Racist attacks at the CU Board of Regents, HB25-1208 and Crime in Westminster
And Family tax credits!
If you missed it, see my previous newsletter:
Agenda
Important Announcements
Scandal at the CU Board of Regents: Let’s Support for Wanda James against racist attacks
Announcements
Quick Update:
Help families benefit from these tax credits: As a board member of several youth-focused organizations (like ECPAC!) and a champion of meaningful state legislation, I fight for real solutions for families - so I was so proud of Sens. Winter & Coleman for making the Family Affordability Tax Credit law in 2024. We are in tax season, so please spread the word:
Families earning $85,000 or less may qualify for the new Family Affordability Tax Credit, offering up to $3,200 per child under 6 and $2,400 per child ages 6-16, with higher amounts for lower incomes.
Check eligibility with the Tax Credit Calculator and spread the word using the 2025 Bilingual Partner Toolkit.
Free tax prep is available for those earning under $67,000—find locations here or call 211 for multilingual support.
Other tax credits, including the Child Tax Credit, Earned Income Tax Credit, and Early Childhood Educator Tax Credit, are also available. Past tax returns can be amended for up to 3 years to claim missed credits.
HB25-1208: Unlike that amazing tax credit bill, HB25-1208 is a bizarre, democrat-sponsored bill that is attempting to strip away local control to lock in low wages for working-class servers. This bill ignores local cost-of-living differences and regional decision-making for a one-size-fits-all state mandate that will hurt restaurants (reduced growth, turnover costs, productivity losses) and cuts wages of servers struggling to survive. The next committee vote is next week and all eyes are watching to see which legislators vote Yes for this at a time of high cost of living. I will provide you an update.
Crime in Westminster: Last week I helped to stop City Council from criminalizing people for being unhoused. Instead, I want to invest in more patrols for our business centers and put more resources toward the crimes I believe matter most—speeding, street racing, retail theft, and burglaries—all of which are on the rise. In 2022, I pushed hard for real solutions with my then-Council and we cut motor vehicle thefts by 50% and reduced violent crime (sex offenses, aggravated assaults, and robberies). So let’s focus on what works, not distractions.
Grant win: Westminster secured an RTD Transit Assistance Grant, providing 1,430 bus tickets in 2025 to help residents access essential services.
Westminster Hills Open Space: Waterline construction work begins soon near the Simms Ave parking lot to improve water access for Meadow View, with trail closures starting March 19. Also, we will be increasing parking enforcement while developing an Area Management Plan with community input to improve compliance, safety, and parking solutions.
Colorado Legal Services: Help spread the word that we fund free access to Colorado Legal Services for Westminster residents needing help with housing, taxes, family law, and more. They’re currently assisting 27 Westminster residents and served 126 last year!
Additional role: On March 2, I was elected Vice Chair of the House District 29 (Westminster), alongside Michelle Zajic (Chair), Chris Stimpson (Treasurer), and Judy Pickeral (Secretary). Our first strategy planning session will be March 16.
Funeral for Pauline York: Pauline passed away on January 31. She was an Edgewater resident, longtime political pioneer and community advocate. Her service will be at 10AM today at St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church (2722 Zenobia St, Denver).
CU Board of Regents Scandal: Let’s Support for Wanda James against racist attacks
In last week’s newsletter, I defined diversity, equity and inclusion and explained that it is the only reason why we have: parental leave, family restrooms, captions on TV, flexible schedules, breastfeeding accommodations, ramps and curb cuts, pay transparency, workplace protections, size-inclusive medical equipment, floating holidays, disability-friendly workspaces, and even belt extenders on planes.
In January, CU Boulder got rid of the words “DEI” from the program name on their websites (but kept the actual programs).
Today, I’d like to raise your awareness of an issue happening at the CU Board of Regents. I just spoke on the phone with the Board Chair, Callie Rennison, to express my concerns and she was receptive and working on fixing the situation.
As a Black politician who has faced local smear campaigns and the founder of BIPAC—Colorado’s first fund dedicated to electing People of Color—I won’t stay silent. That’s why I’ve joined 36 others from the Colorado Black Legislative Caucus to call out the injustice detailed below:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 4, 2025
Contact: Colorado Black Democratic Legislative Caucus
Email: Blackcaucusco@gmail.com
COLORADO BLACK DEMOCRATIC LEGISLATIVE CAUCUS AND COMMUNITY CONDEMNS BASELESS ATTACKS AGAINST REGENT WANDA JAMES
(Denver - March 4, 2025) The Colorado Black Democratic Legislative Caucus and community stand in full support of University of Colorado Regent Wanda James and are outraged by the unfounded attacks against her. These attacks should have been immediately rejected by the CU Board of Regents.
