Brookie, Rinderle have the chops
To the editor,
I may be one of the few who attended or watched all three City Council candidate forums. I’m not sure that is something to brag about, and I doubt many of you are envious. However, I will say there is nothing like watching and listening to the candidates in person, over a series of public appearances, to help one gain better insight into their respective stances on the issues facing Durango; the consistency with which they stand by and communicate those positions; their relevant experience; and their demeanor and likely ability to engage and work respectfully, cooperatively and collegially with their fellow council members.

Two candidates, Dean Brookie and incumbent Christina Rinderle, consistently stood out above the rest. Each demonstrated a great depth of knowledge on a wide variety of topics and an impressive history of involvement in and dedication to our community.

Although I’ve known Dean for some time, he is not one to broadcast his accomplishments, so I have only recently learned of the many ways he has positively contributed to shaping the character of Durango. From the city’s recreation and transit facilities to preservation and enhancement of the downtown business district; from affordable housing to responsible land use within and on the periphery of Durango’s city limits, he has had a hand in many of the turning points that have improved quality of life here in Durango.

Christina Rinderle has shown similar passion and commitment during her four years on City Council, effectively working to enhance open space, parks and recreation facilities; engage Durango’s youth; promote responsible transportation solutions; and build a healthy relationship with the county government. This is not a job she takes lightly as evidenced by her tireless contributions to numerous local, regional and statewide bodies (Big Brothers-Big Sisters, Local First, La Plata Economic Development Alliance and Colorado Municipal League, to name a few), where she represents the best interests of Durango and its citizens.

Both Brookie and Rinderle strive to balance conservation and community-minded approaches to land-use planning, multi-modal transportation and economic development. Both will serve Durango well as city councilors.

– Geoff Hickcox, Durango

Getting to the root of gun debate
To the Editor,
On a nearby road, I see a hand-lettered sign expressing its maker’s views on a topic of recent concern, both locally and across the nation. I applaud his determination to share his thoughts with us on the actions taken by our local political representatives and the Colorado state government regarding getting a handle on indiscriminate and mass killing by persons armed with military (or military style) weapons. I haven’t the poster before me as I write this, so I will just summarize, rather than quote his message. The sign basically asserts his opinion that a local Colorado state legislator should be recalled for interfering with his right to defend himself and his family as he sees fit.

I believe we can all agree that there is no place on earth where his home and family (and all our homes and families), are so well defended. We are defended by the mightiest military in the history of the world with an astonishing array of deadly weapons. And our local police and law officers are also well trained and excellently equipped to defend us and our families from criminals and terrorists of all stripes (although, recently, certain politicians have suggested we need to cut their budgets and reduce their effectiveness to save money).

But neither the U.S. military nor our local law enforcement can defend our poster-maker’s family against folks like himself: individuals armed with sufficient fire power to eliminate his family and several others in less than 10 minutes whenever the notion strikes. Nor can they defend the rest of us against him, if he decides our church needs some cleansing or we happen to be in the mall or at the movies when he decides to resolve his grievances against society with a bang.

That is the problem, friends. People armed, not with rifles or shotguns, but with military automatic and semi-automatic weapons. The language of the Second Amendment includes the phrase “well regulated,” one assumes, because the founders thought farmers didn’t need cannons to protect themselves. The problem, here, has nothing to do with the Constitution or the Bill of Rights. It has to do with our politicians and money. And it is going to take a great deal of patience and, probably, several more Auroras and Sandy Hooks, before we, collectively and calmly, finally solve it.

– Jim Watt, Bayfield

Keith will keep business thriving
To the editor,
City Council has strayed away from encouraging a business-friendly community in Durango. Yes, we may be coming out of the recession, and our sales tax revenues may be up, but maintaining the economic viability of our town is an on-going task, and we need people on City Council who make this a business-friendly place and help our small businesses thrive, for when our businesses thrive, our whole community thrives.

Keith Brant is that person, and he is getting my vote. But don’t think he’s about making this place another bland community just because he talks a lot about fiscal responsibility. He recognizes that Durango is unique (that’s why he moved his young family here!) and he wants to help ensure that we maintain the health, character and vibrancy of our local neighborhoods. If our economy is strong, this will happen. Vote for Keith Brant for City Council.

– Andrew Klotz, Durango

Something afoot on PERA board
To the Editor,
State Treasurer Walker Stapleton recently visited Durango and spoke at several meetings. At one, he talked about the lawsuit he filed (and lost) against Colorado’s Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) Board. As Treasurer, Stapleton is one of 16 trustees who make up that Board. He spoke as if he was denied basic information to do his job on the Board. But what he asked for was specific personal information about the retirement benefits of individual PERA members.

