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 Andy Rougeot'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.
Andy Rougeot
Andy Rougeot is a small business owner and a former U.S. Army intelligence officer who deployed to Afghanistan in 2013. Rougeot owns RG Maintenance, which provides commercial maintenance services to self-storage facilities.
Political affiliation: Republican
Rougeot's campaign directed readers to his website to see policy plans.
Long-form questions
In a single sentence, why are you running for mayor?
I am running for Mayor to fight for Denver’s future by hiring four hundred police officers to clean up our streets, enforcing the camping ban to get homeless into services, and decreasing the cost of housing in our city.
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).
I will make Denver safer by adding four hundred police officers, by increasing funding for officer training, and by ensuring our 911 system doesn’t have hold times. To fund these improvements the police budget will be increased.
What should the City of Denver do to promote affordable housing?
As Mayor, I will increase the affordability of Denver for first time homebuyers, young families, and blue collar workers, by fixing a broken permitting department, reducing regulations that increase the cost of affordable housing, and getting corruption and money out of the process.
How should Denver change its approach to addressing homelessness?
As Mayor, I will consistently and aggressively enforce our camping ban to get the homeless into the mental health and drug addiction services they need.
How should Denver change its approach to mobility and safe streets?
Denver needs to prioritize the safety of its streets by enforcing its laws on speeding, running red lights, and drunk driving. As Mayor I will add four hundred police officers and increase funding for police training to make our streets safer.
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.
As a former business owner and Army officer, I have extensive experience managing teams of high performing employees and soldiers.
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?
Yes, the City should work to exert more control over Denver Public Schools. The Mayor should use the power of the bully pulpit to insist on making our schools safe by ensuring weapons, including guns, are not brought into our schools and advocating for the reintroduction of school resource officers.
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 Mayor should be proactively demanding the Governor and the federal government work to resolve the root causes of the immigration crisis.
What should Denver do to prevent the displacement of longtime residents due to gentrification and tax burdens?
As Mayor, I will ensure we are building more housing to prevent the displacement of longtime residents and rising tax burdens. I will increase the affordability of Denver for first time homebuyers, young families, and blue collar workers, by fixing a broken permitting department, reducing regulations that increase the cost of affordable housing, and getting corruption and money out of the process.
What should be done to revitalize downtown Denver (vis-à-vis office occupancy, the 16th Street Mall, crime)?
I will revitalize downtown Denver by adding four hundred police officers and enforcing the camping ban to make it safe to work and visit downtown.
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?
As Mayor, I will hold the District Attorney publicly accountable for failing to prosecute criminals, including violent criminals and fentanyl dealers. I will also work with the other Mayors of Metro Denver to pressure the legislature to recriminalize all amounts of fentanyl.
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?
I will use my experience as a business owner to negotiate an agreement that minimizes growth in Denver residents utility bills.
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?
I will work to meet Denver’s greenhouse gas emissions goals by ensuring Denver becomes a hub of clean energy innovation that can fuel our energy transition.
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?
Yes
Do you support the use of any Denver taxpayer funds to build a new football stadium for the Broncos?
No
Should Denver reduce vehicle volumes downtown?
No
Did you support Mayor Michael Hancock’s re-election in 2019?
Yes
If the Colorado legislature lifts the ban on local rent control, should Denver pursue some form of rent control?
No
Should Denver pursue the creation of a supervised drug injection site with the permission of the state legislature?
No
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