Vote Loachamin for county commissioner
It’s an unfortunate reality that many people who seek elected office do so without taking the time to learn much about the communities they would serve or the duties of the offices they would like to hold. Fortunately, this does not describe Marta
Loachamin.
Loachamin, a Longmont real estate agent, is a candidate for the District 2 seat on the Boulder County Board of Commissioners. And unlike so many who run for public office, she has really paid her dues, done her homework, and earned the right to represent the people of Boulder County.
She’s been active in the community for nearly three decades, getting involved in projects like recovery efforts following the 2013 flood and a program aimed at protecting people from predatory lending practices. She’s taken the time to get to know the people in different parts of the county, from the rural areas to the cities, and develop an understanding of the issues that are important to them. And she’s spent the last two years laying the groundwork for this run for office, which included a tough Democratic primary battle against a well-known and well-respected opponent.
By contrast, her general election opponent, James Crowder, said he got into the race because the Republican
Party asked him to run. While Crowder seems like a nice enough guy, he doesn’t give the impression that his heart is really in this race.
Loachamin’s heart clearly is. If elected, she vows to make affordable housing, climate change, and economic development among her top priorities. Philosophically, we have some concerns about how expansive the county commission’s role should be in some areas. We want commissioners to take care of basic services such as road maintenance before they embark on campaigns to save the world.
We also worry a little bit about the historic lack of partisan diversity on the commission. Having three like-minded commissioners ramming through an agenda with little to no debate or dissent isn’t necessarily in the best interests of good government.
However, we have to view commission candidates on their individual merits. Loachamin clearly seems to be the better informed and prepared of the two choices here. And perhaps she will prove to be an independent thinker, willing to challenge her colleagues when necessary.
For those reasons, among others, we recommend Loachamin for the District 2 seat on the commission.