A sampling of recent editorials from Colorado newspapers:
NATIONAL:
The Daily Sentinel, Aug. 30, on border gun purchasing scandal:
A discredited and discontinued effort to allow guns purchased in the United States to illegally cross the border into Mexico—known as “Operation Fast and Furious” —has cost the acting director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives his job, as well it should.
Aug. 30 news reports said Kenneth E. Melson will be reassigned from his acting director’s job to a senior adviser position. In addition, the U.S. attorney in Phoenix who oversaw Operation Fast and Furious has announced he will resign, and an assistant U.S. attorney there has been reassigned to the civil division.
The theory behind Operation Fast and Furious was ostensibly to allow U.S. authorities to track guns purchased here to the leadership of Mexican drug cartels. But the BATF lost track of thousands of guns, many of which are believed to have been used to kill other drug runners and civilians in Mexico. At least one was connected to the murder of a U.S. Border Patrol agent.
Moreover, the BATF didn’t bother to inform Mexican government officials of the operations, and top BATF officials ignored concerns raised by rank-and-file agents about the program.
Melson was acting director when the operation was initiated and, according to congressional testimony, he was kept informed of it at every stage. He deserves to be fired for allowing this ill-thought program to proceed, not just reassigned. So do all those who oversaw and approved it.
Editorial:
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Loveland Daily Reporter-Herald, Sept. 1, on the new Martin Luther King Jr. national memorial:
His memorial stands as he did in real life—resolute, bold, set apart, looking forward and having endured waves of opposition and trouble.
The adversity and controversy itself befits a statue honoring Martin Luther King Jr. The choice of a Chinese artist and stone, and King’s likeness and stance upset many who supported the idea of a memorial. An earthquake shook it, and a hurricane delayed its dedication.
Whether or not one is disturbed that an artist from a communist country produced this work, or that King stands with arms crossed instead of with palms open, the statue stands as a reminder of King’s role as a loud and persistent voice against injustice, immovable in his stance.
The block bearing King’s image is cut from a mound of granite, which itself remains in the background. The image is hewn from the “I Have a Dream” speech, in which King, after quoting from the book of Isaiah, said that “with this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope.”
That speech was delivered 48 years ago this week, less than a half-mile from where King’s likeness now stands. For generations who never saw Martin Luther King in life but whose lives have been enriched by his legacy, may this memorial stand as a reminder of King and remain a “stone of hope.”
Editorial:
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STATE:
The Denver Post, Sept. 4, on raising state taxes:
A sobering study from economists at the University of Denver shows it’s high time for Colorado to start a conversation about what we expect from government and how much it will cost—and about asking voters for the taxes needed to pay for it.
Otherwise, in 12 short years, the bulk of the state general fund will be eaten up by three rapidly growing segments of the budget—public schools, health care and prisons, according to the study, which was released Wednesday by DU’s Center for Colorado’s Economic Future.
That means no tax revenues for higher education. None for courts. Not a dime for youth corrections. Zilch for the state crime lab. The list goes on.
Lawmakers last year asked DU to launch the study of the state’s tax system—the first in more than 50 years. Its authors found Colorado will grapple with a structural imbalance of as much as $3.1 billion by 2023 as costs associated with governing increase in the new century while revenue streams remain trapped in an unrealistic system crafted—and constitutionally handcuffed—in the 20th century.
Even if you think the state spends enough on education, infrastructure and saving for a rainy day—and we don’t—the report demonstrates a critical need for more revenue.
By 2025, the state would need another $3.5 billion in tax revenue just to maintain current levels of services.
Of further concern, the study notes that it may be overestimating future revenue collections.
While some would argue that we can cut our way out of the problem, we simply do not see state government as being fraught with pork and big-ticket expenses.
Authors of the study bluntly called that approach “unrealistic.”
It’s time to get real.
Options (and the amount they could raise by 2025), include:
—Restoring income- and sales-tax rates to 1999 levels of 5 percent and 3 percent, respectively ($900 million). This shouldn’t be confused with Proposition 103 on the November ballot, which would expire after five years.
—Increasing other taxes, including a graduated income tax with a top rate of 8 percent ($3.3 billion).
—Expanding the 2.9 percent sales tax to cover services—other than health care ($918 million to $7.6 billion).
—Returning to a sales tax on groceries ($433.1 million).
—Reinstating a tax on home energy ($225.2 million).
The study also suggests mill-levy reform to better balance local and state contributions to K-12 education.
While talking tax hikes may seem like a tall task in the current economic climate, beginning the honest conversations now will allow voters to address the issue as soon as 2013 or, if the economy doesn’t improve, 2015.
Editorial:
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The (Greeley) Tribune, Aug. 31, on enrollment increasing in Colorado universities :
All over the state of Colorado, colleges and universities are seeing increases in enrollment.
Colorado Mesa University, formerly Mesa State, in Grand Junction saw the biggest increase: 14.8 percent more students this year over 2010, pushing its enrollment up to 8,900. Enrollment at Adams State College in Alamosa is projected to increase 9 percent from 2010. And while it hasn’t released its overall enrollment figures, Colorado State University in Fort Collins has welcomed its largest freshman class ever: 4,500 in that class alone.
Locally, both the University of Northern Colorado and Aims Community College are predicting increases in enrollment: about 2 percent at UNC and 1.52 percent at Aims.
These large enrollment increases come on the tail of some of the largest tuition increases ever instituted at Colorado colleges and universities; UNC raised its tuition by 14 percent overall. That may have some people scratching their heads a bit, but it is still good news.
For what are probably many reasons, increased tuition isn’t deterring students from attending college. Obviously, a significant number of students still find higher education in Colorado attainable.
We do believe many colleges and universities, especially UNC and Aims, have found ways to make higher education available to students from lower-income households.
UNC offers tuition breaks to students based on family income, and Aims instituted a guaranteed tuition program, which means if students commit to a full-time program, their tuition won’t change during their tenure at the college as long as they graduate within two years.
These incentives may make it easier for a larger pool of students to attend college.
But we also think the economy has a part in these increases. Aims especially has seen an increase in nontraditional students seeking retraining or looking to find a new career. It’s likely UNC has seen an increase in those numbers also, although specific figures aren’t yet available.
Also, the job market for students without college degrees, or those who were thinking of delaying college to work, is still pretty dismal. Going to college, even if the student needs to go into debt, might be a good alternative for some who hope to wait out the economic downturn.
Whatever the reasons, we are glad enrollment continues to rise, especially at our local institutions. Those obtaining higher education degrees have a higher earning potential and a better chance of finding a job upon graduation. They make our workforce more attractive to businesses and industries looking to open or relocate.
Students are also important to our local economy. They live here and spend their money here. They are a significant part of our community, adding richness, culture and diversity to our population.
We welcome college students back to Greeley and wish them much success in this academic year.
Editorial:
