Aspen mayoral race heats up

Although there is still time for other candidates to enter the race, the current candidates for Mayor of Aspen began their first debate in the media by sparring over the city's affordable housing program. Candidate, and former City Council member, Tim Semaru recently suggested increasing the appreciation cap to 5% annually on deed restricted units . The current cap is 3 percent or the national rate of inflation, whichever is lower.

Candidates Mick Ireland and Torre both discarded the suggestion. Ireland, who lives in deed-restricted affordable housing, said Semaru's suggestion would be a negation of the deal between the city and citizens more than 20 years ago. Torre commented that he didn't think the change was neccessary since people "who are in employee housing aren't using it to make money, just to get in the door."

Tom McCabe, director of the Aspen/Pitkin County Housing Authority, said he is worried that the Semaru's plan would hurt local government's ability to prevent the conversion of some 224 housing units into free-market condominiums in the future.

Learn more about Aspen's Affordable Housing Program . . .

Carbondale's educational challenge

Combine a diverse student body, two charter schools, a well known private high school, a number of private elementary schools, and a statewide open enrollment policy and you get a number of challenging educational and community issues in Carbondale.

A couple of weeks ago, Town Trustees heard various opinions about a proposed state bill to create more accountability for state approved charter schools, which brought up issues of segregation in Carbondale's elementary schools, and now parent concerns about enrollment and academic standards at Roaring Fork High School has reached public attention again.

Perhaps, as an editorial in the Valley Journal suggests, it is time for a meeting of the minds on the Carbondale's school.

Your mission: Create proposal to address health care crisis

Imagine that you have one month to create a proposal to address healthy care in Colorado, and if it's a good proposal it could be presented to the State Legislature in November.

Well, there is no need to imagine, you can be busy putting your ideas to paper.

The Colorado Blue Ribbon Commission for Health Care Reform ('the Commission') has just released a call for Health Reform Proposals due to the Commission by 5:00pm on Friday, April 6, 2007. Prospective proposers should submit, by mail or email, a 'Notice of Intent to Submit a Proposal' by 5:00 PM March 13, 2007.

The purpose of the Blue Ribbon Commission for Health Care Reform is to 'study and establish health care reform models to expand health care coverage and to decrease health care costs for Colorado residents. For any questions regarding proposal, contact Sarah Schulte, Technical Advisor to the Commission, at sarahschulte@mindspring.com.

And you thought no one would listen.