Thank you all for your support!
"Elect Williams for continued success"
"The Gazette proudly encourages voters to elect City Councilman and former Colorado Secretary of State Wayne Williams — a center-right leader with a proven record of unifying and strengthening our community.
"The Gazette’s editorial board met twice with Williams’ opponent, Yemi Mobolade, and found him an affable family man willing to serve. He has a promising future, but this is no time to take risks by electing someone with no record of elective service to run a major American city. By no fault of his own, Mobolade would need on-the-job training.
"With Williams, also an amiable family man, voters know exactly what they will get — a public servant with long-term experience and results as a high-level public executive. There will be no learning curve, no surprises and no risk of him failing our community.
"Few Coloradans in public office live up to Williams’ achievements.
"Experienced, competent leadership has made Colorado Springs the most desirable city in the country — as consistently ranked by U.S. News & World Report, the gold standard in 'best-of' research. Our economy has grown substantially and created good jobs for most of the past decade. Williams has played a key role in the city’s success and will continue our upward trajectory. That’s why term-limited Mayor John Suthers — perhaps the country’s most successful big city mayor — wholeheartedly endorses Williams.
"Williams has a proven record of fighting crime and supporting law enforcement locally and statewide, which explains his support from the Colorado Springs Police Protective Association.
"Like few public servants we know of, Williams thinks outside conventional wisdom to get results for everyone. That’s why he received high praise as secretary of state from President Donald Trump’s right-leaning director of homeland security and the left-leaning Washington Post.
"A handful of Williams’ public service accomplishments include:
• "As chairman of the board of Colorado Springs Utilities, Williams mitigated a seemingly intractable scarcity of water. His vision, innovation and leadership led Colorado Springs to help farmers modernize irrigation to save huge sums of water and continue growing food.
"By increasing agricultural efficiency, Williams liberates water for our city to acquire. His work helps farmers lower overhead, stabilizing Colorado’s food supply. While lesser water experts think only of managing scarcity with dangerous austerity measures — 'let’s pay farmers to stop growing food' — Williams configures solutions that improve life for everyone. He validates the old 'win-win' cliché.
"'These same principles could be used all over the country,' Williams assures us.
• "Williams led efforts to establish the Pikes Peak Rural Transportation District in 2004, improving transportation throughout the region. He demands the program deliver on promises, which explains why nearly 80% of voters have twice allowed the district to continue.
• "Williams worked with the Pentagon to begin providing full-service clerk and recorder offices at military bases, starting with Colorado-based Fort Carson. This allows military personnel to easily vote, register to vote, acquire license plates, marriage licenses, licenses to drive and more. Williams has improved the lives of the people who provide our national defense.
"No one can dispute these and other facts that highlight Williams as a proven and unifying leader. While other politicians talk, Williams improves the lives of people from all backgrounds in all socioeconomic circumstances. We all need food, water, meaningful work and fair elections — all of which Williams has reliably delivered.
"Williams’ record provides a contrast to his opponent’s lack of elective public service and resistance to tell the community where he stands on issues — including his budget priorities, which Mobolade plans to learn in office.
"Both candidates say they will respect the overwhelming decision of voters to decline recreational marijuana sales. Beyond talk, Williams championed several campaigns against drugs as a form of 'recreation.' Williams has proven his belief that recreation involves healthy activities — i.e., hiking, climbing, cycling and enjoyable time with loved ones — not the costly consumption of mind-altering drugs.
"On one major issue, Mobolade’s position should alarm most taxpayers. Mobolade supports unionized collective bargaining by city employees — a proposition Colorado Springs voters have trounced in past elections. Williams has fought to protect taxpayers from this runaway expense to businesses and residents.
"When The Gazette asked each candidate who they voted for in past presidential elections, Williams recited a list of Republicans. Mobolade declined to answer, leaving voters to imagine his political persuasion.
"Williams’ forthcoming answers to substantive questions illustrate his well-known propensity to keep government open to the public it serves.
"After meeting with and researching the mayoral candidates, The Gazette’s editorial board gained greater appreciation for both. Each man promises to lead in a unifying manner that helps all community members. Only one — Wayne Williams — has a proven, indisputable record of effective, cross-partisan leadership and positive results.
"Elect Williams to continue the monumental successes of America’s most desirable city, filling the role to stand among our country’s best, brightest, fairest and most unifying big-city mayors."
"The Gazette’s editorial board met twice with Williams’ opponent, Yemi Mobolade, and found him an affable family man willing to serve. He has a promising future, but this is no time to take risks by electing someone with no record of elective service to run a major American city. By no fault of his own, Mobolade would need on-the-job training.
