“Nickel and diming with fees”
Re: “Owners of big SUVs, trucks could pay more,” Oct. 28 news story
State Sens. Lisa Cutter and Faith Winter have identified a problem on Colorado’s roads and want to fix it. They identify the problem as vehicle speed causing injury to pedestrians and bicyclists. And their solution? Tax everyone on the front range who drives a vehicle they deem as too heavy. Their bill goes on to lay out some statistics and such to show why this is the solution to the problem. Nowhere in the bill do the sponsors talk about holding people who speed or drive recklessly accountable. No, it’s just tax the people.
They talk about the likelihood of death if you are hit by a vehicle traveling 58 miles per hour — 90%. I think it’s safe to say that the likelihood is the same if hit by a Corolla or an Escalade, although I guess there is a prestige factor if flattened by the Escalade.
This new tax will be added to your vehicle registration cost, another in the long list already imposed, making living in Colorado more expensive. If the legislature feels so strongly about this safety measure, they could budget for it. If their goal is to get more cars off the road, they could fund a transportation system that people actually want to use. The constant nickel and diming with fees is a terrible way to govern.
Gary Martyn, Denver
An invitation to the wild side
Re: “Preserving the splendor with a national monument,” Oct. 22 commentary
I was moved to read Anna Stout’s compelling and heartfelt call to preserve the Dolores River Canyon Country as a national monument in The Denver Post. It resonated deeply with me as a boater who’s floated the Dolores and, I suspect, anyone who values the natural beauty of our state.
For your readers who have not had the profound privilege of exploring the canyon country surrounding the Dolores River in western Colorado, I heartily recommend it. The landscape spans some of our most biologically – and culturally-rich public lands and offers unparalleled outdoor recreation opportunities. It is a place that reminds us of what unites us as Coloradans, of those shared values that transcend political and cultural differences.
I join Stout, Grand Junction mayor, in urging Colorado Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, Gov. Jared Polis, and other elected officials to come together to see the Dolores River Canyon Country protected as a national monument. Let’s get it done.
Dave S. Miles, Denver
Bike lanes are good for all
Re: “Put the fee on the bike-lane users,” Nov. 4 letter to the editor
Regarding the letter to put a fee on bicyclists using the new bike lanes on Broadway, the writer overlooked a relevant piece of information. Many bike and scooter riders also own cars and are already paying for bike/scooter lanes. Unlike the author of that piece, however, I’m happy to pay the fees not only for my own safety when I choose to run errands on my bike but also to encourage others to do the same. It is one small act to help reduce pollution on the front range, specifically in Denver. It also improves the riders’ fitness and health. I encourage more readers to see the big picture.
I do agree with the writer that the execution of some plans to add bike lanes is flawed. It leads me to believe that the planners don’t ride bikes regularly in urban settings.
Mariann Storck, Wheat Ridge
Find a better solution to property tax burden
Re: “Prop. HH goes down in defeat,” Nov. 8 news story
Thankfully, the Democrats’ (my party) Proposition HH was overwhelmingly defeated by the voters. Now it is time for Gov. Jared Polis and the Colorado legislature to truly work together and find a bipartisan solution to solve our skyrocketing personal property tax problems. Renter subsidies and other extraneous, non-relevant issues should not be part of the property tax fix.
The legislature must focus on the property tax problem. A single subject. The Colorado Constitution requires a legislative bill to “contain but one subject – expressed in title.” The only exception is the general appropriations bills (i.e. the budget).
Republican legislators have been calling for a special session to address the property tax dilemma. Hopefully, Gov. Polis will act immediately and call for a special legislative session.
Carl Miller, Leadville
This decisive defeat must send a permanent message to the governor and his cohorts in the legislators that their devious schemes to dilute TABOR will never work. It proves the saying: “You can fool the public some of the time, but never all of the time.”
Bundling one good proposition and one that would not pass on its own merits is deceitful and dishonest and should never be allowed on the ballots. Each should stand on their own merits.
TABOR – The Taxpayer’s Bill Of Rights has served the people of Colorado very well. It has kept the state on budget and fiscally sound with a surplus. TABOR has produced what it was meant to do! If every state adopted a TABOR, America would be a better country with a balanced budget.
Peter Bruno, Arvada
Liability insurance on guns
Re: ” ‘You will find joy again’,” Nov. 6 news story
I just finished reading Matt Sedensky’s piece on Sandy Phillips regarding her daughter’s murder at a mass shooting in an Aurora movie theater in 2012. It is a powerful work of journalism. Everyone should read it.
I believe there is a way to reduce mass shootings in this country. Each state should make it a law that anyone who owns a gun must have liability insurance. Compulsory gun insurance would put the onus on the insurance companies to do background checks on potential gun owners to determine their mental status. Prior criminal and domestic violence checks would also be done. Insurance companies would do their due diligence to prevent having to pay millions of dollars to people injured or killed at the sites of mass shootings.
Currently, there is proposed legislation in California that would require gun owners to purchase insurance. California would be the first state to require insurance for gun owners. Colorado should be the second.
Michael J Noonan, Georgetown
Grateful veteran
With Veterans Day approaching, I’d like to thank Home Depot and other companies that provide a year-round discount to veterans in recognition of their service. I am a veteran who served in the Army 60 years ago as a helicopter repairman and I do appreciate the discount; however, more than the discount, I appreciate the employees, both young and old, who offer their “thanks for your service” when I am checking out. Their “thanks” always seem genuine and heartwarming. I’m sure many other veterans feel the same.
Jim Malec, Roxborough Park
Convicted and licensed to practice law?
Re: “Falling dominoes? The former president’s lawyers are going down. Is he?” Oct. 29 commentary
A former Colorado attorney, Jenna Ellis, pleaded guilty to a felony; however, that does not bar her from practicing law in Colorado.
