What’s more popular than funding parks and banning candy-flavored vaporizers?
Yes, of course, it’s renaming the Department of Excise and Licenses.
Presented with the option to change it to the “Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection,” Denver voters said, “Well, OK.”
As of 10 p.m., about 74 percent of voters were supporting Referred Question 2F. There was no campaign for or against it, nor did anyone bother spending any money. Denverite did not succeed in finding any voters who had an opinion on it prior to opening their ballot.
The next most popular local measure was Referendum 310, with 72 percent of voters supporting the city’s ban on flavored nicotine products.
One of the statewide measures — Proposition LL — was even more popular among Denver voters, drawing 79 percent of the vote. That one would support the state’s free school lunch program.
Back to the ex-excise department:
The city says the name change will make the department’s role clearer to the public.
The department issues business and professional licenses for Denver. It also holds hearings on issues like liquor and cannabis license applications, as well as rule violations. Its inspectors ensure businesses have proper licenses, investigate complaints and can issue citations.
In an interview on election night, Mayor Mike Johnston asked about the proposal with a hint of concern.
"Does excise and licensing look safe?" he asked reporters. "Alright, good, I'm glad, because our team worked very hard on it, for a year an da half. That really matters, that department is really passionate about saying what we do, fundamentally, is consumer protection."
The city says the name change won’t cost anything. If the initiative passes, it would become effective in late 2025, city officials said. The name change would show on the city’s website, licensing software and signage, which would be updated on their normal cycle.
The department itself initiated the change with Mayor Mike Johnston’s consent.
