ISSUES
I believe that Douglas County has one of the best school systems in the state. But even with its status as one of the finest the Douglas County school district faces some severe challenges brought on by unrealistic federal and state education mandates. These standards need to be re-evaluated in order to make them align with common sense. It is not uncommon for students in the higher elementary grade levels to spend up to 10 days taking CSAP tests. Even this does not reflect the time spent preparing children just to take the test. These prep and test days must take away from real learning. There has not been one teacher that I have talked to who does not believe in standards and accountability for their profession. They are all in favor of showing what they can do for and with the students. However, not one feels that these tests, these standards are the answer. They deter from the one thing that they all want to do . . . teach.
Colorado’s average teacher salary compared to average pay in other occupations declined from 30th to 50th in the nation. Only if these mandates are changed will the highest quality of education be provided. Only in this way will intelligent, qualified and passionate people be attracted to the teaching profession.
Ask yourself, would I be willing to accept a job that is under paid, over worked and under appreciated. Maybe that is why that the average career span of a teacher is only 5 years. If a new graduate starts his or her teaching career today, they will be finished by 5 years. How can we expect the best and brightest to stay if we don’t show them that we appreciate what they accomplish? When we don’t pay them a fair and justified salary. We as parents and citizens need to step up to the plate and assure the future of our children and neighbors children and let teachers do what they love to do, teach.
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I strongly believe that the state of education in Colorado is reaching crisis status. Colorado higher education funding ranks 45th in the nation. State funding for higher education will be so low in five years that Colorado public colleges and universities either will not survive or will be forced to privatize to stay alive. Funding for CU last year took them back to the 1995 level. Since July 2002, more than $170 million has been cut from state colleges and universities. The Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights – TABOR – passed by voters in 1992 is choking the state’s higher-education system to death. If we don’t address the funding challenges posed by TABOR, there will be no funding left for higher education. Based on current funding patterns and constitutional mandates, funding will fall from today’s $686 million to $83 million in 2009. The future of this community, this state, and this country is absolutely dependent on strong school systems that are adequately funded. It is unacceptable that there are only five states with lower funding for college age students. Is this how we envision the future of education for our children and grandchildren? We must elect officials who will work to alter the way Colorado funds all aspects of higher education or we run the risk of driving its research universities toward mediocrity.
For more about this issue, see Jim Spencer's Denver Post article 'CU students pay for state stinginess'.
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It is becoming more apparent and unacceptable that over 770,000 Colorado residents are uninsured. In fact, children make up approximately one-quarter of Colorado’s uninsured population in the 2002-2004 period. A similar number of our citizens are estimated to be underinsured, exposing them to economic calamity if they experience a catastrophic illness or injury. Most of the uninsured and underinsured are employed and did not choose their uninsured status; yet, they face the very real prospect of not being able to obtain medical care when they need it. The results is that the uninsured get inadequate or insufficient health care and their health suffers as a result. A large un-insured population places an enormous financial burden on hospitals and clinics and unhealthy citizens create an unhealthy economy. The un-insured create a larger financial drain on the system then if all citizens had affordable health coverage. With 50% of all personal bankruptcy filings due to large medical bills it puts an incredible strain on the system. And presently family premiums in employer plans average around $9,950 a year. These facts coupled with the idea that over 20% of the money paid into the health system went for things like marketing, administration, lobbying, etc. it is easy to see that the present health care system is our of control. Therefore it is important that officials be elected who are willing to unite with other states to create a health care insurance system that will work and provide a higher quality of life for all Colorado citizens. By pooling with other like-minded states we can create an economy of scale that can reduce health care costs for individuals and families. This large block will allow the plans administrators to negotiate better cost savings for those within this health insurance pool. The same system could also be used to negotiate more favorable costs for prescription drugs for its members as well as for other insurance providers throughout the state. This is a “Win Win” proposition. We get more people and families covered with health insurance, we cut the rate of bankruptcy, we insure better health for our citizens and we reduce costs while doing it.
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A training initiative should be put in place to train and advance the workers of Colorado. It is also imperative that we foster business growth in Colorado. We need to work on attracting businesses that will work well with our States existing employers. We should be working hard to attract communication leaders, energy firms, environmental specialty firms, etc. We have the resources and natural environment to make our State the most attractive place for business and their workers to live.
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Colorado should be a national and world leader in alternative energy. We as a community, State and nation are extremely dependent upon foreign policy and whims. With Colorado’s resources in solar energy research as well as one of the leading universities in the country within our borders we should be leading the way. We should be encouraging state wide use of hybrid and electric vehicles. We should be in the forefront of wind, solar, hydrogen, and other undiscovered sources of alternative energy. We should also be a leader when it comes to setting standards that expect more from the industries that work with us as a community.
Solutions need to be developed and implemented now for all of our good. There is no reason why the State of Colorado isn’t the leader in these fields.
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To be a vibrant State we need to include all aspects and all residents with opportunities to access the world through high-speed communication. Whether you are dealing with a small business in the mountains or a small community school out on the plains we as a State need to be able to connect our residents with the world. Commerce and education would greatly benefit from being wired to resources that are presently difficult to tap into.
