Differences in Dist. 4 candidates

Today’s mail included a flier from Helen Collins, who is running for City Council in District 4. I read the information she lists on the three other candidates. I don’t know her or two of the others, but I do know Dennis Moore. The information listed for him is misleading. He served 20-plus years in the Air Force and another 20-plus in Civil Service in highly technical positions with a very high security clearance. Collins said he has no job. He has volunteered his time to the community for over 20 years. He teaches various classes in personal security all over the city. He has also taken the leadership responsibility for the Neighborhood Watch program. He can also be found volunteering at the Sand Creek Police Station.

His brochure does not promise “high paying jobs” as Collins states. Instead, it states that Dennis believes that District 4 is “worthy of quality, high paying jobs that will benefit youth, Fort Carson and Peterson Air Force Base veterans, and their families.” There is a big difference.

Dennis listens to people from all walks of life and will be available to listen to the residents of District 4 when elected.

As much as Collins twisted the truth about Dennis Moore, I wonder what is twisted and enhanced about her qualifications.

As for Deborah Hendrix, she is already on two school boards. How many should one person be on? Her company, CD Global Enterprises, provides training, coaching, and consultation to companies on a global scale, which to me does not promote jobs in Colorado Springs or the El Paso County area. I’d rather have my representative be someone who is more interested in local issues and Dennis is. He cares about the people of the community and will serve us well. He has my vote and support. I’m sorry The Gazette’s endorsement only looked at surface items and didn’t pay attention to real qualifications.

S.L. Hill

Colorado Springs

The sad part of all this

Does anyone know the country is in hard times? What most people do in a down turn is cutback on their spending and pay down debt. The election is over but our “Campaigner in Chief” is still campaigning to sell the American people on making the bad Republicans accept more tax increases. The sad part of all this is every campaign flight is costing the taxpayer about $1,000,000. The liberal media is in a frenzy over the sequester but none seem to question the spending going on in Washington by this president. Add the expensive vacations, golf outings and elaborate dinners — what a way to lead by example.

More revenue in Washington never goes for deficit reduction, just more spending.

I always wondered why a man that supposedly grew up in humble settings, doesn’t spend more time in the ghettos of our big cities. Our president has a model family and could use that to inspire the 70 percent of poor single-parent black families on welfare how important it is to have a permanent man around the house. The answer I’m afraid is in a Socialist country you keep power by making more and more people dependent on government.

The Republicans are always blamed for supporting the rich fat cats, but if you don’t have money you can’t build a factory that employs people. In the book “The Millionaire Next Door” most wealthy people get there by hard work and long hours in a blue collar business. Which is better, being self-made wealthy or the Democratic mayor of a big city that becomes rich and powerful off the political machine? President Obama has had plenty of experience as an attorney/community organizer in Chicago and I’m afraid he’s brought that to Washington, D.C.

Crony capitalism is another big problem as big business, can afford to hire lobbyists to make sure they get their fare share of the government pie in contracts or tax breaks. A good example is GE and GMC. When the Chevy Volt was in trouble with poor sales, because of over pricing, the government came along and put a $7,500 tax credit on the electric Volt. The net result was GE promising to buy half of GM production and partly because of the tax credits, GE didn’t pay any taxes in 2011. What do we glean from all this? The sequester, no matter how hard it is portrayed, may be the only way under this President to slow the spending in Washington. Sorry to the military, but Obama with his disarmament goal would find another to cut you anyway.

Brent Price

Colorado Springs

Social return on investments

The Center for Nonprofit Excellence recently completed an economic impact survey of the nonprofit sector that shows it is a $3.1 billion industry directly employing nearly 17,000 people in this region. The Gazette did a wonderful job of reporting key findings that demonstrate the value of our large national and international nonprofits and what they bring to the community. However, nonprofits under $1 million in annual operating revenue comprise nearly 85 percent of the nonprofits in the Pikes Peak region, and they have compelling stories to share as well.

As civic leaders, business owners, and individual citizens, we often overlook the social return on investment that nonprofits bring: 1) increases in household income, 2) increases in taxes paid to all levels of government, 3) cost savings resulting from reduced public support, and 4) improvements in personal well-being that are difficult to express in monetary terms. Here is where all nonprofits, large and small, are equally vital to the quality of life we enjoy.

Many of our nonprofits can articulate monetary and non-monetary value. Organizations like Urban Peak spend approximately $5,000 a year to shelter and assist homeless teens, who otherwise might cost our community more than $50,000 a year if they ended up in corrections or a residential treatment program. In 2011 Discover Goodwill helped 4,740 citizens find jobs in our community with projected annual earnings of more than $57 million. Sixty-five percent of Blue Star Recyclers’ workforce is developmentally disabled, and their social return on investment is nearly $20,000 per worker per year in terms of reduced taxpayer support. Pikes Peak Therapeutic Riding Center has seen a 62 percent reduction in suicide risk among its PTSD clients. Homeward Pikes Peak, Energy Resource Center, AspenPointe Enterprises, and every nonprofit in this region has an equally deserving story to share. Ultimately, the message should be that the average yearly value added (GDP) per nonprofit employee in our region is $102,294. We make a powerful difference.

Dave Somers

Colorado Springs