Polis here to stay
To the Republicans trying to recall Gov. Jared Polis, and to paraphrase them, we won, you lost, get over it!
Nancy Rife, Wheat Ridge
“Pay-as-you-throw” a fine?
Re: “Don’t create fee to force recycling and composting,” March 29 editorial
I disagree with The Post editorial’s conclusion that “pay-as-you-throw” is tantamount to a “fine” designed to bludgeon homeowners into doing the right thing. Their alternative suggestion that elected officials come up with creative incentives to get residents to pay for composting, fails to acknowledge the failure of cost-free single-stream trash collection in Denver.
In 2016, Denver residents landfilled 192,000 tons of materials. Much of those materials could have been recycled or composted. A small percent of households participate in the city’s composting program, which is only available to residents who pay a $10 monthly fee. People who recycle and compost the most should be rewarded for reducing waste — not fined. Letap make Denver a leader in sustainable waste management policy. The time to do the right thing for the environment is now.
Martha Daniels, Golden
I so agree with your editorial. I lived in San Francisco for many years and was shocked with the effect of trash pickup not being a public responsibility. People threw their trash in other people’s yards, parks, etc. when they couldn’t afford the fees (or didn’t want to pay). It was a public mess. I would far rather pay a little more in taxes than have garbage rotting all over town. It was such a relief to get back to Denver. Now I’m safely in a suburban condo so this is strictly the advice of experience.
Willa Allen, Westminster
Itap heartening to hear that The Post sees Denver residents as “a conscientious bunch” when it comes to recycling and composting, but the figure cited that only 22 percent of Denver’s waste stream is being recycled casts doubt on that characterization. I see it every week in my neighborhood: large trash cans piled high with materials that could be recycled or composted.
Charging for waste removal rather than recycling and composting isn’t “fining” residents, itap following the economic principle of charging for what we want less of and incentivizing what we want more of by making it free. We need to remember that when we think we are throwing things away, there is no “away.”
Betsey House, Denver
The beauty of TABOR
Re: “Yes, TABOR has done more harm than good,” April 2 letters to the editor
As an enthusiastic TABOR supporter, I write in defense of Brian Vande Krol opinions expressed in his recent Denver Post op-ed. To those letter writer’s criticizing his views, I would remind them that the TABOR amendment is in our state constitution via a vote of the people. Several attempts have been made to weaken or remove TABOR, but the electorate has steadfastly refused those efforts.
Prior to TABOR, state and local governments refused to constrain their tax and spend policies. In the absence of TABOR the spending sprees would quickly resume. Our Colorado Constitution mandates a balanced budget, thus taxes would continually be on the rise with little or no limitations.
The beauty of TABOR is it allows any taxing entity to exceed the limits for worthy projects and programs. If the state or a local government can justify an override they will be approved by the voters. So, the burden is correctly placed on the governments to prove an actual need for the tax increase.
Carl Miller, Leadville
