A DIFFERING VIEW: GOCO funds not meant to aid state parks
You would think the editors of the Rocky Mountain News would understand more about the “will of the people” regarding the use of Great Outdoors Colorado funds (“Pay to fix parks with GOCO ‘timeout,’” Aug. 12).
Citizens strongly voted they wanted a funding mechanism put in place through GOCO to acquire and preserve deserving Colorado lands from development and sprawl through the purchase of such lands. They did not want GOCO to provide a convenient way for state legislators to avoid their responsibility to properly fund the operation and maintenance of our state parks.
One does not have to look far to see how rampant leapfrog sprawl along the Front Range (and into the foothills) is eating up large swaths of land with low-density sprawl — land that should and needs to be preserved as open space and vital habitat for a variety of diminishing kinds of wildlife.
Edward Talbot is a resident of Arvada.
Anytime you give he government a raise in revenue it is bound to be misapplied and abused. Usally in more nonneeded welfare programs that create more dependancy on the government. If you Edward ar so concerned about urban sprawl, get a private funded group together and purchase said land to prevent the developers in building there. Or allow the builings to be built taler over 15 stories then. the argument it takes away from the skyline pushes the sprawl.
Posted by on August 17, 2007 05:38 AMAgreed Edward. Unlike no-name-poor-speller above, I remember when voters approved GOCO and what the intent was. It was terribly managed by Bill Owens bunch; I believe a rancher was put in charge and little land seemed to have been acquired while there were reports that the funds were being used to purchase fireworks and baseball uniforms.
I just quit buying lotto tickets altogether. Bring back the original intent of land preservation and I will pitch in once more.
Better yet, eliminate the government.
Posted by on August 17, 2007 10:31 AMHey self inflated ego hikingartist. I am just a product of that great public school system you promote. As a matter of fact was in the top third of my class in the DPS system. Amazing my spelling sucks huh.
But then again i dont run around worrying on weather or not I spelled something correct. I am blue collar, redneck and PROUD OF IT!
And by the way your mother likes it too
Posted by on August 17, 2007 10:47 AMOf course, the point that 5:38a makes is overlooked. The idea of private groups purchasing lands to keep them undeveloped is a great idea, until you remember the concept of "eminent domain". Buy up all the land you want, and if a city or state government wants it back, they can just take it and give you a joke of a dollar amount in compensation.
And regarding his comment about being a product of public education - a student will still only get out of education what he is capable of putting into it in the first place. Being proud of being uneducated is what got us the lousy president we have.
Posted by Lyle on August 17, 2007 11:06 AM