Strife and friction equal forward thrust. Without the friction to move our issues forward; problems and needs would not be met or solved.
Many of our greatest accomplishments have been born out of our frustration as a nation.
What is it, that 'something' that a natural leader has within them that human instinct gravitates toward when in need? What makes a follower instead of a leader? Why is it, that one of the most powerful things to watch is a reluctant leader, or leader by default, in a crisis take charge and do what they instinctually know to do.
What would happen, right now, if all these voices, all this public angst and concern running through Valley communities just stopped? Right now. Eased back on the friction and let passive, sunny skies 'all the time' energy take back over?
The leaders among us are not there to pull you through the crisis.
They are there to pull you to the sunny skies and let as little harm as possible come to you while in crisis. Even the reluctant leaders instinctually understand the dynamic.
This is an appalling statement of true crisis causing problems, from APCHA Director Tom McCabe:
"“We as a housing authority don’t even know what most of the programs are that are available in the federal realm,” he told the commissioners."
This is a statement of sunny skies in the future from Nan Sundeen:
"“The community has changed and it’s a great time to look at our paradigm for affordable housing,” she said."
This is a bloviating political statement, that if stroked properly, has great potential to be listening to you when you all cut loose more friction, angst and tension to this particular commissioner. Just the Facts. Just politics:
"“We need to find out how to integrate housing and health and human services in a way that’s meaningful for people before they arrive at a crisis,” said Commission Chair Michael Owsley."
Some ideas on how to propel said commissioner to greater heights, could be found in the sister story in today's Aspen Daily.
Help PitCo spend that $10 million just sitting around burning a hole in their pocket.
Like say....with an incredible multi-functional facility that houses emergency human services, homeless shelter, food and meals in addition to a county liaison that holds the sole purpose to connect the dots between human beings and aid for whatever ails them? Spend it on something we need and of worth? Or spend it on another deed restricted housing boondoggle or rental investments all the way down valley? Hmmmmm.......
"PitCo needs help spending $10 million on......"
"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."
Showing posts with label self-sufficiency standards. Show all posts
Showing posts with label self-sufficiency standards. Show all posts
April 18, 2012
April 16, 2012
SandBoxBlogs: Aspen Daily News "APCHA asked to involve social services in local housing issues"
There are some out here that would say that finally achieving the end of the longest labor in birthing history....has just been accomplished.
If this story, and all the lead-in stories that brought this birth to come to pass (living wage..little guys tromped on everywhere in the area...big money greed...alleged power abuses, etc. etc. etc. etc.) and all the likely to come backlash stories that will follow it; does not make top stories of 2012, then 'ZG' is off his game.
This step is huge. Unprecedented in Aspen's history. For two government powered organizations, to finally step forward and bravely confront Aspen's powerful government over what is a huge deficit in the physical, social and material well-being of the majority of Pitkin County's population is truly an epochal moment.
Now, don't limit yourselves to just homelessness and linking up human services. Tackle the problem itself.
Self-sufficiency standards and living wages. High suicide percentages. No rehab facilities and the one that is present is grossly overloaded. An out-of-control drug culture. Social pressures to keep up appearances simply to be able to hold down a job at Aspen scale. An entire 'next tier up' culture that is filled with professionals, single parent families and people in a social position that they cannot show the world-at-large that they are teetering on the edge of hungry and homeless.
Invite others besides social services to help you see what all the problems really are. If you're going to have honest discussions then make them brutally honest discussions. Invite law enforcement and the folks who run the thrift stores and soup kitchens because they know where the problems are.
In simplistic terms, deal with the entire problem.
A very special thank you goes out to the Regional Homeless Coalition and Dorothy Atkins up on the Aspen Daily. For not only starting the discussion but reporting that event openly to the public.
Dorothy Atkins:
"“I think it’s time to look at the whole thing again,” McCabe said. “It’s kind of like asking ourselves, ‘What do we want to be when we grow up?’” ..." (Read more? Click title)
"Truth goes through three stages. First it is ridiculed. Then it is violently opposed. Finally, it is accepted as self-evident."
If this story, and all the lead-in stories that brought this birth to come to pass (living wage..little guys tromped on everywhere in the area...big money greed...alleged power abuses, etc. etc. etc. etc.) and all the likely to come backlash stories that will follow it; does not make top stories of 2012, then 'ZG' is off his game.
This step is huge. Unprecedented in Aspen's history. For two government powered organizations, to finally step forward and bravely confront Aspen's powerful government over what is a huge deficit in the physical, social and material well-being of the majority of Pitkin County's population is truly an epochal moment.
Now, don't limit yourselves to just homelessness and linking up human services. Tackle the problem itself.
Self-sufficiency standards and living wages. High suicide percentages. No rehab facilities and the one that is present is grossly overloaded. An out-of-control drug culture. Social pressures to keep up appearances simply to be able to hold down a job at Aspen scale. An entire 'next tier up' culture that is filled with professionals, single parent families and people in a social position that they cannot show the world-at-large that they are teetering on the edge of hungry and homeless.
Invite others besides social services to help you see what all the problems really are. If you're going to have honest discussions then make them brutally honest discussions. Invite law enforcement and the folks who run the thrift stores and soup kitchens because they know where the problems are.
In simplistic terms, deal with the entire problem.
A very special thank you goes out to the Regional Homeless Coalition and Dorothy Atkins up on the Aspen Daily. For not only starting the discussion but reporting that event openly to the public.
Dorothy Atkins:
"“I think it’s time to look at the whole thing again,” McCabe said. “It’s kind of like asking ourselves, ‘What do we want to be when we grow up?’” ..." (Read more? Click title)
"Truth goes through three stages. First it is ridiculed. Then it is violently opposed. Finally, it is accepted as self-evident."
