City Council not listening

Here we go again with a city council that doesn’t listen to the people of Colorado Springs and instead listens to big-money interests! This time, it’s the District 11 school board that wanted to close Boulder Street so they could expand Palmer High School. Without even having any other method to do this, they went to the city council and asked to be able to get their big wish put through.

And even with citizens against this move in attendance, the city council approved the request by District 11, without allowing anyone to speak against the measure. So it is time for all the citizens of Colorado Springs to have a say in this matter. And it is time to vote these non-listeners out of office, as they don’t care for anyone else but themselves. Remember that time is precious when racing to a hospital for an emergency; Boulder Street is a direct route to Memorial Hospital, and a life can be lost very quickly if you don’t get there in time. It could be you,or a member of your family or a friend, just because of big money and these nine people made a decision for you!.

Walter Taylor

Colorado Springs

Trust was lost

I read the responses from Tim Leigh and Susan Bolduc in reference to the “Colorado Springs Utilities CEO Travas Deal” salary increase and appreciated their point of views on the reasoning behind the high salary, but it’s hard to give grace with how the situation was handled.

It had to feel like a slap in the face to the employees, and the citizens of Colorado Springs, especially during these struggling economic hard times. As a recently retired CSU employee, I found it disheartening to see experienced, knowledgeable, longtime employees leave because they had had enough. Employee morale has been at an all-time low for quite some time at CSU, and it used to be a great company to work for. The constant reorganizing within Utilities is ridiculous, unnecessary and frankly upsetting to employees. The company’s organizational chart does not make sense anymore.

Many years ago, the citizens of Colorado Springs complained loudly at the yearly bonuses we received and those were taken away from employees. The former CEO really did a number on the organization, leaving employees shaking their heads. Many employees have lost respect for upper management and the Human Resources department. Trust was lost. I personally requested an exit interview with the HR department but was informed they no longer conduct those. Instead, I was sent a questionnaire to complete and not even a phone call to discuss why I retired earlier than I planned. It’s a sad day when they stop caring.

Lisa Baecker

Sidney, NE

Low turnout for primaries

When 26% of the electorate chooses the candidates for 73% of the electorate to vote on, there’s a strong possibility that folks will be disappointed in the names they see on the ballot. I’m speaking of the low turnout for Colorado primaries, which leads to apathy or frustration in November. If you want the candidates who best represent you to appear on the November ballot, fill out the ballot that will arrive in your mailbox a week from now and submit it. Remind your neighbor to vote, too!

The American dream of a thriving democracy only works if we, the citizens, participate in that democracy. As a Christian, I am called to care for the common good. I am charged with tending to the well-being of creation. Encouraging all of us to vote is one way I do that. Please vote!

Rev. Paula Stecker

Colorado Springs

What constitutes stealing?

Star Parker cites poll numbers that indicate that significantly more Democrats than Republicans identified as having no religion, having a less favorable view of capitalism, and having a more favorable view of socialism. It doesn’t surprise me that people who are marginalized or barely living from paycheck to paycheck might believe that organized religion has let them down, ignoring them in their hour of need. It is also easy to see how financially fortunate individuals can mistakenly develop a theology in which God loves and rewards them for their material successes.

In this and another recent article, Parker has absurdly cherry-picked the Eighth Commandment “Thou shalt not steal” to justify her laissez-faire economics. She is in effect arguing that any social program that attempts to raise the dignity and provide the basic needs for all people is in violation of God’s law.

Of course, taking property through physical force, fraud, or deceit is always sinful and illegal. But so too are acts of tax evasion, withholding wages, dishonest business practices, corporate fraud, price gouging and abusive monopolies.

An implied or explicit social contract, such as our Constitution, provides a framework in which citizens consent to give up certain natural freedoms and accept some state authority, in exchange for protection, security, and social order. Thus, actively advocating for, supporting, or benefiting from social legislation cannot reasonably be considered “stealing”, just as, for example, business practices such as ethically based Hostile Takeovers are acceptable in the corporate world. Without a social contract with sensible guardrails, chaos becomes the norm.

If one sincerely desires to base their social ideology on Judeo-Christian foundations and not base one’s version of theology upon their social ideology, one might consider the Old Testament Prophets and the New Testament Sermon on the Mount as a starting point.

Ken Krall

Colorado Springs