ISSUE # 85: SignificANT Endorsements

"Politics, it seems to me, for years, or all too long, has been concerned with right or left instead of right or wrong."

                                 -- Richard Armour

Yes, it's election time again. (Isn't it always around here?!) The following are some important voting tips, regardless of your party affiliation or preferred ideology.  Save this issue and use it as a resource as you prepare to vote, by mail-in ballot or at the polls!!

 Remember, election fraud is REAL, and as a community, we will never forget the city of Aspen's gross mismanagement of the 2009 municipal election. You can never be too careful. But, this November's general election is being coordinated by the Pitkin County Clerk, Janice Vos Caudill, and her election manager, Dwight Shellman. In other words, your vote will be both secret and anonymous! How refreshing!

• Confirm your voter registration and precinct HERE
• Use black or blue ink on your ballot
• DO NOT vote by mail-in ballot. Whenever possible, go to your precinct polling place and vote in person, on a paper ballot if given the option. Mail-in ballots always cause a disproportionate number of problems. The farther these ballots travel and the longer they wait around to be counted, the higher the chance of mischief or accident.
• Re Judges: see below. It is VERY important not to leave these "retention" questions blank!

VOTE EARLY

Early voting begins on October 22 in the County Clerk's office. From M-F, October 22-26 and 29-November 2, you can early vote between 8:30a - 4:30p. There is no early voting on Monday, November 5. The County Clerk's office is located at 530 E. Main Street, in the square building just to the east of the Court House. For more information on the November 6 election, visit www.PitkinVotes.org

THE POLLS

The polls are open 7a - 7p on Election Day, Tuesday, November 6, 2012. Bring your photo ID.

PRECINCTS

• Precinct 1    Rio Grande Meeting Room (455 Rio Grande Place, Aspen)
• Precinct 2    Red Brick Center for the Arts (110 E. Hallam St, Aspen)
• Precinct 3    Rio Grande Meeting Room (455 Rio Grande Place, Aspen)
• Precinct 4    Red Brick Center for the Arts (110 E. Hallam St, Aspen)
• Precinct 5    Shultz Health & Human Services Building (0405 Castle Creek Road)
• Precinct 6    Snowmass Village Town Hall (130 Kearns Road)
• Precinct 7    CMC - Airport Business Center Campus (225 Sage Way)
• Precinct 8    Old Snowmass Fire Station (1909 Snowmass Creek Road)
• Precinct 9    St Peter's Episcopal Church (0200 Elk Run Drive, Basalt)
• Precinct 10  The Church at Redstone (213 Redstone Blvd, Redstone)

THE RED ANT ENDORSEMENTS

This is the opportunity to once again remind readers that The Red Ant is commentary. The opinions are mine and solely mine. But as you have come to expect from The Red Ant, I have given the issues and candidates considerable research and thought. I do not cover every issue on the November ballot, however, HERE is a link to a sample ballot of the candidates and issues, marked with ALL of my endorsements. (You can print this ballot and take it with you to the polls.)

LOCAL ISSUES & OFFICES

• City of Aspen Ballot Issue 2B: 0.3% sales tax for the schools  NO

If you think you might have already voted for a tax increase for the schools and did so recently, that's because you did. You personally may not have voted for the $1.35 million property tax increase in 2010, but it passed. That tax increase was to compensate for state-mandated budget cuts and to offset anticipated reductions in property tax revenue due to falling property values. It's now 2012 and the schools are back with the tin cup. This time it's a 0.3% sales tax increase in Aspen. Expected to raise $1.75 million annually for the schools, the tax collection will begin in 2013 and sunset in 2016. The school district cites 6 areas of need that will be addressed by the new revenues: budget shortfall, technology, qualified staff, special education and support, and professional development. All noble. My beef with this issue is many-fold:

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  • I suggested/pushed/cajoled the schools to pursue funding from already existing sources at the city. One idea was from the real estate transfer tax (RETT). Imagine taking RETT monies from the beneficiaries (either the Wheeler or subsidized housing) from 2013 - 2016 and giving this to the schools. My guess is that the revenues to the schools would be far more than $1.75 million/year, and frankly, neither RETT recipient needs a nickel, especially during the upcoming 4 years!
  • But no. The schools simply asked Mick and Torre about putting this "re-allocation" of RETT money idea on the ballot, and guess what the two nimrods said?? Of course they wouldn't put something so sensible on the ballot! They said no way! So the schools went with Mick and Torre's preferred funding mechanism, taking the "easy" way out and opting for yet another tax! (You ask, would it have been possible to put the RETT re-allocation question on the ballot without council's blessing? Of course it would. It would have taken some boots on the ground to collect signatures, but citizens CAN petition to place an issue on the ballot. Sadly and frustratingly, the schools just chose not to do that work. THAT really disappoints me - I know firsthand how easy it is to collect petition signatures when it's for a good cause!)
  • Furthermore, half of the school district's kids live outside of Aspen proper. I see this Aspen sales tax increase as placing an unfair burden on the citizens of Aspen, not to mention, our visitors.
  • P.S. The Pitkin County Commissioners wouldn't touch a county-wide sales tax increase for the schools with a 10-foot pole. Michael Owsley emphatically stated, "The commissioners did not support this at all. It was not a split vote. It was no support at all." 

