Letters – July 13, 2023

Property taxes
For the last 31 years my husband and I have put the majority of our income into our home on Cattle Creek Road, and to causes that bring us joy. The value of our home has grown over the years as we made an old fishing cabin into an artful place to live and work. We are so grateful for this slice of heaven. This year, the value of our home was increased from the last evaluation by over 100%. We appealed. We were denied.

We are now “retired” and living off our savings and social security. Because of the MAJOR increase of property taxes we will no longer have the money to support the many fabulous nonprofits that make our community what it is. How many other people will be in this situation? How many people will have to sell their beloved slice of heaven if these taxes keep increasing? So many of our “old” friends have moved elsewhere because of the expensive nature of this valley. This has truly saddened us.

I am urging Governor Polis to look at this situation and make a new and better property tax proposal for senior citizen discounts. Other states have a ceiling or a flat fee that is figured when you buy a house and it stays at that amount until you sell it, or a 50% discount. We have a small flat fee if we have lived in the house for 10 years prior to turning 65.

Population control should not include making living here too expensive so that people have to leave. This is beyond ridiculous and is changing the nature of our community.

Wewer Keohane, Ph.D., Carbondale

Summer traffic
July Fourth marks the beginning of “summer traffic.” The daily traffic count at Eisenhower tunnel can average between 40,000 to 50,000 cars per day. In our area, it’s anyone’s guess. Take a minute, think about all road travel and anticipate additional drivers. And, perhaps allow more time to reach destinations?  Our roadways are shared, how we drive will make a difference.

Diane Reynolds

Take A Minute/Slow Down in Town 

Banning private jets
I’ve been reading quite a lot recently about the world-wide movement to ban private jets, but haven’t seen anything locally about it, even though Sardy Field must be a world leader in private jet usage for a community our size. Given Aspen’s media prominence and history of environmental leadership, it seems like this would be a good time for us to take a strong stand against this particularly noxious form of local and global pollution.

Michael Gassman, Basalt

Organic management
Thank you to those beings who listened at Dandelion Day and learned from Katrina Blair about organic weed management.

They are now quietly returning to the Nature Park at intervals, standing tall by kneeling down to help the Town of Carbondale heal the soil.

We appreciate you. Thank you for Being.

Will Evans, Carbondale

Buckets of thanks
To the thoughtful (and strong!) person who left a bucket of water at the top of Red Hill for the dogs, thank you. That was so nice. The doggos and their humans appreciate it.

Red Hill Dawgs

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