House District 30
    Two years ago, voters took a chance on Kevin Priola as their House District 30 representative. Though Priola grew up in the area, he was a general unknown in the political arena. He made no flashy promises in his campaign, only a pledge to support common sense legislation in the Statehouse.
    Priola has been a man of his word. He takes a no-nonsense approach to his legislative work and keeps his constituents at the forefront. It was nice to see Laura Huerta step out from behind the scenes of past Democratic campaigns and become a front-runner in this race. But we think Kevin Priola should get a second term.

House District 31
    We endorse Judy Solano for her third and final term in the House.
    While the Republican candidate, Tom Janich, is in favor of a lot of things we’d like to see – spending within means, as an example – Solano seems to have a better grasp of what’s important to the majority of the district.
    Depending on your political point of view, Janich would seem to have a firm grasp – and opinions to match – on some problems that could face the nation. But voters should be entitled to his thoughts on local issues.

Adams County commissioner
    Change merely for the sake of change can be detrimental. But, when the right candidate is there for the taking, it can be a beneficial move. With that, we endorse current Thornton Mayor Erik Hansen as your next Adams County commissioner.
    Current commissioner Larry Pace has been a good and decent public servant. We truly believe he has looked out for the best interest of this county in his eight years on the commission. But we also agree that county leadership has grown stagnant. It’s time to bring somebody new on the board with a new vision. Hansen has that vision. And we think he can help Adams County chart a new course over the next four years.
    
Adams County treasurer
    Electing Diane Christner as treasurer of Adams County four years ago was a risky move by voters. Though she had accounting background, her experience certainly paled in comparison to the incumbent. Even Christner admits she didn’t expect to win. But she did win, and she came into the job running, acquiring all the knowledge she could to not only do the job but do it well. We invested our taxpayer dollars in her training, and Diane Christner deserves another term to put that knowledge to work.

Adams County coroner
    Change is needed in the Adams County Coroner’s Office and we are confident that, whether Democratic candidate Monica Broncuia-Jordan or Republican candidate Mike Arnall is elected, the office will be headed in a better direction. That’s peace of mind for voters as they size up this political race.
    Both candidates offer common-sense changes including bringing all autopsies back to the county and loosening their grip on signing all county death certificates. With similar platforms, it really is a matter of experience. That matters a lot especially for a race that exists in the political realm only in name. Therefore, we must give the nod to Mike Arnall as the county’s next coroner.

Adams County clerk and recorder
    The race for the clerk and recorder’s office could revolve less around this election than it does the 2008 election. That’s where the Republican challenger, Dana West, and the Democratic incumbent Karen Long, differ. West, a political newcomer, says that Long bungled the 2008 election, forcing voters to wait 25 hours for results. Long says she refused to rush election results to the voters in the face of not possibly not being accurate.
    Both sides have legitimate arguments. We, like West, would prefer to see vote tallies sooner than later. But, like Long, we don’t want our clerk and recorder putting out incorrect results just to bend to the public appetite for speediness.
    But looking at the clerk and recorder’s position from just an elections standpoint is shortsighted. A lot more goes into the office than just the elections. And we still believe that Karen Long’s 12 years of overall experience in that office make her the best choice again.

Amendments 60 and 61, Proposition 101
    How does the old saying go, “If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is?”
    That sums up these three initiatives in a nutshell. Of course the idea of virtually no vehicle registration fees is appealing. Who doesn’t want government to start trying to live on a budget like the rest of America has to do?    
These measures are like a mirage to the weary traveler wandering through the desert. They offer refreshment and relief but ultimately they will disappear, leaving behind disappointment and a thirst for the services from our governments, school districts and special districts that we have come to expect.
    Pulling the financial rug out from under our government will only hurt the common citizen in the long run. Vote no.
    An endorsement in the Adams County sheriff’s race will appear in a future edition.