The judge, in denying Stapleton’s request, said “he Treasurer – like any trustee of the PERA Board – is not entitled to unlimited, unfettered access to individual PERA member and benefit recipient information, which is rendered confidential by statute. Because the Treasurer was unable to articulate any legitimate explanation for how or why the requested information was needed, the PERA Board was correct in denying access.
An individual with a well-known enmity toward state employees and their retirement plan, with a legal duty to promote the welfare of members of the plan, sued the Board of that plan to get information for which he has no legitimate purpose or need in fulfilling his sworn duties to that Board – all at state expense.

I don’t know Stapleton’s reasons for wanting the information, but he has repeatedly stated his desire to change PERA to a 401(k) type of plan, which would seriously degrade the benefits of future retirees. Pension plans like PERA are more cost effective at providing the same benefit to retirees, and such plans are better for the economy. 401(k) plans are better for brokers (they make much more from them) and are historically proven to be less beneficial to retirees and their communities.

Among the responsibilities of Trustees, by law, is the “fiduciary duty solely to act in the interest of PERA members and benefit recipients.” Instead of working to protect the investments of Colorado’s retirees, Stapleton is working hard to degrade the plan he’s obliged to support. Why would he do that?

– Gary T. Skiba, Durango

District uses watered-down logic
To the Editor,
I think the Telegraph is doing a much better job of keeping people “in the know” about coming water storage (“Water World” 3/21/13)
 In this readers opinion, the Dolores Water Conservancy District is well versed in prognostication of water delivery but falls short when it actually comes to delivering the goods (i.e., releases from McPhee reservoir). Suffice to say that the quote by the districts’ general manager, Mike Preston, quoted in last weeks article saying, “Mother Nature’s really in charge here,” sums it up. The dam and its operators are in no way responsible for the amount of water that ebbs out of the bottom of the dam (or through its canals), it’s “Mother Nature’s” responsibility.

Dams don’t kill rivers, Mother Nature does! Thanks for clearing that one up for us, Mike.

– Tim Thomas, Durango

North Korea threatens the U.S.
To the Editor:
General Kang Pyo Yong of North Korea recently said “When we shell (the missiles), Washington, which is the stronghold of evils, will be engulfed in a sea of fire.” The North Korean National Defense Commission stated “In the new phase of our century-long struggle against the United States, we do not hide the fact that various satellites, long-range missiles that we will continue to launch and high-level nuclear tests we will conduct will target our sworn enemy, the United States.”

North Korean intransigence on the discontinuation of its nuclear weapons and missile development programs has fostered the current volatile situation with the United States. It has conducted three nuclear weapons tests and long-range missile tests in recent years. The missiles could possibly reach Hawaii, Alaska and the West Coast of the U.S.

We need to ensure our early warning detection systems can shoot down their missiles, and we need to review our contingency plans targeting their missile and nuclear sites. We need adequate deterrent forces in the region, including a robust South Korean military. We might want to consider encouraging Japan, an ally, to enlarge and strengthen its military capabilities.

– Donald A. Moskowitz, Londonderry

Policies enslave women, children
To the editor,
The Republican policy of “immaculate rape” is the disenfranchisement of women for Constitutional protection, followed by the slashing of prenatal and childhood nutrition programs.  This is an absolute disaster. There is no quicker way to promote government dependency than to deny women Constitutional rights, free markets and plan Bs, and then underpay them until their children slip into malnourishment. America currently counts 22 percent of its children in hunger. Texas, Mississippi, Arizona and other states that deny women access to family planning count 25 percent of their children living in hunger and malnourishment.

That’s some resume for a governor, right? Arkansas Republican legislators just demanded more control over women’s lady parts where 28.6 percent of children face malnourishment. You’ve heard of puppy mills? Welcome to the American malnourished child mills. The economic system that we currently follow rejects rule of law in order to favor the privileged, the CEOs who make 185 times what you make. CEOs demand political policies to create a tractable cheap labor population to earn their profits. With our CEOs’ profit-making industry of privatized prisons, bodies are needed for incarceration.

How do you provide them? Republicans deny women Constitutional guarantees of immunities and privileges of religious freedom, forcing them to submit to a patriarchal religious system enslaving them as broodmare concubines. Next, you slash nutrition programs for America’s children. Now there’s a plan, starve the children. Next, the “school to prison pipeline” moves our children into incarceration. Not only are the Republican policies toward women and children wrong, they are stupid. Women are hard wired to bring healthy, happy, successful children into the world. Politicians are hard wired for power.

The conservatives, who want Republican politicians to slash funding for “entitlements” designed to feed children, end up paying taxes to feed, clothe and house those very people when they end up in prison.

The ultimate irony is that not only do your taxes pay to do this, but you also pay taxes to cover the bonanza of profits that those clever CEOs and politicians arrange for you to pay as they laugh all the way to the bank.

– Ann T. Johnson, Durango