Letters - Thursday

Douglas Bruce for high office

I’ve lived in the Springs for more than 40 years. I’ve seen good and bad city administrations and I can’t help but admire the attempts by Douglas Bruce to hold this administration accountable for its actions. I’ll join all those rabble rousers who want Douglas Bruce for governor or mayor.

Jim Themel, Sr., Colorado Springs

SUVs, Starbucks and freedom

In her letter Nov. 20, Becky Truelove writes about the audacity of people “wasting gas in their giant SUVs while waiting for expensive coffee in a drive thru line.” All this during a time when the city is having financial problems.

Wow! This is America, land of freedom and choice. Many Americans have given their lives so people like Ms. Truelove can openly express their opinions in newspapers and have choices as to the kind of cars they drive or what coffee they choose to drink, even if a city is having financial problems. With all due respect, Ms. Truelove’s comments seem very socialistic in nature, which is contrary to what this nation stands for. As a Vietnam era veteran, I enjoy driving my Volkswagen Beetle and drinking Starbucks coffee.

Drew Alexa, Colorado Springs

Herpin hard to believe

Can you believe Bernie Herpin’s response to ballot issue 300? He says we had better pay those rain water taxes (excuse me fees) or we will come after you.

Mr. Herpin just does not get it. Issue 300 passed because we did not want to be taxed and have it called a fee. Then Mayor Lionel Rivera says that one budget remedy is to not replace street lights that have burned out. Aren’t we being taxed for street lights? These guys just don’t get it. Let’s just get rid of them.

Tim Goodwin, Colorado Springs

Reintroduce the draft

President Obama is in a dilemma regarding his decision on troop deployments. None of the options appear likely to produce positive outcomes. A complicated issue involved in the decision he makes is how to reduce multi-combat tours. As vividly portrayed in the media, the toll of nearly a decade of continued redeployments is having a severe and adverse impact on our troops and their families. All of us should be ashamed to allow this to continue. There is a solution to this part of the problem

The President should declare a national emergency. He then should immediately do, what George Bush should have done on 9/12, ask Congress to reintroduce the draft.

The reactions and responses to his request will undoubtedly be explosive. Whatever the results, as a minimum, they would present the President with a realistic range of options for future military decisions.

Joe Henry, Colorado Springs

Tactic doesn’t ‘smell’ right

Assuming the “Urban Renewal Board to Hire Denver Firm to Resolve Land’s Eligibility” Gazette article on Nov. 20, is correct, there seems to be an unpleasant odor associated with the information presented in this article.

This article made me ask a couple of questions.

In the article it appears that the board and a developer are attempting to get said developer’s undeveloped land qualified for urban renewal for the developer’s benefit. That benefit being, to “speed up” an already planned CDOT road development in the area. Why? Is it worth the integrity and honesty cost?

As I understand it, typically urban renewal efforts target run-down areas. I have difficulty in appreciating how an undeveloped area can be a run down area, but that may just be my problem. Is it just my problem?

I believe there are “run-down areas” in Colorado that could use these funds as originally intended and that this funding source was not meant to benefit developers by developing open space. Am I wrong?

Is hiring an outside consultant an effort to give legitimacy to a conclusion that they want to reach but doesn’t quite pass the “smell test”?

Getting an “Urban Renewal” designation brings with it federal tax dollars. Perhaps the Board is so desperate for funds that they think Uncle Sam (you and I) should pay to help this developer. I think not! Why don’t they raise the the money by raising area taxes?

Dave Sproul, Colorado Springs

Is it science or dogma?

In the Nov. 19 edition of The Gazette we have professor John Horner informing us that we must believe “science” (assuming it doesn’t come from gadflies with Ph.D. after their names) or give up our technologies. There is a huge difference between easily quantified issues like circuit function and the more speculative things like climate change. Do we indeed have “science” that is not subject to falsification? If so, it is no longer science but dogma.

A point in case would be climate change. The current state of fear is that we have been altering the earth’s climate by producing carbon dioxide via industrial processes. But a scientific examination must include a careful examination of the history of the issue, and the whole thing falls apart when this is done. We find that there was a warm period in the 1930s, and a 400 year long one before that during the medieval times. And that was preceded by 3,000 years worth of Holocene warm period. Since human produced carbon dioxide cannot be invoked to explain these they are ignored.

Finally, the climate is cooling at present, can the computer models be made to accommodate this information?

Tom Gibb, Colorado Springs

Get rid of visitor’s bureau

The column by Terrance Sullivan of the Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) was entirely predictable. He’s understandably disappointed with the city’s significant cut in the CVB contract. Just like the USOC, he claims that every dollar the city gives to the CVB returns more than a dollar in increased tax revenue. A whopping $2.25 in the case of the CVB! Right. Maybe the city should give the entire budget to the CVB. Then we could enjoy more than double the tax revenue we have today.

He also claims that hotels and car rental companies “willingly” collect the extra Lodging and Auto Rental Tax (LART) and pass it on to the city to pass on to the CVB to market Colorado Springs. If they do it willingly, why do we need a law imposing the LART with the threat of punishment?

I suggest that we repeal the LART, eliminate the city’s contract with the CVB completely, and let members of the tourist industry willingly contribute to the CVB as they see fit. Of course, they might instead reduce their prices, or increase their profits, or invest in their businesses, or spend the money on the marketing of their choice.

Mike Heiny, Colorado Springs

Regretting pro transit vote

Where was the outcry by city officials when they cut local bus services leaving the residents of this city stranded at home or walking long distances to get a bus to work, to the doctors or the grocery store?

City transit officials cut the throat of the local transit system, by mismanaging it. Now they are circling the wagons to save FREX? Is their status with the state officials in Denver that important that our city leaders are willing to turn their backs on their own citizens? I now wish in 2004 I had voted NO on the creation of the PPRTA.

Jim Gosse, Colorado Springs