Isn't it interesting - the city could not find existing funds for the schools somewhere in its $88 million 2013 budget! But they can throw $10.5 million (and counting) at an irresponsible hydro plant. And another $17 million at Burlingame phase 2. And don't forget $3 million for a new balcony at the Wheeler (never mind its $30 million endowment and revenue stream from the RETT). And another $2 million for the redevelopment of Galena Plaza. It goes on and on, but nary a nickel for the schools! New taxes are all the city (and city council) understands.

And, no, I am not "against the schools." Not at all.  Nor am I against the AEF (Aspen Education Foundation). This organization has proven itself as a vital cog in our education funding wheel and a very professional organization at that. I'm just sorry to see the AEF so easily manipulated by city officials into pressing for a tax increase instead of looking at the untold millions in the city coffers that could be accessed and utilized with a little imagination. I'm also sick and tired of new taxes and increased taxes every two years to benefit the schools. Clearly our schools need help. But I see these taxes as treating the symptoms and doing NOTHING about the inherent problems. When voters continue to approve new and increased taxes, they'll just keep coming back for more and the problem(s) will not go away.

• City of Aspen Ballot Issue 2C: Castle Creek Hydro Plant NO

This one is my favorite. It's finally on the ballot. And it's a straightforward and rational issue. Let's shut the beleaguered Hydro Plant down once and for all. The city is scared. Never in their wildest Hydro Plant dreams did they see it coming to this. As a result, we're seeing mayor Mick spinning a web of deceit and carrying on endlessly about how much coal consumption will be reduced if only we build his folly. For anyone who has run the numbers (read a letter from Robert Auld that explains the specific number HERE), the Castle Creek Hydro Plant is "a tradeoff between a purely symbolic benefit to reduce global warming vs. potential real risks to our streams and actual millions of taxpayer money."

Notably, several high profile local environmentalists and outdoorsmen serve as advisors to the "NO on 2C" campaign to defeat the Hydro Plant. They include Connie Harvey, Ken Neubecker, Delia Malone, Mike Maple and Terry Paulson. And the following organizations have additionally signed on with their support of this effort: American Rivers, Trout Unlimited, Western Rivers Institute, Aspen Flyfishing and Aspen Trout Guides. Endorsers and endorsing organizations are signing on every day.

Additionally, Matt Rice of American Rivers recently summarized the city's faulty process in its construction of the Hydro Plant infrastructure to-date: "There is a practical reason why federal law prohibits project construction prior to regulatory approval. By buying the turbine and constructing the project, the city has locked itself into cost and design constraints that make it impossible to meaningfully collaborate with the public on operational and design alternatives. It will also make it difficult if not impossible to operate the project in a manner that is both economically and environmentally sound." 

The FACTS of the hydro plant are simply:

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  • In 2007, Aspen voters approved a $6.2 million project; the expected actual costs are at least $10.5 million, and counting
  • $4 million will have to be paid on the debt (this is not included in the $10.5 million)
  • When Aspen's energy needs are highest, in the winter, the Hydro Plant will not be operational because the creeks will be running at their lowest
  • The project requires and depends on conventional energy (coal) in winter months
  • Energy from the Castle Creek Hydro Plant won't materialize for years; other cheaper forms of renewable energy are available today (solar, wind, micro hydro, etc.)
  • The Hydro Plant will dewater and destroy miles of stream ecosystems along Castle and Maroon Creeks.
  • It's not green to kill a stream! 

For more information or to donate, please contact Citizens for Responsible Projects at www.2CvoteNo.org 

• City of Aspen Ballot Issue 2D: SourceGas franchise agreement  NO

The city charter requires us to have a contract with a natural gas provider, but since 2007 we've been operating on a year-to-year basis with SourceGas.  A franchise agreement requires a public vote.  The scant information on the matter has city attorney Jim True (of whom I'm no fan) negotiating a tricky pricing deal with the utility, even citing that natural gas prices are really low right now so the city was reluctant to  lock into a new fixed rate at this level.  I don't trust True, I don't like the minimal discussion of the matter, I don't like that the city makes over $250K a year on the deal (which WE all pay) and I certainly don't like that it was Mick and Torre who approved and seconded the matter.   

