Tuesday, May 19, 2026, 10:30 a.m. (Denver time), City & County Building, room 391
The Governance and Intergovernmental Relations Committee, chaired by Paul Kashmann (vice chair), considered an ordinance sending a charter amendment to the November 3 ballot that would codify the Auditor's authority to enforce prevailing wage, minimum wage, wage theft, and worker-protection ordinances. Council Member Sawyer presented the item with the Auditor and Denver Labor, and after questions and one public comment the committee passed the item forward on a motion. The committee then received a briefing from the Clerk and Recorder's office on the June 30 state primary and November 3 general election, covering turnout projections, drop boxes, vote centers, ballot security, minor-party ballots, and misinformation concerns. Council members asked about drop box vandalism risks, new box locations, and voter outreach.
0:04 And welcome back to this
0:07 monthly meeting of the
0:08 Intergovernmental Relations
0:08 governance and
0:09 Committee of Denver City
0:14 Council. Thanks for joining us
0:16 for the discussion. The
0:17 governance and
0:19 Intergovernmental Relations
0:22 Committee starts now.
0:37 MAY, 19 Tuesday MAY 19 reach
0:38 the governance and
0:39 Intergovernmental Relations
0:39 Committee of the Denver City
0:45 Council. My name is Paul
0:45 Kashmann eyes represents out
0:47 time for district 6 and have
0:50 the pleasure of serving as
0:53 vice on We have a couple items
0:58 the agenda will start action
1:01 item for an ordinance
1:02 submitting to a vote qualified
1:03 and registered electors of the
1:07 city and county of Denver.
1:07 It's special municipal
1:09 election on NOVEMBER. 3rd will
1:10 be presented. And my
1:15 colleagues committee chair,
1:17 councilmember pattern and that
1:18 will be followed by a briefing
1:21 by our clerk and recorder. And
1:24 before we get started on the
1:26 agenda, let's go with
1:27 instructions. Members of
1:27 council starting on my left
1:33 with these Steen could morning
1:34 everyone's that. Can tell us
1:35 because one of the council
1:36 member said good and some
1:38 first time we just expect.
1:40 Good morning. Diana Romero,
1:41 Campbell Southeast, every
1:42 district good morning,
1:47 disturbance, or tourist was
1:48 tempered just Thank you. And I
1:49 believe kunsman flavor. You
1:52 joining us And there you The
1:59 and southwest good well, I
2:01 turn the floor over.
2:03 COUNCILMAN Saw facilitate
2:07 presentation. I guess I will
2:07 Well. Good morning, everyone.
2:08 Thank you so much. Counseling
2:11 parity and I are here today
2:11 and with the auditor's office
2:15 and Denver labor and to have a
2:16 conversation about a charter
2:16 change amendment that we would
2:17 like to send to the ballot for
2:20 the voters to vote on in
2:21 NOVEMBER. Before we get
2:22 started to you want to
2:24 introduce yourselves? Tim
2:29 o'Brien, Denver on her. Our
2:29 executive director that labor
2:34 and the auditor's office.
2:36 Fantastic. So we have a quick
2:38 Just talk a little bit about
2:39 the background are propose
2:40 clarification, why we're
2:42 sending this to the ballot and
2:44 then answer any questions that
2:45 you So as background, auditors
2:47 offices and forced prevailing
2:48 wage since 1950, we just had a
2:52 recent conversation about
2:53 Denver voters in 2006 creating
2:56 the Independent auditors
2:59 office. So then since 2016,
3:00 we've made significant updates
3:02 to the auditors ability to
3:04 enforce all of our different
3:05 wage areas. That is minimum
3:06 wage prevailing wage and wage
3:11 theft. And I will just say the
3:11 auditors office in Denver,
3:26 labor to an amazing job with
3:32 Where did I mean, with ladies
3:34 and gentlemen, so let's talk
3:35 prevailing wage first. We have
3:36 had a lot of conversation
3:38 about this recently as we just
3:39 recently updated just to
3:41 clarify, are prevailing wage
3:47 and we ordinance? So the 2016
3:48 update to the prevailing wage
3:51 ordinance 1950, improve
3:54 processes, removed some
3:55 outdated and then clarify the
3:58 scope prevailing wage. And
3:58 then in 2023 AUGUST 2023, you
4:03 MAY recall we voted on just
4:05 realigning the prevailing wage
4:06 enforcement to streamline the
4:10 process. So you so we moved
4:11 prevailing wage out hr and
4:15 into Denver labor and the way
4:18 that works is the city agreed
4:19 to create a position, an
4:22 independent position within
4:22 labor. That is our prevailing
4:25 wage administrator position
4:28 that positions job it is to
4:31 focus on prevailing wage
4:32 review contracts are
4:34 prevailing wage update.
