Letters - Wednesday
Ritter could help shortfall
Gov. Bill Ritter's memo to state department heads to "eliminate the least efficient and effective programs" should be directed at his own pet programs ("Ritter, lawmakers try to bridge $384m chasm," The Gazette, June 26). Ritter could eliminate millions of dollars by cutting his subsidies for solar and wind energy which are much less efficient than coal, oil and natural gas.
He could also increase revenues from oil and gas leasing and royalties by supporting drilling and oil shale. His opposition to drilling reduced state revenues, and his green energy initiatives have increased costs.
Dick Standaert, Colorado Springs
Give parks a price break
During the 2001-02 drought, a two tier system of payment to Colorado Springs Utilities was applied. Lower water rates usually charged from November to May were charged to the city to water parks to literally save grass from burning. This lower rate helped save City Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Services grounds from total devastation.
It was Councilman Scott Hente who recently suggested Utilities again charge City Parks the winter water rates to allow watering of parks thus preventing damage to parks, saving $800,000 to $1 million. This would keep city pools and parks systems alive and well.
We as a city have bitten the bullet before. The above appears to be a reasonable and feasible solution for the good of the city. City Council members should consider the two-tier switch again and place this on the council agenda in July.
Daisy Chun Rhodes, Friends of Aquatics, Colorado Springs
Congress happy to extend reach
The science is settled: Human induced global warming is an absolute farce. Of course if your knowledge of the subject is derived from a few headlines in The Gazette or what you heard on CNN or the Discovery Channel, you may think otherwise. Dig a little deeper and you will find a wealth of information that will convince all but the irrational that human-induced global warming is a scam.
The purpose of the scam is to expand the power of government.
There are two categories of global warming advocates. The first includes ideological environmentalists who never let reason get in the way of a good crusade to throttle human progress.
With global warming they have the perfect environmental catastrophe. Any change in the environment is now alleged to be the result of human activity.
The second category includes all those who will benefit from the expansion of government through environmental regulation. Federally funded scientists, educators and non-profit advocacy groups are in this category. Large corporations which benefit by their superior ability to cover the cost of regulatory compliance are in this group.
But the happiest campers of all will be the 535 members of the U.S. Congress who will have plenty of political favors to peddle for campaign contributions and trips to Bermuda if a cap-and-trade bill is passed. They are truly, as P.J. O'Rourke said, a "Parliament of Whores."
Jerry Varner, Colorado Springs
Widen roads to save money
Here's a suggestion CDOT may want to consider for increasing the longevity of our state's roads and saving significant dollars on paving costs.
By widening the roads a couple of feet and alternating the location of pavement striping over time, one can nearly double the life of our state's pavements by spreading the tire wear tracks across a greater width of the roadway.
Lawrence M. Reisinger, Colorado Springs
Post Office is out of control
I wonder if others have sent packages the Post Office never delivered. This has happened to me three times. Last week I went to the Post Office on Eighth Street to inquire about a package I sent on June 10 that never arrived at its destination. The clerk I spoke with said unless it had a tracking number there was nothing he could do. I asked if perhaps a postal employee would steal a package that wasn't insured. He said, "Well, anybody will steal."
He said he remembered asking me if I wanted a tracking number when I mailed packages before and I had refused. I had never mailed a package through him and I remember the ones who had waited on me when I did mail my packages. I asked how much it cost for a tracking number, and he said $5.25. The package I sent was small and very light, and it cost $7.50 to mail. I asked to speak to a manager, and he said the branch manager was busy but he would have her call me. She never did.
My package contained a needlepoint tote bag made by my 99-year-old stepmother who died last month. I am much saddened by its loss.
My other lost packages contained an expensive silk dress for the recipient to wear to a wedding, and the third had important and irreplaceable papers.
What would a tracking number do except tell where a package was stolen? And why must we pay so much on top of postage to try to ensure our packages are delivered? From now on, I shall mail all packages through UPS, and I encourage everyone to do the same.
Helen Krieger, Colorado Springs
