Dear Editor,

Last year, Central City voters overwhelmingly rejected a ballot measure that would have allowed Rick's Cabaret to operate in our historic downtown.

A Gilpin County judge is scheduled to rule at the end of August on the City's lawsuit against Rick's Cabaret for operating without a certificate of occupancy. We should allow the court to decide that case.

Instead, our mayor is circulating a ballot initiative designed to allow Rick's Cabaret to continue operating at its current location. I have not yet seen the proposed language, but if the measure is written to benefit a single business rather than addressing our city’s zoning laws, it could face legal challenges.

Central City's zoning code prohibits sexually oriented businesses in the downtown district. If that policy should be changed, it should be changed through a fair process that applies equally to everyone, not to one company.

Rather than sign a ballot initiative that will likely lead to more legal challenges, let’s let the Gilpin County judge determine the outcome based on the facts.

Peter Droege

Central City