4:36 Prevailing wages accordingly
4:37 with market surveys that come
4:37 from the federal government,
4:39 all those different kinds of
4:41 things. So the auditor's
4:42 office had the authority to
4:44 issue interpretations and
4:46 clarifications all prevailing
4:48 wage had to update those. As I
4:52 mentioned wage rates and we
4:52 are very lucky. We have a
4:53 great prevailing wage
4:53 administrator. Who does
4:58 things? Let's talk minimum
5:04 wage now. Minimum wage was it
5:06 was beloved the state that
5:07 change the law because
5:09 previously the entire state of
5:11 Colorado was under the same
5:13 minimum wage. And so the state
5:15 legislature in 2019 change the
5:16 law to allow municipalities
5:18 and local governments to set
5:21 our minimum wages. Now, as we
5:21 know, because we have there's
5:23 been a lot of background
5:24 conversation about the fact
5:25 that when the state did this,
5:28 they did not make that same
5:32 change to tip credit. And that
5:34 has been a little bit of a
5:36 challenge. That is a whole
5:37 thing I'm not getting into
5:38 here. But it you know, you all
5:41 know what I'm talking about.
5:44 Slight party with a slight
5:46 shift, a new search get us
5:51 live to about think you so on
5:55 JANUARY first, 2020, met in
5:57 the city, started enforcing
5:58 our own Denver minimum wage.
6:01 And this is done Denver. Labor
6:04 in the auditors office in
6:05 2022, the auditors office guy
6:09 in the 30 to conduct agency
6:10 initiated investigations into
6:13 certain high-risk industries.
6:16 And that is, for example, no
6:20 bars and restaurants,
6:21 construction nail salons, a
6:21 service industry kind of jobs
6:23 where we see our lowest wage
6:24 workers are being taken
6:27 advantage of most frequently
6:28 since 2020. The auditor's
6:30 office says, you know, works
6:33 with tens of thousands of
6:37 workers to enforce their Tell
6:38 me to this have account off
6:39 the top your hand. How many
6:39 millions of dollars we have
6:43 recovered. So I can tell you
6:47 that in the last decade. I
6:49 think at least 10 million
6:50 dollars enforce the rights of
6:51 more than 15,000 workers.
6:58 Amazing. And then finally wage
6:59 So in JANUARY, Twenty-twenty 3
7:01 city Council passed the Civil
7:01 Wage theft It's on the next
7:02 slide. All right. There we go.
7:07 Good job, guys which expanded
7:08 the auditors enforcement
7:10 powers. I was really honored
7:11 to co-sponsor this bill with
7:14 Councilmembers Torres and do
7:16 more. It took us 4 years to
7:16 write this law. It was a lot
7:19 of work. It was a lot of
7:20 conversation, but it is a very
7:24 strong law. It It has changed
7:25 the lives of workers in Denver
7:27 significantly. And that it's
7:29 through the work of Denver
7:30 labor because they are
7:34 inforcement farm and then in
7:35 2024 the audit we grant to the
7:37 auditors office subpoena power
7:38 to help with this wage
7:40 inforcement which topped
7:42 inforcement. And as we just
7:43 said over the last decade is
7:46 about 10 million dollars more
7:49 than 15,000 workers that have
7:54 been impacted. I will just so.
