Recently the Colorado Legislature voted down a bill that would require counties with more than 70,000 residents to have five commissioners. I support that bill. I think counties that large, like Douglas, where I live, should be partitioned into five sectors and each should get to vote for their own commissioner. As the article in the Douglas County News-Press pointed out, Douglas County is currently ruled by two commissioners, the majority of a contentious three-member county commission. Douglas County has about 370,000 residents. The current commissioner majority represents businesses in the county to the exclusion of the majority of residents.

While I understand the state not wanting to interfere with local governance, I believe that the state has an obligation to stand up for citizen’s rights to self-governance. Choosing our county commissioners would be a huge step forward in giving voice to “we the people.”

Terry Cannon, Castle Rock