top of page
_DSC6827 - Edited.jpg

I’m committed to listening and collaborating to build a city that works for everyone.

I’m honored to serve as your District 2 council member.

I'm a CSU grad and mom who stayed to raise my family in our beautiful city. Since my days at CSU, I’ve been a dedicated community volunteer and advocate.

I've always put our community first – from the pandemic response and recovery to improving air quality to advocating for attainable housing. I humbly ask for your vote this November to continue my forward-looking leadership on the council.

juliepignataro-district2-fortcollins-citycouncil.png

Collaborating to Move Our City Forward

With over a decade of government experience, I know what it takes to find solutions, navigate and collaborate with the community and multiple government agencies, and get things done.

Here's what I accomplished in my first term:

I protected the environment by instituting single hauler trash pickup, implementing policies to help improve our air quality, updating our City language to Climate Emergency to underscore the importance of our actions, and enhancing tree policies.

I helped make Fort Collins work for everyone by navigating the pandemic response and recovery, establishing the immigration legal defense fund, increasing opportunities for affordable childcare, and expanding the mental health response team.

I am a forward-looking leader as evidenced by supporting inclusive housing policies, creating a new Equity Office to put our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion into action, updating the City Code to protect the rights of the LGBTQ+ community, voting in favor of increasing the minimum wage and working to make affordable housing a reality.

Issues, Accomplishments & Priorities

Click an issue to learn about my work over the past 4 years and my plans for my next term.

Environment

I voted to let the community choose if it would like a plastic bag ban and Fort Collins resoundingly said “yes,” which helped the state legislature find its way to a statewide ban and future policies to get rid of Styrofoam and other plastic packaging.


I voted to ensure that the city now refers in all documentation to our current state as a climate emergency to emphasize the importance of our environmental state.


We now have improved air quality monitoring with a focus on regional collaboration.


The city has achieved the distinguished Bird City USA designation, an important step to helping our bird species recover.


Fort Collins is bringing forth Improved Tree Policies this fall, to help defend this valuable resource and encourage the planting of more trees.


In my first term, we instituted single hauler trash pickup for 40% of the city to help with air quality, neighborhood road maintenance, neighborhood safety, equity in pricing, and recycling education.

GOALS for my final 4-year term:


  • I plan to incentivize rain barrels so that community members are motivated to save water.

  • I plan to disincentivize the private sector’s use of phosphorus because it pollutes waterways.

  • I want to make Fort Collins safer for bikes and pedestrians by committing funds to implement our newly adopted Vision Zero plan.

  • I want our transit system to be more understandable by having the Max Line be the main artery and other routes lead back to it.  If we are serious about public transportation, we have to make sure it works for everyone.

  • I want to pursue the Bee City USA designation because pollinators are keystone species and we need to protect them.


I proudly support the following environmental organizations with my time and/or with donations: Sierra Club Poudre Canyon Group, Sierra Club Colorado Chapter, Environmental Learning Center, Nature Conservancy, Moms Clean Air Force, National Parks Conservation Association, National Wildlife Federation, Arbor Day Foundation, Audubon, World Wildlife Federation, and The Wilderness Society.

Housing Shortage

I believe healthy stable housing is fundamental to quality educational attainment, economic opportunity, and better health outcomes. When we have a safe place to sleep, spend time with our kids, and invest back into our community, everyone wins. Ensuring our housing stock meets the changing needs of our community is foundational to the success of Fort Collins. 


I'm a housing advocate, especially because of the issue intersections with equity, economic, and climate issues. I will continue to fight for more housing choice in this community so that everyone has a chance to thrive here, especially families.


I am one of the founders of FoCoForward, a resource originally conceived to fight misinformation being widely spread about the Land Development Code. It now serves as a hub for information and events to help keep the community civically engaged and in the know about the amazing efforts related to FCF’s core values happening all over the city. I joined CO League of Women Voters and CO Chapter of Sierria Club to support SB 23-213 as a way to address our housing crisis on a statewide level. I'm glad for the conversations that we are now having.

I have met with constituents and heard their concerns about the changes to the Land Use Code; we heard you and made many adjustments in the revised code. Throughout the process, I've also heard from so many residents I talk with about how much they struggle with housing in our city, or their fears of people being forced out due to affordability. 


During my first term, I made progress on affordable and achievable housing strategies, including the approval of the city’s Housing Strategic Plan. I will continue to work hard to help families be able to live and work in our beautiful city.


Read an update from Julie on the Land Use Code revisions and her approach here.