7:55 This has been happening since
7:56 1950, Denver labor has
7:59 existed. This is nothing new
8:03 City Council has grown and
8:04 expanded to the auditor's
8:05 Office authority to conduct
8:08 these wage related
8:09 investigations because we know
8:12 and as one of priorities as a
8:16 council to ensure that wage
8:18 theft and wage violations are
8:19 not being that are not
8:20 happening in the city of
8:23 Denver. And the reason for
8:25 this, it's because the best
8:25 way to get people out of
8:28 poverty is always say is to
8:29 pay them. That is not
8:33 something that the city has a
8:33 piece of except for the
8:36 prevailing wage But it is
8:37 something think that is
8:40 incredibly important because
8:42 our values are to help support
8:43 our community. And we do that
8:44 through our partnership with
8:50 Denver, Libor. So the to this,
8:53 Charlie, which are pretty
8:55 straightforward, it just
8:56 reflects that the auditors
8:57 office and their long history
8:58 of waging for $0.04 are, you
9:00 know, have happened. We would
9:02 like to get to continue to
9:03 happen that the office
9:06 enforcing wage theft worker
9:09 protections, workplace race as
9:12 required by ordinance. So I
9:14 will say just to be very clear
9:18 what the charter says that the
9:20 auditors office is required to
9:22 do what the other tough says
9:23 required to do and also
9:24 anything else has determined
9:27 to be a ordinance by City
9:29 Council. And that is what the
9:32 auditors office They have done
9:35 it since 1950, did. That
9:40 authority is given to them via
9:41 city Council via the
9:43 ordinances that we vote on
9:45 that clearly say this is
9:46 something we're handing over
9:46 to the auditors office to
9:49 enforce for us. And so what
9:50 in the charter and just make
9:50 we'd like to do is with foot
9:56 that clear. Before we get
9:59 started. I want to see if my
10:00 co-sponsor has any thoughts on
10:00 that. I want to see if you
10:04 guys have any thoughts as I
10:05 have just a quick which is
10:06 we're essentially pulling this
10:08 of Council. Can the other
10:10 other duties cause, which is
10:11 where it has always just
10:11 because it's become such part
10:13 of the work. It feels like it
10:14 and sort of deserves the call
10:16 in the charter is a specific
10:18 area. But it's, you know. Sort
10:23 of a more of a recognition of
10:25 the work that something that
10:25 we need to do for any reason
10:26 other than that. And so I
10:27 think it's good for the
10:29 charter to. Just sort of like.
10:30 Income is the full scope of
10:33 what agencies do. And a way
10:35 you could see that part of the
10:37 auditors authority. Casa says
10:38 council can a sign other not
10:39 inconsistent duties by
10:43 ordinance a place for to kind
10:43 of pilot programs. And this is
10:47 well beyond at this And you
10:53 can you guess I I agree with
10:54 The wave described and I think
10:58 belongs in the charter.
11:02 Anything from your side. Just
11:04 to say that as someone who
11:05 only really has a couple of
11:06 interest, one of them being
11:08 waged enforcement, it's been
11:09 really great to see how you
11:10 all have grown this work over
11:16 the years. Thank you. All
11:18 right. Questions we've got
11:19 public comment when someone
11:23 they only have a couple of
11:24 other one. You know, I know
11:24 interesting name names Waugh
11:27 the other one beautiful wife
11:28 Chelsea. Sorry writes My
11:31 beautiful wife Chelsea in and
11:34 women soccer. Fair to people
11:36 not appreciate that. And yes,
11:37 MADAM Chair, we do have public
11:41 comment. We have one person
11:43 signed up today is just Paris
11:44 online, sir. Just to go ahead.
11:48 There you are. There to mourn
11:53 the customer? Where nothing.
