Pioneer Monument symbol of a bereft downtown

Re: “Mayor Mike Johnston loves the arts. Will he let it show?” Jan. 14 features story

It is wonderful to read that the mayor truly cares about the arts and wants to revitalize downtown. A concrete and symbolic gesture in this direction might be to direct his focus on the sad state of the Pioneer Monument at Colfax Avenue and Broadway.

This substantial work of public art sits at the crossroads of Denver. Since the crowning element of the sculpture (the replica of Kit Carson) was removed, the work looks naked and bereft. Unfortunately, one can say the same for our current downtown with its lack of pedestrians and commercial vibrancy. Perhaps there is a connection here!

Recrown the Pioneer Monument in a sensitive and appropriate manner, and this reinvigoration will radiate outwards, breathing new life into our city.

Evan Siegel, Westminster

Make time for citizen input on new justice commission

After the legislature sunsetted the old Commission on Criminal & Juvenile Justice (CCJJ), Gov. Jared Polis issued executive order B 2023-001 in October for the creation of a new CCJJ called the Working Group on Transforming Criminal & Juvenile Justice with the intention of having it made permanent by the legislature when it is presented to them in March.

The new group has spent months coming up with a mission statement, but when citizens want to offer input on lived experiences and solutions to the commission, we get three minutes. They need months to come up with a mission statement, but we’re expected to cram our lived experience and months of research into three minutes.

Also, any bills proposed by the commission don’t count against our lawmakers’ five-bill limits for sponsorships, which means they don’t have to compete for sponsors the way other special interest groups do. The commission gets unelected legislative monopoly powers, but they need months to come up with a mission statement, a reason for justifying all that concentrated power.

It is hard enough for citizens to be heard, to engage, to connect with our lawmakers, but adding a policy monopoly commission with legislative powers only makes it harder. After listening to the group debate their mission statement for four hours, I am hoping the legislature votes against the new CCJJ just as they voted to sunset the old one. We don’t need more policy monopolies silencing citizen concerns; that was one of the reasons the old CCJJ was sunsetted.