| 09/13/2007 |
| Habig takes on Moon for his seat |
| Peter Jones , Staff Writer |
Habig's campaign announcement touts the budgetary, legislative and economic-development experience that she gained during her five years as a founding council member. "Development of the Streets at Southglenn, upcoming redevelopment of the Marathon Oil property, establishing the city's 2030 vision plan and framing of the home-rule charter are the main reasons I decided to run for re-election to city council," Habig said in a statement. "With so much at stake, Centennial needs experienced, thoughtful leadership that truly listens and is inclusive of the people they seek to serve. ... I have a proven record of responsive, knowledgeable leadership. I'm not a sheep. People won't have to guess how I'll lead. They already know," she said. Habig declined to run for re-election to the council in 2005 to seek state office, in two bids that proved unsuccessful. She did not respond to interview requests for this story, but she has issued two press releases about her unexpected challenge to an incumbent council member. "I am extremely concerned about the direction Centennial has taken over the past two years," she wrote. "As a founding council member who remembers the vision and promise of Centennial and who worked so hard to enforce it, I cannot sit by and allow our current leaders to continue to dig us into a hole."
"My position has always been that a fee is really a tax," Habig said. "The only difference is fees can be taken without voter consent, I consider that stealing. ... It's not that we didn't need the money, especially for public works. It was and remains my opinion the council lacked the discipline to manage the money they had already been entrusted with." Habig's fiery style made her among the most watchable council members at public meetings and earned the respect of many civic leaders, but she generated as many critics as allies during her public life. Mayor Randy Pye, who served alongside the council member for five years, is among several city officials who have not welcomed Habig's potential return to city government and have endorsed Moon, the incumbent who once represented Ward 1 with Habig. "Vorry has been a great leader. He's a voice of reason. He's also a team player. He understands that we work together to make the city a better place," the mayor said. "The council was a much more divisive council several years ago. Part of that was due to the personalities that were involved and I'm not really excited about going back to that period of time." Ward 1 council member Rick Dindinger, who is serving in Habig's former seat, also supports Moon's campaign. Ward 4's Ron Weidmann, who endorses Moon, says he is perplexed by Habig's candidacy. "I don't understand why she would run against a sitting council member," he said. "I don't know that she can add anything to a very good council. We've got a very well-rounded council that doesn't always agree. We bicker a little bit, but we end up with one voice. As I recall, Betty Ann never had any voice, except her own." Habig's return to city politics comes after two unsuccessful runs for state office. Last year, she lost the Republican nomination in House District 37 to conservative Spencer Swalm, who later won the general election in a close race. Habig had originally been considered the front-runner until Swalm and his supporters began questioning Habig's conservative credentials, especially with respect to abortion. Habig later lost her bid among party leaders to replace District 26's state Sen. Jim Dyer when he resigned to become an Arapahoe County commissioner. Former Commissioner Steve Ward eventually took that seat after winning the support of GOP leaders, including many who had originally supported Habig in District 37. In December 2006, Habig filed a grievance with the Colorado Republican Party, claiming there were violations of state statute and party bylaws at the vacancy committee meeting where Ward defeated the former council member 75-50. Habig later withdrew most of her complaints. Party attorneys rejected her grievances as groundless. Habig, who comes from a military family, has a long history of government service, including a career in the U.S. Army. After finishing high school in Washington state, she says she declined a nomination to attend the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and enlisted in the regular Army instead. "I remember each time we moved into a new community, my dad would remind us that we had an obligation to invest a piece of ourselves in it," Habig said. "We were supposed to leave every place a little bit better than we found it. That really shaped my perspective and purpose in life." Habig has lived in present-day Centennial with her husband and family for a decade. In addition to Moon, first-time candidate Ron Phelps is also seeking the Ward 1 seat. Contact Peter Jones at 303-566-4109 or pjones@ccnewspapers.com. | |||||||
