ReportWire

Tag: oped

  • Romer and Ritter: Keep Shoshone flowing by letting the Colorado River District purchase Xcel’s rights

    Romer and Ritter: Keep Shoshone flowing by letting the Colorado River District purchase Xcel’s rights

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    As governors of the great state of Colorado, dozens of issues crossed our desks every day demanding attention and action. Among the most challenging was water, in large part because in Colorado water touches most every other issue: growth, economic opportunity, our all-important agriculture sector, landscapes, open spaces, environment, quality of life, tourism and recreation. Water is the cornerstone of the health and well-being of every household in the state.

    Add to all that the complexities of our system of water allocation and water courts and you begin to understand what a challenge water policy in Colorado was when we served and why it remains so today.

    From the governor’s office at the Capitol, we were always looking for shared interests and common ground on water. It’s rare to find some policy or project that has broad support from a diverse set of interests. So when something like that comes along, it’s important to get behind it.

    That’s why we support the Colorado River District’s efforts to secure and permanently protect the water rights associated with the Shoshone Hydroelectric Plant in Glenwood Canyon. For over 100 years, the company which we now know as Xcel Energy, has owned these water rights (among the most senior on the Colorado River). Xcel used this water to produce hydroelectric power and then returned all the water to the river.

    Years ago, the Colorado River District started thinking about how to protect these rights, and through careful planning, analysis, and discussions with hundreds of stakeholders from every part of the state, has assembled an impressive coalition that supports the District’s purchase of these water rights for $99 million. Xcel Energy’s subsidiary, the Public Service Company of Colorado, has been a strong and willing partner in putting this transaction together for the benefit of the state.

    A broad-based coalition of West Slope interests – including counties, cities, elected officials, water conservancy districts, water providers, conservationists, recreation groups, and businesses – has raised over $55 million so far.

    Joining the majority of our Congressional delegation and a bipartisan group of state legislators, we also support the River District’s application to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s (USBR) Upper Colorado River Basin Environmental Drought Mitigation funding opportunity, known as Bucket 2E. The River District is putting the finishing touches on its application package, due by Nov. 22. If successful, these dollars will go a long way to fill the remaining funding gap.

    Beyond the proposal to the USBR, additional work remains to bring this historic opportunity to fruition. For example, the River District is working with the Colorado Water Conservation Board on a beneficial instream flow use to the water rights so that the river’s historical flows would always be preserved.

    In addition, as noted above, like every other water transaction in Colorado, this will have to go through water court, to make sure that other entities and water rights are not harmed by this transaction.

    Finally, the remaining funding, beyond any federal support received, needs to be secured in the next couple of years.

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    Roy Romer, Bill Ritter Jr.

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  • Letters: Describing deaths in Gaza and Lebanon is not anti-Israel bias

    Letters: Describing deaths in Gaza and Lebanon is not anti-Israel bias

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    Pointing fingers in the Mideast

    Re: “Media bias against Israel is fueling antisemitism,” Oct. 20 commentary

    I read Doug Friednash’s op-ed, again highlighting rising antisemitism as a result of the media bias and escalating retaliatory acts between Israel and Hamas.

    As a descendant of Lebanese heritage, I find it insulting and remiss that Friednash can’t seem to acknowledge the toll this conflict is exacting upon innocent Lebanese civilians caught in the middle of this conflict. By his logic, failing to mention the collateral damage to the Lebanese people is actually anti-Lebanese.

    Please, readers and the American public, appreciate and disavow the unintended consequences of these unending aggressions on Lebanese soil.

    Peter Murr, Denver

    I liked the piece in Sunday’s paper by Doug Friednash. It’s about time somebody said something. I was surprised to see it in The Post, as the paper is becoming known as the New York Times West!

    The question that is never answered is why? Why is our media doing this? These are established American news companies, supposedly staffed by patriotic Americans, yet they slant their coverage to favor the terrorists.

    Ralph H. McClure, Greeley

    In his attempt to blame the media for presenting a false picture of Israel, Doug Friednash seems to assume that Americans are unable to understand the multiple layers that exist in that region of the world.

    I am pro-Israel, but only within its pre-1967 borders. Since Israeli policy denies the right of return with full civil rights to the descendants of the indigenous people who lived there before Israel was established, I am also in favor of a fully sovereign Palestinian state in all of the West Bank and Gaza with East Jerusalem as its capital, which makes me pro-Palestine.

    I have many Jewish friends — but that does not blind me to the fact that AIPAC’s lobbyists wield an effective veto over U.S. policy in the Middle East. That said, antisemitism is as stupid as racism or being anti-Chinese or anti-immigrant.

    Because Zionism is a colonial project that continues to seize Palestinian land, I am an anti-Zionist. I am also vehemently anti-Netanyahu because his policies have killed many more non-Israeli civilians for each Israeli civilian who was killed on Oct. 7.

    Friednash seems to expect unquestioning support for all elements of Israeli policy. If not, by some twisted calculus, one is antisemitic. This is nonsense. His real complaint is that for the first time in over 75 years, the American public is finally getting factual reporting on the Middle East instead of the steady diet of pro-Zionist “news” that had been common in the past.

