Brian Matise
Elections and appointments
Personal
Contact
Brian Matise ran for election to the Aurora City Council to represent Ward VI in Colorado. He lost in the general election on November 7, 2023.
Matise completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Brian Matise was born in Chicago, Illinois. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Redlands in 1980, graduated from New Mexico State University in 1992, and earned a law degree from the University of New Mexico School of Law in 1998.[1]
Matise has been affiliated with the following organizations:[1]
- League of Women Voters
- No Stomach for Cancer
- Hope for Stomach Cancer
- NAACP
- Arapahoe County Bar Association
- Coloradans for Metro District Reform
- Sierra Club
- Save the Aurora Reservoir
Elections
2023
See also: City elections in Aurora, Colorado (2023)
General election
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Matise in this election.
2023
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Brian Matise completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Matise's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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I am a former physicist, public high school math and science teacher, and attorney before retiring in June, 2023. I have three children and seven grandchildren and have lived in Aurora for over 20 years. I have served on the Tollgate Crossing Metropolitan District Board of Directors for over 17 years, as the first homeowner elected to the Board. When I was first elected, the District had a deficit in its operating account, was heavily in debt, and one of the developers had failed. Through my policies, the District is now in excellent financial shape. We also have developed a neighborhood-based crime prevention program consisting of license plate readers, security patrols, and neighborhood watch, and the District is now one of the safest neighborhoods in Aurora. I served on the Aurora Citizens Advisory Budget Committee from 2018-2021 and advocated fiscally-sound solutions. My policy ideas are creative and smart, defying political labels.
- Aurora needs neighborhood-based public safety and policing approaches to reduce crime. Full staffing and funding of neighborhood Police Area Representatives, neighborhood grants for technology such as license plate readers and safety patrols, and neighborhood watch programs have worked to deter crime in Tollgate Crossing and can reduce crime citywide.
- We must protect our reservoirs and water supplies from oil drilling by enforcing a one-mile setback of oil operations from the reservoir. Up to 174 oil wells are planned just east of the Aurora Reservoir. Aurora already has a one-mile setback in our City Code; we need to work with the County to insure they also honor the same setback.
- It is time for Aurora to embark on visionary planning and zoning. Our current city council has routinely "rubber stamped" whatever developers request, leading to urban sprawl and traffic congestion. Aurora is adjacent to the third-busiest airport in the world and Buckley Space Force Base; we should be building an Aurora Tech Center near the airport instead of more single-family homes. We should be expanding and promoting biotechnology near Anschutz Medical Campus instead of more apartments. We need an entertainment/performing arts and restaurant district near I-70/E-470 instead of more warehouses. But it takes planning and hard work to accomplish these goals, not just approving whatever a developer submits.
Featured local question
What downtown area? This is part of Aurora's problem - we don't have a "downtown" area, instead we have become more of a "bedroom community" of Denver. See above - we need more long-term planning.
Featured local question
It is extremely important for residents to be involved in the decision-making process. For example, I have noticed that Aurora residents' opinions are often ignored when it comes to planning and zoning; often development projects (for example, variances for apartment complexes, changes to road and traffic patterns, changes to zoning) ignore citizen opposition and instead development proposals are routinely approved. Complaints about road/sidewalk drainage and infrastructure construction defects are not promptly addressed. I would contact neighborhood leaders (example neighborhood group presidents, business leaders, HOA and metro district board members) about issues affecting their communities in AMPLE time and invite comments from their members DIRECTLY to me. I pledge to not only listen to my constituents' concerns but take prompt action.
Featured local question
Aurora's current policy of addressing crime and public safety is not working. The current city council passed mandatory sentences for shoplifting and for auto theft, but that has not deterred criminals because few are caught and most don't think they will be caught. Aurora is short 100 police officers and cannot train and hire enough officers to fill the positions for at least 2 more years. I would implement a neighborhood-based public safety and policing approaches to reduce crime. Full staffing and funding of neighborhood Police Area Representatives, neighborhood grants for technology such as license plate readers and safety patrols, and neighborhood watch programs have worked to deter crime in Tollgate Crossing and can reduce crime citywide.
Featured local question
This sounds like the same question above - see my neighborhood-based public safety approach.
Featured local question
I am concerned that Aurora is not working hard enough to coordinate with the County to enforce a one-mile setback of proposed oil and gas operations by the Aurora Reservoir. I would take whatever actions are necessary, including eminent domain or legal action, to enforce the one-mile buffer.
