The deadline for filing papers to run for City Council is still three weeks away.
But the political action committee of the Housing and Building Association of Colorado Springs has already finalized its endorsements.
“By this time, with the amount of time candidates have had to consider running, we figure that people that have that kind of passion for office already have been out there long enough to have a good sense of the field. So to us, it’s not too early,” said William Mutch, the HBA’s director of government affairs and public policy.
The endorsements were made before all the candidates are known because it’s a “longstanding tradition” of the HBA to get “involved effectively,” Mutch said.
The HBA endorsed only two incumbents — Angela Dougan and Tim Leigh.
The HBA endorsed Keith King over incumbent Brandy Williams in District 3 and Al Loma over Bernie Herpin in District 5.
The fifth incumbent — Lisa Czelatdko — is apparently not seeking re-election.
Ed Bircham, who is running for council District 6 and wasn’t endorsed by the HBA, said he didn’t receive a questionnaire or an invitation to interview with the organization.
“I don’t know why they made up their minds so fast without giving me the opportunity,” Bircham said.
Still, Bircham said he didn’t want to be “indebted” to any group. In fact, he said he’s going to fund his own campaign.
“I’m going to fund it myself so I’m not indebted to special interest groups,” he said.
The HBA PAC is headed by Ralph Braden, vice president at Nor’wood Development Group, one of Colorado Springs’ biggest real estate companies.
Braden, who is on the HBA’s executive committee, declined to comment.
Here are the HBA’s endorsements:
District 1: Incumbent Tim Leigh
District 2: Incumbent Angela Dougan
District 3: Keith King
District 4: Deborah Hendrix
District 5: Al Loma
District 6: David Moore
Thats right brown nose yu way to the top.The Amercian Way.
lilithia
Thanks!!! Now we know the other four that we shouldn’t vote for.
Doug can fund Bircham, well, with what’s left after the IRS is done anyway…
Send Tim Leigh back to his real estate “empire.”
Let’s see the HBA endorse Leigh, Dugan and King. All three or part of or major supports of the developer community or have strong ties to the Mayor who is in the pocket of the developers. Isn’t David Moore from Flying Horse Realty, LLC? Real hard choice HBA. Get rid of Lisa Czelatdko, Brandy William and Bernie Herpin who don’t cow down to Bach and replace them with people who kiss his ass. Nice separation of powers there. Wake up Colorado Springs you can do better than that.
“cow down”?
The Game is Rigged and the town’s the loser …..
if they are endorsing before all potential candidates have declared, does that mean they might rescind an endorsement in favor of a newer candidate whom they like better????? I wouldn’t get too confident there, oh endorsed ones!!