March 14, 2012
SandBoxBlogs: Aspen Daily News "Pitkin County self-sufficiency standards presented to BOCC"
In easier to grasp terms, that works out to at least $13.00 per hour. Low and mid-tier Skico employees make less per hour than that. In fact, low tier make under $11.00 per hour. In fact, one has to be in a management position at Aspen Ski Corp. to make that bare minimum. And that bare minimum? Is for a single person. If you are single with one child you need to be making between $28 and $29 per hour.
Remember now, Aspen's largest employer is seasonal. So double or triple what you need to earn in order to get that made in 6 months or less.
Remember now, your 'perks' like health insurance, free ski pass and bus pass lower your expenses which translates out to a great point that Tracey Stewart makes in this article. 'You make too much' to qualify for most all subsidies to help out. Now there is a very interesting thought considering Aspen's blue blood runs liberal. Good 'ol fashioned capitalism is sounding better by the day, isn't it?
Still think Lee Mulcahy's voice should have been quashed by $Big Money$? Or that he should still be enduring the wrath of $Big Money$ for exposing them?
Before personally judging Mulcahy and supporters, please read up on all of the facts and get familiar with all of the story.
While you're at it, please read the entire article by Dorothy Atkins today. Up on the Aspen Daily News.
Dorothy Atkins:
"In order to be self sufficient and live in Pitkin County, an individual needs to make at least $27,000 a year, according to the Colorado Center on Law and Policy (CCLP), while a single parent with three young children needs to make $103,607 annually to get by on their own.
The nonprofit agency presented the statistics and others related to self-sufficiency standards to the Board of County Commissioners in a work session on Tuesday.
The study is an income measurement tool that determines how much money families of various sizes and compositions living in specific geographic locations need to earn in order to make ends meet without public or private assistance. The nonprofit produces the study every three years.
A singe parent with one child needs to earn at least $59,400 a year to be self sufficient in Pitkin County, while a two-parent, two-child household needs to make over $87,500 a year here, according to the study.
Those statistics include federal tax credits that families would theoretically receive like the child care credit and the earned income tax credit.
The study also addresses the increase in costs of basic needs since 2004. Of the six categories, all costs have gone up in Pitkin County except transportation. The costs of housing, child care, food, health care and taxes have all increased. The cost of health care showed the largest jump, increasing by 121 percent, which is consistent with the rest of the state, said Tracey Stewart, self-sufficiency project coordinator with CCLP.
Of a sampling of various common working and middle class lines of work, only two occupations in Pitkin County pay enough for a single parent with one preschooler and one school-age child to be self sufficient, according to the study. Those are registered nurses and operations managers, the latter of which theoretically includes people in management positions at Aspen Skiing Co., Stewart said.
Commissioner Rob Ittner questioned Stewart on whether or not the study took into account benefits that residents receive — like affordable housing and food stamps — which can do a lot to offset the high cost of living in Pitkin County.
Stewart countered that there is often a gap between the amount of money individuals would have to earn on the lower end to qualify for receiving benefits from the government and the amount one would have to make to be self-sufficient...." (Read more? You should. Click title)
"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."
Remember now, Aspen's largest employer is seasonal. So double or triple what you need to earn in order to get that made in 6 months or less.
Remember now, your 'perks' like health insurance, free ski pass and bus pass lower your expenses which translates out to a great point that Tracey Stewart makes in this article. 'You make too much' to qualify for most all subsidies to help out. Now there is a very interesting thought considering Aspen's blue blood runs liberal. Good 'ol fashioned capitalism is sounding better by the day, isn't it?
Still think Lee Mulcahy's voice should have been quashed by $Big Money$? Or that he should still be enduring the wrath of $Big Money$ for exposing them?
Before personally judging Mulcahy and supporters, please read up on all of the facts and get familiar with all of the story.
While you're at it, please read the entire article by Dorothy Atkins today. Up on the Aspen Daily News.
Dorothy Atkins:
"In order to be self sufficient and live in Pitkin County, an individual needs to make at least $27,000 a year, according to the Colorado Center on Law and Policy (CCLP), while a single parent with three young children needs to make $103,607 annually to get by on their own.
The nonprofit agency presented the statistics and others related to self-sufficiency standards to the Board of County Commissioners in a work session on Tuesday.
The study is an income measurement tool that determines how much money families of various sizes and compositions living in specific geographic locations need to earn in order to make ends meet without public or private assistance. The nonprofit produces the study every three years.
A singe parent with one child needs to earn at least $59,400 a year to be self sufficient in Pitkin County, while a two-parent, two-child household needs to make over $87,500 a year here, according to the study.
Those statistics include federal tax credits that families would theoretically receive like the child care credit and the earned income tax credit.
The study also addresses the increase in costs of basic needs since 2004. Of the six categories, all costs have gone up in Pitkin County except transportation. The costs of housing, child care, food, health care and taxes have all increased. The cost of health care showed the largest jump, increasing by 121 percent, which is consistent with the rest of the state, said Tracey Stewart, self-sufficiency project coordinator with CCLP.
Of a sampling of various common working and middle class lines of work, only two occupations in Pitkin County pay enough for a single parent with one preschooler and one school-age child to be self sufficient, according to the study. Those are registered nurses and operations managers, the latter of which theoretically includes people in management positions at Aspen Skiing Co., Stewart said.
Commissioner Rob Ittner questioned Stewart on whether or not the study took into account benefits that residents receive — like affordable housing and food stamps — which can do a lot to offset the high cost of living in Pitkin County.
Stewart countered that there is often a gap between the amount of money individuals would have to earn on the lower end to qualify for receiving benefits from the government and the amount one would have to make to be self-sufficient...." (Read more? You should. Click title)
"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."
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