Government in denial

Dear Editor:I found the experimental town meeting at the Hotel Jerome very interesting, and even fun. (Thanks for lunch, by the way.) However, it did feel a little contrived, and a good way to do some brain washing. The government in Aspen already has tons of power and lots of related agencies who seem to “milk” the system. I believe that the government that governs least, governs best, because no one can begin to keep up with all the rules and all of the exceptions to the rules. And I was shocked to learn that the city wants to build a bigger, expensive building on the Rio Grande Park in order to hide the recycle center from the Obermeyer Place. They knew the recycle center was there when they began the project. Certainly, trees would be a beautiful and healthy idea for the environment.Oh! Did I just mention the environment? Yes, that was the biggest disappointment I experienced about the whole affair. There was not one word concerning our air, water or quality of life style on the deeper sense. It was all based on economy/greed and what we like. “An Inconvenient Truth” just recently played at the Isis for at least two weeks. Didn’t anyone listen or get the least bit troubled by that documentary? I guess it was not convenient.The government is definitely in denial even though Aspen has one of the highest pollution-rates for a town its size in the country. What are we thinking? We must cut back on materialism, events, buildings, cars, monster second homes with lights, hot tubs in full swing even when no one is there, and private jets flying in and out at will. Get real, folks. This is serious stuff! We need more enjoying and less destroying of our surroundings. For what reason did you move here anyway?Ro St. AndreAspen