    The current policies of the Netanyahu government have covered Israel with shame. What is worse is that they are providing the fodder that has fueled the rise of antisemitism — worldwide. Since it is impossible to kill the idea of Palestinian nationalism with a bomb, this is surely a lose-lose situation for both Israel and the Jewish people.

    Guy Wroble, Denver

    TABOR demands permission, and ballot is asking

    Re: “Don’t mess with my TABOR refund: vote no on JJ, KK and JeffCo 1A,” Oct. 20 letter to the editor

    The letter writer apparently is a bit befuddled; he starts with “all these ballot issues would otherwise violate the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR),” then admits that “TABOR requires that government ask voters for such approval.”

    Ideologically, doesn’t the reality of TABOR go against what conservatives always say: “Let the people decide?” That should apply at the get-go of our gross earnings because, personally, I don’t need or want the state to be an annual savings account for me.

    His ending, “don’t mess with my TABOR refund,” is reminiscent of the protest signs in a past presidential election that said, “Keep your government hands off my Medicare.”

    Ken Valero, Littleton

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    DP Opinion

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  • Opinion: Colorado ballot measures, again, pit Front Range voters against rural Colorado

    Opinion: Colorado ballot measures, again, pit Front Range voters against rural Colorado

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    Tell me you don’t like rural Coloradans without telling me. That’s what two initiatives will ask the state’s urban-suburban majority to do this November; tell rural folks they’re not welcome in their own state, that their ways are passé, particularly ranching and hunting.

    Initiative 91 would outlaw the hunting of bobcats and mountain lions. The initiative is both unnecessary and a slap in the face to rural populations who live with these predators and take part in their management through hunting. These animals are plentiful and well managed by Colorado Parks and Wildlife in partnership with hunters, many of whom hail from the rural Western Slope.

    Contrary to advocates’ assertions, Colorado law already prohibits hunting mountain lions for sport; the meat must be harvested for consumption. Initiative 91 not only rejects science-based wildlife management, it is a deliberate affront to the rural way of life which for many includes hunting and fishing.

    Not surprisingly, Colorado’s most recent experience with ballot box biology hasn’t gone well for rural Coloradans. Veal beat venison in a wolf taste test. Thanks to Proposition 114, wolves were reintroduced to western Colorado in December 2023. Soon after, several of them decided to ditch swift deer for slow livestock. They’ve killed 16 calves, cows, and sheep in Grand County alone.

    Ranchers appealed to the state for relief. CPW is planning to trap the depredating wolves to relocate them. During similar trap and relocation efforts in Montana, mated pairs separated and abandoned their pups. Scientists over at CPW knew the potential consequences of bringing back this apex predator and resisted it until a narrow majority of voters forced their hand. If urban voters had known that the romantic notion of wolf reintroduction meant eviscerated livestock and dead puppies, would they have voted differently?

    Wolves won’t be the only ones going after ranchers’ livelihoods if another initiative passes. Denver voters will be asked in November to shut down the 70-year-old employee-owned Superior Farm slaughterhouse near the National Western Stock Show complex. Not only would the employees lose their jobs, the closure will adversely impact sheep ranchers and the state’s economy.

    According to a study by the Colorado State University Regional Economic Development Institute, the business generates around $861 million in economic activity and supports some 3,000 jobs. The Denver facility carries about a fifth of all U.S. sheep processing capacity. If it is not rebuilt elsewhere in Colorado, Colorado ranchers will have fewer options and could go out of business for want of places to send their livestock.

    According to the study, the loss of U.S. processing capacity will prompt markets to replace domestic supply with imports. Consumers will likely pay more for meat. Also, not every country that raises and slaughters sheep has same humane livestock regulations and standards as the U.S.

    A minority of voters could negatively impact the majority not just in Colorado. The people pushing this initiative represent an even smaller minority. They don’t believe humans should eat meat, according to their website, and this is their way to take a bite out of the age-old practice.

    Most vegetarians and vegans are live and let live but a small percentage would like to foist their lifestyle on the rest of us. It only took 2% of registered voters in Denver to push this ballot question that would single out a business for closure, toss its employees out of work, harm ranchers throughout the state, cost the state millions of dollars in economic activity, force markets to import meat, and reduce choices for those who want locally-sourced products.  It’s hard to imagine a worse idea.

    If urban and suburban voters are tempted to support these no-good, feel-good initiatives, they should first visit their neighbors on either side of the Front Range who will be impacted.  A little empathy for rural Colorado is wanting.

    Krista L. Kafer is a weekly Denver Post columnist. Follow her on X: @kristakafer.

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    Krista Kafer

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  • Opinion: Here’s why pursuing net-zero buildings — even in Aspen — isn’t practical or necessary

    Opinion: Here’s why pursuing net-zero buildings — even in Aspen — isn’t practical or necessary

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    The company I work for recently built a new ticket office at the base of Buttermilk Mountain in Aspen, Colorado. Environmentally, we killed it: argon-gas-filled windows, super-thick insulation and comprehensive air sealing, 100% electrification using heat pumps instead of gas boilers. All within budget.

    Yet one of the first comments we received was from a famous energy guru: “Nice building. But why do you have a heating system at all?” Or more simply put: “Why didn’t you build a perfect building, instead of just a really good one?”

