New council president arrives amid unease at City Hall
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Denver City Council member Diana Romero Campbell inside council chambers. Photo: Helen H. Richardson/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images
Newly elected Denver City Council President Diana Romero Campbell assumes the role facing a swath of emerging challenges at City Hall.
Why it matters: Romero Campbell leads a body facing looming budgetary constraints and a November special election, all while balancing occasional clashes with Mayor Mike Johnston's office.
State of play: Romero Campbell says she wants to bring people together, a goal that will be tested immediately after the public elects a replacement for Councilmember Sarah Parady.
- Parady, a stalwart of the council's progressive wing, is expected to resign this week, with voters set to pick her replacement in November.
- Adding another wrinkle to the dais is Councilmember Shontel Lewis' surprise mayoral run, which could further complicate the body's dynamic with the mayor's office.
- Romero Campbell tells us she wants a collaborative — but accountable — relationship with Johnston, while improving communication.
Context: Romero Campbell, who's served on council since July 2023, is a moderate who often provides a first-person account of her experience as a Latina when approaching legislation.
- Her centrist brand sometimes puts her at odds with progressives, including recently during a debate over a labor acknowledgment centered on enslaved people.
Threat level: Council members face a bruising budget season as they decide how to balance the city's coffers. Under the city's strong-mayor system, Johnston has first say on what stays and what goes.
- Romero Campbell argues there's a limit to how much city workers can shoulder after last year's furloughs.
- The council's approach to this year's budget negotiations focuses on "restoring basic city services" to rebuild trust in government, she adds.
What they're saying: "I think overall trust in government across the board is pretty low," Romero Campbell tells us.
- "We look forward to continuing this long and successful partnership, particularly around our shared priority of childcare," Johnston spokesperson Jon Ewing says in a statement, calling Romero Campbell a "thoughtful and caring public servant."
Zoom in: We asked about her life outside City Hall.
🥯 Favorite restaurant: The Bagel Deli & Restaurant.
- She recommends the breakfast plate or the pastrami and egg salad.
🦬 Favorite museum: History Colorado Center.
🌳 Favorite new park: Bethesda Park.
- "It is going to be amazing," she says of the neighborhood park set to open next month.
📖 Reading list: "On Gold Mountain" by Lisa Lee and "Yesteryear" by Caro Claire Burke.
🗣️ Favorite quote: "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy," by Martin Luther King Jr.