Letters to the editor: Bedrooms Are For People; Nicole Speer; CU South; Deann Bucher
Oct. 18—Theodore Koenig: Bedrooms Are For People: I helped craft this
Ballot measure 300 is criticized for being too simple: that it should have carve-outs for specific neighborhoods, affordability requirements, or other limits or requirements. I helped craft the concept in 2015 and the virtues of this simplicity were as clear then as they are now.
First, since 300 is a ballot initiative for voters there's a virtue in simplicity where everyone can be confident in what they are voting for. It does what it says on the tin: one person per bedroom plus one for the house, "Bedrooms Are For People."
Government at the federal, state, and city levels has helpfully set forth rules defining what a bedroom is. These rules are mostly intuitive and ensure that rooms are safe to live in and safely built. Why complicate this? 300 is not about what a bedroom is, it's about what bedrooms are for: Bedrooms Are For People.
No one likes bad neighbors. However, eviction is a disproportionate penalty. If the threat of eviction is necessary to preserve the essence of our community or neighborhood character then that essence and character are built on inequality and enforced by fear. Enforcement of occupancy limits arbitrarily subjects people to fear of the whims of neighbors and landlords without reciprocation; it is inherently unequal. People should not be subject to special rules or penalties, they should be fundamentally equal before the law. All our neighbors are people, and Bedrooms Are For People.
This is the profound question in the simplicity of the question of Ballot Measure 300. Bedrooms are well defined in law already. If we acknowledge the basic sameness of people there should be no special rules for some and not others. But only after we establish that can we ask: who are bedrooms for?
Vote yes on 300.
Theodore Koenig
Former CU Boulder graduate student
Beijing, China
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Marie Banich: Nicole Speer: Extraordinary leadership skills
I am writing with utmost enthusiasm to endorse Nicole Speer for Boulder City Council. Although technically I am her boss at CU's neuroimaging center, Nicole has exhibited such extraordinary leadership skills that I often feel she is leading me — especially with regard to fostering inclusivity in our programs and approaches. She leads by example: inspiring others by clearly articulating our center's values and setting the highest standards for herself. She is a truly active listener, who thinks carefully about the effects that policies will have on staff, users of our facility, and study participants. Many issues facing Boulder require innovative, pragmatic and compassionate solutions. Nicole's superb problem-solving skill, her genuine desire to improve the lives of others, and her ability to listen to and incorporate the viewpoints of diverse stakeholders will make her an excellent addition to the City Council. Let's make sure that Boulder has a chance to benefit from her thoughtfulness, her dedication, and her vision for helping to improve our local community.
Marie Banich
Boulder
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Dick Regan: CU South: On the 'eve of destruction'
In a previous generation there came a song by Barry McGuire called Eve of Destruction: this may be the soundtrack of our upcoming election.
On the eve of the upcoming election we are also on the eve of destruction of CU South, possibly the most beautiful natural reserve in our Boulder community and this destruction will be forever.
Barry McGuire's Eve of Destruction is about war, social ills, but deeper down it is about apathy, denial and hypocrisy.
Saving CU South is about the protection of nature in all of its forms. Eloquent statements by a broad variety of Boulder's brilliant and involved citizens have made all explanations. We need no more talk. We need citizens to act. We need citizens to speak up, to show up . To vote. We need energy, not wistful whining.
Will we get that energy? If history is any predictor, probably not, as McGuire sings in Eve of Destruction: take a look around ya boy, it's bound to scare ya boy ... and ya tell me over and over again, my friend, that you don't believe we're on the eve of destruction."
For a change, let us act and anticipate and celebrate — an unlikely surprise. Victory for nature.
Google the song. See its history and impact and implications for CU South.
Go to www.savesouthboulder.com for all background.
Dick Regan
Boulder
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Carol Callicotte-Belmon: Deann Bucher: An East County voice for BVSD
People like BVSD's District E school board candidate Deann Bucher are a rare find — thoroughly qualified, years of experience, and well-versed on all of the issues we are facing. Deann is an award-winning teacher with 30 years of teaching experience, 27 of which were in BVSD. She has lived and worked in East Boulder County all of these years, which would ensure that East County voices are represented on the board. She is endorsed by both the Boulder Valley Education Association and the Colorado Education Association. She has been on the front end of making sure our schools are inclusive to all, regardless of race, gender, and sexuality. She understands the vital role that literacy plays in ensuring that our students succeed. She is also acutely aware of equity issues within our district, what we need to do to address them, and she is committed to resolving these issues. She is a believer in the importance of science and public health, as well as a Gun Sense Candidate of Distinction who will prioritize our children's health, safety, and access to quality education. We could not ask for a more qualified, more dedicated candidate than Deann. Please vote for Deann Bucher for BVSD School Board, District E.
Carol Callicotte-Belmon
Louisville
