ISSUE # 12 ... LOCALLY RelevANT

The Red Ant Democracy! .. Issue #12, Oct. 1, 2008

The Ant and Her Friends Sponsor a Citizens' Forum on the Issues

Thanks for all of the ideas! We've heard from many of you about your local concerns and have decided to spearhead a pre-election event for the entire community - a citizens' forum on the (local) ballot issues.

If you're like us, that sample ballot looks like mumbo-jumbo, making the issues hard to sort out. You may know what you want to vote for, but the legalistic ballot language confuses the issues. Yes can mean no, and no can mean yes.

And this year, looking at LOCAL issues in Aspen and Pitkin County, including RFTA, there are seven (yes, 7) tax measures. Each certainly has its merits - but in the current economic environment, how does one decide? What is necessary now?

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ISSUE # 11 ... ORDINANCE 22 REDUX -- YOU SPOKE

Ordinance 22 - You Spoke.  Ordinance 22 Redux!   Thanks to the well over 100 citizens who emailed and faxed communications to City Council (several old-timers tell us that this Council has NEVER received this many  written comments on pending legislation ) and to those who packed council chambers on Monday night.   In order to quickly patch some vacuous and embarrassing holes in the existing condo/townhouse  redevelopment regulation , City Council passed Ordinance 22, but with the commitment to immediately re-visit the  entire policy and strategy, acknowledging many of the discrepancies and potential unintended consequences and concerns we had commented on:

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ISSUE # 10 ... CIVIL COMMOTION, CONDO-STYLE

Ants Un-Nerved

The Red Ant regrets that her instincts (and facts) were right on proposed Ordinance #22 - next Monday night's big discussion at City Council that will update a long-standing land use code section concerning the combination, redevelopment and demolition of "multi-family unit dwellings" (condos, townhouses, etc.) and tighten the exemptions that owners have liberally enjoyed for years.

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ISSUE # 9 ... OWN AN ASPEN CONDO? TOWNHOME? HEAD'S UP ... AND QUICKLY!

The Red Ant is scratching her head. A vortex is spinning and we're now in it. We've heard a lot these past two days from many of you asking about proposed Ordinance #22 - next Monday night's hot topic at City Council, which, if passed, is slated to become law thirty days afterward.

In short, Ordinance 22 seems to update an old law that stipulates affordable housing mitigation for the redevelopment/demolition/ combination of units of "multi-family dwelling units." The effect is to make it almost impossible to

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ISSUE # 8 ... MAYOR MICK REJECTS ASPEN GOVT STRUCTURE

The recent, and thankfully withdrawn, proposal for a doubling of Council salaries triggered some surprising statements on August 25 and 26 from the Mayor about our City government:

- Mick feels that the mere doubling of salaries suggested by Jack Johnson is woefully inadequate, but, given the current economy,--

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ISSUE # 7 ... OOPS! THEY DID IT AGAIN!

Anatomy Of A “Language Error”

The now-infamous Burlingame Brochure and its outrageous financial misrepresentations are continually explained away by the City as “language errors.” But what exactly is a “language error?” History paints a vivid picture. Famous “language errors” help inform us. To wit:

“I did not have sexual relations with that woman.”

“It depends on how you define ‘alone’.” – President William Jefferson Clinton

“Mission Accomplished.” – President George W. Bush

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You Thought Burlingame Couldn't Get Worse?...#6

Some called it a "punch in the stomach," others "complete incompetence," but Thursday, most of the volunteer professionals of the Burlingame Construction Experts Group expressed surprise and dismay when informed that the City had essentially granted bullet proof veto rights to current Burlingame homeowners to prevent density beyond 236 units! The group, working for the past three months to increase Burlingame density was informed that any increase will require a 100%* (yes, unanimous!) vote of the homeowners! (Could even a March powder day garner a 100% affirmative vote in Aspen?

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Ant Alert: Ants Crawls Across TV Screen

In a fun experiment to extend the reach of our message, The Red Ant is filming a few Grassroots TV shows focused on the amusing activities in the Ant Hill at Hopkins and Galena.

Tune in and give us feedback and ideas for future shows. The first two shows air this week, beginning this morning on Channel 12 locally. ADDITIONALLY, simultaneous video streaming on the internet at

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