    Solving climate change could depend on how we answer that question. My answer: Society needs the Prius of buildings, not the Tesla X.

    The green building movement didn’t originate only from a desire to protect the environment. It often had elements of the bizarre ego gratification that trumped practicality.

    Recall “Earthships” that used old tires and aluminum cans in the walls. Geodesic domes were interesting looking but produced inordinate waste to build. They also leaked. Rudolf Steiner’s weirdly wonderful Goetheanum was an all-concrete structure designed to unite “what is spiritual in the human being to what is spiritual in the universe.”

    Early practitioners such as Steiner, Buckminster Fuller, and Bill McDonough, among others, were often building monuments, whose ultimate goal became the concept of “net zero.” Net zero was a building that released no carbon dioxide emissions at all.

    Designers achieved that goal by constructing well-sealed, heavily insulated, properly oriented, and controlled buildings–but then they did something wasteful. They added solar panels to make up for carbon dioxide emissions from heating with natural gas. The approach zeroed out emissions, but at extraordinary cost that came in the form of added labor, expense and lost opportunity.

    While net zero wasn’t a good idea even when most buildings were heated with natural gas, the rapid decarbonization of utility grids — happening almost everywhere — and advances in electrification make the idea downright pointless.

    Instead, all you need to build an eventual net zero building is to go all-electric. It won’t be net zero today, but it will be net zero when the grid reaches 100% carbon-free power. So, all that really matters is that building codes require 100% electrification.

    Yet many communities remain focused on that sexy goal of net zero, and therefore include requirements for solar panels, or “solar ready” wiring. Even apart from the issue of cost, many utilities don’t need rooftop solar because they increasingly have access to huge solar arrays, giving them more electricity than they need in peak times.

    What utilities really need is energy storage and smart management.

    That means home batteries and grid integration that allows utilities to “talk” to buildings and turn off appliances during peak times. The problem is that environmentalists haven’t evolved: Just like we can’t retire our tie-dyes, we think “green” means rooftop solar panels.

    My company’s Buttermilk building passes the only test that matters: “If everyone built this kind of structure, would it solve the built environment’s portion of the climate problem?” The answer for our building is “yes.”

    Still, aspirational monuments matter. We need the Lincoln Memorial, the Empire State Building. But if we’re going to solve climate change in buildings, which is about a third of the total problem, new structures will have to reconceive what we consider efficient and beautiful. And it doesn’t have to break the bank.

    Electrification, for example, is getting cheaper every year. Years ago, I served on an environmental board for the town of Carbondale in western Colorado. The overwhelming interest there was ending dandelion spraying in the town park. But at one point, we worked on a building.

    After a long conversation about the technical tricks and feats we could pull off, a Rudolf Steiner disciple named Farmer Jack Reed said: “We should also plant bulbs in the fall so colorful flowers blossom in the spring.” “Why?” I asked, stuck in my own technocratic hole. He said: “Because flowers are beautiful and they make people happy.”

    So, too, are realistic solutions as we adapt to climate change.

    Auden Schendler is a contributor to Writers on the Range, writersontherange.org, an independent nonprofit dedicated to spurring lively conversation about the West. He is senior vice president of sustainability at Aspen One. His book, Terrible Beauty: Reckoning with Climate Complicity and Rediscovering our Soul, comes out in November.

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    Auden Schendler

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  • Letters: Jake Cave inspires Colorado Rockies fan despite a tough season for the team

    Letters: Jake Cave inspires Colorado Rockies fan despite a tough season for the team

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    Cave inspires Rockies fan despite a tough season for the team

    I’ve been following the Rockies since their beginning in 1993. My favorite player in those first years was Dante Bichette. He was such a clutch power hitter and I loved his coach Don Baylor. Baylor believed in Bichette and they were friends. In 2020 the Rockies signed Connor Joe. He was a cancer survivor who was inspiring. He made each play like it was his last. Connor Joe became my favorite player. I still love both Bichette and Joe and was inspired watching them play.

    In a season where the Rockies are at the bottom of the NL West, I don’t know why but this is my favorite season to watch the Rockies. It shouldn’t be, but I think it has a lot to do with Jake Cave, Ezequiel Tovar, Nolan Jones, Michael Toglia, Charlie Blackmon, Hunter Goodman, Kyle Freeland, Ryan McMahon, Brenton Doyle, and their manager, Bud Black.

    Cave, now my favorite Rockies player of all time, is a real-life Crash Davis with a gray beard and a relentless engine. He is playing each game with desperation as if the Rockies are going to send him back to the minors. He makes me believe the Rockies might completely turn it around for the second half of the season.

    Whatever happens, I thank the current Rockies for entertaining this retired 69-year-old man. You have given the devoted fans eternal hope, and it is riding on a 31-year-old gray beard who has no idea he shouldn’t be playing this well.

    Steven Antonuccio, Pueblo

    Harris is an exciting choice for president

    What a summer for the Democratic Party! Today, I find myself as excited about the 2024 election as I was when Barack Obama ran in 2008. Kamala Harris brings a freshness and energy we sorely need. Discouragingly, I am hearing grumblings from people who say America is “just not ready” to have a black woman as president. I say to those people, you need to check your own biases. Black Americans and women are top leaders in all segments of our society today. Questions around how race, ethnicity and gender factor into ability have been asked and satisfactorily answered over and over since this country was founded. The only relevant question now is whether Vice President Harris has the intelligence, skills, fortitude, morals, values, and drive to lead this country.