In a move that reeks of complicity, the CU Board of Regents has chosen to escalate a smear campaign by forwarding a completely baseless ethics charge and referring false criminal allegations to the Attorney General and the Independent Ethics Commission.
Black Leadership Under Attack – Again.
Let’s be absolutely clear: This is not about ethics. Regent James is being targeted for doing what any responsible leader should do—standing against racism and racist imagery. She publicly called out the racist, harmful messaging produced by CU Anschutz School of Public Health in a campaign that used cannabis tax dollars to push outdated, offensive imagery and tropes about Black communities. This smacks of a concerted effort to silence and discredit a Black elected official who called out blatant racist images in a publication targeting our Black community and widely distributed.
This is not just about Regent James. This is about a larger, dangerous pattern of retaliation.
From Tennessee to Florida to now Colorado, we are witnessing a coordinated effort to undermine, discredit, and remove outspoken Black leaders. Whether through political smear campaigns, false ethics violations, or outright threats of investigations, these attacks are designed to remove and keep Black leadership out of decision-making roles.
The Colorado Black Democratic Legislative Caucus, along with our allies, will not stand idly by while Black leadership is falsely attacked, criminalized, and discredited.
We Demand the Following Actions Immediately:
A formal apology from CU Anschutz School of Public Health for racist imagery and racist tropes they created to frame healthcare in the Black community.
An immediate meeting with the CU President, Todd Saliman, and the CU Board of Regents Chair, Callie Rennison.
An official opinion from the Attorney General’s office and the Ethics Commission clearing Regent James’ name.
A full review of CU’s continued failures in leadership representation.
We will not be silenced.
Signed,
Colorado Black Democratic Legislative Caucus
State Representative Jennifer Bacon - House District 7
State Representative Michael Carter - House District 36
Senate President James R. Coleman - Chair, Senate District 33
State Representative Regina English - Vice Chair, House District 17
State Senator Tony Exum, Sr. - House District 11
State Representative Jamie Jackson - House District 41
State Representative Junie Joseph - House District 10
State Representative Naquetta Ricks - House District 40
Shontel Lewis - Denver City Council District 8
Darrell Watson - Denver City Council District 9
Obi Ezeadi - Westminster City Council, At-Large
Michelle Quattlebaum - DPS Board Director, District 4
The Honorable Peter Groff - Former President of the Colorado Senate
The Honorable Terrance Carroll - Former Speaker of the Colorado House
The Honorable Leslie Herod
The Honorable Auon’tai Anderson
Colorado Black Women for Political Action - Bianka Emerson
The Institute for Racial Equity and Excellence - Rosemarie Allen
The Urban Leadership Foundation - Ryan Ross
The Colorado Black Round Table - John Bailey
African Diaspora Initiative of the Colorado Democratic Party - Hashim Coates
Epitome of Black Excellence and Partnership - MiDian Shonfer
Hashim Coates - Chair, African Diaspora Initiative of the Colorado Democrats
CU Trustee Charles “CJ” Johnson
CU Trustee Dr. Dawn Robinson
CU Trustee Annett James
CU Trustee Marlene Price
CU Trustee Kimble Jackson-Butler
Portia Prescott - President, Rocky Mountain NAACP CO-MT-WY State Conference
Makisha Boothe - CEO, SistahBiz Global Network
Omar Montgomery
Candice Bailey
Ashlee Wedgeworth
Brother Jeff Fard
Taishya Adams
Gary M. Jackson
About Obi Ezeadi
Obi Ezeadi is a first-generation American with a diverse background in entrepreneurship and business leadership across healthcare, housing, technology, transportation, and hospitality. As a City Councilor, he champions economic, democratic, and personal freedoms, ensuring prosperity and protection for families, seniors, and local small businesses. View some of his accomplishments below:
“Government Unpacked” is a fact-based newsletter delivering deep dives on politics, history, and civics from a Colorado policymaker to help you unpack government and find your purpose to change the world.
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