City kills plan to convert in-town eyesore to sorely needed apartments. Officials hide behind trumped-up compliance standards for former "heavy industrial" site.

The city denied approval to a major project that would have created about 100 jobs and pumped millions of dollars into our economy! For all their campaign rhetoric, city leaders ignore campaign promises regarding infill development and “affordable housing”. In Durango, that term is an oxymoron.
“960 East” encompassed quality rental units for 66 families while converting the former Boker Lumber yard on E. College Drive from an eye sore to a showcase. The city would rather hide behind trumped-up conformance and density standards than demonstrate skill, leadership and honor to make infill projects a reality.
Former mayor, Sidney Zink, spoke courageously at the hearings. She and others, both pro and con, acknowledged there were valid concerns, but none were insurmountable. Where were Mayor Renderle and Councilors Marbury, White and Lyon, proponents all for affordable housing and infill development? If there’s a photo-op or ribbon cutting, they’re there! That’s leadership?
When Durangoans lose homes, jobs or are forced to downsize, they will leave the area if they can’t find an affordable rental. Young adults born or raised here cannot afford to stay. They’re competing against college students being ripped off by slum lords, and absentee landlords gouging tourists with pricey vacation pool rentals.
Local businesses continue to fail, the Durango Mall occupancy rate is pathetic, skilled people leave town in despair, negatively impacting us all! What happened to America’s “can do” spirit?
Project 960 East manifests major private investment in land acquisition, planning and permitting. Land costs dictate density to achieve economic feasibility. The city’s negativity serves notice to risk-takers to go elsewhere. Abandoned properties, urban sprawl, slum lords, unemployment and bike trails are preferred over such frivolous things as adequate housing and customers for local businesses and jobs!
Facing a $2 million budget shortfall, the city chooses to raise taxes (e.g., increased lodging tax), rather than collect $500,000 in fees and permits, untold sales tax revenues from this project. Rather than donate land at the old library site to a nonprofit to build affordable housing, the city prefers to “put up another parking lot”, as the song goes.
It’s time for Durango’s politicians to walk-the-walk! They spend $ millions on “open space”, bike trails, recreation center, library,  an elaborate transportation center, doggie park, and offer free rides on our public transit system. Yet, they ignore the needs of low and moderate income families who cannot afford to own their own home. They leave it to local non-profits to provide shelter to 550 people each year while hanging on to city-owned land that could be used for low income housing.

The candidates and Mayor talked a great game while campaigning. When it was time to act, they were nowhere to be found! Sound familiar? None of them ever ran a business, so how would you expect them to understand business economics? If a developer acquires infill property for $1.3M, the development must have a certain density to be cost-effective. Even idiots understand that principle. The developer’s plan was consistent with zoning and land use. After risking their capital to address a chronic community need, and after modifying the plan significantly to accommodate the concerns of city planners and neighbors, the plan still got axed!

We’ve become a community–and nation–of can’t do-ers! Maybe that’s why we elect people who don’t do anything except squander taxpayers’ money…

With the leader of our country constantly calling for civility, I wonder why The Herald op-ed section chooses to run political cartoons that are anything but civil. Your choice of cartoons from The Detroit Free Press amplifies a discourse that is inflammatory and offensive.
Let it be known that The Detroit Free Press is a union shop. It serves the heart of America’s rust-belt, the capital of boarded- up homes and communities that lead the nation in urban crime and unemployed food stamp recipients. The Detroit of the 21st century is anything but a positive role model and its leading newspaper is hardly an American success story.
We don’t need or want Detroit’s hatred, in any art form.
As our community’s journal of record, your professional code of ethics includes such principles as “…truthfulness, accuracy, objectivity, impartiality, fairness and public accountability, as these apply to the acquisition of newsworthy information and its subsequent dissemination to the public”. If civility is lacking in our culture, here The Herald can be part of the problem or part of the solution.
I’m offended when you contribute to the portrayal of a large segment of Americans as stupid, ignorant, racists, lunatics, unpatriotic and worse! I’m offended when you ignore James Hoffa’s guttural attacks, foul language and call to “take out” the tea party and don’t hold our President accountable when he fails to condemn such remarks. Silence gives consent.
The country came together after the tragedy of 9/11. In the 10 years since, we’ve grown further apart than ever. Maybe the power of the Herald’s pen and honoring your professional code of ethics will help bring us back together…

Another Award is Due

We’re witnessing another masterful “misdirection” by Obama. The latest is partisan budget battles. Our economy continues to deteriorate. TARP and Stimulus I & II were busts and inflation is ballooning without so much as a media peep. The beltway boobs battle over single-digit cuts with a $14 trillion debt looming over us. Meanwhile foreign oil producers have us over a barrel…still. Oil is heading towards $125 per barrel, or $4.50 at the pump, probably by Memorial Day.