    Tamara Bennett, Carbondale

    If you really want to thank me for my service …

    I joined the Navy in 1968, one step ahead of the draft. This was just prior to the lottery system and beer-swigging wise-ass 19-year-old punks with lousy high school transcripts, such as me, were being swept up off the streets of America to participate in our first war fought for no logical reason: Vietnam. I consider myself a draft dodger by joining the Navy. Fortunately for me, the Navy gave me a chance to grow up, become focused, and develop self-discipline without the risk of lead poisoning.

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    DP Opinion

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  • Editorial: Are the Frankenstein mansions on East Colfax really worthy of preservation?

    Editorial: Are the Frankenstein mansions on East Colfax really worthy of preservation?

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    Should the two historic “Frankenstein mansions” on Franklin and East Colfax – badly damaged by a fire following years of neglect — be demolished or should Denver’s preservationists prevail in their demands the homes be restored to their former glory?

    The truth is that little remains architecturally on the 130-year-old buildings worth salvaging, and that was the case even before the Wyman Historic District was designated in 1993 to save a neighborhood full of stately mansions of historic value. Like bulky monsters constructed in an ad-hoc manner from bits and pieces, storefronts had been added to the homes in 1938 to capitalize on the bustling commercial area on Colfax. The boxy additions are poorly executed.

    And even before the current owners – Pando Holdings — purchased the buildings at Franklin and Colfax in 2017, they were in decline.

    Sadly saving the old buildings by blocking their demolition until someone comes along with the desire, financial means and ability to structurally restore them is not the best way to protect the Wyman Historic District.

    Signs of fire damage are apparent from the back of the vacant building at 1600 East Colfax Avenue in Denver on July 17, 2024. (Photo by Zachary Spindler-Krage/The Denver Post)

    In March a fire rendered the homes unsound and the owner wants to abandon his already approved plans to preserve both houses as part of a mixed-use development with a seven-story residential building on the large parking lots behind the homes.

    Denver’s Landmark Preservation Commission rejected the demolition permit requested by Pando Holdings and developer Kiely Wilson.

    But allowing the buildings to sit structurally damaged, vacant and badly burned for an indeterminate amount of time is doing more damage to Wyman than their demolition.

    The fire was possibly started by people using the empty buildings for shelter – although the Denver Fire Department has not been able to determine a cause yet. The remaining structures are unsound and a safety hazard to anyone else who might try to enter the fenced-off area, whether that’s homeless individuals or Denver teens looking for a fun graffiti pallet.

    Demolition seems to be the best path forward.

    That is not to say that we don’t sympathize with the Preservation Commission’s consternation over the turn of events.

    A plan was in place to save the buildings, and if they are demolished there is less ability to ensure that the developer will build something compatible with the historic district. The commission has more teeth when it comes to preserving a historic building and can even order repairs on buildings so homeowners don’t intentionally allow a historic structure to decay beyond the point of salvage so they can demolish it. Do we suspect that Pando Holdings is guilty of such a nefarious practice? If there was evidence of wrongdoing, no one has named it.

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    The Denver Post Editorial Board

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  • Opinion: Protesters came to our homes, with antisemitic chants to “globalize the intifada”

    Opinion: Protesters came to our homes, with antisemitic chants to “globalize the intifada”

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    Having sniper-trained police in our neighborhoods to protect us and our homes was not anything we thought we would see when we were elected to the University of Colorado Board of Regents – an unpaid elected position.

    Yet, this was exactly what happened to both of us this month when a group of anti-Israel protesters came to both of our homes. We are extremely grateful to law enforcement for protecting us and our families, and we continue to be grateful to the many community members from all faiths and backgrounds who supported us during the protests at our home.

    Involving our families and our neighbors in protests at our homes is unacceptable, and is a tactic that we hope every leader, Democratic, Republican, or unaffiliated, can join in denouncing, as our colleagues on the CU Board of Regents did in a 9-0 vote.

    The agitators leading these protests say that the regents have not listened to or responded to them. They have been protesting on our campus since October, sharing their demands with multiple parties. They have come to CU Board of Regents meetings to speak in public sessions. They have emailed us.

    We have listened to them just as we do with any other group or individual. There is a difference between not listening and not agreeing. On May 16, 2024, the regents put out a statement that read, in part, “No regent is offering any policy changes in response to the demands.”

    As elected officials, we know all too well that you don’t demand things in a democracy. You make your arguments and hope people agree with you. We certainly hope we can all agree the amount of suffering happening in our world right now is unbearable. It is complex. It is unjust. Violence and pain inflicted upon babies, children, the elderly, and other innocent civilians is the worst of humanity.

    Criticism of Israel and/or of Hamas is acceptable and protected speech, and as regents, we encourage deep and complex debates about difficult topics because that is the role of an American university.

