Open Forum

Distefano’s response

Moral and heroic?

It’s hard to imagine more pompous commentary about CU South than that from CU Chancellor Philip Distefano (“We’ve met our moral obligations”, Aug. 29) and Jan Burton (“Annexation is the heroic solution” Sept. 4). Do they, and other apologists, really think they are on moral high ground with this misguided development proposal?

I’m asking what is in their CU South proposal, aside from mediocre flood mitigation, that would be beneficial to my south Boulder family. The answer is nothing, nothing, and nothing; it’s all bad.

From an engineering perspective, adequate flood mitigation could be implemented without building a single housing unit, much less a downtown-sized development (Steve Pomerance, Aug. 24). The proposal provides for inadequate flood protection, halving the existing open space, creating far more local traffic, etc., (Pomerance, July 26, Ben Binder June 11), not to mention the obvious impact on Boulder’s carbon footprint.

As far as housing goes, CU seems proud to have met its “moral obligations” at the 1.6% level; 5 out of 308 acres would be designated for affordable housing. CU doesn’t seem really interested in addressing a problem they are largely responsible for, never mind implementing an enrollment cap to actually address housing in Boulder. This seems to be more about cashing in big time from private developers and, given CU’S diversity record, bringing thousands more relatively wealthy white people to Boulder.

Moral? Heroic? More like destructive and cowardly. I have to wonder whom the City Council candidates who say they support this proposal hope to represent, and I applaud Opinion Editor Julie Marshall, who has reminded us of the better vision that makes Boulder great. cannot find places they can afford to live in this town anymore.

One of my co-teachers was also born in Boulder and her mother is on disability. Even with subsidiary funds from the government, living in “affordable housing,” my co-teacher’s mother is still paying $800 a month in rent for a onebedroom trailer. It is extremely sad for myself and people like her to be priced out of our own home town.

This is why I support — and volunteer for — the Bedrooms Are For People ballot measure. BAFP was recently endorsed by the Emergency Family Assistance Association specifically because it would ameliorate the difficulties of families experiencing housing insecurity in Boulder.

Of course our measure won’t eradicate homelessness in this community, nor will it single-handedly solve the affordable housing crisis. But I believe strongly that it will help myself, the friends I grew up with, and the families in my preschool who struggle financially to be included in Boulder’s community.

Opinion column

An unfair attack

On Saturday, Aug. 28, The Daily Camera’s Opinion Editor Julie Marshall occupied the entire Letters to the Editor section of The Daily Camera with a column attacking Boulder City Councilor Rachel Friend.

Marshall was responding to a personal email Boulder City Councilor Friend sent to the opinion editor, Publisher Al Manzi and reporter Deborah Swearington. In Friend’s email, (that she has since released in full to the public on Twitter) she voiced concerns about factual errors, incomplete research and misinformation in the Daily Camera’s recent editorial on CU South. Instead of discussing the email with Friend, or obtaining permission to publish Councilperson Friend’s entire email (and then adding a thoughtful rebuttal), Marshall chose to only print a couple of paragraphs of the letter and then respond in a stunningly unprofessional way.

Marshall’s behavior is unacceptable on many levels. Equally disturbing are the recent letters taking joy in Marshall’s snarky tone and encouraging her to keep up the “good work.” Ironically, Marshall violated The Daily Camera’s own letter writing criteria that forbids personal attacks and encourages civility. We deserve better and need an editor who leads by example. Regardless of where you stand on the complex issue of CU South, Marshall’s response is a perfect example of how not to act.

I hope The Daily Camera’s executives recognize how damaging Marshall’s actions are to our community and take the appropriate steps to make sure we don’t have to experience a rant like that again.

City giants

It’s good to remember

Iwas at a dinner party last night and asked if two of my sisters had read the Camera opinion editor’s response to Boulder City Councilor Rachel Friend’s aggressive request. Each of us had read the piece: the words masterful and brilliant were offered. I can’t remember a time when I had so much fun reading an editor’s ironic response that hit on so many issues and well-informed city leaders who have weighed in on flood management and CU South. Our parents moved to Boulder in 1957. I have been extremely grateful to the foresight and activism of Ruth Wright, Gilbert White, Al Bartlett and the additional commentary by Spense Havlick. These folks have been city giants responsible for the direction of Boulder’s unique amenities.

We worry about the certitude of the CU and City Council negotiators about the rightness of their positions. Thank you for the historical precedent of the citizens’ vote on the Blue Line which the Council thought was insane. We are hopeful the Council will await the results of the Ballot measure on CU South.

Again, thank you to the Camera for this journalist’s treasure.