DENVER — There are 17 people on the 2023 ballot for Denver Mayor, all vying to replace Michael Hancock after three terms in office. If that's not the most ever, it's at least the biggest pool of candidates for that office in decades, according to the Denver Clerk and Recorder's Office, which checked their sample paper ballots going back to 1946.
Each candidate has their own ideas regarding crime, homelessness, housing affordability and more. We asked all of them the same policy questions and asked for written responses.
Below you'll find Aurelio Martinez's answers, all unedited and in the candidate's own words, as well as documents related to policy proposals.
You can see the other candidates' responses here.
Denver's Election Day is April 4.
Aurelio Martinez
Aurelio Martinez has lived in the Curtis Park neighborhood for his entire life. He previously led the neighborhood organization. Martinez worked as an IBM Customer Engineer and formerly owned Martinez Business Center.
Political affiliation: Unaffiliated
Links to policy paperwork
Long-form questions
In a single sentence, why are you running for mayor?
To make denver the icon city of the united States, An inviting city where people from all parts of the world will want to visit.
Please provide specifics on your plan to improve public safety and reduce crime in Denver. Specifically, please note whether the Denver Police budget should be increased or decreased (including funding diversion to non-police emergency responses).
When the public thinks about crime issues, they automatically think police. The police department is one of several arms of Denver’s Department of Public Safety (DOS). However, all crime related issues seem to fall on the shoulders of the Police department, this has to change to where police officers do the job of serving and protecting the public. We can no longer have Denver police officers be a one-size-fits-all.
One area we need to look into is the Intervention & Prevention agency within DOS and correct the reasons on why this agency is failing so miserably.
We will also add an enforcement team(s) called Encampment Enforcement Team (EET) to specifically enforce homeless camping on city right-of-way easements.
The DOS budget will be reviewed and adjusted, decreasing or increasing in certain areas in order to make the DOS a positive functioning department.
What should the City of Denver do to promote affordable housing?
- Housing and Gentrification work hand-in-hand.
- People move into a neighborhood paying higher than normal prices and begin to change the standards of a neighborhood. These drastic and quick moving changes make it difficult for existing residents to meet the higher costs of living in the neighborhood and are forced to leave.
- Our administration will put together bona fide programs such as down payment assistance that will not work against the applicant and their dept-to-income ratio. This can be done by providing down payment assistance loans that will not become due until the mortgage loan is paid for or the home is sold.
- Our administration will also put together educational courses on how to raise their FICA scores, making qualifying for a home lone a strong possibility.
- On the rental side of housing, we will look into ratifying a rent cap, this will help make rentals affordable for people that want to live in Denver and are not interested in home ownership or simply cannot afford to buy.
- Currently there is a 40-year-old state law that prohibits local governments from enacting any form of rent caps. With the current housing affordability crisis, our administration will be a strong advocate to have Colorado lawmakers remove this law.
- Denver needs to clarify affordable housing in development projects so the number of required affordable units targets families with an annual income of $45,000 or less. Our goal is to stop Denver residents from having to move out of Denver because they can no longer afford to live in Denver and also to bring back families that were forced to leave.
How should Denver change its approach to addressing homelessness?
The plight of the homeless in Denver is worse than ever. We have to stop hasty remedies and work on solutions! If we analyze the problems that lead to homelessness, then we’ll find solutions.
Our administration take action by enforcing Denver's camping ban by forulating an enforcement unit called 'Encampment Enforcement Team' (EET) Any current programs or facilities, Denver has in place addressing these issues are failing terribly because homelessness continues to rise.
We need to focus on restructuring current programs and facilities or bring in new ‘state of the art’ programs and facilities to include:
- Career Education for better paying jobs
- Doctors and Psychiatrist specializing in mental health issues and Drug addiction
Our administration will focus on assisted living for people and families experiencing homelessness as well as expanding and improving on daily shelter facilities.
How should Denver change its approach to mobility and safe streets?
I believe Denver is on the right track with incorporating bike lanes within the city. I also feel the designs and approach are totally wrong and create a dangerous conflict between bikes, pedestrians and vehicles, not to mention the designs currently used are unsightly and contribute to the ugliness Denver is experiencing. Redesigning is in order.
The Mayor has significant control over a $3-4 billion budget and will hire cabinet members who oversee roughly 12,000 employees. Please detail your experience with budgets and hiring.
The hiring process of cabinet members will be done in a manner where a team of experienced business and corporate administrators will overlook applications and perform interviews. It is vital to the successful operations of Denver’s administration to have highly qualified and experienced cabinet members at the helm of decision making. I have 2 Dentist in the family, and 2 Dental Lab Technicians. I chose not to follow the family in the medical field and instead took classes at Metro State College in business as my heart was to own my own business someday. I landed a job with the Olivetti Corporation of America as a customer engineer. Seven years later, I opened my own business in business machines and computers, employing 14 customer engineers.