Our Apologist-in-Chief, after giving them $2B of our money, tells Brazil to drill-baby-drill, payback to his main campaign contributor and Brazilian oil shareholder, George Soros. Our trade imbalances grow, the dollar weakens and China and OPEC are big beneficiaries. China drills for oil 30 miles off the coast of Cuba (60 miles from us) while Obama clings to his scorched-earth policy of foreign oil dependency. The Saudis, an oppressive nation to whom Obama bows, threaten us with $300/barrel oil if we don’t do their dirty work. Obama bombs one oppressor and lets another dictate to and rip us off!

The illusionist-in-chief wants you to focus on the budget battle or snooze like Joe Biden. He doesn’t want us to dwell on his failed policies or defaulting on passing a budget last year. Under Obama the federal government has grown from 33% of the economy to 45%. GE, whose Chairman is an Obama favorite, makes $7B in profits and pays no taxes. Tax baby Tax, but not Obama’s pals!

Obama, master of misdirection!

Durango's Only Attainable Housing Project in Decade

The slate endorsed by the Durango Herald would produce one of the weakest, irrelevant city councils in recent history. Add “No-Show” Sweetie Marbury and “Star Gazer” Dick White to a council dominated by “employees” not “employers”, and what have you got? You’ve got a group of people who would make good non-profit volunteers, not serious candidates for the city council in a depressed economy. They’re good people all, but, check their resumes! Where’s the balance? Where’s the experience? Who among them has ever run a business, met a payroll, or put their own money at risk to create jobs?

Emil Wanatka is the only candidate who ever did anything meaningful about attainable housing in Durango, and, he may be the only local builder to do so. His Parkside Terrace project (see photo) gave Durangoans an opportunity to buy a new home within city limits at prices in the low $200,000. In 2003,  700 sq. ft. glorified shacks were priced in the $300,000 plus range…hardly affordable, hardly attainable on Durango’s low wage scale. One in nine jobs in Colorado is tied to real estate, and during the last decade, Wanatka’s projects poured millions of dollars into the local economy and made home ownership possible for hundreds of Durangoans! And he stayed around to ensure home warranties were honored and his customers were happy.  The Herald said he was “tainted” because he is a builder. Are all teachers “tainted” because our kids can no longer read, write, do math and understand science as well as kids in other developed nations? Our highest ranking is 17th; China leads all nations across the board.

Falkenstein’s letter to the editor (Herald March 30th) asserting that only Marbury and White support Fair Share is pure bull. No-show Sweetie didn’t attend two of the three candidate forums. Apparently Falkenstein didn’t either!  The three candidates who had the courage and voter respect to attend all forums voiced their support for Fair Share. I heard them. Emil  Wanatka “walked-the-walk” on this problem long before White even moved to Durango and while Sweetie was teaching kids in New Mexico. And what has Sweetie ever done to earn your vote or the Herald’s endorsement ? Contrary to Woody Allen’s quip, you don’t get a “B” just for just showing up at City Council meetings. Attending medical meetings doesn’t make you a doctor. Her role as a defendant in a multi-million dollar law suit is glossed over by her supporters as being ” frivolous”. Really? Have you read the complaint? I have, and it’s frightening that a candidate for city council will have to answer those charges. Those alleged violations of civil rights not only has the city potentially liable for a huge settlement, her actions may have cost the local economy about seventy job well paying jobs as well.

Years from now when real estate taxes skyrocket because gas and oil royalties disappeared, vacant store fronts on Main Street make downtown look like  Silverton in January, real estate values plummet, and kids who grew up here are forced to live and raise their families hundreds or thousands miles away for lack of jobs, you can look back at your vote in 2011. If you think a retired teacher and astronomer can help expand the local economy, then you and your family and the Herald will fully deserve what the future holds. 

It’s crunch time folks, choose wisely!

