Letters - Sunday

COUNTY BUDGET
Commissioners responsible for leading the way

At a recent El Paso County workshop dealing with the budget crisis - the third year in a row operating in crisis mode - it was intimated that any suggestion of new taxes come from the citizens. Why do proposed taxes have to come from citizens? Isn't it the duty of responsible county government to lead? We sat through an entire work session and not one of the commissioners would even broach the "T" word. A few nodded their heads in agreement at certain statements.

All citizens of El Paso County voted for our county commissioners to lead us. While we need them to lead us into responsible fiscal government, we also need our so-called leaders to make good, sound decisions. Why can't just one person on the commission suggest that perhaps the reason our county has slashed the budget for the past three years is that our revenue is too low, our mill levy rate is too low and people must pay for the services they are getting.

It seems the commission is tasked with the responsibility to balance the budget but not the duty to come forward when it is necessary and tell the people that now is the time to act and at least consider a rate increase. Commissioners are in the best position to know when it is time for the citizens to consider the options available.

It was suggested at the meeting that sheriff's deputies cannot patrol, they will sit and wait for an emergency or crime to be committed. How forward thinking is that?

We all know that El Paso County per capita expenditures and revenues are some of the lowest in the state. I doubt the citizens of El Paso County moved here or live here for that reason. They live here because they have enjoyed a high quality of life.

Do the commissioners think they are fully serving the citizens by keeping the lowest possible profile when it comes to increasing revenue?

How did we got into this dire circumstance? It didn't happen overnight.

Linda M. Dyer, Colorado Springs

Why did officials allow situation to get this bad?

I came away from Tuesday's meeting of the El Paso County board of commissioners with the clear impression that the budget cuts recommended by county staff are more than just trimming the fat. Proposed cuts in park lands, services for environment, safety and health were deep and significant. As described during the meeting, this crisis didn't happen overnight but has been developing for several years. As described by Commissioner Wayne Williams, budget shortfalls have been occurring since at least 2002.
I agree with Commissioner Amy Lathen who rightly put the responsibility for raising taxes on the electorate. However, if citizens have not been adequately informed of the problem before it becomes a crisis, whose responsibility is that?

What I would hope of our elected leaders is that they would tell us what we need to hear, in a timely fashion, and not what they think we want to hear.

Lawrence M. Reisinger, Colorado Springs

PEACE DEMONSTRATION
Commencement activity aimed at parents, not Bush

It looks like The Gazette's reporters weren't made of stern enough stuff to visit members of the Pikes Peak Justice and Peace Commission at the North Gate of the Air Force Academy on the morning of the commencement. Had they done so, and had they bothered to ask questions, their article on our demonstration would not have given the impression that we gave up on seeing the president because of bad weather ("Protesters miss late-arriving Bush," May 29). In fact, the primary audience for our action on Wednesday was the stream of parents and friends of graduating cadets that moved through the North Gate that morning.

We intended to be a voice of conscience for those people and a reminder of the particular responsibility that those affiliated with the U.S. military have in putting a stop to the ongoing crimes our country commits daily in Iraq, Afghanistan and many other places. When the flow of traffic stopped, most of us felt like we had accomplished that goal. Few of us imagined that the president's motorcade would pass by the designated protest area, so most of us left.

It may surprise The Gazette to learn that peace demonstrators are not usually apprised of the specifics of the president's movements when he is in town. In fact, presidents often avoid demonstrators who oppose their policies. This administration, whose pathological secrecy, paranoia and isolation from public opinion have become legendary, is no exception.

Although the president did not see our signs, he surely knew we were there. The commencement-goers did, too, and a surprising number of them responded positively to our presence. Everybody but The Gazette got the message.

Peter C. Haney, Director Dynamic Peacemaking Program Pikes Peak Justice and Peace Commission Colorado Springs

POLICE PRIORITIES
CSPD wrong to not respond when citizen found gun

I'm a retired detective from the Colorado Springs Police Department and I'm writing about Freddy Gibbons and her ordeal with finding a .25 caliber handgun near Monument Creek ("Cops' request to deliver gun to them hard to swallow," Side Streets, May 29). The point here is not about the budget constraints of the police department. The point is about what type of calls for service will be answered physically by a police officer.

The handgun she found might be a murder weapon. It could have been used in a robbery or assault and/or was stolen in the course of a burglary. The department should have responded to her home to retrieve this weapon and conduct the appropriate investigation to determine the history of this gun. It would not have taken long and this is the type of call that is worth responding to.

I fully realize that I don't operate under CSPD's current budget but some discretion needs to be exercised when certain calls come into the communications center. The complaint clerks can't be restricted in their judgment by some list of calls not to be responded to. I can guarantee Gibbons that if this call had gone out over the air, a police officer would have responded and handled the call in a professional manner.

The department owes her an apology and should thank her for her actions. If it doesn't, I hope she will accept mine.

David Spencer, Colorado Springs

THE RIGHT STUFF
Looper works to ensure residents' property rights

The Front Range toll road may or may not ever come to fruition but HB1007 enables those of us in the proposed toll road corridor to have our property titles cleared. In our current state of limbo, loans or sales of our property is held hostage by a title lien. I am glad to say every time I have called Rep. Marsha Looper regarding the toll road issue, she has explained HB1007 in detail and even e-mailed a copy to me.

I have noticed for some time opposition to Looper comes from Elbert or Pueblo county. Those of us in El Paso County are grateful to have a representative who looks out for our interests. I attend many of Looper's town hall meetings and every time I presented her with a question or concern, she promptly followed up and granted me all the assistance I needed. I really wonder about the integrity and motives citizens in other counties have as they condemn our elected officials in El Paso County. Rep. Looper, keep up the good work.

Larry Dills, Peyton