Every candidate asked for 5 years of tax returns
10 of the 17 candidates provided their recent filings for review
Denver’s next mayor could be a businessman whose household brought in $1 million-plus in 2021 or a retiree who reported no income that year.
The job also could be filled by any of the several candidates who reported six-figure incomes over the past five tax years from a variety of sources: banking, entrepreneurship or serving as chief executives.
Whoever wins will earn nearly $190,000 a year — or possibly more, after the City Council adjusts officials’ salaries in coming weeks — to lead a city of 711,000 people and a municipal government with more than 14,000 workers.
The Denver Post asked each of the 17 candidates on the ballot for copies of their tax returns for 2017 through 2021. Eleven agreed, though a representative for one didn’t follow through by The Post’s deadline. Another provided viewing access to the documents, but not copies.
The documents do not show the candidates’ total assets, only reported income and related snapshots of their finances; sometimes included attachments show profits or losses from businesses and investments. The Post has requested mayoral candidates’ tax returns in several past races, including 2011, the last time there was no incumbent running.
Here’s a summation, in alphabetical order, for a period that included steady economic growth, a steep pandemic pause for many Coloradans, and the bounceback that followed.
The Post. In 2017, she reported about $62,000 in income. In 2018, it dropped to about $19,000 in wages, plus about $13,500 in unemployment compensation after she lost a contract with the city. She has an ongoing lawsuit against the city and Mayor Michael Hancock alleging her firing was retaliation for criticism.
After losing that income, and running for mayor in 2019, her income started moving back up.
In 2019, she reported about $57,500 in total income, including about $5,000 from the University of Colorado and Aspen Institute as part of her additional work as a public speaker, trainer and educator. In 2020, she reported $66,000 in total income.
She cracked six figures in 2021, with a total reported income of about $106,000 between teaching in the criminal justice department at Regis University, serving as chief of staff for Councilmember Candi Cdebaca, and as executive director for political training organization Rocky Mountain Emerge. That year she also earned $8,000 as a trainer and consultant for The Center for Trauma and Resilience. into their new family home.
After initially agreeing to provide her tax returns, Herod’s campaign did not follow through.
Mayor, we will be happy to provide you with personal tax returns.”
Leopard Holdings LLC, which owns a small percentage of a business that provides cold storage for medical samples; and IT service business Zirconia LLC. The three reported combined losses of less than $7,000 in 2021.