Featured local question
1) We have serious traffic problems on some roads in southeast Aurora (example: Gun Club Road, Quincy) due to developments being approved BEFORE there is adequate infrastructure. I would not approve new developments until the developer makes arrangements for the infrastructure (including regional arterial roads) are in place.
2) I would encourage more transit-oriented development instead of urban sprawl, and more neighborhood commercial sites that are walkable or close to residential. I would work to put in mixed-use apartments/condominiums with commercial on the lower levels near light rail lines.
3) Water - we need to expand the Prairie Waters Project for our water supply. But that is costly, I would require the NEW DEVELOPMENTS to pay the FULL cost of the expansion through service fees designed to pay for the expansion. Featured local question
1) Fiscally-responsible budgeting. I am concerned that Aurora has been using budget gimmicks, similar to what Enron did before it collapsed, hiding debt in off-budget tax authorities and "certificates of participation." In the past few years alone, Aurora has sold and leased back multiple floors of City Hall, Tallyn's Reach Public Safety Center, and many recreational facilities for which the CIty will have to pay over $263 million over the next 20 years. The CIty is also using regional improvement authorities (South Aurora Regional Improvement Authority or SARIA, Aerotrolpolis Regional Transit Authority (ARTA), and others to borrow potentially hundreds of millions or even BILLIONS of dollars, which must be repaid in future taxes up to 50 years from now. I oppose these budget gimmicks.
2) Growing small businesses instead of giving incentives to attract national chains. Aurora has been recruiting out-of-state chains (recent examples: Nordstrom Rack and Lululemon) while its bureaucracy and planning/zoning discourages neighborhood-based small businesses.
3) Environmental protection. With directional drilling that can reach oil up to five miles, there is no need for oil companies to be drilling within 1 mile of the Aurora reservoir.
4) Better long-range planning. I would require adequate infrastructure to handle regional traffic before new development is approved, more local neighborhood commercial space for small businesses, and transit-oriented development. One of my partners at Burg Simpson law firm was retired Sen. Al Simpson of Wyoming. He was a true statesman, representing his constituents but also putting the good of the country and its people first. He supported good ideas even if not politically popular (for example, when he accepted the nomination by President Obama to the Simpson Bowles commission). He believed in the good of future generations and was fiscally responsible. He respected politicians of the opposing party and treated them with the respect and honor they deserved.
1) I am a creative problem solver who can see both sides of an issue and can bring people together.
2) I am not afraid to stand up for values that I believe in, even if it has financial repercussions.
3) I am a quick learner and have a broad knowledge base, so I can understand a complicated issue quickly.
4) I am always willing to make time for someone in need. After my late wife developed stomach cancer, I became an advocate for stomach cancer patients and have always been willing to devote the time and effort to help them as much as possible. The greatest legacy we can leave for our children and grandchildren is a brighter future for ALL. But that takes smart, long-term planning and hard work instead of short-term benefits. I would like to leave a future with less debt, more opportunities for education and high-quality jobs for all, and a clean and SUSTAINABLE environment.
Assassination of John F. Kennedy, 5 yrs. old.
Sales authorization clerk, Amoco Oil Company, West Des Moines, IA (part time job during High School, summer break, and college breaks, from ages 16-20).
Organizations: Sierra Club; Conservation Colorado; Denver Area Labor Federation; Service Employees International Union (SEIU); American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME); Moms Demand Action; CIRC Action Fund; Pipefitters Local 208; Colorado Black Women for Political Action; Communications Workers of America Colorado/Wyoming State Council; Sheet Metal Workers Local #9; Colorado Working Families Party
Individuals: Congressman Jason Crow; Sen. Tom Sullivan; Rep. Eliza Hamrick; Rep. Naquetta Ricks; Rep. Mike Weissman; Rep. Mandy Lindsay; Majority Leader Monica Duran; Rep. Meg Froelich; Rep. Tammy Story; Rep. Ruby Dickson; former Colorado Speaker of the House Andrew Romanoff; Rep. Javier Mabrey; Rep. Junie Joseph; Arapahoe County Commissioner Leslie Summey; Arapahoe County Assessor PK Kaiser; Arapahoe County Treasurer Michael Westerberg
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
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See also
External links
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on October 16, 2023