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Our State requires a barber, a beautician, a plumber, an electrician, or a real estate broker, etc. to be licensed. But with your home being the largest investment you will probably ever make there is no license requirement for your mortgage provider. There are no continual education or ethics classes for the individuals who say yea or nay on your personal home investment. They set the rules, they control the fees, they can disappear in the middle of the night if they so desire. Most of these lenders are very honest and respectable. Most have devoted years of their lives to doing right by their clients. Most realize that their long-term benefit goes hand and hand with treating their clients in an honest, forthright manner. However there are enough dishonest lenders that make it imperative that they, like most Colorado professions, are licensed. I have talked to many lenders in the Front Range concerning this matter and all, except for one, have been totally in favor of this regulatory step.
Further more in this age of computer hacking, database stealing, identity theft we, as a State, need to address stiffer punishment to offenders in this way. At present the penalty is relative light for the mass of damage to an individuals finances, credit and state of mind. We need to make a stronger deterrent to these forms of crime. It is also, after many recent revelations, that companies and institutions that are careless with this data be held more accountable for their lack of oversight and casual handling of important private information.
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"The nation that forgets its defenders will itself be forgotten" ...... Calvin Coolidge
As a community and a state we need to support the men and women who are presently, in the past, or through future service work to protect our families and us. These individuals give of them selves with the intent of keeping us safe. We need to honor them for that commitment to their country and us in Highlands Ranch.
We have a unique opportunity to build a Veterans’ Monument in Civic Green Park next to the Highland Ranch Library. This is a joint volunteer effort by the Highlands Ranch Veterans’ Monument Committee, the Metro Districts of Highlands Ranch and the Highlands Ranch Park & Recreation Foundation. The first fundraising event was held at the Highlands Ranch Library on Tuesday, August 8, 2006 August 8th was the first anniversary of Staff Sgt. Chris Falkel, a 2001 ThunderRidge High School graduate, who served as a Green Beret. He was the first Highlands Ranch resident to be killed in action.
Brian Muller, Metro Districts Park Planning Manager, developed the monument design. His unique design will feature a unique place for reflection and contemplation. The monument site will feature three areas where brick tiles may be purchased to recognize veterans who have served our nation, veterans who have been killed in action, and veterans from Highlands ranch who have been killed in action.
To make a donation, volunteer to help with fundraising, or get more information, go to the Highlands Ranch Veterans Monument web site or call the Highlands Ranch Park & Recreation Foundation at 720-240-5959.
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One of our most important issues in Highlands Ranch and throughout the state of Colorado is water use. With increased demand we are straining our limited supplies. This is an issue with many competing interests and demands.
We as a community and state need to maximize supplies through a responsible mix of conservation, reuse, efficiency, cooperation and voluntary crop to city water agreements. This approach will assure that Colorado’s agriculture communities, commercial enterprises, municipal drinking supplies, recreational waterways and eco-systems function together for mutual benefit.
With half of all water being used for lawn irrigation we need improve water saving measures through water budgets, water-saving landscaping and xeriscape incentives. Reuse programs may be the future for all of us. Indoor water use accounts for 5% of our consumption. This means that 95% of the remaining water is potentially available for reuse. We need an aggressive approach to develop new ways to recapture and reuse this water supply when legally permissible. Presently Centennial Water and Sanitation District is applying reused water on the fields at Redstone Park.
Colorado, being a headwater state, provides water through numerous interstate water compacts to down river states. By law we must maintain these compacts but we should never forget that our interests are protected. It is crucial for our economy, industries, farms, environment, wildlife, recreational opportunities and life style that we remember that we have demands also. We have fishing, rafting, kayaking and other water based recreation opportunities that add millions of dollars to Colorado’s economy every year.
Another primary entity for keeping water in the streams is the Colorado Water Conservation Board’s minimum in-stream flow program. The board through various financial arrangements acquires water rights. These rights are then retained in the stream for the benefit of local communities.
It is also important to monitor point source discharges of water pollutants. If not properly treated these pollutants can damage and endanger our limited water resources.
Presently Centennial Water and Sanitation District has optimized the use of surface water and groundwater by using surface water to the fullest extent possible when flows are available while retaining ground water for use when surface flows are low. They carefully coordinate the storage, timing and delivery of both resources. In wet years they rely of available surface water and inject excess water into the aquifers for later use. In essence they are banking water. In low flow years they have the aquifer to balance their supply. This practice should be encouraged throughout the state to optimize our limited resources.
I support the Colorado Interbasin Compact Committee established in 2005 via the Colorado water for the 21st Century Act. The committee is composed of nine smaller roundtables representing the state’s major river basins. These round tables have been tasked with building consensus, reaching compromises and striking agreements on a number of pressing issues. It is crucial that these roundtables work together toward a common mission. That mission is to conserve Colorado’s water for generations to come.
This is not just a Highlands Ranch or Douglas County problem. It is a statewide problem that affects us all.
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