    A pro-Palestine demonstration continues on the Auraria Campus in Denver on April 29, 2024. (Photo by RJ Sangosti/The Denver Post)

    The decades-old Boycott, Divest and Sanctions (BDS) movement these protesters are part of, however, aims to dismantle the Jewish state and end the right to Jewish self-determination. The movement does not encourage people-to-people exchanges, dialogue opportunities, or interactions between those with opposing viewpoints.

    What we do not condone is purposely creating a dangerous environment for any student, staff, faculty – including Israelis and Palestinians, Jews and Muslims, Christians and Arabs and atheists–  or any other member of our community.

    At both Denver Pride last week and in front of our homes, people changed racist phrases like “From the River to the Sea,” which has been used to call for Jews to be exterminated from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea. This is unacceptable.

    They were chanting “Globalize the Intifada” and “Resistance by any means necessary” – both racist calls for the murder and displacement of Jews throughout the world – in front of our homes. This is especially deplorable in front of the Spiegels’ home, an American Jewish family who are descendants of Holocaust survivors.

    Much of the commentary and sloganeering used by the protesters oversimplifies an ancient history of a land that is in no way comparable to the United States, South Africa, or any other nation. The binary story that is being told results in the spread of disinformation, incites hate, and perpetuates dangerous antisemitic tropes.

    Finally, the fact that the protestors use overt displays of support for internationally recognized terrorist groups like Hamas and Hezbollah in conjunction with anti-Israel protests is also unacceptable.

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    Ilana Spiegel, Callie Rennison

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  • Opinion: Opposition to online pet care is unrealistic and protectionist

    Opinion: Opposition to online pet care is unrealistic and protectionist

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    In Colorado, we love our pets, so it’s personal when the care they need is out of reach.  A recent Colorado State University study found that veterinary care is unattainable for a third of pet owners.

    This is why a group of animal welfare advocates have come together to lead ballot initiatives 144 and 145. These measures will safely increase access to veterinary care in Colorado by expanding the use of telehealth and by introducing a career pathway for a master’s-level veterinary professional associate (VPA) position, similar to a physician assistant in human medicine.

    In a recent op-ed, state politician Karen McCormick, raised concerns about these two ballot initiatives. We are a group of veterinarians with a lifelong commitment to the well-being of animals and the community. We are leading this measure and feel compelled to offer our perspective on why these measures are crucial for the health of our pets. Initiatives 144 and 145 are critical steps to safely increasing veterinary care for pets in Colorado and addressing the dire shortage of veterinary professionals.

    Animal Health Economics estimates a shortage of nearly 15,000 veterinarians will exist in the U.S. by 2030, leaving as many as 75 million pets without veterinary care. This is largely the result of a veterinary workforce crisis. There are simply too few veterinary professionals to meet the demand. A study from the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) found that there were 2,000-3,000 more open jobs than veterinarians available to hire.

    Ballot Initiative 144 increases access to veterinary telemedicine, allowing pet owners to create a new relationship with a veterinarian and receive care virtually when appropriate. This same model has been successful in human healthcare, and was passed nearly unanimously in Florida, Arizona and California last year. Rep. McCormick claims to have passed a bill (HB 24-1048) on behalf of the veterinary trade association as an “expansion” of tele-technologies. What she fails to share is that her bill eliminated options for many pet owners to access veterinary care virtually.

    Even Gov. Jared Polis stated his disappointment in this new restriction when the bill passed, saying he was concerned that it “creates additional impediments to veterinary care, especially in rural areas.” Initiative 144 repairs this damage and truly expands telehealth.

    Ballot Initiative 145 creates a career pathway for a veterinary “PA”. These professionals will have a master’s degree in veterinary clinical care and must work under the supervision of a licensed Colorado veterinarian. Initiative 145 requires robust training from a leading veterinary school in the country. It also empowers the State Board of Veterinary Medicine to create licensing and other regulatory requirements. Initiative 145 leads to increased capacity in veterinary clinics, particularly in rural communities, while driving down costs for pet owners.

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    Apryl Steele, Missy Tasky, Jo Myers

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  • Opinion: Sirota’s ranked-choice voting amendment pushed back on monied interests

    Opinion: Sirota’s ranked-choice voting amendment pushed back on monied interests

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    Thank you, Rep. Emily Sirota for ensuring that Colorado voters and county clerks are not overwhelmed with massive election changes that moneyed interests hope to foist on us through the ballot box this November.

    Sirota’s amendment to Senate Bill 210, an election reform bill, will ensure the rollout of ranked-choice voting, should it pass by voter initiative, will be implemented thoughtfully. The amendment, which passed unanimously, would require a dozen Colorado municipalities of varying sizes and demographics to conduct ranked-choice voting before it goes statewide.

    The phase-in will allow cities to develop best practices before all jurisdictions are required to implement a complicated and wholesale change. Just as mail-in voting was phased in over several years, the Sirota amendment will give clerks time to develop policies, purchase software, train employees, and educate their constituents.

    It also gives voters the opportunity to see how ranked choice voting works and gives them a chance to repeal it after the new car smell fades and they see how confusing and unfair it is. This election, Alaska voters are looking to repeal the ranked-choice voting system they approved just four years ago. They would have saved themselves a lot of money and frustration if the system had been implemented in a dozen jurisdictions instead of going all in from the start.

