As some of our community’s most accomplished leaders work to reinvigorate the Colorado Springs Airport, a major airline has shown faith by coming into the city with daily nonstop flights between the Springs and its hub at Seattle-Tacoma International.

Alaska Airlines, the country’s seventh-largest carrier, is expected to boost annual traffic in Colorado Springs by 20,000 passengers a year who will contribute about $500,000 to annual airport revenues. It’s a tremendous step in the right direction.

Despite our community’s large and growing population of more than 600,000 people – and the area’s disproportionately high number of tourist attractions – the Springs airport has struggled for most of the past decade. It’s a modern, comfortable and convenient airport with almost perfect demographics to succeed. The only real obstacle is the community’s close proximity to Denver International Airport, the fifth-busiest airport in the country and 10th-busiest in the world.

Because distance isn’t much of a factor, travelers to and from Colorado Springs have the luxury of using whichever airport offers the most convenient flights at the lowest prices. Because of its volume, DIA has enjoyed a big advantage.

Alaska Airlines has chosen to invest in Colorado Springs because of where the airport is headed, not where it has been. Before deciding to commit, airline and airport executives met to discuss projects and restructuring initiatives both parties believe will give the airport an edge in attracting southern Colorado travelers who are otherwise inclined to drive to DIA. In a statement to The Gazette, Alaska executives expressed their enthusiasm for the market because it “offers a wealth of business and recreational opportunities and thus is a solid market for air travel.”

Indeed, this is a great destination for visitors and home to a high percentage of military and private-sector professionals who frequently travel by air. The only thing Colorado Springs Airport needs to do is snag a decent chunk of it’s market from defaulting to DIA.

The Airport Air Service Task Force, chaired by El Pomar Foundation CEO Bill Hybl, has plans to lower overhead to airlines so the airlines can offer lower ticket prices. The committee recommends doing so by cutting the airport’s overhead and passing along savings in the form of lower rents and landing fees.

Another proposal involves creating amenities – a first-class lounge, concierge parking and express security – to attract more premium-ticket travelers. First-class and business-class passengers help airlines offer lower coach fares to recreational and budget-minded travelers.

In addition to positioning the airport to lower costs for airlines, city officials have boosted the airport’s marketing budget by $300,000 a year – 10 times what they had been spending. If we want airlines to bet on Colorado Springs, city officials need to deliver traffic.

It’s all good news, even for those who don’t fly. Colorado Springs has boomed in population, growing by hundreds of thousands of residents in just the past two decades. The community is poised as a prime destination for enviable new high-wage employers and other private investments that could make this place the envy of other large cities throughout North America.

A key element for the success of Colorado Springs will be the airport. We need routine, affordable flights that will make DIA seem like a cost-prohibitive, time-wasting drive up I-25. With the addition of Alaska Airlines, it appears airport officials and the mayor’s airport committee are on the right path.

Alaska Airlines, welcome to Colorado Springs. Together, let’s make this a decision that benefits all.

Let them look somewhere else

So the government only has enough resources to support the Women, Infants and Children program (WIC) through October.

This program, helps underprivileged mothers and young children. This program should be a definite exception. Needy moms and children should have a healthy diet and nutrition.

No one in this wonderful country we live in, should go hungry. To me, this is unbelievable. Heartless!

If the government wants to cut expenses, let them look somewhere else.

Shame on them!

Marie McCracken

Colorado Springs

We’re not going to talk about it?

I read today that Congress and the White House finally agreed on something – back pay for the furloughed government employees. Hopefully, this is for those folks deemed essential and told to remain on the job, not for those sent home, otherwise why furlough them to begin with. Oh, I get it. “Don’t worry, you’ll get back pay; we just want to inflict the most pain possible on the public by cutting their services and closing their parks.” This from a government that spies on us, targets selective groups, lies to us about Benghazi, takes over our health care system, has exploded our debt; and the list goes on and on.

This government of, by and for the people, is becoming more of and for the government. And for those that just love to tell Republicans to “get over it, Obamacare is the law of the land;” as terrible as it was as approved, it’s been changed at the whim of the administration without further Congressional approval, in granting waivers, delaying the mandate to businesses but not individuals, special subsidies to Congress and their staff, etc. And now we’re not going to talk about it? Any fifth graders interested in running for Congress? Or the presidency? Maybe there is a Jefferson or a Lincoln out there among you. I hope so.

John Patch

Peyton

No anxiety, just scenery and smiles

I, like so many others in Colorado, enjoy getting out and exploring the numerous trails and mountains our great state has to offer. Today was no different, but today was extremely special.

During my hike, I was met by smiles, heartfelt “good mornings,” and dealt with zero stress. Today, on the trail and in the mountains, there was no government shutdown, no crime, no anxiety, just scenery and smiles. Today, Colorado made me proud. Thank you.

Tom Andenno

Colorado Springs

A huge disparity between states

I very recently relocated here from California. I am federally approved to be on Supplemental Security Income (SSI). I met with the local Social Security Administration (SSA) and I reported that I’d moved and received my award letter on Aug. 26. The following day I went to the Department of Human Services office on Garden of the Gods Road, the Adult Services Division, to report my move, and turn in my award letter. I was told I’d be assigned a worker.

I went home and filled out supplied paperwork. I applied for all the benefits that I believe I’ve been awarded by the federal government. I went back the following morning, turned in all the necessary paperwork and I was told I’d have my Medicaid transferred in five to 10 days.

As a resident of California, I received close to $900 a month cash from the feds and added funds by the state. No SNAP. (Also known as food stamps.) As an SSI recipient in Colorado, I am receiving $710 cash and $30 a month SNAP benefits. How is there such a huge disparity between states?

I seem unable to receive any call backs (even from the quality control division) nobody seems to know or understand what the other person is doing. I called my “worker” on a Wednesday, after not hearing from her I went in person the following Monday. I was told, “she no longer works here.” Why am I suffering needlessly tonight? Because the Department of Health Services is inefficient, lacks compassion and couldn’t care less about my falling through the cracks.

I am disabled. I don’t know this beautiful new town I call home. It’s Saturday night and I am in pain from a toothache and half my face is swollen. I am a diabetic, have very high blood pressure, am on antidepressants, and have a myriad of other diagnoses. I am out of nearly all of my life-saving medications.

Jamie Ann Burrows

Colorado Springs

Nickname’s history lesson

A recent Gazette article describes how the word “Redskins,” which is the nickname of Washington’s football team, is offensive to a group of people. The Washington Redskins were once the Boston Redskins, the 1936 National Football League champions. In 1937 after relocating, the Washington Redskins won the NFL championship.

It is reasonable to assume that the Redskins’ nickname was derived from the Boston Tea Party, in which colonists, disguised as Mohawk Indians, destroyed shipments of tea in Boston Harbor. The moniker was kept by the Washington team.

That situation is similar to the Dodgers leaving Brooklyn for Los Angeles in 1958. “Dodger” is derived from “trolley dodger,” which refers to a person who gets out of the way of trolley cars, which were plentiful at one time in New York City’s largest borough.

Los Angeles Dodgers and Washington Redskins – both nicknames are absurd. There are about as many trolley cars running in LA as there are “redskins” in the nation’s capital, a city that is 70 percent African-American.

David J. Baker

Colorado Springs