Wanatka Announces His Candidacy

Sometimes Durango is characterized as a Boulder wanna-be! Winning a seat on the city council is one sure-fire way to promote a political agenda, and, in the past, many city councilors have done just that. This year we have two candidates with centrists views and two with progressive inclinations. The former are candidates from the business community, the latter are from academia. The winners in April’s election will have several years to influence and direct the future of Durango.

More than ever, Durango needs to expand and upgrade the quality of employment opportunities for its residents. In my opinion, that’s a job for candidates with a proven track record in the business world…people who know how to create jobs and attract the kind of businesses that help the local economy. We also need candidates whose character is beyond reproach, particularly with regards to the public trust.

Our local newspaper monopoly, The Durango Herald, has endorsed its pet candidates–liberals all–even glossing over a pending discrimination lawsuit against one of them, Sweetie (sic) Marberry, while acting as chair of a public board charged with approving building applications in a historic district. In its typical arrogant manner, this biased daily gives their candidates a free pass when it comes to vetting. Conversely, in its Sunday edition on March 20th, their description of an unendorsed candidate was pure fabrication, a sophomoric piece of dribble that wouldn’t pass fact-check muster in a high school newspaper. Saul Alinsky would be proud! Shameless!

We have a candidate for city council who has all the requisite credentials: Business acumen, leadership and community service. An objective review of his resume reveals the qualities any community would be delighted to see in their leaders. A resume, however, doesn’t speak about character and ethics. Aside from his known leadership qualities and community service, this is a candidate who possesses the intellect, personality and diplomacy to grasp and deal with complex and thorny issues. Here’s an anecdote that addresses the character issue. 

In 2003, his company applied for approval of a new subdivision within city limits. Technically, the project was called “in-fill development”, though which property within the city that was underutilized and a community eye-sore was converted to its “best and highest use”.

His company’s plan was to convert that space into a subdivision of good quality, well-designed and reasonably priced townhomes. Their goal was to price those homes at a level  affordable to residents who worked in the community in jobs such as teachers, firefighters, retail clerks, and young couples. I asked, “Why would you pick that price point while other developers are building products in the city and county for twice that amount?” His reply was, “We think it’s something we’d like to do for the community.”

Under his leadership, his company put millions of dollars at risk to pursue their dream to help people within the community who were previously priced out of the market. The finished product, Parkside Terrace,  won several awards from the city.

We’re fortunate to have a quality candidate such as this offering to serve the city. I urge you to support his candidacy…I urge you to support Emil Wanatka for City Council. The other candidate with the proper credentials is Connie Imig. Connie is an impressive, forward-thinking professional woman who will serve the city well.  Both would be welcomed additions to a city council that needs more balance and sensible and pragmatic leadership!

Disgraceful!

The Durango Herald newspaper published a political cartoon on December 22, 2010 on the Op-Ed page. The cartoon showed a provocative rendition of the “Iwo Jima Flag Raising”. Instead of raising the U.S. flag, the Marines were shown raising a rainbow flag.

The paper’s decision to publish the cartoon is the most despicable and irresponsible display of editorial arrogance and disrespect I have ever seen in my country. I have no complaint about the decision to overturn Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. I am, however, disgusted with the liberal media—and the Herald in particular—for desecrating a national monument and icon, and dishonoring all Marines and others who served in the military, just to make a political statement.

While the left hides behind the first amendment, it carefully avoids crossing the line when it comes to offending others, say Muslims and their Prophet Mohammed.

The Iwo Jima image became an icon, not just for Marines, but for the entire country. It’s perhaps the most reproduced image of all time. The photograph also inspired the creation in 1954 of the magnificent Iwo Jima Memorial (aka The Marine Memorial), which stands outside the walls of Arlington National Cemetery. Inscribed thereon are the words, “Uncommon Valor was a Common Virtue”, a tribute to the 30,000 young Marines and sailors who waded into a blood-bath that morning to defend your freedom. The Marines suffered 20,196 casualties, 4,189 killed, with 3,650 lost the first day! Half of the flag-raisers died on Iwo.

The Iwo Jima Memorial is a tribute to all U.S. Marines who served their country, from 1776 forward. Most Americans view the Memorial as a symbol of national pride and determination. When I challenged the Op-ed editor on his decision to publish this cartoon, he responded asking, “Didn’t the Marines fight for gays too?” My reply, “Only one flag belongs on top of that staff, and that’s the USA flag. That flag represents our country and everyone in it. No one has a right to deface it or make a mockery of it.”

