Economics, Elections, Ethics, Greed, Local concerns, Scams, Weird western slope stuff

Comparison of interchange projects elswhere in Colorado shows taxpayers are getting a raw deal in Ballot Issue 1A

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With other highway interchanges being built elsewhere in Colorado, the developers who will benefit from these projects kicked in millions of dollars towards their completion, or paid the total cost of construction up front and will get reimbursed from the future taxes generated on the retail development it stimulates on the rest of their property.

That’s not the case with the proposed I-70 interchange at 29 Road. The owners of the land the interchange would be built on haven’t pledged a dime towards its construction, even though their land around it would likely skyrocket in value after it is built, and generate income for them far into the future.

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City of Grand Junction, Ethics, Local concerns, School District 51

ACLU accuses Grand Junction Municipal Judge Tammy Eret of constitutional violations on the bench

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City of G.J. Municipal Judge and School District 51’s in-house legal counsel and Tammy Eret

On September 23, 2024 the Colorado ACLU sent a 5 page letter (pdf) to Grand Junction officials notifying them that Grand Junction Municipal Judge Tammy Eret has been engaging in “blatantly unconstitutional” and “harmful” practices in City court sessions. The letter accuses Eret of “persistently and illegally” denying incarcerated people access to court-appointed counsel, coercing uncounseled guilty pleas, and imposing “lengthy, uncounseled, illegal jail sentences.” The letter gives detailed examples of such instances, even including some of the the in-court dialogue between Eret and the people who were before her in court.

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City of Grand Junction, Elections, Local concerns, Mesa County, Mesa County Democratic Party, Mesa County Republican Party, politics

Interactive map shows donors to Harris/Biden and Trump in Mesa County in the 2024 presidential race as of 10/24/24

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This fascinating interactive map from the Washington Post shows a surprising number of people in our area are Harris supporters, and that Mesa County has continued to trend more “blue” politically since 2020. 

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Elections

Voter Guide for the Mesa County Ballot for the Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024 election

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Are you wondering how to vote in the Tuesday, November 5, 2024 General Election? Are you worried about where you’re going to find the time to research all of the candidates and ballot measures, especially on such a long ballot?

Relax.

AnneLandmanBlog has done all the work for you.

Following is a summary of recommended votes for the 2024 Mesa County General Election on Tuesday, November 5, 2024.

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Abortion, Charter schools, Conservatives

Amendment 79: Constitutional Right to Abortion and Amendment 80: Constitutional Right to School Choice

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Amendment 79: Constitutional Right to Abortion

(Numbered amendments, like Amendment 79 Amendment 80, are initiated by citizens.)

Amendment 79 would put the right to obtain an abortion into Colorado’s Constitution and repeal the existing ban on state and local government funding for abortion, so public employees can use their health insurance for abortion care. Amendment 79 will make it harder for Colorado legislators to pass laws in the future to regulate or restrict abortion in any way.

In 2023 Donald Trump openly bragged about his role in ending federal abortion rights and eliminating the long-held human right American women possessed to make decisions about their own bodies and lives.

After the 2022 Dobbs decision by the U.S. Supreme Court’s Christian nationalist majority ended Americans’ federally-guaranteed right to access abortion, Colorado’s legislature enacted a state law to protect people’s right to abortion. But since legislators can amend or repeal existing state laws, Coloradans can easily lose this right again if Republicans gain a majority in the state legislature.

Amendment 79 makes it far more difficult to eliminate the right to abortion, because only a majority of state voters can amend the state’s constitution. Thus Amendment 79 will help preserve Coloradans’ freedom to make their own personal health care decisions regarding abortion and keep the government from interfering in such decisions.

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Children, Education, Elections, Local concerns, School District 51

Mesa County Ballot Issues 4A & 4B: School District 51 Bond issue and Mill Levy Override

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Ballot issue 4A asks if School District 51 can take out a bond (loan) for $190 million with a maximum repayment cost of $410 million and use the money to renovate, make additions to existing school buildings and upgrade classroom technology. Plans include doing high-priority repairs like roof replacements, adding fire sprinklers, upgrading classroom technology, making schools more secure and making it easier for disabled kids o access all school facilities.

Many of the local public schools were built in the 1950s-1960s and need maintenance and upgrades to keep them functional, up-to-date and safe into the future.

The bond measure won’t raise taxes because it replaces an existing bond that will be fully paid off on December 1, 2024.

Ballot Issue 4B authorizes the school district to extend the current mill levy override so the District keep getting a tax already in place that was approved in 2017 and keep the $6.5 million it generates annually to continue paying for additional student instruction days, updated instructional materials, teacher training and priority maintenance to extend the life of its buildings. (A “mill levy override” is a voter-approved increase in property taxes that provides a school district with additional funding.)

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Cody Davis, Conservatives, Economics, Elections, Mesa County, Mesa County Republican Party, politics

Mesa County Ballot Issue 1B: Can the County keep tax revenue above the Tabor limit and use it to fix roads and bridges?

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Mesa County Ballot Issue 1B asks voters if the County can keep almost $11.5 million that’s already been paid in taxes, use it to maintain roads and bridges and raise the TABOR limit in the future so they can keep more tax money. So Ballot issue 1B asks Mesa County voters to let County government avoid complying with the state’s TABOR law.

What’s TABOR?

Tax-and-Spend Republicans?

Colorado’s TABOR (Taxpayer Bill Of Rights) law says state and local government can keep and spend only a specific amount of money based on their prior fiscal year’s revenue, an amount called the TABOR limit. If they collect money above that amount, it must be refunded to the taxpayers. The TABOR limit can only be adjusted according to a “population plus inflation” formula. The intent of the law, which was promoted by Republicans, was to constrain government to keep it from growing, a long-held conservative ideal.

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Elections, Firearms, Gun violence, Mental health, Public health

Proposition KK: Firearms and Ammunition Excise Tax

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Proposition KK would charge a new 6.5% excise tax on the manufacture and sale of firearms and ammunition. The tax would be imposed on firearms dealers, manufacturers, and ammunition vendors. The revenue would go to a new fund called the Firearms and Ammunition Excise Tax Cash Fund and would be used to fund criminal victim services programs, mental and behavioral health programs for kids and veterans and school security and safety programs.

A “yes” vote approves the new tax. A “no” vote opposes creation of the new tax.

Prop. KK is expected to generate up to $39 million the first full year it goes into effect.

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