Highway and roadway improvement plans leave readers skeptical
Re: “Fixing Federal,” Jan. 18 news story and “$806M highway expansion proposed to fix chokepoint,” Jan. 19 news story
After reading Sunday’s article on CDOT’s Federal Boulevard plan, and Monday’s article on Interstate 270, I had to laugh at the irony of the reality we are all living with. I am a lifelong resident of north Denver. Former Mayor Federico Peña imagined a “Great City.” He got the people, he got the airport, he got the businesses, we got the taxes and we got the congestion. No one thought to build highways or major arterial streets to get people from point A to point B.
I have traveled to many large cities (Chicago, San Diego, L.A.) where there are not only multiple highways, but also large arterial streets such as Santa Fe Drive (from I-25 south) to help take the burden off the more congested streets that run through residential neighborhoods (Federal Boulevard, Sheridan Boulevard, Wadsworth Boulevard, etc.)
The Denver area has this Pollyannaish dream that every person will bike or walk to their destination. Look around you, CDOT. People drive more now than ever, and there are more people than ever. Denver does not have the transportation infrastructure to support the people. The horse left the barn a couple of decades ago. Now CDOT’s answer is to make Federal Boulevard “slimmer” and fix the small piece of highway that exists in 270. The I-70 “fix” proved that the congestion is here to stay. You can only put 5 gallons of stuff in a 5-gallon bucket. Denver’s bucket is overflowing and has been for years.
Don Gonzales, Denver
Re: “Shifting Alameda plans create PR nightmare for Johnston,” Jan. 19 news story
On the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI) website, it says safety is a top priority. The initial Alameda redesign with one lane of traffic in each direction plus a turn lane, for three lanes total, gave priority to safety. The new design retains four lanes of traffic, two in each direction with turn pockets. It stretches the imagination to think that this will be just as safe.
I have attended neighborhood meetings, and it appears unanimous that residents prefer the original, three-lane plan. I find it hard to accept Mayor Mike Johnston’s insistence that some voices don’t matter more than others. Changing a well-vetted design at the last minute speaks louder than words.
Bob Walker, Denver
Chipping away at TABOR: Different legislative year, same goal
Re: “State Democrats aim for major TABOR change as session opens,” Jan. 15 news story and “City reckons with ruling, faces $42M fiscal hole,” Jan. 19 news story
Once again, the politicians start their year off with another try at getting rid of TABOR. What happened to Lakewood last week is a perfect example of why TABOR needs to stay in force. The state politicians have nickel-and-dimed TABOR for years. Chipping away at it, reclassifying what they call their tax increases, to other than a tax increase(i.e., a fee).
They just don’t get it. The checks are not why people keep voting to keep TABOR, it is the restraint that it imposes on them. The checks are a byproduct. There has never been a politician who won’t spend every one of our dollars that they can get their hands on. TABOR is our last line of defense.
If the tax is a good tax, put it on the ballot; don’t try to find a way around TABOR. They all have their idea of what is best for us and, obviously, think we are not smart enough to make decisions on how our money is spent. They are saying they are going to remove education from the state’s spending cap, which will possibly give them billions to spend on what they think the state needs. Of course, they will still have to put it up for a vote, but rest assured, they will have babies, kittens, and puppies in the mix to pull at the voter’s heartstrings.
Dennis Lubbers, Littleton
Our tax dollars deserve serious consideration
Re: “What reporting on three rural city councils teaches me,” Jan. 18 commentary
In light of the rampant bribery, cheating, theft and misuse of our tax dollars at the federal level, reading Marty Durlin’s piece was a refreshing and hopeful message. The dedication and time spent at local levels as small as Crawford, population 400, operating budget of $250,000, is an example of how seriously our tax dollars should be spent. So often, the larger the entity, the less important another million, billion or trillion becomes.
Mariann Storck, Wheat Ridge
Danger of the Trump administration
Re: “These are the three main architects of Trump 2.0,” Jan. 18 commentary
Wonderfully scathing commentary about the president’s Three Stooges, although Mr. Leubsdorf better watch his back: The president likes to retaliate.
As of today, 145 weeks, 2 days, until the 2028 U.S. presidential election.
Craig Marshall Smith, Highlands Ranch
Nighthorse Campbell’s legacy provides ‘stark contrast’
Re: “A force for the West,” Jan. 11 commentary
The legacy of Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell stands in stark contrast to the actions and priorities of this administration.
Campbell cared deeply for public lands and was instrumental in passing the . This administration wants to privatize public lands.
Sen. Campbell understood the value of water and negotiated water rights for indigenous tribes, stating that water is worth fighting for. The current government has vetoed the Arkansas Valley Conduit project that was approved by a bipartisan Congress. This project would assure clean water to those living in southeast Colorado.
Of Cheyenne lineage, the senator focused on the needs of underrepresented communities, particularly Native Americans. He co-founded the to promote historical accuracy and ensure cultural preservation. The current administration disrespects the least among us and rewrites history, dictating what can be displayed in museums and what names we can attach to monuments.
Today’s administration is characterized by political polarization, disregarding the collaborative spirit of the senator and exacerbating divisions in our country.
Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell’s legacy is the honorable example he set as a “force for the West.” A force for justice, respect, compromise, and the betterment of every citizen. Will today’s leaders look to his record and strive to restore the principles that once guided our nation?
What party would the senator align with today?
Kathy Webster, Littleton
Place of beauty, spirituality now a billionaire’s possession
Re: “St. Benedictap Monastery: Lost spiritual spaces,” Jan. 18 commentary
When I finished reading the article about St. Benedict Monastery closing, I felt sadness that I had never visited. It sounded like a beautiful and peaceful place for spiritual contemplation. Much loved by people who lived nearby. I am appalled that a billionaire has bought it “as one of his residences.” This is but one instance of the enormous gaps between the haves and the have-nots we are experiencing in this perilous era — the return of the Gilded Age.
Jeannie Dunham, Denver
No fraud to be found in these federal benefits
Re: “Minnesota-like fraud in Colorado’s safety nets?” Jan. 18 editorial
The Denver Post editorial board made a veiled accusation on Jan. 18 that baselessly suggested Colorado assistance beneficiaries and the organizations they work with are fraudulent recipients and administrators of federal benefits. For more than 40 years, the Center for Work Education and Employment (CWEE) has been serving families experiencing poverty, violence, homelessness, and hunger. These families work hard to ensure that they can turn their hope into action and build a better life for themselves and their children.
Benefits help these families complete their education, engage in job training, and build the confidence they need to create a future that will enable them to cultivate their dreams. Rising housing, transportation, and food costs mean that the $400 they get from Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) doesn’t go very far. Organizations such as CWEE run food banks, provide mental health and social-emotional therapy, perform extensive case management, facilitate skill development, and, perhaps most importantly, help instill confidence to succeed in school and work. We empower families to exit federal benefits and contribute economically to Colorado.
Colorado has stringent requirements for administrators to prove that the work we do helps families, not enriches ourselves. Our reporting requirements are rigorous, and the data we provide to the state is audited, both by independent auditors and by the individual county agencies.
Perhaps, before engaging in unfounded speculation on the legitimacy of benefits administrators, you could visit one such entity to educate yourselves about our work. We would be happy to host you at any time for a tour and information session.
Kate Horle, Denver
Editor’s note: Horle is CEO of the Center for Work Education and Employment.
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