Special Interest Money for Special Election
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.
Elections
Lakewood Violates TABOR Promises to Voters
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.
Dark money donations allowed in Lakewood
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.
Special Election Set for April 7
Lakewood City Council unanimously decided to put the zoning code up for a vote on a special election on April 7, 2026. Both pro-zoning and anti-zoning advocates requested the special election. Both sides believe they have the support of the people.
The decision to put the zoning code on the ballot was not about the zoning code. The issue was whether City Council would listen to the people. City Council rushed to approve a new zoning code without a public discussion of the underlying densification decision. The actual changes were a different discussion than the broader Comprehensive Plan or “affordable housing” discussion. Once people started to understand zoning densification impacts, there was a rising number of complaints. City Council Members discounted these voices as a “small minority.”
Lakewood Citizens Demand City Overturn Ordinances Benefiting Wealthy Individuals and Corporations
From Save Belmar Park, Inc and People Before Profits
On Monday January 26, Lakewood City Council will again vote on a controversial new zoning scheme enacted by a council majority that was led by dark-money, developer-funded Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem.
This vote—triggered by four historic citizen referendum petitions—will determine whether the Council repeals its radical zoning rewrite or sends it to Lakewood voters for a citywide vote.
Resident Voices: Keep Lakewood Special
Guest post from Joan Poston
Hello Neighbors, on January 26 there will be a meeting of the city council of Lakewood. They are having a vote about the referendum petitions that were successfully presented to the city. Now the city is faced with a choice. They can repeal all of the ordinances about zoning that they passed this past August and September. Or they can hold a special election. I have been hearing rumors that they want the special election and I have been contemplating why? Why would you choose the more expensive route using taxpayer money when you can remedy the situation for free? This seems to be a kitchen table issue. Money is tight right now for both taxpayers and city government. Why would you want a special Election costing at least $300,000? I have a couple of theories. Maybe some of the city council will use this election to raise war chest money. It is always easier to raise money when you show that you’re fighting for an issue. The real question is who are they fighting for? I believe that some members of City Council are fighting for the developers. And developers have deep pockets.
Decision Appears Made – It’s Going to Ballot
Even though Lakewood City Council hasn’t made any official decisions, it appears Council has unofficially decided they will send the zoning referendum to the ballot. Issue committees have been made and official campaigns started. Former City Councilor Sophia Mayott-Guerrero is leading the campaign against the citizens’ referendum and is already collecting donations. That committee has announced the referendum is on the ballot. A special election would be scheduled for March.
Decision on Campaign Finance Violation
The independent hearing officer made a determination absolving Lakewood and the referendum petitioners in the campaign finance complaint. The complaint was registered by Kip Kolkmeier against the zoning referendum petitioners. The findings say that there is room for interpretation how to safeguard a democratic government.
All the information on this is included at this link to the independent hearing officer’s decision. The document is 197 pages in length but includes the original complaint, the City Clerk’s response to the Complaint, the 8 page hearing officer decision and the full transcript of the hearing.
The City Is Silencing Voters And We Need To Act Now
The City of Lakewood has effectively pulled the rug out from under the people by imposing impossible deadlines on the citizen referendum process, making meaningful participation nearly impossible.
Referendum Petitions Continue Despite Hurdles
There are several updates to the zoning referendum, including sufficiency, new legal challenges and the city staff writing new campaign finance law.
Zoning petition #3 has passed the count for initial sufficiency. Petition #3 was to repeal Ordinance O-2025-29, replacing Article 3 of the zoning code concerning a lot of single-family zoning provisions. Petition #3 will join 1 and 2 in waiting for final approval before going to City Council.
Zoning Petition #4 has been submitted to Lakewood. That completes the signature gathering process to repeal all parts of the newly passed zoning code.
There are rumors that all petition signatures have been challenged and will require a new hearing and costly legal defense. Details pending.
Campaign Finance Challenge