Empower Hour: Climate and Energy Forum with Boulder Mayoral Candidates — attended · recording
- 2026-09-26 League of Women Voters of Boulder County City Council and Mayoral Candidate Forums — attended · recording
- 2026-09-15 2026 City Council Candidates Forum on Arts and Culture — attended · recording
- 2026-08-26 Boulder Chamber City Council and Mayoral Candidate Forum — attended · recording