The writer lambasting I-1033 fails to analyze why it’s on the ballot. It will be good for the citizens and forces government to manage their budgets by putting the citizen first. We have to balance our budgets with what we have The state should do the same. Governments should not put their special interest ahead of ours.
Many of his stated conditions if I-1033 passes are nothing more than threats in a fear tactic hoping to intimidate the voters, citizens that would be far better off if I-1033 passed. Given the revenues the state, county, and cities, there is plenty of money for elected officials to pay for essential services like fire, police, and public works. By saying we will lose firefighters, the writer implies elected officials will divert funds from essential services to non-essential services. If that’s who he wants to represent us, he’s wrong. Any elected official that puts us in danger has personal priorities, not public priorities. Nor should they not endanger schools,! colleges, parks, or health and human services; however these services are often funded through ballot measures. If considered by the voters as necessary, funding will be available.
The “immense harm” in California he refers to is not because the citizens passed Prop 13 limiting property taxes, it’s because their elected officials did not live within their means and created a class of individuals that depend on government handouts. The California mess has more to do with whom they elected than reduced revenues. Their budget has always grown, not decreased.
In Colorado, the failure of the health department to inspect services to the level they want ignores the legal process for which the pubic has resources to prevent problems. Harmed individuals can put irresponsible vendors out of business and should the worse happen, can recover damages though the legal system. Public health is essential to prevent wide spread social hazards, not specific grievances. In Colorado, Colorado Springs is a rich community that has the ability to pay for what they want. Evidently the citizens made their choice of what services were necessary and which were not.
If I-1033 passes, it will not deny any individual, jurisdiction, or agency from putting their request for support before the public on the ballot. It will benefit all taxpayers. If we do not pass I-1033, we will continue to allow elected officials to fund their special interest instead of ours. We don’t need to progress into irresponsibility only to have someone who was elected do it for us. We need to represent ourselves.
Robert Styles, Kirkland