Unbelievable! I wonder how many lawyer felons we have practicing law in Colorado?
James R. Smith, Fort Collins
Put the fee on the bike-lane users
Bike safety is very important; however, requiring vehicles to pay an extra fee to install more bike lanes is a very unsatisfactory solution. Why not charge cyclists a license fee for their use of the streets?
The laws regarding bike usage, ie, not stopping at intersections, including red lights and stop signs, put their lives at risk.
The bike lane on South Broadway’s one-way street is an example of unconscious thinking. If you park your car 4 feet from the curb on the east side of the street going south and open your door a bike rider could be seriously injured or killed.
The scooter and bike rental companies should also be required to pay a tax for every one of their vehicles.
Elaine Little, Denver
An invitation to the wild side
Re: “Preserving the splendor with a national monument,” Oct. 22 commentary
I was moved to read Anna Stout’s compelling and heartfelt call to preserve the Dolores River Canyon Country as a national monument in The Denver Post. It resonated deeply with me as a boater who’s floated the Dolores and, I suspect, anyone who values the natural beauty of our state.
For your readers who have not had the profound privilege of exploring the canyon country surrounding the Dolores River in western Colorado, I heartily recommend it. The landscape spans some of our most biologically- and culturally-rich public lands and offers unparalleled outdoor recreation opportunities. It is a place that reminds us of what unites us as Coloradans, of those shared values that transcend political and cultural differences.
I join Stout, Grand Junction mayor, in urging Colorado Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, Gov. Jared Polis, and other elected officials to come together to see the Dolores River Canyon Country protected as a national monument. Let’s get it done.
Dave S. Miles, Denver
Devouring the recipes in The Post
Re: “Did anyone actually try that recipe?” Oct. 18 letter to the editor
I, for one, have read the recipe in its entirety, more than once, and I do intend to try it. I can confidently assure you that plenty of home cooks will. Claire Saffitz breaks down the steps in order to make the improved recipe doable and explains some of the science behind why the techniques work.
I have been appreciating all of the recipes and food stories The Post has published over the years, particularly since the pandemic started. I personally have zero interest in, for example, the Sports section, and some days that is plural, but I do not begrudge it being available to all those who devour it. By comparison, the food section is published only one day a week.
So please, keep those stories and recipes coming for those of us who read them.
Alice Rasmussen, Denver
Great news for book lovers
Re: “Troubles remind us to shop at independent bookstores,” Nov. 2 feature story
Thank you to Barbara Ellis for sharing a list of local independent bookstores. How refreshing to read that so many remain!
I’d like to add another to the list — Whale’s Tale Books & Gifts. This volunteer-run store (located in the Colorado Mills Mall and now in Belmar too) celebrates the best of community sharing. The store is a fundraiser operated by the Jefferson County Library Foundation, a 501(c)(3) whose mission is to support library programs for kids and teens, among other needs.
Gently used books and other media offered at Whale’s Tale are donated by community members or deaccessioned from library shelves and sold to the public at steep discounts. This means more people can find the materials they want at affordable prices.
It’s a win-win-win for the library, our community and shoppers of all ages!
Patricia J. Jones, Golden
Gun culture strikes fear in U.S.
On the cable news on the latest mass shooting event, the talking heads assure us, “This was not terrorism or terror-related.” How is this not terrorism? Because the guy didn’t have an ideological motivation, we can say it wasn’t terrorism?
If Americans have to fear leaving the house knowing they could be gunned down at any time, then how is this not terrorism? When I go to the store and have to think, “Where do I run if someone starts shooting?” — that is terrorism. Americans shouldn’t have to think like that, but we do, thanks to Republicans who won’t let us do a damn thing about guns. If you want something done about gun violence, stop voting for Republicans. Stop voting for people who don’t care about gun violence and think their right to own a gun is more important than your right not to be murdered.
It really is that simple, folks.
Alvin Miller, Greeley
Sometimes it is difficult for me to believe that, as supposedly clear-thinking Americans, we can establish blame for a mass shooting catastrophe. I understand why the blame concept is always talked about, and it must be because we, as humans, have a tendency to believe things will be better for everyone if we can just establish who caused the events. This exercise only occurs in our minds, however.
Firstly, there is no way to prevent mass shootings other than to eliminate the guns that are used from our society. We always try to point the finger at whoever should have done something in the interest of prevention. Rather, we should be looking inside ourselves, and if we have to blame, then we should blame ourselves. Realistically, we cannot expect mental health treatment to prevent possible future gun events from happening. We should stop to consider how totally impossible that is.
Most of us can add. It is one of the simplest mathematical concepts. Think about this when you are looking to blame. It is estimated that there are 393 million guns owned in America by about 40% of households. How insane is that!
So, those of you who would ask what mental health worker we should blame for the latest mass killing, look inside yourself. If nothing else changes when the next gun incident in America happens, and it certainly will happen, I would wish that we look at ourselves as having allowed this very apocalyptic state of affairs to exist at all.
Alvin C. Vasicek, Mesa
I’m curious: When is a good time to talk about restricting access to assault rifles? Before or after the next human slaughter?
Nick Lehnert, Longmont
Re: “Maine tragedy should change America’s gun culture,” Nov. 2 commentary
Last spring, following the Nashville school shooting, my 8th-grade students shared how the U.S. had already had more mass shootings than there were days in the year. Now the number has doubled the days so far this year. Students as young as 1st and 2nd grade are hearing this news and afraid that their school will be next. As a result of our gun culture and social media, our youth are having a Pandemic of Fragility. They don’t feel safe and are drowning in depression and anxiety.
It’s time for younger parents and grandparents to step up and demand changes in our laws regarding weapons of war and social media.
Craig A. Knippenberg, Denver
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