The Denver Voice corners three high-profile residents to talk about the city’s future and the big issues of 2011. For Westword editor Patricia Calhoun, the answer is simple: “Money…. I mean, the budget cuts will continue to be really critical,” she says. “And in a city that really works fairly well, that’s gonna mean we might have to pay for some services we haven’t paid for before. Or get rid of some services.”

5280 editor and publisher Daniel Brogan also cites the bottom line, with a hint of optimism: “Well, obviously the economy continues to be huge. When I look at 5280’s business, when I look at our clients, when I’m just out talking to people in general, I think that we’re slowly getting to a point where there’s confidence creeping back into the system. There’s not that sense of panic that there was two years ago or even a year ago. And I think that’s key.”

Tamara Door, president and CEO of the Downtown Denver Partnership, focuses on her turf, specifically infrastructure, including along the 16th Street Mall. “The community’s worked for a couple years now to create a plan. The plan is completed, and now the key will be to identify funding sources,” she says, adding that infrastructure is a pathway to keeping downtown’s economy chugging along.