The topic of diverting lottery funds is one of the most absurd yet out of our state lawmakers. They either go at it as 'all or nothing' (or) refuse to stand up to the trough hogs like Pitkin County.
Washington State and the State of Illinois disburse gaming proceeds, specifically lottery.
A certain percentage goes to Parks, Rec, Open Space. Another chunk goes to public and post-secondary education. Another piece of the pie goes to Road, Bridge and Infrastructure maintenance. With another slice going to Human Services. Periodically, some rotations are done.
GOCO has sucked up millions of dollars in lottery proceeds since inception. There are counties around the state that are just sitting on funds trying to find still yet another play park, recreational game or venue or chunk of ground to build something 'recreational' on.
While our schools and public education system are in dire financial straits, we have more homeless and hungry than every before in Colorado history and you can't drive anywhere without a wide range of pot holes plaguing every mile you drive.
A few days ago, the Aspen Times published their editorial "Aspen pounds its liberal chest" and did so with obviously great pride. I could not stomach the thought of the likely bloody brutality commentators would respond with, so I did not toss it up. The topics they chose to tout as "liberal" base were far from politics. Why is it, that immediate inflammatory content is the first choice for "liberal" publications?
Since when are liberals the only ones who conserve and recycle plastics? What? Mayor Mick, who apparently is the only one who has "secret access" to all cast ballots, went in and determined that it was only "liberals" who voted for the ban?? Get real!.
"Liberals" are the only ones who supported getting away from the US Chamber? Here's a news flash, Aspen and ACRA: You have a lot more "liberals" and "conservatives" out here wanting a clear transparency answer on "why" the detailed accounting of the ACRA 501-C6 isn't the reason for leaving the US Chamber behind. The very idea that an entire 'scandal' can be played out in global press over the "climate change" and "US Chamber decision" is ridiculous, silly and pompous. You have much greater concerns, say the folks.
The Aspen arm of the Susan G. Komen foundation saw heavy negative fire from an entire nation, not just "conservatives". Their position catalyzed the conversation to ignite but the primary back-slappers were Aspenites. The move by Aspen's Komen sparked the "war on women" battles that have been going on ever since. A war, since the Aspen Times is keeping score, that "conservative women" are winning. This isn't about Roe v. Wade, birth control, Planned Parenthood funding. The "war on women" is about respect for all women. Something that a rising showing of "liberals" are having difficulty with. Aspen Komen had a few great days of media spotlight but the message they sent was exactly the opposite of what they thought they were achieving. "Conservative" women have since made certain that the facts are drowning out the spin. So far, "they" seem to not only be succeeding, "they" seem to be showing a great deal of respect for all women.
I wonder if the Pitkin County Commissioners are going to write still yet another of their infamous letters. This time trying to stop the 'education hogs' from seizing the entire pie of lottery proceeds.
That might be tough to pull off with any credibility since they are "open space, parks and rec hogs' themselves and are just coming off sending their latest missive to the government.
And then there is that small problem of the blazing 'manufactured outrage' sending too many letters protecting Aspen's drug and law enforcement culture. Just look where that got them with the DEA and FBI.
How about sharing that cash cow of gaming proceeds?
win win.
(Read the article? Click title)
"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."
7 comments:
I've come to the conclusion that they know no better and cannot help themselves. That entitlement mentality is now DNA tied to the City of Aspen and Pitkin county.
We have become all that we stood against back in the day. Self-absorbed, greedy capitalists wearing a cap of cerebral righteous indignation. We allow activists to be not just bullied but assaulted with words and pillorying. We are now at least two generations in on raising druggies to do everything they can to beat the system just for a quick fix of feel good dope. We elect a majority of weak leaders and a very small minority of strong leaders. Then spend our civic time trying to drown out the voices of the strong ones.
I think we have become exactly what we asked for here in Pitkin County. If the end result of "how important is it to you" is self-absorbed righteousness, then we most certainly have achieved our goal.
You know what the good news is on all this lottery action, nanny? They're finally getting pressured to change. You were right. Make the public ed funding hurt long enough and they would come down off their high horse of thinking they can't fund kid's educations with gaming money. There isn't a better source of nearly instant cash for all the needs you just said than lottery. Any word on Tipton's bill for securing future gas and oil royalties? If that flew, then remove the education piece of pie out and make everyone else's bigger. We do not need more open space when we have so many other essential needs to deal with. Basically, what trough hogs like Pitco are saying is that they are willing to sacrifice kids, the hungry, the homeless and veterans so that they can buy more open space and service parks and rec. No wonder they have little to none when it comes to a younger population. When you know you aren't worth much of anything to your civic leaders, why stay? For the partying and entitlements?
