Metro Denver school bond issues are the subject of this article from the Rocky Mountain News [October 6, 2003, "Five bond votes loom"]. The Rocky is also running a short analysis of the effect on homeowners if the bond issues pass.

The Rocky Mountain News [October 6, 2003, "Voters should back charter reform"] is running an editorial urging voters to pass Referred Question 1A on the November ballot. 1A includes charter amendments that will remove language that determines the formula for city worker salary review. From the editorial, "The charter changes are no substitute for Hickenlooper's $712.6 million spending plan for 2004, which is designed to avoid layoffs and maintain basic services. An overhaul of the Career Service Authority wouldn't in fact affect the 2004 budget at all, and if adopted by voters wouldn't be felt until at least the 2005 budget." Here's a link to yesterday's Coyote Gulch with more information on 1A.

The Rocky [October 6, 2003, "Speakout: 33 would prop up a cruel industry"] is running an opinion piece critical of Amendment 33. From the essay, "Dog racing should not be propped up by casino gambling because it is cruel and inhumane. According to the National Greyhound Association, a trade group that is responsible for promoting the industry, thousands of greyhounds are killed each year nationwide. Many of these dogs are put to death simply because they are no longer fast enough to be profitable at the racetrack. While racing, greyhounds are caged for up to 22 hours each day, and many suffer serious injuries while competing. This cruelty was highlighted in 1998 when Colorado State University admitted that more than 2,600 ex-racing greyhounds had been donated to the university over a three-year period. According to published reports, roughly half of these dogs were used in terminal teaching labs, where they were not revived after undergoing practice surgeries. The remaining dogs were either killed immediately upon arrival, used in anatomy classes, in dental experiments, or to test experimental treatments for injured dogs."
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