WEEK OF OCTOBER 24, 2024
VOLUME 61 | ISSUE 12
$2
8th CD spending surpasses $20 million
Adams Issue 1A seeks to boost stock of housing Adams County faces crisis as renters pay 30% of their income on housing BY MONTE WHALEY MWHALEY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
A sampling of political mailers sent to residents in Colorado’s 8th Congressional District from the Evans and Caraveo campaigns.
Super PAC spending rolls in for candidates in tight race BY JESSE PAUL THE COLORADO SUN
Nearly $15 million in super PAC cash has poured into the race in Colorado’s highly competitive 8th Congressional District, and the money keeps rolling in with less than a month until Election Day.
Paired with candidate spending, the price tag for the contest has now well surpassed $20 million. Democratic super PACs reported spending $8.4 million in the 8th District through Friday to help U.S. Rep. Yadira Caraveo, the Democratic incumbent from Thornton. Republican super PACs spent nearly $6.3 million through Friday to benefit Republican state Rep. Gabe Evans of Fort Lupton. Those amounts don’t account for millions more in reserved TV ad time that
PHOTO BY SCOTT TAYLOR
has yet to be reported to the Federal Election Commision. The stakes in the toss-up 8th District, which spans Denver’s northeastern suburbs along U.S. 85 into Greeley, are high. The outcome of the race between Caraveo and Evans may decide which party controls Congress. Caraveo beat her Republican opponent in 2022 by roughly 1,600 votes, a race in which PACs spent $16.6 million in the general election. SEE SPENDING, P9
Kroger’s CEO claims to not think about raising prices Prosecution case to block grocery merger rests, Kroger starts its defense BY TAMARA CHUANG THE COLORADO SUN
Testifying this week in Colorado’s antitrust trial to block the $24.6 billion supermarket megamerger, Kroger Co.’s CEO Rodney McMullen stuck to his
statement made to a local newspaper last year that yes, he’s never thought about how to raise prices. During the trial in Denver District Court, he shared simple responses to questions asked by Jason Slothouber, a senior prosecutor at the Colorado Attorney General’s office. No, he wasn’t familiar with a Kroger division that studied pricing and found they could raise prices at stores with little competition without losing shoppers. No, he wasn’t familiar with a group of eight City Markets put into a “mountain no comp
BRIEFS: PAGE 12 | VOICES: PAGE 10 | CULTURE: PAGE 20 | CALENDAR: PAGE 24
zone,” where prices were raised. No, he didn’t know this zone was a big part of the state’s antitrust case. “Kroger has invested in lowering prices for the last 15 years,” he said. “Strategically every year, we would make decisions on continuing to lower relative pricing.” “In areas where there is competition?” Slothouber asked. “Across the country,” McMullen responded. SEE PRICES, P7
A ballot issue in Adams County will help close the growing gap between working families and the number of affordable homes available to them over the next 20 years, say housing and government officials. Ballot Issue 1A is meant to generate $22.2 million annually through a 0.15% sales tax increase to create 6,000 more affordable housing units over 20 years. Proponents say the new funds would not only boost new construction of homes but also improve existing homes. The new tax is a “small investment” of just 15 cents on a $100 purchase and will expand housing options for hardworking folks so we can bring down the cost of living,” according to Rocky Mountain Partnership, a group that advocates for educational attainment for children. “Right now, finding a place to live in Adams County has become unaffordable for many hardworking families in our community,” according to the partnership’s website. Having the freedom to afford a home is at the heart of a family’s security, opportunity, and well-being, the partnership states. The Adams County measure would help stabilize housing costs by building more starter homes, condos, and apartments, so working people can afford housing here, the partnership says. SEE HOUSING, P2
SCHOOL OF CHOICE Special pull-out section
NORTHGLENN-THORNTONSENTINEL.COM • A PUBLICATION OF COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA