Exclusive: Mayor vows to finish Vibrant Denver bond projects in 6 years

What he's saying: "We think [the projects] should be built and built now," Johnston told more than 100 people at an Axios Denver event hosted by the Denver Foundation and University of Denver.

• "I don't think folks like waiting 10 years to break ground on the projects," he added, referencing the backlogs and delays that plagued previous city bond initiatives.

State of play: In another move to build support, Johnston pledged to create a public-facing progress tracker to promote transparency and ensure the projects remain on time and within budget.

The intrigue: In the exclusive interview, Johnston told us that early polls show roughly 60% of voters back the five-question package, but a significant block of voters remains undecided.

• The hesitancy is driven by distrust in government, Johnston suggested, as Washington is shut down and the city endures layoffs amid a budget deficit.
• The mayor pledged to go door-to-door and call voters personally to try to win support. "This is one where people really turn to people they trust — neighbors, residents, nonprofit community leaders — and say, 'Is this thing the right thing?'"

The other side: In a panel conversation after the mayor spoke, opposition to the bond questions created odd bedfellows.

• Wynn Howell, state director for the Working Families Party, said the organization is split on the bonds. "The mayor made this hard by putting a whole bunch of stuff in there that shouldn't be in there," Howell said, referencing money for law enforcement initiatives.
• Jimmy Smrz, Denver GOP executive committee member, offered similar views. "This is really the perfect time to take a stand against voting about ideals vs. voting about what makes economic sense," he said.