Government of Denver facts for kids
The Government of Denver is how the City and County of Denver, Colorado, is run. It includes all the public services and officials who work to keep Denver operating smoothly for its citizens.
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How Denver's Government Works
Denver is a special kind of city because it's both a city and a county at the same time. It has elected leaders like a mayor, a thirteen-member city council, an auditor, and a clerk and recorder.
When people vote in Denver, they don't vote for political parties. Instead, they vote for the person they think is best for the job. All these elected officials serve for four years and can serve a maximum of three terms.
The Mayor's Role
Denver has a "strong mayor" system. This means the mayor has a lot of power and responsibility. The mayor can:
- Approve or stop (veto) any new laws or plans passed by the city council.
- Make sure all city contracts are followed.
- Sign important documents.
- Manage the city's budget.
- Choose people to lead different city departments and groups.
The current mayor is Michael Hancock.
The City Council's Role
The Denver City Council has thirteen members. Their main job is to create and change all the city's laws and rules. They usually do this after listening to what the public thinks.
- Eleven members are elected from specific areas (districts) in Denver.
- Two members are elected by all voters in the city (at-large).
The Council can overrule the Mayor's veto if nine out of thirteen members vote to do so. They also have to approve the city budget and can make changes to it. They can even investigate city officials if there are concerns about their actions.
The District Attorney
The Denver District Attorney is in charge of handling state criminal cases in Denver. This person is elected in a partisan election, meaning they run as a member of a political party.
The Auditor
The Auditor's job is to check all the money the city spends. They can even stop certain payments if they find financial problems.
The Clerk and Recorder
This official has several important jobs:
- They act as the city and county clerk.
- They are the county recorder.
- They are the county public trustee.
They also manage elections and voter registration, making sure everyone who can vote is registered. They keep official records like city laws, meeting minutes, and the Mayor's orders. As the public trustee, they handle property foreclosure filings. As the county recorder, they record important property documents like deeds and marriage licenses.
Department of Safety
The Denver Department of Safety oversees three important groups that help keep Denver safe:
- Denver Police Department
- Denver Fire Department
- Denver Sheriff Department
Police Department
The Denver Police Department has many police officers who work to protect the city. The department started way back in December 1859. Over time, it became more diverse, with the first African-American police officer joining in 1880 and the first female police "matron" in 1888.
Fire Department
The Denver Fire Department (DFD) protects Denver 24 hours a day, every day of the year. These are full-time firefighters. The DFD has different divisions and operates out of 34 fire stations across the city. They have a lot of equipment, including fire engines, trucks, rescue units, and special teams for dangerous situations. The current Chief of the Department is Eric Tade.
Department of Public Works
The Denver Department of Public Works (DPW) takes care of city roads, including fixing them and managing parking. They also handle trash collection and oversee the design and building of streets, bridges, and public buildings.
Department of Aviation
The Department of Aviation is responsible for managing the Denver International Airport.
County Court
The Denver County Court handles local court cases. It's a bit different from other courts in Colorado because it also handles specific cases like those involving wills (probate) and young people (juvenile matters).
Denver Water
Denver Water is a public company that provides water to Denver. It's overseen by a group of five people called the Board of Water Commissioners, who are chosen by the mayor. They then pick a manager to run the daily operations.
The Assessor
The County Assessor's job is to figure out how much all the property in the county is worth. This value is used to calculate property taxes. If property owners don't agree with the value, they can appeal it.
Board of Equalization
The Denver Board of Equalization handles appeals related to property taxes. It can adjust, reduce, or refund general taxes. This board includes several important city officials like the Manager of General Services and the President of the City Council.
Denver's History
Denver was founded in 1858 and officially became a city in 1861. It was chosen as the permanent capital of Colorado in 1881.
Denver has been an important place for national politics.
- In 1908, it hosted the Democratic National Convention, which brought a lot of attention to the city.
- In the 1960s and 1970s, Denver was a key place for the Chicano Movement. A famous activist named Rodolfo "Corky" Gonzales started a group that fought for fair treatment and better education for Mexican-Americans. They even held a big youth conference in Denver in 1969.
- Denver also hosted the 2008 Democratic National Convention again, exactly 100 years after the first one.
- It also hosted the 2008 Libertarian National Convention and the G7 summit in 1997.
- In 2012, The University of Denver in Denver hosted one of the presidential debates.
Other Governments in Denver
Besides the main city and county government, there are other important groups that serve Denver:
Denver Public Schools
The Denver Public Schools (DPS) district is in charge of all the public schools in Denver. It's managed by an elected seven-member Board of Education. This Board then chooses the Superintendent, who leads the school system.
Regional Transportation District
The Regional Transportation District (RTD) provides public transportation, like buses and trains, in Denver and nearby counties. It's run by a 15-member Board of Directors who are elected by voters.
Denver Health and Hospital Authority
The Denver Health and Hospital Authority (DHHA) manages the Denver Health Medical Center and other health services. It's overseen by a nine-member Board of Directors chosen by the Mayor and approved by the City Council.
Notable Mayors of Denver
Here are some of the people who have served as Mayor of Denver:
- Charles A. Cook (1861–63)
- John Long Routt (1883–85)
- Robert W. Speer (1904–12, 1916–18)
- Benjamin F. Stapleton (1923–31, 1935–47)
- Federico Peña (1983–91)
- Wellington Webb (1991–2003)
- John Hickenlooper (2003-2011)
Images for kids
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Title page of the Denver Revised Municipal Code (DRMC), which contains Denver's laws.
