Reforming the state employee pansion plan
Re: “Crafting a PERA-chute,” Sept. 15 news story, and “State pension program needs fortification,” Sept. 15 editorial.
One of the recommendations of the state treasurer’s Commission to Strengthen and Secure PERA is to revamp the Public Employee Retirement Association board of trustees by requiring the trustees to “have financial expertise,” rather than be elected by the PERA members from their ranks. Great! There are probably some real experts out there who could be appointed by the governor: Ken Lay (or Enron’s CFO), pension benefit specialists from several major airlines, or maybe some former director from a savings and loan board. No, thanks! I want my retirement system run by people who are willing to take the time to keep members informed, who have no prior connections to the financial markets, and who have members’ trust. After all, they are called “trustees.”
Melinda Reed, Wheat Ridge
Separation of church and state referendums?
Re: “Bruce is still on a mission,” Sept. 12 news story (part of “The Truth About TABOR” series).
Why does Douglas Bruce persist in fighting any attempts to modify the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights? In his own words: “Because I believe God wants us to be free.”
Bruce has very conveniently left out all concepts of community, responsibility and service to our fellow man. What was Jesus’ life all about? It was not about minimizing our responsibilities to others. It was about helping others.
Good government is like the goose that lays golden eggs. Bruce wants to kill the goose. That is wrong. We need the ability to do good for those who need it, and that is what taxation and government spending are supposed to be all about.
Why should a man who has so much to give try to get away with giving as little as possible? I can only conclude that Bruce is a very selfish man. If he really wants to tout freedom, then it ought not be the freedom to be as selfish as possible, but the freedom to give as much as one can to benefit all.
That is why we should vote for Referendums C and D.
Jim Gaw, Carbondale
…
There have been a lot of debates about Referendums C and D, and proponents and opponents are trying to get religious groups to weigh in on the matter. I found my own answer in the Bible. Yes, it’s true, Jesus talked a lot of stewardship and money in the Bible, but when asked if he paid tribute (taxes) in Matthew 17:24-27, Jesus tells Peter to go out and fish, take the coin he finds in the mouth of the fish and give it to the tax collectors. In Luke 20:22-25, Jesus is asked, “Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or no?” And Jesus answers, “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar’s, and unto God, the things which be God’s.” So when I ask myself, “What would Jesus do?” the answer is clear: Jesus supports paying taxes.
Angelique Layton Anderson, Louisville
Rebuilding the Gulf Coast after Katrina
President Bush’s “plan” to create opportunity zones, from which he sees a “bright dawn emerging over the Gulf Coast and the great city of New Orleans,” is a travesty of leadership. He claims for his administration the power to decide – in complete ignorance of relevant engineering, oceanographic, meteorological and sociological facts – that the Gulf Coast should be rebuilt with billions of federal dollars. He ignores two preliminary steps necessary to adopting effective policy:
1) Developing new patterns of political participation that will empower the poor victims to control the corrupt and patronage-driven local and national government agencies that set them up for disaster.
2) A national debate on whether and how the nation’s money should be spent to minimize the pain of recovery and the potential for similar future disasters.
Baldwin Ranson, Longmont
…
Finally, President Bush has said something we all can agree with: We must restore the lives of the people on the Gulf Coast, no matter what it costs, and in order to do that we will need to cut unnecessary programs out of the federal budget. I’m sure he means, of course, we should cut the billions being spent on the futile, disastrous war in Iraq; the fat-cat subsidies given to all corporations, particularly Big Oil; and the tax cuts that have gone to the wealthiest 1 percent of our citizens.
Carole Bayer, Boulder
Aurora crisis funding
I’m sure most people in Aurora are aware that since 1970 the Comitis Crisis Center has been providing critical services to the Aurora community. Every day, they work with people of all ages, with issues ranging from those who are suicidal to youths who want to run away from home. Nearly every problem you can think of that goes on in our society is an issue that Comitis’ dedicated staff and volunteers work with. In 2004, Comitis helped more than 27,000 people in need.
In the wake of the Hurricane Katrina disaster, Mile High United Way recently asked Comitis to become the single collection point for donations. The dedicated Comitis staff and community volunteers worked diligently to receive donations of clothing, toys, shoes, food and water.
In 2005, the city of Aurora gave Comitis $173,000 as part of the Aid to Agencies program. For 2006, the city manager has proposed that all Aid to Agency funding be eliminated. It would be a disservice to discontinue this funding to great agencies like Comitis and many others.
Brad Pierce, Aurora
The writer is a member of the Aurora City Council.
Grammar and schools
Re: “‘Fifth year’ tuition illegal,” Sept. 16 news story.
The superintendent of the Sheridan School District is quoted as saying, “I’m not doing real good right now.” I’m not doing very well, either, knowing this is what students hear from a person in this position. We should obviously worry about the quality of the education our children receive when grammar like that is the example they have before them. Learning those language skills should be taught in the first 12 years of formal education. Maybe the money that is being used by these schools in violation of a state rule should be used properly by the districts to educate the students in the language of the land – preferably by someone other than the superintendent.
William L. Baer, Lakewood
Not-so-funny pages?
I am appalled at what is passing for comics lately. Just last week I read one comic that referred to being filled with No. 2, and I thought, well, that must have slipped by. This week, “Get Fuzzy” should have been in Hustler or Playboy. What’s next – Beetle Bailey’s butt?
Linda Adams, Estes Park
TO REACH OPINION EDITORS
Phone: 303-820-1331
Fax: 303-820-1502
E-mail: openforum@denverpost.com (only straight text, not attachments)
Mail: The Open Forum, The Denver Post, 1560 Broadway, Denver, 80202 or PO Box 1709, Denver, 80201
Letters guidelines: The Post welcomes letters up to 200 words on topics of general interest. Letters must include full name, home address and day and evening phone numbers. Letters may be edited for length, grammar and accuracy.
