Article Contributed on: 10/2/2008 2:09:22 PM
Jason Bane is running for Jefferson County Commissioner District 2 and answered a questionnaire for YourHub.com. To read all of the candidate questionnaires,
click here.
My name:Jason Bane
My age: 31
My Family: Wife
Julie, Daughter
Stella, 2, Newborn son
Marcus, born Sept. 20
Education: BA, Journalism, University of Missouri
What I do: I am a former journalist, and I currently work in communications/public relations. My wife and I are also small business owners; Julie runs a boutique clothing store in Olde Town Arvada called "Stella B's."
My favorite place in town to hang out: Olde Town Arvada. We own a small business there, and our daughter Stella loves to play in the kids' water fountain near the library.
What I like most about living here: I love all of the Open Space land in Jefferson County, and it's great to be so close to our families. I am a third-generation native of Jefferson County; I grew up in South Jeffco, and my wife and her family are from Arvada.
My interests and hobbies: Spending time with my wife and our two young children is my number one hobby. I try to make sure I'm home every night in time to read to our daughter Stella before she goes to bed. I'm also an avid reader myself, mostly of non-fiction; it drives my wife crazy that I read a half-dozen books at once.
My favorite thing to cook: I make a mean pan of chicken enchiladas, but Julie is the real chef in the house.
People who inspire me (and how): My parents,
Vickie and
Dave Bane, who taught me the importance of giving back to the community. My mother was one of the first presidents of the Jefferson County PTA and was named the "Volunteer of the Year" by former Gov.
Roy Romer. My father has served on the water board and is always quick to volunteer to help out. He also coached my brother and me in various sports, and I remember him reading books on coaching so that he could teach us the proper forms and techniques; he wasn't as concerned about winning as he was about making sure that every player was learning.
How I have contributed to the community: I currently serve on the board of the Jefferson County PTA, and I have served on the board of other nonprofits such as Denver SCORES, an after-school program that combines soccer and poetry for at-risk youth. Three years ago I drafted legislation that would have funded after-school programs without raising taxes or dipping into Colorado's General Fund; I worked hard as a citizen to get the legislation passed, but it was ultimately vetoed by then-Gov. Owens. I am also a former Rotary member, and I would love to join a service organization again when I have more time.
The biggest issues facing us now: In Jefferson County, it is vital that we restore the public's trust in county government by putting an end to the years of scandals that have made too many headlines. We need an open and transparent government for a change. With a limited amount of available land left in Jeffco, we need to promote responsible growth policies that preserve Open Space and maintain our quality of life. We also need to do much better at adding quality jobs to Jeffco rather than focusing our growth on dense housing developments and strip malls, and the County should be a leader in the renewable and alternative energy industries. There are several available state programs to help citizens and small businesses become more energy efficient, but Jefferson County government participates in very few of them.
Why I am running: My wife and I are both natives of Jefferson County, and now we're raising our own family and operating a small business here. I'm running for County Commissioner because what happens to Jeffco matters to me, and like so many other residents I'm sick and tired of the endless array of scandals, investigations, indictments and lawsuits that have plagued our county. We've spent a half-million dollars in the last four years alone in legal fees defending our Commissioners and other elected officials from scandal. Enough is enough.
As a former journalist who has won awards for exposing corruption in politics, I'll open up our county government so that our hearings, documents and schedules are more available and accessible to the public. As a third-generation native, I understand how important it is to preserve and maintain our Open Space, and I know how we need to shift our development focus from building nothing but houses and strip malls to adding quality, high-paying jobs to Jeffco.
In short, I'm running for County Commissioner to put an end to the culture of corruption and cronyism that has made a mockery of Jefferson County government. For more information on my positions, go to www.JasonBane.org.