    A ranked-choice voting system for Colorado is being sought by the wealthy former CEO of DaVita, a Denver-based kidney dialysis provider, Kent Thiry. His proposal, which has been approved for signature collection,  would impose an open primary and ranked-choice general elections on the state.

    Here’s how it would work: Anyone, regardless of party affiliation, could run in the primary with the top four contenders advancing to the general election. In the general, voters would be asked to rank candidates in order of preference.

    It’s a confusing system, so I’ll put names to an example. Let’s say that out of a gubernatorial primary former Sen. Cory Gardner, current Sen. Michael Bennet, former Rep. Ken Buck, and Denver Mayor Mike Johnston advance to the general.

    I vote in the general for Bennet, Johnston, Buck, and Gardner in that order. If nobody gets 50% of the statewide vote, the votes are retallied. Let’s say that in the first tally, Bennet gets the least number of votes and is eliminated. Johnston, my second choice will get my vote. If Johnston is eliminated in round two, Buck will get my vote and either he or Gardner will emerge from the final round.

    In some elections, after all the tallying is done the most popular candidate (the one most voters ranked first) will go home empty-handed. In the 2010 Oakland mayoral race, the candidate who received the most votes in round one ultimately lost the election after nine rounds of vote redistribution. How fair is that to candidates or voters?

    If you’re confused, imagine how much effort, time, and money the Secretary of State and county clerks will have to expend to educate voters. It is likely the complexity will persuade some voters to chuck their ballot. Then there will be less voter participation.

    Being confusing isn’t the only problem with ranked-choice voting. Let’s say you picked only Johnston and Bennet and neither of them made it to the third round; your ballot will be considered exhausted and tossed out. Only those who voted for Buck and Gardner in whatever order, will be counted in the final tally.

    This has happened. In Maine’s 2nd Congressional District, the candidate who got the most votes ultimately lost to the second-place candidate. The Maine Secretary of State threw out more than 14,000 exhausted ballots from people who did not vote for the top two candidates. Sound fair?

    Proponents of ranked-choice voting think that such a system will reduce the number of extremist candidates and help voters coalesce around a mainstream candidate. This is a solution looking for a problem that isn’t a problem.

    Colorado does not have a problem with extreme candidates or officeholders. I did not vote for either of the state’s U.S. senators, my congressman, my representatives in the Colorado General Assembly, the governor, the attorney general, the secretary of state or the treasurer. While they are wrong on most issues, not one of them is extreme. Not one. Fanatics do come along but the current system is self-correcting.

    Extreme Democrats like Reps. Elisabeth Epps and Tim Hernández face formidable primary opponents this year and extreme Republicans like Ron Hanks and Dave Williams are unlikely to win in their primaries. Congresswoman Lauren Boebert had to flee her home district because voters yearned for normalcy and were poised to turn her out in the primary or general.

    While we’re popping illusion balloons, the Sirota Amendment was not some sneaky last-minute ploy. County clerks and the Colorado Clerks Association approached Sirota with the concerns they have about implementing the Thiry proposal if it passed and she listened. Matt Crane, executive director clerks association, told me that organization “strongly support[s] the amendment and appreciate[s] Rep. Sirota’s willingness to include it in the bill.”

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    Krista Kafer

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  • Editorial: If the ban on occupancy limits is combined with legalized ADUs density will come to single-family neighborhoods

    Editorial: If the ban on occupancy limits is combined with legalized ADUs density will come to single-family neighborhoods

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    Gov. Jared Polis just signed legislation to ban almost all occupancy limits, and coming rapidly toward his desk is a bill to allow ADUs on almost every single-family lot in big Colorado cities.

    The occupancy ban still allows cities and counties to enforce fire codes and to regulate unhealthy and unsanitary conditions, but for the most part, cities will no longer be able to restrict how many unrelated people live in a house or apartment together.

    Very few cities still have occupancy limits on their books, and those that do rarely enforce them. Most of the enforcement was occurring in areas near colleges where neighbors complained about cars blocking driveways and too many loud, late-night parties, and landlords use the law as an excuse to limit the number of tenants in an apartment (a discriminatory trick that can intentionally restrict units from less affluent renters).

    But late-night disturbances in college neighborhoods can occur whether it is guests or residents making the problems. And we know that both rich and poor tenants can trash a condo or fail to make rent payments on time.

    The reality is that with housing reaching unsustainable costs in places across the state, more and more families are doubling up to be able to afford housing. Those families should not live in fear of being “caught” and also should be afforded the protections that come with having their name on the lease as legitimate tenants.

    Colorado cities will just have to get more aggressive in enforcing nuisance ordinances that already exist in most places. Anyone can have a problem neighbor whether there is one person living in a house or 15. The problem most generally isn’t density, but rather is the behaviors that can be associated with many college-aged tenants living together. We doubt families will be a concern.

    Gov. Jared Polis was right to sign House Bill 1007, and unlike Denver’s effort in 2021 to alleviate occupancy limits, this bill was met with less fearmongering and more common-sense requests for amendments.

    Next up Polis will likely have to consider a bill to allow ADUs on every lot in large cities. Accessory Dwelling Units are a way to bring gentle density to single-family neighborhoods. We understand concerns that coupled with the occupancy limit ban, this bill may bring more than gentle density.

