SandBoxBlogs: Aspen Daily News "Another attempt to divert conservation funds emerges"

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.

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"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

 

SandBoxBlogs: Colorado News Agency "Legislation would make it easier to exit teachers unions"

(cue sounds of crowds cheering...children laughing and playing...sighs of relief...bands playing....why?....here's one more step forward and upward in breaking one of the strangleholds that prevent public education from becoming self-sustaining...Hip, Hip Hooray!!....)

Debi Brazzale:
"A legislative panel today passed a bill that would let teachers join or leave unions or other professional organizations on their own timetable.

House Bill 1333, sponsored by Rep. Jon Becker, R-Fort Morgan, and heard in the House Education Committee, would give school districts 30 days to cancel a teacher’s payroll deductions for vunion dues after receiving written notification from the teacher.

Under collective bargaining agreements ruling many larger school districts, teachers only may cancel their membership within a two-to-three week “opt-out window” at the beginning of the school year. If they miss the window, they’re obligated to pay dues for the rest of the year....." (Read more?  Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: Aspen Daily News "Lottery conservation funds being eyed by veterans’ advocates"

Of course they are.

Open space, parks and rec has been hooked up to the cash cow of lottery and gaming proceeds with zero competition for those funds.

Sinking millions of dollars into one special interest, Colorado would be much better served to follow the lead of other states in the union.

Consolidate all gaming proceeds into one kitty and then divide that up between Parks-Rec-Open Space, K-12 public education, law enforcement and public safety, road and bridge and human services.

It's called fairness and equal sharing  amongst public need entities  rather than the current greed-mongering from Parks, Rec and Open Space.

Interesting to watch again the crossover power between boards and local interests in some of the names that are speaking out against the measure.

Andrew Travers:
"...An effort by state legislators to redistribute lottery funds for conservation grants, and put them toward veterans’ programs, has drawn concern from local open space officials.

The Pitkin County open space department will ask the county commissioners to pass a resolution opposing the veterans initiative next week.

“I don’t believe it’s the solution to the problem, to take funds away from something that is working,” said Barb D’Autrechy, county open space acquisition manager.

State Sen. Suzanne Williams of Aurora and others are gathering support in the legislature to create a new scratch-off lottery ticket to fund additional aid for Colorado veterans and amend allocations of lottery funds. Changing the distribution of lottery proceeds would mean changing the Colorado Constitution, which requires a statewide vote.

Supporters are hoping to place the issue on the statewide November ballot.

Voters have previously supported the parks- and conservation-centric funding model, which supports grants for open space purchases, trail projects and wildlife protection.

Conservationists do not wish to be pitted against veterans in competition for state funds, said Martha Cochran, director of the Aspen Valley Land Trust (AVLT)...." (Read more?  Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: KKCO 11 News "Colo. officials seeing Mega Millions riches, too "

$113 million dollars.  In one year.  That is the amount of money that Coloradans will see poured into one entity by our struggling state government.  That entity is Parks and Recreation.

In other states, lottery and gaming proceeds are equally divided amongst K-12 public education, Road and Bridge, Public Safety/Law Enforcement  and Human Services.

Imagine a Colorado world where our lawmakers used just a little bit of common sense, gathered up all of our gaming proceeds into one kitty and did same.

win-win.  And a no-brainer.

KKCO:
"DENVER (AP) -- Lottery players aren't the only ones in Colorado seeing dollar signs in the record-setting Mega Millions jackpot.

State budget-writers could also benefit from an unexpected windfall. A lone winner Friday from Colorado would owe the state anywhere from several hundred thousand dollars in taxes a year to a single payment of more than $16 million worth of income taxes...." (Read more?  Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBoxBlogs: KJCT News 8 "Re-2 School District Approves 4 Day Weeks"

It is hard.  Has been hard to watch as well.

But sooner or later, our public schools and publicaly funded education had to get a wake-up call because somewhere along the way they just found it way too easy to stick their hand out for public money and live on credit.

There is no reason whatsoever that taxpayers should be funding public education when there are so many alternatives out there that could make our public education system self-sustaining.

RE-2, out of necessity, has just hit on one of those ways.  Four day school weeks.  Now take it a step further and start after Labor Day with an end to the year right before Memorial Day. Cut back on vacation/break times to make up the difference. The end result will be far greater efficiency and lower operating costs.

While on a roll, here's to RE-2 pulling together a push toward lawmakers to break up the Parks and Rec 'hogs' who scarf up all the gaming and lottery proceeds.  That cash cow whould be divided equally between parks and rec, K-12 education, road and bridge and  law enforcement.

Don Coleman:
"NEW CASTLE, Colo. -- Garfield County's Re-2 school district will join more than 50 others across the state on a four day school week next year. The decision was handed down at Tuesday night's school board meeting and is part of an effort to cut costs with a $1.7million to $2.2 million shortfall looming.


After a lengthy meeting, the board voted four to one in favor of shortening school weeks.


"To me, it's probably our most positive option," School Board President Chris Pearson said. "It was a tough decision, but probably the easiest to make now that we're considering 'big ticket items.'"


Pearson says this choice is one of the only ones that offsets costs without affecting the staff too much.

The school district's financial department expects the move will save the district around $500,000 next year through fuel reductions, hourly staff reductions, and savings on utilities....:"  (Read more?  Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBox Comments: Eagle County Times "Red Sandstone Elementary – The solution is obvious!"

Just as sure as sooner  or later, Coloradans can count on it snowing in the winter, the ECT guys take a week off at the end of the year.

They do that just because it gives them the energy boost to roar back come the New Year and take everything they see in front of them in stride.

Still waiting for Superman?

2012 and the next four years will mark apocalyptic proportion, positive changes to the way we fund our public education in America.

Stay tuned to the Eagle County Times crew of bloggers for all the local and regional updates.

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