11:54 Nothing that say to the
11:57 council's city council. Those
11:59 was not home when it was just
11:59 to the summit. Paris and of
12:00 residents are black star,
12:02 someone with the self defense
12:04 cause of Colorful 6 a's as
12:07 well as the unity party of
12:08 Colorado. The northeast,
12:11 Denver residents council
12:11 family on why funnels so is
12:14 not the Swiss and has and I
12:15 was the road to been above
12:21 facility loss council duro was
12:22 the fun to sit in the store?
12:22 is this a good district in on
12:25 Like this trip known 5 Pulas
12:28 the Harlem of the and I am a
12:28 candidate on the ballot for
12:30 House District. 8. The
12:34 election is in NOVEMBER. I
12:35 want to tax auditor. Few
12:39 question that our force and
12:40 the powers, amendment going
12:43 add on school, therefore,
12:47 smoke hours already. Will be
12:48 This is going cool the
12:52 Foley's. This is going cool.
12:54 The Fraternal Order of Police.
12:57 This is going include ngo
12:59 offices. House Keys Arsenal
13:07 were this going to include. A
13:11 variety of services that the
13:12 city provides because I have
13:13 question where the money is
13:14 going, especially with this
13:15 current administration and it
13:22 shows so if auditor or little
13:23 could ask those questions, I
13:24 would really appreciate it.
13:25 The thank yous are off his
13:30 feet. Thank you. That
13:31 concludes our public comment
13:36 session questions from members
13:40 of council. I got COUNCILMAN
13:42 Thank you, MR. Just looking at
13:43 the proposed language being
13:46 added. The auditor show force
13:49 wage worker Protection and
13:50 workplace raids as the council
13:54 by ordinance MAY require apart
13:56 from the wage items that I'm
13:58 familiar with. Are there any
13:59 other already predicting any
14:01 other worker protection
14:04 workplace rights kind of.
14:08 Under your authority. There
14:08 are already things that he
14:11 would force of protection. A
14:13 prevailing wage minimum and
14:17 wage really will be enforced.
14:18 And Davis Bacon comes in
14:20 because there's a lot of
14:24 overlap. Okay. So And then.
14:25 Part and parcel of a lot of
14:29 that is anti retaliation, And
14:31 so that language is intended
14:32 to encompass the anti
14:33 retaliation authority. You've
14:36 already given us as well as
14:37 see unfair labor practice and
14:39 forced authorities gave thank
14:41 you for that. Thanks, MISTER
14:47 Chair. Thank you. Pro Tem are
14:49 American. Thank you. MISTER
14:53 This is just get this right
14:55 and clarifying what the school
14:57 So we don't anticipate It's
14:58 like what it's already
15:02 happening. Just clarifying
15:02 within language. So we don't
15:03 anticipate that there would be
15:04 any budget changes that would
15:09 be. We needed to this as well.
15:09 No, but I think there's
15:11 probably budget conversation
15:12 going on right But no, there's
15:13 this is this is budget
15:17 neutral, really? COUNCILMAN
15:20 Perry and I just feel really
15:21 strongly that the auditors
15:21 office has been doing this
15:24 since 1950. They have been
15:25 very successful at it. They
15:29 are an integral part of our
15:31 city and in supporting our
15:33 lowest wage workers in
15:36 particular. It is important to
15:37 that we clarify that they can
15:39 do this in the charter as
15:41 opposed to just the charter
15:42 saying whatever city council
15:47 makes you do you because this
15:48 is such an integral piece to
15:50 our city, to our values and to
15:53 what the owners starting does
15:55 that we want put it in the
15:56 charter. Yeah, it's a bit of a
15:56 future generations but it
15:57 shouldn't change anything for
16:01 the time and maybe just maybe
16:04 you covered it. There are the
16:05 things that we just don't see.
16:06 But are there additional
16:07 barriers that you are facing
16:14 to be able to enforce this?
16:24 Except for city. I was just
16:26 going say the volume. That
16:26 occurs as a barrier to being