Don’t be a fool with Aspen’s money

I get it: The Wheeler Real Estate Transfer Tax keeps laying golden eggs, and how many times can you upgrade the sound system? Grandiose plans like the Wheeler annex have been bounced, so the nest is now overwhelmed and the hawks are circling. In the absence of any cogent plan from our rudderless City Council, yet another series of citizen petitions are being circulated to disperse tens of millions of dollars to myriad “worthy” causes.

What a problem Aspen has, too much money and no idea how to spend it. A petition offers one proposed solution: spend ($10 million) on a new performing center, “to accommodate world class performances.” Wow — great, that will mean more private jets flying the patrons in for a world-class night.

The studies, community plans and initiatives abound like a jumble of many pieces from different puzzles. Totally lacking is any cohesiveness to pull this town together with a vision that will reflect and maintain the community values that has sustained and made this town unique. In contrast, the City Council parallels a clueless Humpty Dumpty and the procrastination could well yield the same result.

Neil Siegel

Aspen