"With Williams, also an amiable family man, voters know exactly what they will get — a public servant with long-term experience and results as a high-level public executive. There will be no learning curve, no surprises and no risk of him failing our community.
"Few Coloradans in public office live up to Williams’ achievements.
"Experienced, competent leadership has made Colorado Springs the most desirable city in the country — as consistently ranked by U.S. News & World Report, the gold standard in 'best-of' research. Our economy has grown substantially and created good jobs for most of the past decade. Williams has played a key role in the city’s success and will continue our upward trajectory. That’s why term-limited Mayor John Suthers — perhaps the country’s most successful big city mayor — wholeheartedly endorses Williams.
"Williams has a proven record of fighting crime and supporting law enforcement locally and statewide, which explains his support from the Colorado Springs Police Protective Association.
"Like few public servants we know of, Williams thinks outside conventional wisdom to get results for everyone. That’s why he received high praise as secretary of state from President Donald Trump’s right-leaning director of homeland security and the left-leaning Washington Post.
"A handful of Williams’ public service accomplishments include:
• "As chairman of the board of Colorado Springs Utilities, Williams mitigated a seemingly intractable scarcity of water. His vision, innovation and leadership led Colorado Springs to help farmers modernize irrigation to save huge sums of water and continue growing food.
"By increasing agricultural efficiency, Williams liberates water for our city to acquire. His work helps farmers lower overhead, stabilizing Colorado’s food supply. While lesser water experts think only of managing scarcity with dangerous austerity measures — 'let’s pay farmers to stop growing food' — Williams configures solutions that improve life for everyone. He validates the old 'win-win' cliché.
"'These same principles could be used all over the country,' Williams assures us.
• "Williams led efforts to establish the Pikes Peak Rural Transportation District in 2004, improving transportation throughout the region. He demands the program deliver on promises, which explains why nearly 80% of voters have twice allowed the district to continue.
• "Williams worked with the Pentagon to begin providing full-service clerk and recorder offices at military bases, starting with Colorado-based Fort Carson. This allows military personnel to easily vote, register to vote, acquire license plates, marriage licenses, licenses to drive and more. Williams has improved the lives of the people who provide our national defense.
"No one can dispute these and other facts that highlight Williams as a proven and unifying leader. While other politicians talk, Williams improves the lives of people from all backgrounds in all socioeconomic circumstances. We all need food, water, meaningful work and fair elections — all of which Williams has reliably delivered.
"Williams’ record provides a contrast to his opponent’s lack of elective public service and resistance to tell the community where he stands on issues — including his budget priorities, which Mobolade plans to learn in office.
"Both candidates say they will respect the overwhelming decision of voters to decline recreational marijuana sales. Beyond talk, Williams championed several campaigns against drugs as a form of 'recreation.' Williams has proven his belief that recreation involves healthy activities — i.e., hiking, climbing, cycling and enjoyable time with loved ones — not the costly consumption of mind-altering drugs.
"On one major issue, Mobolade’s position should alarm most taxpayers. Mobolade supports unionized collective bargaining by city employees — a proposition Colorado Springs voters have trounced in past elections. Williams has fought to protect taxpayers from this runaway expense to businesses and residents.
"When The Gazette asked each candidate who they voted for in past presidential elections, Williams recited a list of Republicans. Mobolade declined to answer, leaving voters to imagine his political persuasion.
"Williams’ forthcoming answers to substantive questions illustrate his well-known propensity to keep government open to the public it serves.
"After meeting with and researching the mayoral candidates, The Gazette’s editorial board gained greater appreciation for both. Each man promises to lead in a unifying manner that helps all community members. Only one — Wayne Williams — has a proven, indisputable record of effective, cross-partisan leadership and positive results.
"Elect Williams to continue the monumental successes of America’s most desirable city, filling the role to stand among our country’s best, brightest, fairest and most unifying big-city mayors."
I’ve lived in Colorado Springs for over 30 years. Together with my wife, Holly, we raised our family here.
Colorado Springs is the City for Champions – a city on the rise. Through community collaboration, we will ensure that our city remains the very best place to live, work, play and raise a family.
I’ve seen firsthand the importance of local leadership who work together. As a member of the City Council and the Utilities Board, I have worked to promote our city’s economic vitality, and to address the city’s infrastructure needs, particularly in transportation and utilities. I am committed to enhancing services for our growing city, including utilities, parks, police, and fire protection.