While the left preaches civility, it’s actions—such as those embodied in this cartoon—speak volumes about its attitude towards the military, and our nation’s monuments and history. Civility is as civility does.

His award is long overdue

He’s the best at propaganda:  Mao, Lenin, Hitler would be awe-struck. Down is up, left is right, bad is good. He does it better and more often than anyone.

He’s the best at Equal Employment Opportuity: Tax cheats, self avowed socialists, and a host of shady characters are employed as cabinet members, czars, and West Wing staffers. What a forgiving guy!

He’s the best at bad-mouthing us: He’s the first to make global apology tours. Who’d have thought? Maybe we’ll be forgiven for butting in during WWI and WWII, the Marshall Plan, air-lifting food to Germans during the Berlin Blockage, Korea, aiding tsunami victims in Malaysia, bringing food to starving people in Somalia, and protecting Bosnian Muslims from genocide.

He’s the best at raising special interest money: The UAW, SEIU, Wall Street, insurance companies, greenies, and emission traders love the guy! He’s a contemporary Robin Hood or Don Quixote.

He’s the best at aiding our enemies: North Korea and Iran will surely name nuclear weapons in his honor. Russia finally found a U.S. President with whom they can agree. Terrorists offer new prayers memorializing his tolerance and forgiveness.  China loves his indecisiveness and neutrality. Obama cracked the diplomatic code!

He the best at double-speak: Voting against the surge in Iraq as Senator, then taking credit for victory as President. He can waffle on key issues quicker than a New York minute: The Mosque, Beer Summit, Economy, and Obamacare. A media treasure, he has a sound bite for all seasons, all positions.

He’s the best at reducing judicial backlogs: He refuses to try terrorists, enforce immigration laws, and prosecute black civil rights violators. This guy really thinks outside of the box!

He’s the best at ineptitude: Under his “leadership”, never before have so few, done some much, to so many, in so little time to screw things up. Obama truly delivered “fundamental change”.

He’s best at the “blame game”: More than any predecessor, Obama blames others for his failures. He’s taken us from “Yes we can” to “no we can’t”, and it’s all George W’s fault!

Yeah, Obama is the best! I can’t wait to show my appreciation at the ballot box.

Is he representing you?

The train wreck we call Congress is back home campaigning for re-election. Deserving their pathetic 11% approval rating, why should any get rehired?

The system is broken. Corruption runs amuck in Congress! Rule One from their playbook: Play the game or you’re out! Unless we—the electorate—blitz those tactics, we’re headed into the ranks of the defeated, self destructing through naiveté or stupidity.

The Constitution embodies a representative form of government, i.e., “…of the people, by the people, for the people.” The foxes in the chicken coop, Congress, routinely and aggressively solicit and accept bribes (aka campaign contributions). A bribe is defined as “(1) something, such as money or a favor, offered or given to someone in a position of trust to induce him to act dishonestly, or (2) something offered or serving to influence or persuade”.

I’m not referring to the $25, $50, or $100 contributions from ordinary citizens, I’m talking about the collective $ billions poured into tax-free political coffers by special interest groups, domestic and foreign! These “contributions” are bribes!
During his first year in office, Senator Bennett  (D-Colorado and an appointee!) ranked second highest on the list of campaign contribution recipients from Wall Street. Some analysts of the Financial Reform Bill, which Bennett and our Congressman, John Salazar (D) supported, claim it reforms everyone except Wall Street and the mortgage monopoly, Fannie/Freddie. Are you pro Wall Street? Did their votes mirror your wishes?

How can political opponents unseat well-funded incumbents? As if a law of Physics, incumbents in office tend to stay in office. Bennett had a $6M campaign war chest to defeat his primary opponent, a guy who had to sell his house to loan $300,000 to his campaign in the waning weeks of the primary. Guess who won? Why does Wall Street want Bennett to remain in office? Check the new interest rates you’ll be charged by credit card companies under the Financial Reform Bill…follow the money!

A private sector executive, NBA official or athlete guilty of taking a bribe is defrocked, canned, and often imprisoned. Yet billions of dollars of TARP and stimulus remain unaccounted for while members of Congress seek re-election or leave office with golden parachutes (retiring at 80% of their salary plus great healthcare and other benefits). Where’s the oversight in Congress or from the Fourth Estate? As they say in Jersey…..forget about it!

