Denver November 2004 Election
RTD's Fastracks project received approval from the Denver Regional Council of Governments yesterday, paving the way for the proposal to go in front of Denver voters in November, according to the Rocky Mountain News [April 22, 2004, "FasTracks receives crucial green light"]. From the article, "The approval means DRCOG determined the ambitious 12-year transit expansion plan to be technically and financially sound. But whether it is built hinges on the public's approval of an increase in the metro transit sales tax, now at 0.6 cents, to a full penny on the dollar. That would mean an additional four cents in tax on a $10 purchase. An independent campaign committee called FasTracks Yes! plans to launch the campaign on May 2 in favor of the tax increase. It will start with a petition drive to gather the 35,000 signatures needed to put it on the Nov. 2 ballot. DRCOG adopted 11 resolutions in total, approving each of the nine rapid transit corridors individually, related elements such as renovations to Union Station, and the entire system as a package. FasTracks includes three new light-rail corridors, three new diesel-power commuter rail lines, a Bus Rapid Transit route on the Boulder Turnpike, extensions to three existing light rail lines and substantial increases in crosstown suburban bus services." Here's the coverage from the Denver Post [April 22, 2004, "Area leaders unanimously OK FasTracks"].
Hispanic Catholics are split in their defense of Ken Salazar's and his pro-choice views and Archbishop Chaput's opinion that politicians should not go against the teachings of the church, according to the Rocky Mountain News [April 22, 2004, "Remarks irk some Hispanics"]. From the article, "A constituency the Archdiocese of Denver has spent years courting showed signs of tension Wednesday, as some prominent Hispanic Catholics took issue with their archbishop's message that pro-choice politicians are not following their faith. In columns in the local Catholic newspaper, Archbishop Charles Chaput - though he never mentions names - identifies a class of politician who 'who claim to be Catholic and then prominently ignore their own faith on matters of public policy.' To some Hispanic Catholics, that message seems aimed at Democratic Attorney General Ken Salazar, a Catholic abortion-rights supporter running for U.S. Senate."
Peter Blake writes about Mike Miles in his column in yesterday's Rocky Mountain News [April 21, 2004, "Blake: Hoping to school Salazar"]. Miles failed to get 30% of the delegate vote at the caucuses a couple of weeks ago but decided to go on with his campaign anyway.
6:20:10 AM 
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