Your Daily Guide

🗳️ Victor Marx Faces Unprecedented $50K in Campaign Finance Violations

Colorado’s Elections Division is seeking a $51,427 fine against Victor Marx, the Republican candidate for governor, for “unprecedented” finance violations. If a hearing officer agrees with that amount, it would become one of the largest fines in Colorado’s campaign finance law history. [9News]

• The allegations: State officials allege Marx’s campaign repeatedly accepted donations exceeding legal limits and continued to do so even after he received warnings. In July, the Secretary of State’s Office announced the campaign received nearly 200 illegal contributions during the primary election. [CBS News]
• Marx’s response: Marx and his campaign dispute the state’s claim and say they are complying with the law. Campaign advisor Buddy Jericho told 9News that contributions were “inadvertently accepted above the limits,” and that the campaign acted in “good faith” to resolve them. According to state filings, the campaign has not refunded all those excess contributions.
• What’s at stake: In November’s general election, Marx faces Attorney General Phil Weiser, the Democratic Party’s nominee, and independent conservative Greg Lopez.
• And even more controversy: The Marx campaign has also faced scrutiny for an online store selling campaign merchandise. Marx reportedly suggested that his donors could provide unlimited support for his campaign through purchases, but his campaign team later chose not to disclose where store revenues were going when 9News asked. Separately, Marx’s anti-trafficking ministry, All Things Possible, has been linked to purchases of surveillance equipment and salaries for out-of-state law enforcement agencies. [Colorado Newsline; The Guardian]
• Next steps: A hearing officer is expected to consider the case sometime this month.

🦠 City Announces $50M Sloan’s Lake Cleanup

Mayor Johnston unveiled on Wednesday a $50 million plan to rescue Sloan’s Lake from decades of sediment buildup and frequent algae blooms, which have made it difficult for fish to survive — and that’s without mentioning the smell! The plan relies on Denver Urban Renewal Authority committing about $40 million through an already-approved tax incentive related to the old St. Anthony Central Hospital (Denver voters already approved $5 million for the effort in the Vibrant Denver bond last year, and another $5 million would come from the city’s wastewater fund). [Denver Post 🔐; Colorado Sun]

• Next steps: If DURA’s board signs off, City Council will vote on the project, and construction could begin as soon as 2028.
• Further listening: Producer Olivia Jewell Love and contributor Sara Rosenthal go deep on the Sloan’s Lake proposal and what it could mean for neighbors in today’s episode of City Cast Denver 👇

🎿 Alterra Relocating Downtown

Denver-based Alterra Mountain Co. will relocate its headquarters from Zeppelin Station on Brighton Boulevard to the city-owned Denver Post building at Colfax and Broadway, a major win for Mayor Mike Johnston and Gov. Jared Polis in keeping one of the city’s massive ski conglomerates from moving to Salt Lake City (which Alterra teased in January). Alterra’s move is also expected to aid revitalization in a part of downtown that remains disproportionately vacant since the pandemic. [Denver Post 🔐]

• Show me the money: Alterra has signed a 12-year lease for the building at 101 W. Colfax Ave. and plans to spend $11 million in state and city incentives to renovate the space. The company announced this summer they plan to hire at least 125 more employees at its new headquarters, with long-term plans to bring its downtown headcount to 400. [Denver Post 🔐]

🚨 Denver Drops ShotSpotter

Denver’s ShotSpotter contract expires in December, and public safety officials confirmed there is no replacement lined up. Public safety spokesperson Brent Weisberg says the city will be using the next year to decide whether gunshot detection should return to Denver and how it should be used. Before December, the city plans to wind down the existing coverage by just over 2 square miles. [Axios]