We have veterans that are young men, thanks to recent wars. Young families, if the self-sufficiency study authorized by these "trough hogs" as you call them; who can't afford to live. The same council and commissioners that have priorities that think nothing of financing a start up bike sharing company with public tax dollars to the tune of $6,000 per bike while arguing that childcare should be capped and not funded. But there's always more money for RFTA and always money to buy open space land to preserve it for future generations. Whether we have future generations who can afford to stick around the area or not. The solution you speak of where lottery is concerned makes perfect sense. I have to wonder where the commissioners and council's priorities are going to fall on this new proposed bill.
Hi, 'ar412'.
The phrase 'trough hogs' has one of its origins in the practical use of large metal troughs filled with scalding hot water that were used in farm and ranch life to literally 'scald' a dead hog for processing purposes. The phrase has taken on a life of its own over generations and become a phrase used in some sports to recent years tossed around social networking to describe wide ranges of perceived gluttony.
I personally agree with you that there are some questionable spending priorities made by PitCo commissioners and city council during these really tough financial times for the average citizen.
I also personally agree with you that our young veterans seem to be falling through the cracks in certain human services. We could do much more than we are to lend a hand in bringing their lives back to balance after they return home from war.
To moderate, is to watch over the activity in the SandBox community.
To comment in my posts of others news, within the genre of spin upon spin upon spin...is to facilitate paths of communication that encourage followers to join the dialogue.
Have you noticed how so many community forums that are associated with all news stories reported by the site owner, are filled with content that doesn't seem to accomplish much of anything? Rants and spews, manifestos and campaigns? There is a lot of energy out there that has equal billing in the world of exposed communications.
When I made the decision to finally agree to launch SandBox Commentators, I made that decision based on a couple of premises.
The premise relevant to this thread with you is that I wanted to see if it was possible to structure all those rants and spews that are mixed in with great content. The only way clear to do that was to "write spin". Find common ground that suited the majority of whoever might be listening. At the risk of being accused of using the gist of another's phrase currently being used for campaign purposes; It is within conflict that we find peace and all resolution. Not in the absence of conflict.
I have to admit that it is also a great way to protect a lot of my own personal privacy, while at the same time slipping in an occasional glimpse into the 'real' "Nanny".
Those who know me well or that have personally taken the initiative to tune out all third-party or assumed perception and get to know me; catch the glimpses shown in my commentating on posts or writing in on a thread as I am doing now.
I am continually amazed at how people have near instantaneous acceptance for what they read online or are told through third party communication. Especially when what they are reading has been effective to them personally and they come to attention. I've also become a fair hand at sensing a new presence within the community. I appreciate your joining in and just wanted to make sure, since "trough hogs" is one of those blazing flamers bantered about way, way too lightly out there on the web; that you hear from "Nanny" directly on the style and genre used in posts.
As for the opportunity PitCo commissioners have to do a 90 degree turn and embrace the real world of true priorities in spending...who knows? Maybe you and I just accomplished the first step which is to get them thinking.
I stay away from this blog because I'm afraid I'll be threatened and attacked!
Please don't confuse my intervention on your behalf before you get the muddy water end of the watering hole as a threat or an attack, "Anonymous".
Here it is:
Lucky for you she lets on clowns and fools who bring nothing to the table worth talking about. Otherwise you wouldn't have anywhere to go, would you? I suspect you're a lot like Barack Obama. It takes courage to viciously and passive aggresively attack and bait forums like you do, get kicked off every one of them eventually and then blame your hard work on the equivilent of George Bush in Nanny. How about you head on down the road for now and come back every 3rd year from leap year on odd numbered months? That's when we attack and threaten. You'll feel more at home then.
To Anonymous: I like it here and don't feel threatened or attacked at all. What do you have in your own life that is worthy of someone "threatening" you over?
To Ben: Could you please comment back with the start date of the scheduled threatening and attacking sessions? I would like to mark my calendar so that I can plan upcoming vacations.
To SandboxNanny: You're right, I am new at commenting in. You're off base that I am new to following you and Sandbox. I have been following since your old url in 2010, I took the live link from the old Post Independent members hub. I've lived in the Glenwood Springs area for (to protect my privacy) somewhere between 14 and 19 years. I am a liberal (to protect my privacy) and decline to say with what registration on the voting rolls. Thank you for the personal touch.
Post a Comment