Commissioner Carrie Geitner is running for reelection to represent El Paso County’s District 2, with a focus on advancing work she started during her first term to improve roads, maintain low taxes and elevate the county voice at the state level, among others.

”I have two teenage boys, and I want to make sure that they get to continue to grow up in and raise their families in an environment that has as much opportunity as the one that I grew up in,” said Geitner, a Republican and self-described constitutional conservative who was elected in November 2020 to the Board of El Paso County Commissioners in District 2.

The district encompasses the northeast portion of the county, extending from eastern Colorado Springs through the communities of Cimarron Hills, Falcon, Peyton, Calhan and Ramah.

“In terms of the reelection … I’ve started some work and I really want to see that through. Four years sounds like a long time, but … there are a lot of things we’ve put work into — especially things like taking care of our roads — that take time to accomplish. I want to be able to see those projects through,” she said.

On her campaign website, Geitner, 41, highlights roads, water, taxes and public safety as four main categories she intends to focus on if reelected.

She commended steps commissioners have taken in recent years to improve county roads, particularly in unincorporated areas.

For example, major improvements are underway on Marksheffel Road along Colorado Springs’ eastern edge, including expanding a nearly 3-mile stretch of the thoroughfare. The city owns Marksheffel, but it previously belonged to the county. Funds from the Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority’s 1-cent sales tax that funds regional road projects are largely paying for the work.

Another project will improve safety and extend drivers’ line of sight at Rex and Meridian roads north of Falcon, a fast-growing area of the county.

Geitner wants to continue elevating El Paso County’s collective voice at the state level, including providing input on various bills and mandates that counties are often asked to fund, she said.

”We’ve taken a much more active role in state-level policy in the last few years. I think that work continues to be incredibly important … to make sure that El Paso, being the largest county in Colorado, has a seat at the table and a voice in what’s happening with policy,” she said.

In 2023 the county, like more than 50 Colorado municipalities including Colorado Springs, opposed a wide-ranging land use bill proposed by Gov. Jared Polis that would have required communities to adopt “flexible minimum standards” for accessory dwelling units, known as granny flats, and “middle housing” like duplexes, triplexes and townhomes. Leaders across Colorado said the bill would remove local authority over land-use planning and zoning decisions. The housing bill failed.

Geitner was also among a dozen county commissioners who spoke in 2022 at the state Capitol, opposing legislation mandating counties engage in collective bargaining for most county employees. Like most other commissioners, Geitner was concerned about the bill’s so-called unfunded mandate requiring counties to either ask voters for tax increases, cut services or lay off employees to pay for costs arising out of the legislation. The bill went into effect July 1.

”Being able to accommodate all of those choices by the state Legislature, it’s really just not possible without funds,” she said Wednesday.

“Our community likes their low taxes. We want to support that. … We hear a lot about the cost of living in Colorado continuing to rise and every time the government puts in place more mandates, someone has to pay for that. I think that’s going to continue to be a big challenge, as well as working to do what we can to reduce the cost of living.”

Among other challenges, Geitner said the county must continue balancing its exponential growth with available infrastructure, public safety and health. Water availability needs to remain top of mind and El Paso County, which does not provide water to residents, must continue working with various water districts to ensure there is long-lasting and clean water available, she said.

”What I really want to see is a community that continues to thrive and kind of beat to its own drum. We are unique in Colorado. We’re still a conservative area where we are very focused on law and order. … I think we’ve been able to do that differently because of the policies we have in place. I look forward to maintaining that for our residents,” she said.

Geitner faces Republican challenger Garfield Johnson, an Army veteran and teacher, for the District 2 seat.

Carrie Geitner

Gazette file