Forty Years Ago This Week: Four Democratic candidates for Denver mayor – Monte Pascoe, Wellington Webb, Federico Peña and Steve Schweitzberger – spoke at a panel hosted by the Denver Young Republicans at Crestmoor Downs.

Pascoe, who was the most recent entrant into the race for mayor, had resigned his potion as executive director of the Department of Natural Resources to campaign full-time. Pascoe gave the highlights of his resume and then criticized incumbent Mayor Bill McNichols for failing to plan for the city’s future.

Former state Rep. Webb, D-Denver, director of the state’s Department of Regulatory Agencies, also criticized McNichols, arguing that the mayor had exercised poor management.

“A manager,” Webb said, “should use his intuitive to make changes in government. Citizens of Denver deserve more than to pick up the newspaper and read about the administration’s latest fiascos.”

His work at the Department of Regulatory Agencies had convinced Webb that regulatory reform could be initiated city-wide. He advocated for the establishment of a city office that would provide all the information needed for starting a business. 

Webb also argued that a greater emphasis should be placed on procuring more cultural events for Denver.

“Luciano Pavarotti would just as well perform here in Denver,” Webb said, “as in New York and Los Angeles.” 

Former House Minority Leader Peña, D-Denver, argued that the biggest issues facing Denver were fiscal management and planning and growth.

“We can no longer tolerate inaction, myopia and indecision,” Peña said, “which unfortunately are some of the qualities of the current administration.”

Speaking last, Schweitzberger attacked Peña, citing an article that the former legislator had written, “How the Republican Legislature Hurts Denver,” which had been printed in several newspapers.

“You’ll never see me attacking the Republicans,” Schweitzberger told the gathered GOP youth. Instead, Schweitzberger said, he was running against the system that “puts a Bill McNichols into office.”

He continued to tell the audience that he was running the sort of campaign that form state Sen. Sam Zakhem, R-Denver, had taught him about, going door-to-door and garnering support from the grassroots.

Twenty Years Ago: Sen. Ken Gordon, D-Denver, told The Colorado Statesman that he was appalled when the Republican-controlled House voted to axe Senate Bill 03-183, which would have provided breakfasts to low-income students in public schools. 

“This is outrageous to take money away for breakfast programs for poor students and spend money on charter school construction,” Gordon said. “First order of business should be to feed these children who need fuel to learn, then worry about construction costs and funding.” 

Rep. Alice Madden, D-Boulder, agreed, stating, “Studies have shown that kids in breakfast programs have improved test scores. It’s a sad day when my colleagues vote against hungry children and academic performance.”

SB 183 had initially passed both the Senate and House, but with intense discussion about whether the breakfast program should be cut, and differing views between the two chambers. An eventual vote in conference committee decided on an amendment, by unanimous vote, that stated if there was spillover from the Charter School Capital Construction Fund, then as of January 1, 2003, up to $500,000 would go to the school breakfast program.

In other news, Lakewood Democrat state Rep. Betty Boyd’s bill, House Bill 03-1252, which would have made emergency contraception (better known as Plan B) available at all hospitals for victims of sexual assault, received preliminary approval after passing with a 6-5 vote in the State, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee.

“Women who have been assaulted need to be informed about all of their options,” Boyd said. “They shouldn’t have to endure the added trauma of an unwanted pregnancy. By creating a standard procedure for hospitals to follow when treating rape victims, women can be assured quality care and the ability to make good choices.”

Rachael Wright is the author of the Captain Savva Mystery series, with degrees in Political Science and History from Colorado Mesa University and is a contributing writer to Colorado Politics and The Gazette.