(Where the rubber meets reality – promoted by Colorado Pols)
In an early victory this legislative session, we are glad to see that Rep. Jon Becker decided today to pull his anti-FASTER bill (HB1075). The bill faced strong opposition from a broad spectrum of Coloradans including the very county governments who were the purported benefactors of the bill.
Call it an unwanted solution looking for a non-existent problem. The bill would have taken away $15 million of transit and bike funding. In fact, the money is already going to local communities and creating jobs, clearing road congestion and also aiding in promoting tourism throughout Colorado.
One of the bill’s targets is new and updated bike lane construction. Many of our smaller mountain towns rely on bike lane construction to not only attract tourists, but to also sustain job growth. Many citizens also count cycling as their primary mode of transportation.
Throughout the metro area, whether it is next to the Platte River or Cherry Creek State Park, bicycle paths provide a leisurely way to see Colorado. These are an economic boon to help rebuild local business.
Anyone who has sat in ski traffic on I-70 can tell you the congestion is a real and growing problem. A study to address the corridor’s congestion was also targeted by this bill.
The funding targeted by House Bill 1075 is also being used to build park-and-ride facilities in local communities like Fort Collins, Wolcott, Thornton and La Plata County. Park-and-rides are key tools in easing congestion and improving air quality.
Pulling this bill is a step in the right direction, but only one step. The demise of Rep. Becker’s bill should serve as a signal that the political fortunes of the other bills targeting FASTER are rocky at best. Legislators should recognize that repealing FASTER means greater congestion, less transit options, deteriorating highways, fewer jobs and a weakened economy.
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One difference, I mean. Even when we recognize the necessity of something, we don’t lord it over people. Taking more of our citizens’ money is never ever a good thing, and politicians who try to pretend otherwise get their asses beat.
That is as it should be.
Oh wait, the ass beating went the other way…
Me, I’m a responsible member of my community–sure I don’t have kids but don’t mind paying to educate them. My house has never burnt down, but I am glad to support fire protection in my district.
I appreciate road crews keeping my travel ways safe. Silly me, lording safe roads over the masses.
Based on your statement, you would have opposed the tax increases imposed on the American public to fight World War II. In other words, since taking money is always wrong you don’t believe a strong defense establishment is a good the government provides our people.
Based on your statement, you think taxing the American people to fight the Cold War was wrong since taking money from the public is never ever a good thing.
But on the other hand, if you do believe in a strong defense, you have no objection to President Bush’s funding of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars through deficit spending because, of course, “taking more of our citizen’s money is never ever a good thing.”
Your ideology has the merit of simplicity but it rarely, if ever, considers reality and therefore in the end prescribes ridiculous conclusions and results.
If FASTER is repealed, how do you intend to pay for road maintenance and construction?
For example, the elevated portion of I-70 east of I-25 is literally falling apart and requires reconstruction. The estimated cost is $1 billion. How would you pay for that reconstruction project if it is “never ever a good thing” to take more money from our citizens in taxes?
Again, no platitudes. Answer the question. These are the kind of practical issues the members of the legislature and the executive branch of government have to wrestle with, and these issues have nothing to do with right or wrong, conservative vs. liberal or whether taking more money in in tax dollars is always wrong.
Shouldn’t you be LarimerGOP though?
Huh?
Who is “you?”
You’re making even less sense than usual.
(Sorry. Couldn’t help but pile on.)
It eventually dawns on the politicians that you must build infrastructure if you are going to attract business. Now we should invest in education. How did the GOP get to be antibusiness?
The Republican Party lost its way when they began to believe in a literal interpretation of President Reagan’s statement to the effect that government isn’t the answer, its the problem. Even Reagan didn’t take himself literally but today’s GOP is landlocked by its ideology that all public institutions are evil and must be destroyed. Public institutions like education or infrastructure simply can’t be tolerated even if they help economic development. To these people government must be destroyed. Lest we forget, the last Republican President of the Colorado senate signed a pledge on an internet website entitled the Alliance for the Separation of School and State and in that pledge he agreed we should terminate ALL public funding for education kindergarten through university . . . shut the entire system down. Thats not policy, its insanity but in today’s GOP that is a credible position to hold.
He realized that the deficit was going to runawat without real tax increase, and a corrsepoinding real revenue increase. And he raised taxes – the largest tax incresae we’ve ever had (though the Obama tax cuts just averted what would have likely broken that) almost 3% of GDP.
OTOH- the whole weapons for hostages, October Surprise, Iran-Contra, and insanity in Lebanon (and Kuwait and elsewhere), and arming Iran and Iraq, and and and
Probably not.
Btw- Tancredo signed that pledge too. PWA has the screen shot- the Alliance removed his name when he ran for president.
Apparently, he presided over the biggest tax increase in CA history.
..from one of trust in government to one of skepticism.
Now Rs are in the position of running for office to become part of the government they have declared to be our worst enemy and entirely incapable of accomplishing anything positive or operating anything competently. With government, by definition, worse than useless it’s pretty much as if being a GOP elected official is an oxymoron these days which may account for the increasing popularity of just plain morons like Palin and Bachmann.
almost 3% of GDP.
If we did it today- 2010 GDP almost 15T, 3% is would be about 450B. If we could control spending – we could balance the budget in 2 years.
Obama should follow Reagan’s lead. And make every R office holder and candidate run against the Gipper.
As a business owner I am amazed at how anti-business the Republican party is. The Democratic party isn’t great, but the Republican party is awful.