"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!
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
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
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:
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.
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:
For more information or to donate, please contact Citizens for Responsible Projects at www.2CvoteNo.org
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.
This one's easy:
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
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!
I advocated for John Young in the BOCC primary and stand by this endorsement. Young's priorities for Pitkin County include:
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
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!
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!
(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.)
STATE ISSUES & OFFICES
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
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.
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.
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
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:
Let's send Scott back to Washington! For more information: www.VoteTipton.com