YOUR AD HERE »

Siegel: Entrance to Aspen process begins with a clean slate

Rachael Richards’ recent letter is a continuation of her shell game with the facts. She does not inform the reader that the City has already begun a new EIS process to replace the 1998 Record of Decision. That process starts from a clean slate to evaluate all options and the ongoing methodology should be followed. And yes, CDOT is Aspen’s partner in the process, not Richards. Looking for demons, look no further than Rachael herself. She sidesteps the obvious question — why then is Referendum No. 2 needed at all? It isn’t unless you want to hijack CDOT and the City’s process and take it over as her own.

She is dead wrong stating that her ballot measure “let’s Aspen enter a re-evaluation process of the ’98 Record of Decision.” Read it because there is nothing of the sort about any revaluation process. What it states is that voter approval “permits CDOT to proceed with both planning and construction activities…” Referendum No. 2 is a brazen attempt to eliminate all evaluation by the voters of any plan now or in the future. That right is in the City charter — it would be gone. Her misrepresentations cannot be squared with the wording she placed before the voters.

Richards’ penchant for half truths and elevating speculation into fact should not be countenanced any longer. A prior writer correctly stated that fact checking Richards was a full-time job. Send a message — vote no on Referendum No. 2 and no to her candidacy.



Neil Siegel

Aspen