• Pitkin County Ballot Issue 5A & 5B: Tax increase for Library expansion NO & NO

This one's easy:

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  • Our library is already 32,000 sq. ft. and is the largest library per capita in Colorado. It is ranked as a "Star Blue Library" in the top 3.5% of the libraries in the U.S.
  • Our library wants a new children's library and teen area, but we already have these
  • Our current library already complies with the American's with Disabilities Act
  • Our current library's staff of 27 employees is as large as our Sheriff's department, and has a budget of $3.5 million
  • Our head librarian makes a $121,000 annual salary, the third highest salary in the county, more than the Sheriff and Airport Director
  • Our library has a $5 million endowment to expand/reconfigure without any need for further taxation of the public
  • Our current library (circa 1991) beautifully complements our historic courthouse and historic Hotel Jerome, in scale, design and materials
  • The proposed 28 foot high concrete canopy will take up one third of the plaza's green space
  • Our library desires additional tech facilities and energy efficiency. These can be addressed and accomplished with the $5 million they already have on-hand
  • Our library desires additional meeting rooms on site, but there is an existing public meeting room in the Rio Grande Commons, just a few feet away. And note: there will be a lot more public space available in the soon-to-be-vacated art museum across the park.
  • This is a boondoggle. There is no need for a tax increase to expand our library!

I will go on the record here.  Fundraising for library upgrades should be through a private capital campaign.  I am ALL FOR a superior community asset such as the library, but I don't think tax dollars are the way to go, especially in this case.  Initiate a capital campaign for the library and I will donate. 

For more information or to donate, please contact "Save our Library and Civic Plaza" at junee.kirk@comcast.net

• County Commissioner - District 3   LEAVE BLANK

Incumbent Michael Owsley is running unopposed for his third term. The Red Ant doesn't like career politicians, regardless of their records. In a continuing effort to encourage local citizens to run for elective office, The Red Ant says, send the message that nobody is unbeatable! Leave the bubble blank!

• County Commissioner - District 4   JOHN B. YOUNG 

I advocated for John Young in the BOCC primary and stand by this endorsement. Young's priorities for Pitkin County include: 

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  • Land Use and Water: Protect our lands and waters from outside pressures. This is a full-time job. Nowhere in Pitkin County is drilling appropriate.
  • Airport and Tourism: Tourism drives our economy and the airport is our gateway. Our terminal needs an upgrade fitted for our size, but not as large as the 80,000 sq. ft. proposed.
  • Energy Independence: Energy efficiency is essential to our way of life, but this does not mean "green energy at any cost."
  • Small Project Stimulus: Energy efficient and small scale remodeling projects should be granted immediate priority in the planning and building offices in order to spur employment of our local construction workforce.
  • Subsidized Housing: The system needs to be revisited so that our inventory matches our needs. The program needs to be tweaked before we build more.

While we do not absolutely agree on all of the issues, I find John Young to be extremely thoughtful in his ideas and positions. I particularly like his near-term vision for a mid-valley public/private solar farm that could make an immediate impact and have regional significance. Plus, unlike several of my earlier endorsements (such as Derek Johnson for city council), I am confident that John Young will always make time to knowledgably discuss the issues with his constituents.

For more information or to donate, please contact jyoung@sopris.net 

• County Commissioner - District 5   LEAVE BLANK

Recall that incumbent George Newman so desperately did not want an opponent or to mount a campaign for re-election that he called the county clerk's office just ONE MINUTE after the filing deadline to make sure nobody was challenging him! Pathetic. Again, send a message. Leave the bubble blank!

• District Attorney - 9^th Judicial District MARTIN BEESON

Re-elect Martin Beeson as DA. This one is simple. But for an entertaining letter to the editor in support of Beeson, check out THIS ONE from Jerry Bovino. You can't make it up!

For more information www.martinbeeson.com

JUDGES

DO NOT avoid voting on the retention of judges, even if you neither know nor care about who they are or how they dispense justice. By not explicitly voting NO on each "Shall [judge] be retained" question, you are implicitly voting YES to keeping him/her on the bench! Unless you personally know a given judge to be honest and fair (ie. non-activist), then vote NO on retention!

• Supreme Court: Nathan B. Coats NO
• Court of Appeals: Laurie A. Booras NO
• Court of Appeals: James S. Casebolt NO
• Court of Appeals: Dennis A. Graham NO
• Court of Appeals: Gale T. Miller NO
• Court of Appeals: Daniel Mark Taubman NO
• Court of Appeals: John R. Webb NO
• District Judge - 9^th Judicial District: James Berkeley Boyd NO!

