Nothing was truly free

Good riddance to Colorado’s free summer bus fare program, better known as “Zero Fare for Better Air.”

After four years and millions in taxpayer subsidies, the program failed to accomplish the two goals it was justified by: significantly reducing ground-level ozone and restoring transit ridership to pre-pandemic levels. At some point, taxpayers are entitled to ask a simple question: if the program was not producing the promised results, why was it allowed to continue for four consecutive years?

This initiative increasingly appeared less about clean air and more about politicians signaling their green credentials with a flashy “free fare” slogan. But nothing was truly free. Taxpayers across Colorado picked up the tab while measurable outcomes remained elusive.

Even before the program, fares on Mountain Metropolitan Transit were already heavily subsidized, with riders paying only a small fraction of the actual operating cost. Estimates indicate taxpayers already covered roughly 89% of transit expenses. Eliminating the remaining fare contribution altogether did little to change long-term transit habits or create a sustainable system.

Nor was this a groundbreaking experiment. Similar free-fare transit programs were tried in the 1970s and produced many of the same results: modest short-term increases in ridership but little lasting change in driving behavior, air quality, or financial sustainability.

Riders understandably grew accustomed to free service, but habituation to subsidized rides is not the same as building a strong transit system. Lasting ridership growth comes from reliable service, efficient routes, safety, cleanliness, and convenience, not temporary giveaways funded by taxpayers.

Ending this program allows scarce transportation dollars to be redirected toward actual transit improvements or returned to the taxpayers who funded an experiment that never delivered on its promises.

Kirk Mueller

Colorado Springs

Colorado’s gun restrictions

I was glad to see Huey Laugesen’s extensive coverage, in Sunday’s paper, of the ridiculous, restrictive firearms legislation passed by Colorado Democrats in the last fifteen years. As a firearms owner, hunter and shooter, I’ve had to deal with these violations of my rights for a long time.

I had to deal with more of this today. I bought a box of ammunition from a local retailer. The ammunition was $19.49. The sales tax, combined with the recently enacted 6.5% excise tax on firearms and ammunition, was $3.21. That’s a 16% tax. Sixteen percent.

The state of Colorado has now been sued in federal court by the Department of Justice and the Colorado State Shooters Association to eliminate several unconstitutional infringements on Coloradans’ rights. The city of Denver has also been sued over its moronic “assault weapons” ban. Law-abiding citizens in this state are supporting these lawsuits with their tax dollars and their private contributions. We will prevail. In the meantime, I’ll figure out a way to avoid the Colorado tax.

John A. Lariviere

Colorado Springs

Erasing vulnerable residents

The growing number of residents living — and dying — on our streets is deeply concerning. I am increasingly dismayed by city decisions that seem to prioritize pushing vulnerable people “out of sight” rather than pursuing evidence-based, cost-effective solutions recommended by local experts. The current approach does not build a healthy community for us and will result in continued failure if we don’t change course.

Inspired by Iain De Jong, I reflected on his video “Why Bad Takes on Homelessness Matter.” He compares homelessness policy to bridge construction: we would never let uninformed opinion design a bridge, yet we routinely allow politics and ideology to override expertise when addressing homelessness. Bridges are designed by trained engineers using evidence, planning, and accountability. Homelessness solutions should be approached with the same professionalism.

Addressing homelessness is applied social science, not guesswork. Research has identified strategies that improve housing stability, mental health, and community wellbeing, yet these evidence-based solutions are often diluted by political interference and fragmented approaches. Compassion matters, but compassion without competence cannot solve complex social problems.

Communities need coordinated plans developed by qualified experts, implemented consistently, and funded adequately. Temporary stopgaps should not become permanent policy. We must stop treating proven expertise as optional while expecting different outcomes.

I urge fellow residents to become more engaged in local governance and insist that elected officials support solutions grounded in research rather than rhetoric. Let us stand together for all constituents — not just the wealthy — and build a healthier community for everyone.

Donna Wintz

Colorado Springs

Home from the hunt

On Monday, your Archives section showed a photograph of Robert Mitchum and his two sons, Chris, 8, and Jim, 10.

The caption reads: Home from the Hunt.

They are returning from a hunting trip on the Wildhorn Ranch north of Florissant, on Feb. 1, 1952.

Robert Mitchum shoulders a deer slung across his back and Chris and Jim walk on either side.

Jim, on his left, appears distracted as he walks.

He focuses downward, using his right thumb to cock the rifle, barrel pointing toward the advancing cat.

His right finger is on the trigger.

Hopefully, he did not inadvertently shoot the cat, nor himself in the foot. 

Fred Wisely

Colorado Springs