Until legalized bribery ends, and we regain the integrity demanded by the Constitution, we naively play the role of fools in the ugly charade called American politics. Our best chance begins with the elections in November. Vote wisely! We need to put an end to legalized bribery in Congress and elect people who are commited to representing us, not their financial backers!

While a senior at Harvard, the last great Democrat President, JFK, authored a thesis, “While England Slept”, which later won the Pulitzer Prize. Kennedy’s thesis placed the blame for WWII on the shoulders of many in England—including the free press—for ignoring the unbridled spread of extremism on the European continent.

For too long, extremism—both from the left and right—has been gaining momentum and political power in our country. While America Slept, extremists have systematically dismantled our republic to a form of government that is bought by special interests and repaid with political favors, biased legislation and outright corruption. The conflicted free press (i.e., the media)—our last bastion for truth—also sold out to the power mongers and today struggles to survive against the myriad of contemporary news sources.

A republic is based on a Constitution and laws, not a “simple majority”. Elected officials—indebted to campaign donors, lobbyists and extremist groups—fail to represent the wishes of those who elected them. Their actions trample on the spirit and letter of the Constitution to which they are sworn. Congress has become a pathetic political version of Wall St. where votes are bartered and traded in the name of greed and power.

If our representative form of government were working, the country would be governed slightly right-of-center, which, as polls show, is the consensus of Americans. That isn’t happening! Congress has an abysmal 17% approval rating. No wonder! Add a faltering, arrogant, inept and tone-deaf administration hell-bent on jamming its agenda down the throats of an objecting citizenry, and then all the ingredients for a voter rebellion are brewing.

This fall, I pray we take back our country. Use your vote to remove the cowards and liars who failed to deliver on campaign promises, didn’t follow their convictions, and became subservient to their party bosses and financiers. Study the issues and elect candidates who share your values and are capable of living up to their oath of office.

When that happens, America will have awakened and the extremist elements in our country will become irrelevant.

Baxter Black, Cowboy Poet and Humorist

For 21 years, the first week in October finds Durango home to The Cowboy Gathering. Forty or so cowboy poets, songsters and humorists, and all their gear, gather from far and near to entertain us with “songs, verse and rhyme”. Locals dust off old Stetsons, slip on old cowboy boots, loop heirloom lariats around their necks, don leather vests, buckle up gaudy belts and happily play along.

A far cry from the hard ridin’, shoot-em-up cowboy image romanticized in Hollywood westerns, Durango was a boring supply town. Its creation and growth were fostered by the railroad, not cattle drives and range wars. But, perception is reality, and if “cowboy” sells, Durango has always been ready to accommodate. Although the railroad still contributes mightily to the local economy today, it does so only as a tourist attraction. Today the railroad and Cowboy Gathering reflect how his opportunistic little town keeps re-inventing itself to cash in on America’s love affair with the old west.

Each fall the visiting balladeers/poets branch out into the community and entertain at various local venues, including schools, the senior center, Fort Lewis College, the Strater Hotel and—yes—even on the 19th century train we now call the Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge RR! School kids listen intently in local schools, undoubtedly conjuring up thoughts of fireside friendships as guitar-strumming poets delight them with song, tall tales, and bunkhouse humor.

On Saturday morning, locals strut their stuff along Main Street and cheer friends and strangers alike participating in the “motor-less” parade. Entrants range from the all volunteer Colorado Rangers, a local search and rescue and auxiliary law enforcement group, to young 4-H kids riding their favorite paint or quarter-horse. A few antique buggies and wagons led by handsome teams always bring roars of approval from the appreciative spectators.

Evenings, the Henry Strater Theatre (aka The Hank), provides an appropriate venue for fun filled performances by the traveling cowboys. Substitute electric foot lights with oil lamps and you’d swear time stood still. Performances bring smiles, somber reflection, some tears, and lots of joy to young and old alike. Sunday morning features “A cowboy and his creator”, focusing on the cowboy’s love of God and country, a reminder that the spirit lies within us and not where we are.

Amidst the turmoil of modern society, emerging oneself in the spirit of The Cowboy Gathering is both therapeutic and sobering, a reminder of who we are and where we came from, sparking, perhaps, a yearning for to those days of old when a simple life and lofty values were the norm.