(Boyd is the scoundrel who tossed Marilyn Marks' lawsuit against the city out before hearing a word, but was later slapped with a unanimous reversal on appeal. Apparently the issue was indeed with merit! Boyd has long been in the tank for the city and has a history of making political rulings despite the facts of a case.)

• District Judge - 9^th Judicial District: James B. Petre NO

STATE ISSUES & OFFICES

• CU Regent - At large: BRIAN DAVIDSON
• CU Regent - District 3: GLENN GALLEGOS

• State Representative - District 61: KATHLEEN CURRY

Kathleen Curry was our state representative until 2010, when, fed up with divisive party politics, and to best represent her constituency, she declared her independence. (District 61 is comprised of 47,000 voters; 38% unaffiliated, 32% Democrats and 29% Republicans.) Party control of the election process forced Curry to run in 2010 as a write-in candidate. Even for this hugely popular representative, the challenge was too great and she narrowly lost the contest by 300 votes (of 30,000 cast). She is officially on the ballot now in 2012 as an independent. Curry reminds us, "During my tenure I was successful in promoting the interests of the Western Slope on many fronts. I advocated for the agricultural industry, sought to protect Western Slope water resources, and worked in a non-partisan way to address the budget issues facing our state." Given the issues facing our region, we need Curry's strong background in natural resources issues and policies, including a broad understanding of agriculture, property rights, ranching , oil and gas, water rights and economic development issues. Let's elect Kathleen Curry again.  Learn more at www.kathleencurry.org

• Amendment S - State Personnel System   YES

The current hiring process for state employees limits the pool of eligible candidates and may favor the best test-takers over applicants with practical experience. The measure expands the pool of eligible candidates and allows state agencies to consider other objective methods for evaluating job applicants. Additionally, the measure recognizes the sacrifice of veterans, allowing them to use a hiring preference whenever they apply for a state position, rather than only once.

• Amendment 64 - Use and Regulation of Marijuana  NO

Even if Amendment 64 is adopted, the possession, manufacture and sale of marijuana remain illegal under current federal law. Colorado does not need to be a state that is trying to send a political message to the federal government and other states about legalizing marijuana, nor should marijuana be simply grouped with alcohol and tobacco for greater accessibility and use.Furthermore, since the provisions of Amendment 64 will be in the state constitution and not in the state statutes, there may be serious unintended consequences. For example, by constitutionally permitting marijuana use, the measure, despite its stated intent, could create conflicts with existing employment, housing and other laws and policies that ban the use of illegal drugs. Just say NO to legalizing marijuana in Colorado.

• Amendment 65: Congressional Delegation to Support Campaign Finance Limits  NO

This measure does NOT directly affect current state or federal campaign finance laws, or create campaign spending limits. Instead, it amends state law to ENCOURAGE Congress and the state legislature to take steps toward a U.S. Constitutional amendment to limit the role of money in state and federal elections. BUT, regardless of how you feel about campaign finance limits, a state ballot measure like this CANNOT REQUIRE elected representatives in Congress or the state legislature to support or vote for certain laws and policies. This measure will have ZERO practical effect! Rather than using Colorado law to make a political statement, those who advocate for more restrictive campaign finance laws should instead support congressional candidates who will pursue such changes.

FEDERAL OFFICES

• US Representative - 3^rd District   SCOTT TIPTON

We elected Scott Tipton in 2010 and sent him to Washington where he worked tirelessly to help get government out of the way so free enterprise can flourish and Coloradans can get back to work. Tipton's promises kept include:

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  • Introduced legislation to lower the corporate, capital gains and dividend tax rates to help businesses stay competitive in the global market and bring jobs back to Colorado
  • Introduced and passed through committee the Healthy Forest Management Act which focuses on conservation and aims to establish proactive measures by increasing state control over the management decisions of high-risk areas. This would allow local officials to protect their communities and environment with preventative action that limits the spread of future fires by inhibiting contributing factors like bark beetle infestation, severe drought conditions and unmanaged dense forests.
  • Helped put forward legislation to expand access to capital by allowing community banks to increase responsible lending to small businesses; these loans are the lifeblood of a small business.
  • Opened up new markets for agriculture producers and created as many as 500 new jobs for rural Colorado by expanding free trade with Colombia, South Korea and Panama.
  • Introduced the Energy in Education Act of 2011 that will increase funding for our school children, while creating jobs in Colorado and decreasing our dependence on foreign oil.
  • Amended the PIONEERS Act to protect our towns and counties from being negatively impacted by the increased exploration of Colorado's natural resources. Increasing our domestic energy supply will create jobs for Colorado and decrease our dependence on foreign oil, however it must be done in a responsible way.

Let's send Scott back to Washington! For more information: www.VoteTipton.com