Denver November 2004 Election
Ken Salazar and Peter Coors met face-to-face again yesterday, according to the Denver Post [September 19, 2004, "Coors, Salazar debate drinking age, abortion issues"].
Here's an opinion piece about Amendment 35 from the Denver Post [September 19, 2004, "Cigarette tax debated"]. The amendment would raise Colorado's 20 cents-per-pack cigarette tax to 84 cents. From the article, "So voters face knotty questions when considering Amendment 35: Should tobacco taxes be raised? Will doing so decrease smoking or unfairly tax a minority and hurt some businesses? Finally, is it good policy to earmark yet another source of state revenue for a specific purpose?"
Here's an editorial in support of FasTracks from the Denver Post [September 19, 2004, "Critics of transit plan offer little alternative"]. From the editorial, "Gov. Bill Owens and Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper dueled last week over the FasTracks transit plan, but a study by the Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce delivers the tie-breaker - amplifying Hickenlooper's belief that rapid transit is crucial for the economic vitality of the metropolitan area. The chamber was deliberative in joining the FasTracks effort but is now convinced that a failure to pass the measure - Referendum 4A on metro-area ballots - would eventually diminish regional ambitions and quality of life."
Here's an opinion piece from Lorraine Anderson, chairman of the Denver Regional Council of Governments, attacking the Rocky Mountain News' series of editorials against FasTracks from the Rocky [September 19, 2004, "Speakout: There is an integrated transit plan"]. She writes, "In the first part of its Sept. 8-10 editorial series on FasTracks, "Hold on - not so fast, FasTracks fans," the News states there is no "truly integrated transportation plan geared toward limiting further deterioration of our mobility." This is incorrect. The integrated plan is Metro Vision 2025, jointly developed and adopted by the Regional Transportation District, the Colorado Department of Transportation and the Denver Regional Council Of Governments. Metro Vision accommodates regional growth projections to include more than 950,000 new residents, 680,000 new jobs, and plans for addressing the resulting 83 percent increase in severely congested lane miles. It's ironic that the region's transportation partners are accused of failing to provide integrated transportation planning because RTD is implementing its stated mission. News readers should know that, like Metro Vision, DRCOG's FasTracks report, a state-required assessment of transit proposals for the region, also received approval from RTD, CDOT and DRCOG itself. The assessment found FasTracks solidly supports Metro Vision. In addition, it revealed significant travel-time savings during peak hours."
Joanne Dittmer is urging voters to support extending the sales tax for the Scientific and Cultural District in her column in today's Denver Post [September 19, 2004, "Every cent counts for SCFD beneficiaries"]. From the opinion piece, "The distribution formula has three tiers: Tier I is the four original major institutions, to be joined by the Denver Center for the Performing Arts; Tier II is earned by attendance, generally 40,000 to 60,000 annually, and revenues of at least $923,000; and Tier III, for smaller groups, has no qualifying requirements or income. SCFD staff determine eligibility, and county volunteer committees select recipients subject to county commissioners' approval. Last year, Tier I groups received $20.5 million, Tier II $9.7 million and Tier III $4.5 million. Allocations ranged from $6.7 million to the Museum of Nature and Science to $269 for a choral group. SCFD administration is limited to 0.75 percent. The SCFD keeps admission prices low and provides more than 100 free days at the zoo, Botanic Gardens and various museums, and admits 2 million schoolchildren on class outings. The renewal of the SCFD tax will come with some changes, including enlarging Arapahoe, Adams and Douglas county borders. In addition, Tier I recipients will give up some funding: between 1 percent and 2 percent to Tier II,and between 0.5 percent and 1 percent to Tier III. Other additions: A Tier III applicant has to have been in operation for three years; Tier II in operation for five years; an applicant must be financially stable; and SCFD funds may not be used to pay off debt."
6:34:28 AM 
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