February 10, 2026/
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Campaign Financial reports for four issue committees related to the zoning referendum election were posted on February 6, 2026. The reports show a lot of non-Lakewood special interest money on one side.
Resident generated news about Lakewood, Colorado
Resident generated news about Lakewood, Colorado
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February 6, 2026/
Jeffco Schools has determined that they need a mill levy increase and are looking for ways to market that decision to residents. However, the way the district closed and sold Emory Elementary demonstrates a decision-making process that doesn’t examine the root cause of problems. From the first, Jeffco schools showed a willingness to craft narratives using a select set of facts for a predetermined output. As shown by the eleven points below, select facts are not the full story. Withholding the full story and losing money makes residents question whether Jeffco Schools can be trusted with more money in a mill levy increase. Jeffco Point #1: Emory was closed due to declining enrollment amidst a budget deficit. SUNLIGHT: At the time of closure, Emory ranked #1741 out of 1748 Colorado schools. Declining enrollment coincided with a steep decrease in test scores. Alternative solutions include raising test scores, which Jeffco proved unable to do since 2015. Good schools are a driver for home sales. Without good schools, new families don’t move in or enroll in other choice schools. Ultimately, poor performance was the reason for closure, not the budget.
February 6, 2026/
In single-digit temperatures Sunday morning, more than 300 residents gathered at Alameda International Junior/Senior High School to launch CBC Denver, a new community-focused church committed to serving the Lakewood and greater Denver area through connection, service, and long-term neighborhood involvement. Located near the Belmar area of downtown Lakewood, CBC Denver meets at 1255 South Wadsworth Blvd. and holds weekly services Sundays at 10:00 a.m. The church is led by Pastor Casey Whithers and his wife, Hannah, and was planted to create a welcoming environment where people can build relationships, explore faith, and engage in meaningful service within the community.
February 5, 2026/
Lakewood residents mounted fierce opposition against the spread of 5G towers in Lakewood in July 2020. City Council at the time debated possibilities for hours. 5G remained an issue in the 2021 city election because of the high level of resident dissatisfaction. Residents cited concerns over health effects but Lakewood city officials said the law prohibits cell phone towers to be blocked on that basis. Now, residents who were involved in 2020 may be interested in new federal regulations that seek to expand prohibition powers. It turns out those residents may be right to be concerned about health risks. According to the Wall Street Journal, Federal health officials quietly removed longstanding U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) webpages asserting that cellphone radiation poses no health risk.
February 3, 2026/
There is no dispute that the City of Lakewood must comply with a recent Colorado Supreme Court ruling requiring repayment of illegally collected Business and Occupation taxes. However, the way Lakewood is paying that refund has raised concerns that voters were misled about how their TABOR money would be used. City staff and Council presented the TABOR Fund as the only option available. However, the TABOR Fund is a Lakewood-created accounting mechanism, not a requirement of state law or the court decision. Lakewood could have paid the refund from the General Fund. Instead, on January 26, 2026, City Council voted to take money from the TABOR Fund that had been explicitly promised to voter-approved purposes.
February 1, 2026/
New campaign finance rules for Lakewood define non-profits and corporations as people. The change allows large donations without individual disclosures. This is commonly referred to as dark money. The rule change follows 2010 changes at the federal level known as the Citizens United v FEC decision. Shahrezaei and Councilor Bill Furman were beneficiaries of this change during the 2025 election. Each received $400 from the Metro Housing Coalition through the Metro Housing Coalition Political Action Committee.
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