Step up and vote for schools

Dear Editor:

I have been involved in the field of education for 30 years, affording me the opportunity to visit and study countless educational facilities across the country. I have seen few school districts, on one hand, with such quality staff, administrators, instructional programs and community commitment with, on the other hand, such poor and inequitable facilities and instructional settings as in Durango’s District 9-R.

As a member of the Blue Ribbon Facilities Committee, I was shocked at the conditions of our schools when we studied each facility. For too long the district has had to choose between making repairs and funding educational programs. Now with state and federal budget cuts, many of those programs have been eliminated or are being threatened. With bond interest rates low and the financial support of the oil and gas industry, it is now time we step up and vote for 3A and 3B to alleviate overcrowding, address maintenance and safety issues, fund necessary instructional programs, and provide competitive teacher salaries to retain and attract the best and the brightest. Our students and teachers deserve school facilities in which they can learn and teach to meet today’s higher standards. Furthermore, we as a community deserve well-educated graduates of the local school system who will become future leaders.

My husband, Don Becket, an architect and planner for countless projects worldwide, has studied the proposed renovations and new construction for the district and feels that all facilities have been planned in a very careful, thoughtful way. His study of the management of the actual construction sees the project being within the budget and completed on time.

As 15-year residents of La Plata County and concerned about the education of our community’s children at all levels, we fully endorse bond issues 3A and 3B and urge all citizens to join us in voting “yes” on these measures.

- Diane Becket, Ph.D.,
MacDonald Becket, F.A.I.A.

The evil of environmentalism

Dear Editor:

Constant reminders of the fragility and uniqueness of all our ecosystems are part of environmentalism’s “no net loss” policy. It’s as if none has ever survived the ravages of forest fires, hurricanes, ice storms, cyclones, volcanoes, earthquakes, drought, floods and hundreds of other natural perils that wreak havoc far more than a periodic human activity.

This policy is the inevitable conclusion from environmentalism’s inherent distrust of the concept of personal freedom. The eco-movement exhibits a manifest distrust of all private approaches to environmental protection. It believes private individuals are incapable of obtaining the goals of the eco’s self-assumed moral, aesthetic and cultural urgency.

What the eco-movement fails to grasp is that what motivate self-interest aligns well with the common welfare. The cost to the common good in refusing to recognize the power of personal incentives has been a collection of rules and statues that quite literally defy sense, conceal enormous amounts of logrolling, produce wasteful government subsidies, use technology inefficiently and create political agendas that deny using effective solutions. It even prevents admitting mistakes.
The idea is simple, and the reality of it is proven: Only personal freedom provides for economic progress. Only economic progress leads to environmental progress. Once nations get rich, they aggressively improve their environment. Look at the cleanest places in the world, they are rich countries. Look at the dirtiest places in the world, they are poor countries. The lesson is that there are no free goods in environmental areas any more than there are anywhere else. Extending government control over private concerns in the name of environmental crises can take a lesson from the massive failures of collective ownership of the means of production. Why should anyone expect government action to perform any better with the environment?

– Kim Rogalin,
Durango via email

Colorado’s green party candidate

Dear Editor:

My name is Ron Forthofer, and I’m the Green Party candidate for governor. Never heard of me? I’m not surprised. In fact, that’s why I’m writing this letter.

During this election season, the role of the media should be to inform the electorate about all the candidates and all the issues on the ballot. Unfortunately, most of the media have abdicated that role.

It’s time to wrest control of our government out of the hands of big-money interests and return control to the people of this great state. It’s time to hear all the candidates’ views on issues. Our democracy is at stake!

As the Green Party gubernatorial candidate, I am offering Coloradans innovative win-win solutions that the major parties cannot (or will not) even consider. My basic platform is putting people and planet before profit. My key issues are: n Healing our ailing health-care system;
- Getting big money out of politics;
- Repairing and rebuilding our schools;
- Budgeting to meet people’s needs;
- Cooling global warming.

Please visit www.forthofer.com to learn more about my solutions to these and many other issues. Then consider voting Green if you want real change!

– Ronald Forthofer,
Green Party Candidate
for Governor, Longmont