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Estes Park works against its residents

Patrick Cipolla, Estes Park

Published January 22, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.

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Imagine a town government that uses more than 25 percent of its $28 million budget just to pay themselves (highest paying jobs around)! Imagine a government that makes it hard for a common citizen to have access to government public records.

Colorado Revised Statutes 24-72-201 through 309 give a Colorado citizen the right to request and receive information about government employee salaries, bonuses and benefits.

Imagine a town that passes its own policy on giving public information but jacks the price up to say $60 or $90. The Colorado attorney general and the Larimer County district attorney were contacted about this town doing this in clear violation of CRS 24-72-205 - and no one did anything or wanted to do anything about this violation.

Imagine a town that works against its businesses and residents. Imagine only 19 percent of the people voting!

Imagine a town appointing its commissions, boards and even town manager (without ever advertising as other towns do). Imagine a government that writes its laws to appease developers and not its residents. Sounds like a Third World country or a foreign country at the least.

Welcome to Estes Park, where this is a way of life!

Comments

  • January 22, 2008

    1:46 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    clyde writes:

    Your government knows best. You just simply don't have enough information to make an informed decision. Trust them, and they will take care of you and act in YOUR best interest. They are tireless, selfless, compassionate beings that wish nothing more than to sacrifice their time just for YOU.

  • January 22, 2008

    6:30 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    VVVV writes:

    It sounds like any other town. Ever hear of Lakewood? When only 19% of the people seem to care, and voting isn't caring much, of course they are going to be wooed by lucrative suitors like developers. All done under the guise of growing the economy.

    What you should be imagining is some way to do things better, because in 227 years, nobody has found a way to permanently prevent corruption in this country. Once you figure that out, it's only a matter of changing the status quo, and we all know how easy that is. I didn't say it, but "things have to get worse before they get better."

  • January 22, 2008

    6:55 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    TeresaBinstock writes:

    Perhaps a RMN reporter could delve into light pollution in Estes Park and determine who makes town-lighting decisions and who derives a salary funded in relation to the Town's electricity revenues.

  • January 22, 2008

    8:14 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    justright writes:

    Sounds like someone is angry about something. Instead of imagining why don't you actual supply some facts of what they did to you. It shouldn't be hard most goverments have a list of stuff but I am guessing something really made you mad?

  • January 22, 2008

    11:19 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Old_Grouch writes:

    Earl,

    Just out of curiosity, aside from YOUR OWN SELF, is there anything, or anybody, YOU care for, or care about?

    All we ever hear from you is how "socialists" - and whatever other word you use as what you think to be an insult, slam, or denegration - are those who even appear to "care" about others. And for you, that's something to be insulted, slammed, denegrated, and otherwise made to appear "wrong".

    But of course, that's just good old conservative Republican selfishness and self-centered self-righteousness, after all.

  • January 22, 2008

    11:53 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Tree_Hugger writes:

    Thanks for the hot tips. I'm applying for a government job in Estes today!

  • January 22, 2008

    3:55 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Lowtaxequalsfreedom writes:

    Old Grouch you are a little off of your mark. Many of us who want lower taxes want this money so we can contribute more to charity than we already do. We also want lower taxes because tax cheaters will get less of a break when they cheat. Sad thing is the cheaters vote yes for every new tax increase. Finally we want lower taxes because most of the money we pay in taxes goes to bureaucrats and very little gets to where it needs to be. Quit thinking we are all in it for ourselves. There is method to our madness and you need to learn it.