My name is Tommy Butler, and I am excited to announce that I am running for Greeley City Council – Ward 1. I am honored to announce that I will be running with the endorsement of these community leaders:
Colorado State Treasurer Dave Young
HD-50 Representative Dr. Mary Young
Greeley-Evans School District 6 Board Member Terri Pappas
Weld County Public Trustee Susie Velasquez
It would be an honor to represent my friends and neighbors on the City Council. My wife Molly and I live and work right here in Ward 1. After graduating from the University of Northern Colorado, we decided to call Greeley our home because we love this community. Greeley is a vibrant and diverse city with a bright future ahead of it, but we will only meet that potential if we elect bold leaders to take on our challenges and plan for our future growth responsibly. That is exactly what I will do.
There has been a sharp rise in housing prices in Greeley. Everyone in our community can see it happening. For most people, housing is their single largest expense, and with prices rising at an unsustainable rate, that has created a unique challenge for too many of our residents. Part of that is unavoidable in a growing city, but we need to address rising prices now so we can avoid pricing out long-time residents as well as first-time home buyers. To address this, we need to increase funding for affordable housing programs that are already working in Greeley like the G-Hope program and look toward new programs to make sure people can continue to afford to live here.
We also need to plan for our future. In the next few years, the City Council will consider its options in regards to municipal broadband—broadband internet that will be owned by the people of Greeley. We need leaders that see the importance of growing this important infrastructure. Municipal broadband will lead to greater competition in local internet markets, and the places across Colorado that have done this already have seen lower prices and faster speeds. That will attract more jobs and new industries to Greeley.
Greeley needs leaders that are willing and ready to tackle our challenges. From working on the Obama Campaign to the many years I have spent working at non-profits, I have seen the importance of listening to what is affecting people in their everyday lives. Whether you agree or disagree with me, I will always be willing to talk about new ideas and solutions. More than that, I will gladly host monthly town hall meetings to make sure every person in Ward 1 has the opportunity to be heard and have the opportunity for real representation.
Now that you know where I stand, I hope you will stand with me for a better Greeley.
