Denver Mayor Decides Not to Seek Reelection
Mayor Federico Pena, one of the most prominent Latino elected officials in the United States, announced Wednesday that he will not seek reelection when his term ends next June.
Pena, 43, was elected mayor in 1983 and previously served two terms as a state legislator.
Pena said at a news conference that he had no definite plans after his term ends. He said that he decided not to seek reelection because he believes elected officials should not remain in office longer than necessary to make a public contribution.
“I don’t think the voters expect people to stay in office forever,” he said.
Pena’s two terms as mayor spanned a turbulent period in Denver. He won election by campaigning on the theme, “Imagine a Great City,” but Denver then slid into a real estate bust when the price of oil plummeted.
The city, however, did embark on two major construction projects under Pena’s administration--a $3-billion airport, set to be completed in 1993, and a convention center that opened this year.
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