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    The Denver Post Editorial Board

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  • Letters: Russell Wilson wasn’t the problem. Here’s who should have been sacked.

    Letters: Russell Wilson wasn’t the problem. Here’s who should have been sacked.

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    Russell Wilson wasn’t the problem

    Re: “Broncos releasing QB Russell Wilson, team announces, making expected move official after disappointing two-year run,” March 4 news story

    From the sidelines – in sacking Russell Wilson — the Broncos and Denver lost not only a great QB, but very decent and genuine human beings, both he and his family. The fault lies not with Wilson but with Sean Payton and his inability to coach the talent he had at his disposal. And quality talent it was. They should have dumped Payton. The very best to Wilson and his family. Would it not be the height of irony if he lands with a team that knocks Denver out of Super Bowl competition?

    Steven Turner, Aurora

    Transition to renewables is more than fast enough

    Re: “Colorado’s renewable energy transition too slow,” March 2 letter to the editor

    I disagree with the letter writer’s opinion that Colorado’s clean energy transition is too slow.  I don’t believe the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s data support his argument.

    Yes, Iowa produces more wind power than Colorado. It also operates a fleet of coal plants. In November 2023, Iowa’s coal power consumption per capita equaled Colorado’s. In 2022, Iowa’s and Colorado’s power sectors produced roughly the same amount of CO2 emissions, but Colorado has twice the population.

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    DP Opinion

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  • Letters: How are these two “old farts” America’s only options?

    Letters: How are these two “old farts” America’s only options?

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    2024 election is stuck in loop from 2020

    Well, it looks like it’ll come down to the same song and dance this November with Donald Trump and Joe Biden. I’m really angry that both parties couldn’t find stronger, better, younger candidates than these old farts! Don’t these two have lives like normal older people who want to retire and spend time with family, travel, or just relax? Or is it just the egomaniacal want for power that they just keep on (and on and on)?

    I don’t want either one of them again, but I really can’t stand another four years of constant anxiety, dreading reading the daily news and seeing that loud, obnoxious Trump spouting off every single day. And that’s not even to mention his numerous financial litigations and sexual scandals that he is currently in court for!

    What a world we live in.

    Liz Boswell, Denver

    It looks like we’re stuck with the so-called match-up “nobody wants.” The GOP is stuck with “the mouth” and the Dems are stuck with cartoon dummy “Walter” look alike. I still can’t believe that out of the 350 million plus people in this country, we can’t come up with two truly qualified people to run for POTUS. Since these knuckleheads ran against each other back in 2020, we haven’t learned anything.

    Yes, I voted for Donald Trump against Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden, but not because I wanted him; it was because I couldn’t see either of those other two in office.

    If we have the 2020 rematch, I won’t be voting for president at all. I’ll vote for everything else on the ballot. I honestly believe that the leaders of both parties created the “mouth” that Trump has become — granted, he always had a big egotistical mouth. All the top dogs in the GOP, starting with the Bushes, John McCain, and Mitt Romney, wouldn’t support his election. He had to fight for everything with opposition from all corners; it’s no wonder he turned into someone I would no longer support for the next election.

    I also find it hard to believe that after so many times Biden was rejected for the nomination by the Democrats, they couldn’t find a better nominee back then. As far as I’m concerned, neither one of them would make a pimple on Richard Nixon’s butt.

    Peter Beckley, Aurora

    Goody. In 2024, Americans are now facing a repeat of the delightful 2020 presidential election, only this time the Packard with a hole in its muffler will have 810,000 miles on it, and the Edsel that leaks oil everywhere will have 780,000.

    Some choice.

    Craig Marshall Smith, Highlands Ranch

    Who is calling whom “ideological”

    Re: “Which Colorado Republicans will carry Trump’s bromance for Putin to Congress?” March 3 commentary

    It’s laughable to hear liberals like Doug Friednash pining for Ronald Reagan in his approach to Russia and insulting Donald Trump and Tucker Carlson, respectively, for their “bromance” and “propaganda” with Putin. I often hear liberals say they want a Republican from years ago, like Reagan or Ike, while not pining for Democrats like Walter Mondale or Jimmy Carter. Are they dishonest, or do they genuinely not realize that times and issues change?

    For Friednash to call Russia “ideological” shows him to be uninformed. Russia isn’t communist, and it’s hard to know what their ideology is other than authoritarianism and social conservatism. That’s the case in most of the non-western world. Russia and China are famously hands-off about the governance in countries they deal with. China is criticized for apathy in Africa, where they have mining concessions. They extract minerals, pay royalties, and don’t give political lectures. Russia’s Wagner group recently replaced French anti-terrorism forces in Niger and Mali, likely due to French political interference regarding corruption. Wagner doesn’t care.

    Ironically, it’s now the U.S. as the ideological actor on the world stage. We fly pride flags at embassies and meddle in LGBTQ, diversity and immigration issues. That’s why we’re finding it hard to recruit allies in the developing world against Russia. Friednash implicitly recognizes this with several references to LGBTQ rights in Russia. That’s what “our democracy” now means and why he hates Putin.

    The reality is that this war could have been prevented if we had merely agreed not to admit Ukraine into NATO. In February of ’22, I remember distinctly U.S. officials making comments about our commitment to a rules based order where countries can choose their allies and security partners. Who’s the ideologue? Making enemies and risking WWIII for pride flags and Drag Queen Story Hour is foolish.

