Inside Boulder City Government with Mayor Pro Tem Tara Winer | Podcast #123

Boulder Mayor Pro Tem Tara Winer joins Osman for a candid conversation about her Brooklyn upbringing, business career, path to City Council and experience inside Boulder government. They discuss housing, growth, taxes, the Comprehensive Plan, public trust and the assault that unexpectedly led to her lung cancer diagnosis.This podcast is supported by the House Einstein real estate brokerage, founded and based in Boulder, Colorado. House Einstein’s mission is to help you make a smarter real estate decision. Visit at https://houseeinstein.com/ Follow our Newsletter for honest takes on active listings and more: https://mailchi.mp/houseeinstein.com/sign-up-form-landing-page-2026____________________Timecodes:00:00 Introduction: Tara Winer, Boulder Mayor Pro Tem04:05 Growing Up in Brooklyn07:30 College, Economics and Leaving New York11:28 Building a Career in Promotional Products15:42 American Flag Pins, China and Manufacturing18:16 Family, Raising Three Daughters and Passing Down the Business23:03 Moving from Philadelphia to Boulder37:12 How Boulder City Government Actually Works46:19 Why Tara Ran for City Council53:13 From Working Groups to the Parks and Recreation Board59:27 Snowplowing, Equity and Practical Policymaking1:03:30 Political Ambition and the Role of Mayor Pro Tem1:11:43 The Hill Assault That Led to a Cancer Diagnosis1:18:26 Public Scrutiny, Criticism and Serving on Council1:23:07 Boulder’s Comprehensive Plan and Future Growth1:27:32 Is Boulder Already Full?1:31:42 Open Space, Development and Community Factions1:37:04 Transit, Boulder Junction and Densification1:40:57 The Planning Reserve and Middle-Income Housing1:43:00 Vacancy Taxes, Enforcement and City Bureaucracy1:47:56 Micro-Apartments, Form-Based Code and Urban Design1:53:41 Deferred Maintenance, Taxes and Public Trust1:56:49 Building Codes, Regulation and Climate Policy1:59:09 Governing Through Tradeoffs and Unintended Consequences2:00:31 Homelessness, Public Safety and Mental Health Services2:09:14 Boulder’s Thursday Cruiser Ride2:09:59 Closing Thoughts