Denver Water’s conservation policies
Re: “Conservation still key at Denver Water,” April 17 editorial.
Denver Water shares The Denver Post’s view that conservation is still important. Our intent is to shift the focus from whether or not there are restrictions to one where a permanent water conservation culture is supported regardless of current precipitation or supply levels.
This year’s Summer Water Use Program is designed to foster a permanent water conservation ethic among Denver area residents. The program’s elements – no watering between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., watering lawns no more than three days a week, repairing leaks – reinforce the stewardship necessary to ensure a sufficient water supply for our lifestyles, our environment and future generations.
We are committed to providing our customers with more tools, services and incentives to sustain their wise use habits. Our customers understand the importance of using water wisely. Our job is to support their continued reductions in use, give them the flexibility they need when conditions allow, and continually reinforce the need for wise water use all the time.
Later this year, Denver Water will release an expanded conservation initiative with water savings goals for our city and plan for achieving those goals over the next 10 years. Other tools and approaches will be required in times of significant drought, but it is what we do year in and year out that matters most in building a pattern of use that is sustainable.
Denver Water has been the city’s water conservation partner for nearly 30 years. We intend to continue that partnership for many years to come.
Marie L. Bassett, Director of Public Affairs, Denver Water
Dealing with illegal immigration in the U.S.
Everybody’s got an idea about immigration. Here’s another one.
Let’s welcome immigrants with a new jobs program – called the U.S. military.
If people want to work here, let’s welcome them. When you hit the border, you sign up for a five-year stint in the Army. You’ll get a paycheck, education benefits, crash courses in English, clothing, housing, body armor and a shiny new rifle. After a few weeks of orientation, immigrants will have a chance to defend their new homeland in several exotic places around the world. At the end of your commitment, you’ll be awarded full citizenship, and if you served in actual combat, all of the benefits of the GI Bill.
With this plan, we could bring back all of the exhausted middle- aged reservists who’ve been defending America for years now and eliminate all of our military manpower shortages as well. We could provide new immigrants an opportunity to prove how much they love this country. And, of course, we’d never need a draft, no matter who we invaded.
Bill Sepmeier, Vail
…
I viewed with interest the numerous students downtown this week, many carrying Mexican flags, supposedly protesting proposed legislation reforming U.S. immigration policy.
It was apparent these kids are not principled protesters. They were simply using the occasion as an excuse to skip school and goof off. Unfortunately, while they were goofing off and having a good time, we taxpayers had to pay for the teachers and all the other costs to operate the schools in their absence.
If these kids really feel strongly that they are being oppressed by the government providing them a free education, they should extend their protest and refuse to return to school. That would allow us to redirect the resources being wasted on them to those kids who value their education and have a legitimate right to all that America has to offer.
Robert M. Webb, Denver
Electoral College
Re: “Time to rethink presidential elections,” April 19 editorial.
In its editorial, The Post questions the idea of the Electoral College. The Electoral College was put in place to ensure that the less populated states would have at least some say in our government – as was the rule that all states have the same number of senators rather than be based on population. Since the largest populations are on both coasts, we residents in less-populated middle America would have no voice in our federal government.
It is a shame that our schools (nor our media) do not educate the younger people about what the Electoral College is really all about.
Carol A. Hoffman, Littleton
…
Finally, a good old fashioned belly laugh while reading your editorial section. In this editorial, you state at the end, “We favor attempts to change the current system … because it will boost the value of a Colorado voter to the same level as a voter from, say, Ohio or Florida … .” What makes this so hilarious is that the votes in Florida and Ohio were not even accurately counted in the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections. Please, let’s stop pretending it didn’t happen and stop black-box vote counting on a national level. Never again should the Ukraine have a bogus election corrected based on exit poll data while we in the U.S. get stuck with the cheaters.
James Hoople, Denver
Response to Post editorial on GAO report
Re: “Ensure integrity of the GAO,” April 13 editorial.
The Post’s editorial on the U.S. Government Accountability Office was evidently based on a New York Times article regarding a February 2002 report on a missile defense system test, and it is clear that you did not attempt to verify any of the related information nor did you attempt to obtain the other side of the story.
The GAO report involved is more than four years old and has already been the subject of three internal reviews, including one by our inspector general, and one external investigation. All of these found that the employee’s assertions lacked merit. Furthermore, contrary to your editorial and Subrata Ghoshroy’s assertions, our report did not exonerate any contractors to the Department of Defense, and I did not recruit or hire any of the persons alluded to in your editorial. Finally, your editorial also failed to reference the many GAO reports that have been critical of the missile defense system.
David M. Walker, U.S. Comptroller General, Washington, D.C.
Children left in hot cars
Last week, I observed two children left alone in a minivan at a pharmacy in Parker. Both children were in car seats. The temperature was in the 70s and no windows were open. I called 911. The Parker police arrived shortly after the mom returned from inside the store. The officer spoke with the mom. No charges were filed against her. The officer said he explained to her the dangers of leaving children alone in a vehicle and she understood. Based on my observation of her reaction to the situation, I would have to say this was not the first time she had left her children alone. Please check the vehicles you park next to for children left alone. If you find children left alone, call 911. It is the right thing to do.
Lisa Adams, Parker
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