I proudly donate my time and money to help support Homeward Alliance, Housing Catalyst, Habitat for Humanity, Neighbor to Neighbor, YIMBY, and FoCoForward.

LGBTQ+ Rights

I am proud to have voted in favor of amending the City Code Chapter 13 to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.


As your City Councilwoman, I helped to direct the city to create a new Equity Office to put its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion into action.

I believe we need to include mandatory gender neutral bathrooms and finding other ways to provide dignity for our LGBTQ+ community members such as providing menstrual products in both restrooms of all city facilities.


I am a proud member of the American Civil Liberties Union (“ACLU”) and a fierce advocate for LGBTQ+ rights.

Minimum Wage

Those most negatively impacted by the minimum wage are women and people of color. In Fort Collins, a living wage for a single adult working full-time is $18.92 per hour, yet we follow the state’s minimum wage, which is $13.65 per hour and $10.63 per hour for tipped workers.


I proudly voted in favor of increasing the minimum wage in May, however this measure was voted down. I plan to continue working to achieve this important goal in my second term.

I proudly support the Food Bank for Larimer County and the ways they help people make ends meet.

Childcare

I brought a renewed focus on the childcare crisis, looking for and supporting opportunities to increase the supply of affordable childcare.

I will continue to fight for fair wages for our lowest paid employees – childcare workers being among those affected.  Fort Collins needs to be a place where everyone can afford to work and to live.

Homeless Population

In my first term on City Council, we expanded the Mental Health Response Team to help the most vulnerable in our community when they are in crisis.  This program believes that “healthy communities are safe communities, that mental illness is not a crime, and that jails/hospitals should not be seen as the best ways to access appropriate care leading to long-term wellness.”

In my second term, I want to continue to find innovative ways to work towards the building of the community 24-hour shelter to provide wraparound services for the unhoused. I believe that every person deserves to be treated with dignity and respect and that no one should be forgotten.


I support the critical and essential work of Homeward Alliance.

Immigrant Community

I was instrumental in helping the city establish the immigration legal defense fund to help those in our immigrant community navigate the complex immigration legal system.


Because they are valued members of our city, I would like to explore lessons learned from other areas in the country and see what it would take to allow our non-citizen residents to vote in our municipal elections.

I proudly support the following organizations with my time and/or donations: La Familia, Fuerza Latina, ISAAC NoCo, International Rescue Committee, and American Civil Liberties Union (“ACLU”).

Women’s Rights & Reproductive Justice

We removed taxes on menstrual products, a major step in working towards gender equity in the sales tax code.


In my second term, I aim to provide menstrual products in both bathrooms in all city facilities.

I proudly support the following organizations with my time and/or donations: Cobalt, Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, Blue Flower Fund, Women’s Foundation of Colorado, Crossroads Safehouse, WomenGive of United Way, InvestHER, League of Women Voters of Larimer County, and Project Self-Sufficiency.

U + 2

The City of Fort Collins has strengthened our nuisance policies and are implementing mandatory registration to help with the reasons U + 2 was put in place: overcrowded housing, loud parties, overflowing trash, and too many cars parked on the street.


I do not feel it is the government’s role to define a “family.”  In addition, our current statistics indicate that a large portion of households that are violating U + 2 have children living there, thus creating an unstable housing situation for kids in our community.

I have heard great ideas from constituents - such as a control area in West Campus, exempting homes where the owner is living there, and more. We need to hear all of the community’s ideas on solving this complex issue.

Volunteering

Prior to serving on City Council, I served on the Citizen Review Board for the City of Fort Collins. I am a graduate of the CityWorks 101 program and the Water Literate Leaders of Northern Colorado. I participated in the Sustainable Leadership Program with the Sustainable Living Association and the League of Women Voters Observer Corps.

 I also volunteered with the Larimer Humane Society, the Poudre River Library District, and continue to volunteer with Shepardson Elementary School.

"Julie is a proven leader who cares deeply about the people of Fort Collins and is committed to working collaboratively to solve the challenges ahead. I am excited to endorse Julie for re-election to City Council."

– Congressman Joe Neguse, 
U.S. House of Representatives, Colorado’s 2nd District

06.jpg

I want to hear from you!

One of my favorite things during my first term on the Fort Collins City Council has been meeting with constituents one-on-one to help them solve their problems and hear their ideas.

 

Please reach out to me with your ideas, suggestions, and concerns. You can reach me at (970) 286-0867 and julieforfc@gmail.com.

I'm proud to serve you and District 2. I humbly ask for your vote this November.

bottom of page