This content was originally published by the Longmont Observer and is licensed under a Creative Commons license.
Longmont is not broken, but it can be. In seeking ideas for Longmont, we’ve seen a decade of studying how things are done in distant places. There are few places like Longmont, which has fifty year existing economic engine of high tech. Current leaders didn’t arrive with a local economic vision. But one candidate does now.
We have an opportunity for new leadership on council. Who has the knowledge, experience, and skills needed? A leader in our social, business, and arts community. We want them to be strong on vision and have an even stronger in work ethic.
Ron Gallegos stands out as being someone who has the chops to make a vision into a reality. Mr. Gallegos has support from the business and arts communities for a vision of a convention and performing arts center. The opportunity for this economic development is ready now. Conventions generate the need for food, travel, and hotels. A convention center will be a huge incentive to be in Longmont. And retail sales taxes paid largely by visitors.
Mr. Gallegos was on the council that built the recreation, museum, and senior centers. They also purchased the Standstone Ranch recreation fields. With a background in telecommunications, he was a key leader in creating our optical fiber network now known as NextLight. These achievements have had significant and positive impact for the people of Longmont.
If Mr. Gallegos is elected to council, we can expect his hard work towards achieving his new goals, and less attention to small issues and minor distractions. Ron gets his ideas and support from people who live and work in Longmont. Special interests, partisan causes and needless studies from distant places will not be his distractions.
I ask you to join me in voting for Ron Gallegos for Longmont City Council.
Paul Tiger
Longmont