    Jim Hemenway, Niwot

    Editor’s note: Hemenway is a candidate for Colorado’s 7th Congressional District.

    A tale of two classified-documents leakers

    Re: “Pentagon leaker pleads guilty, faces 11-plus years in prison,” March 5 news story

    On Tuesday, there was an article about the Massachusetts Air National Guard member who leaked highly classified documents and shared them with other users on a social media platform. He pled guilty and will serve up to 17 years.

    We have a candidate running for president who removed many boxes of highly classified documents from the White House when he previously served as president. This classified information was available to many people who visited his place of business and residence as it was not kept in a secure area. This man also showed highly classified documents to a foreign citizen and others.

    Why the unfairness in our society? Should he not be in prison as well? Why would anyone vote for a person who jeopardizes the secrets and safety of our country?

    Norma Anderson, Lakewood

    Editor’s note: Anderson is a former state senator.

    A few words on behalf of Oct. 7 victims

    Re: “Local cease-fire resolutions are statements of humanity,” March 3 commentary

    I was struck by the excuses for the lack of decorum at the Denver City Council meeting for the insistence on the council to pass a resolution calling for a cease-fire in Gaza. Clearly, the disruptions of these protesters caused the council to feel threatened and bullied. Good for the council to resist these threats as undemocratic. We have had many protests at many city council hearings across the country and all have been similar in nature to what happened in Denver. This strategy of rage and bullying is right out of Hamas’s playbook.

    In fact, while the commentators continue to condemn Israel’s actions, there is often no mention of Oct. 7, nor the loss of lives of women and children, the torture, rape, and brutality by Hamas perpetrated on Israel that fateful day. No mention of the hostages that Hamas kidnapped and is now using as pawns in their game to vilify Israel. Not one.

    If these protesters were interested in a cease-fire, they should rightfully be protesting against Hamas. If Hamas were to release all of the hostages, both dead and alive, and surrender, there would be a cease-fire immediately. In fact, there had been a cease-fire on Oct. 6. Hamas’ bloodthirsty savagery in its attack against the sovereignty of Israel and the massacre of Israeli civilians the following day had more than provoked the Israel Defense Forces (not the “Israel Occupation Forces” as sarcastically noted in the guest commentary).

    We are all concerned about the deaths of the Gazans, well, except for Hamas. This poor excuse for the lack of decorum and protest against Israel’s military actions, etc., is just one more example of what these protests are truly about: Jew hatred.

    ER Miller, Denver

    If Hamas surrenders and releases the hostages, there will be a cease-fire. Instead of telling Israel to stop firing, tell Hamas to stop firing.

    Gary Wachter, Centennial

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    TJ Hutchinson

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  • Letters: Denver, get to the bottom of these long lines at DIA

    Letters: Denver, get to the bottom of these long lines at DIA

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    Get to the bottom of these long lines at DIA

    On Feb. 17 at 9 a.m., we encountered significantly long security lines at Denver International Airport’s west side, leading to delays and frustrations for hundreds if not thousands of passengers. Lines snaked through common areas, adding to the inconvenience. Certainly not an upgraded experience.

    While millions of dollars were supposedly invested in security upgrades, the recent experience suggests further improvements are needed. Are there staffing limitations contributing to the issue?

    I urge the airport authorities and Denver City Council to investigate the root cause of these long lines. The city spent millions of dollars and obviously didn’t improve the security process. This makes our airport look like a third-rate facility. If the City of Denver can’t run the airport, hire professionals to do the job.

    Gregg S. Hayutin, Denver

    Welcome back, Troy Renck

    Re: “Troy Renck returns to The Denver Post as sports columnist,” Feb. 15 news story

    I am filled with gladness at the hiring of Troy Renck as a sports columnist and especially happy with the departure of Mark Kiszla, who was, in my opinion, a journalistic hack, a peddler of negativity, and a troll who unnecessarily attacked and demeaned the character and personality of Denver sports personalities. Most recently, his remarks about Broncos coach Sean Payton were odious, and he was unkind to quarterback Russell Wilson before he ever stepped on the field. This represents a move toward more balanced and positive reporting by The Post and I hope it continues.

    Digby Kirby, Denver

    Hey GOP: What would Reagan do?

    Re: “Aid to Ukraine hinges on House speaker,” Feb. 18 news story

    Republicans in the U.S. House have abandoned the freedom fighters in Ukraine. When Ronald Reagan built the strongest military force in the world and stoutly supported freedom, Ukraine and other states were able to throw off Russian domination. Vladimir Putin is determined to rebuild that “evil empire,” and today’s Republican appeasers are happy to open the door for him.

    Ukraine will not be the last country Putin enslaves. We can stop him now by supplying ammunition, or we can retreat and imperil our future.

    Ray Harlan, Denver

    Ronald Reagan would turn in his grave if he knew Donald Trump’s puppet, House Speaker Mike Johnson, is sitting on Ukraine aid. If Trump’s buddy, Putin, succeeds in ensnaring the Ukrainian people, who is next? We need to help Ukraine for their sake and for our own sake.

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    DP Opinion

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