Parker Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee: Yes on 3-to-5

Chamber's Government Affairs Committee endorses Douglas County ballot initiative to expand Board of County Commissioners

The Government Affairs Committee (GAC) of the Parker Chamber of Commerce today announced its formal support for the Douglas County ballot initiative that would expand the Board of County Commissioners from three to five members.

The committee's position reflects a clear and long-standing priority: Parker deserves a stronger, more consistent voice in the county decisions that shape its future.

Douglas County commissioners make decisions with direct consequences for Parker and its residents — from land use along Parker's borders to regional transportation investments, economic development incentives, and emergency, health, and human services.

As one of Colorado's fastest-growing counties, Douglas County demands governance that can keep pace with its communities' diverse and evolving needs.

The current three-commissioner structure concentrates significant authority in too few hands and leaves communities like Parker with limited recourse when their interests are at stake.

Expanding the board to five members would create more opportunities for localized representation and greater accountability in county decision-making. If passed by voters, the expansion of the board would not take effect until 2029.

The breadth of public support for this initiative speaks for itself. 

More than 23,000 Douglas County voters signed petitions to place this measure on the ballot — making it the first voter-led initiative in Douglas County in more than 30 years. That support crosses party lines: the largest share of petition signers came from unaffiliated voters, underscoring that the case for expanded representation resonates beyond any single political affiliation.

The Parker Chamber also urges that any expansion adopt a district-based model, in which each of the five commissioners is elected by and accountable to a distinct geographic district.

Under such a structure, Parker and eastern Douglas County would be far more likely to have a commissioner whose priorities reflect the needs of that community — rather than one whose focus is drawn to the denser population centers and development pressures along the I-25 corridor.

The GAC is troubled by the response from the sitting commissioners. Rather than engaging voters on the merits, they have circulated cost projections that are grossly exaggerated and unsupported by credible analysis. Independent review puts the actual annual cost to the county at approximately $500,000. That is a modest price for meaningful reform — and voters deserve to hear that truth, not a scare campaign designed to protect the status quo.

The Parker Chamber encourages Douglas County voters to support the 3-to-5 initiative and it encourages its members to vocally support the measure as way to bring fair representation to the concerns of our Town, residents, and business community.

The Parker Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee monitors legislative and regulatory issues at the local, regional, and state levels that affect the Parker business community. The committee evaluates issues that bear directly on the economic vitality of Parker and the south Denver metro area.