Should the City of Denver explore ways to exert more control over Denver Public Schools? If so, how would you do that and what would be your goal?
First and foremost, the mayor of Denver and city administration have absolutely nothing to do with Denver Public Schools policy. The mayor can only advise and offer assistance. Should DPS fall in such disarray where they become a detriment to the city of Denver, then Denver may have to look into an alternative educational system administered by the city.
Please assess the Hancock administration’s response to the influx of migrants from the southern border since December 2022. What should Denver do to prepare for and respond to another potential influx of migrants?
The city was hit with an unannounced surge of migrants. With Denver being a sanctuary city, the Hancock administration responded well and performed with a healthy and safe solution. With this being said, Denver can use this experience to better prepare for any future and similar incidents.
What should Denver do to prevent the displacement of longtime residents due to gentrification and tax burdens?
- Housing and Gentrification work hand-in-hand.
- People move into a neighborhood paying higher than normal prices and begin to change the standards of a neighborhood. These drastic and quick moving changes make it difficult for existing residents to meet the higher costs of living in the neighborhood and are forced to leave.
- Our administration will put together bona fide programs such as down payment assistance that will not work against the applicant and their dept-to-income ratio. This can be done by providing down payment assistance loans that will not become due until the mortgage loan is paid for or the home is sold.
- Our administration will also put together educational courses on how to raise their FICA scores, making qualifying for a home lone a strong possibility. o On the rental side of housing, we will look into ratifying a rent cap, this will help make rentals affordable for people that want to live in Denver and are not interested in home ownership or simply cannot afford to buy.
- Currently there is a 40-year-old state law that prohibits local governments from enacting any form of rent caps. With the current housing affordability crisis, our administration will be a strong advocate to have Colorado lawmakers remove this law.
- Denver needs to clarify affordable housing in development projects so the number of required affordable units targets families with an annual income of $45,000 or less.
- Our goal is to stop Denver residents from having to move out of Denver because they can no longer afford to live in Denver and also to bring back families that were forced to leave.
What should be done to revitalize downtown Denver (vis-à-vis office occupancy, the 16th Street Mall, crime)?
The 16th. Street Mall is in a sad state of affairs. Business dropping like flies and leaving because the 16th. Street Mall does not provide any method of enhancing clientele and customers for businesses. Our administration will revitalize the 16th. Street Mall that will include attractions such as, permitted street performers, rides such as a Zip Line and Tower Drop.
Our administration will also purchase defaulted properties such as the Republic Plaza and provide lease incentives to encourage full occupancy. The Republic Plaza is currently in the neighborhood of 70% occupied and brings in an estimated 29 million dollars annually. With this revenue, Denver will recover the cost of purchase within 14 year and thereafter have a 30-40 million revenue stream to add into the general fund.
What is within the power of the City of Denver to fight the opioid epidemic? What steps should regional or state leaders take in cooperation to reduce fentanyl deaths?
Enforcement. Put together a strong task force to catch illegal drug dealers and state law makers must put together tough penaties for criminals.
Xcel Energy's franchise agreement expires on Dec. 31, 2026. What will you seek from the next agreement that protects Denver customers from high utility bills?
Xcel Energy has Denver and Colorado held hostage as most monopoly corporations do, the people pay or risk dying, no other choice. Denver has to look into how we can bring in competition in order to stop the abuse Xcel applies to its customers. Xcel’s CEO is compensated over 12 million a year and the Executive staff members are all compensated over 3.5 million per year. What’s wrong with this picture?
Denver has a goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 65% by 2030. A sales tax approved by voters funds the city's climate action goals. What, if any, changes would you make to Denver's climate action goals and how would you make green energy and environmentally sustainable living available across income levels?
Denver has to encourage “through” highway traffic to utilize the 470 highway system, that’s what they are designed to do. This can be done by charging non-Denver residents a substantial fee for using Interstate’s I-70 and I-25 though Denver. People that work in Denver would be exempt as people coming into Denver to conduct business. Encourage RTD to better utilize park and ride areas. Provide incentives to people that purchase electric vehicles. Shut down and prosecute Suncor if they continue to violate pollution limits.
Yes or No
Will you enforce Denver’s camping ban?
Yes
Should Denver maintain its effective status as a sanctuary city through noncooperation with immigration agents?
Yes
Will you vote to support development of the Park Hill Golf Course as currently proposed on the April ballot?
No
Do you support the use of any Denver taxpayer funds to build a new football stadium for the Broncos?
Decline to say
Should Denver reduce vehicle volumes downtown?
Yes
Did you support Mayor Michael Hancock’s re-election in 2019?
No
If the Colorado legislature lifts the ban on local rent control, should Denver pursue some form of rent control?
Yes
Should Denver pursue the creation of a supervised drug injection site with the permission of the state legislature?
No
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