HomeMy WebLinkAboutEmail - Mail Packet - 8/11/2020 - Email From Linda Hopkins Re: Open Space At Hughes Property1
Sarah Kane
From:Linda Hopkins <lindymhopkins@gmail.com>
Sent:Tuesday, August 4, 2020 2:57 PM
To:Darin Atteberry; opinion@coloradoan.com; Wade Troxell
Cc:Kevin Duggan; Sarah Kane
Subject:[EXTERNAL] Open Space at Hughes property
Attachments:hughes.docx
Categories:Council Packet Item
To FC Council Members and staff:
I am also submitting this opinion piece to the Coloradoan’s “My Turn”
Thank you for your consideration and hard work on many community issues.
Linda Hopkins
To: The Coloradoan readers and the Members of the Fort Collins City Council
William Rowley’s opinion piece recently published in The Coloradoan was
interesting. As he suggests, there is widely held desire for more open space on
the west side of the City.
I believe rational minds can simultaneously hold opposing and seemingly
contradictory views. For me, an open space western boundary to our urban area
is desirable. Yet, also it is equally important to value the demand and need for
access to affordable higher education for all Colorado students in this State’s land
grant institution.
This debate between seemingly opposing notions - the delights/costs of open
space versus the costs of responsibly maximizing the financial Hughes investment
for the benefit of the State University - both, pose important issues. Frankly,
(no pun intended) these need not be contradictory, nor mutually exclusive
positions.
Correctly City Council has the responsibility to seek benefits for current and future
citizens. Similarly, the Board of Governors and CSU have responsibilities to
protect all Colorado citizens and use fairly Colorado’s tax support for higher
education. Consequently, I believe the University should seek to maximize the
financial return on the Hughes investment. CSU acknowledges the importance of
local open space, but for the Administration to acquiesce to a Council and provide
a benefit to one community at the potential cost to unsuspecting students and
State tax payers is simply unjust.
The traditional economic model is where these opposing concerns intersect.
Simply consider “who benefits and who pays”. Clearly open space along Overland
Trail may be desirable and benefits Fort Collins. Thankfully, Fort Collins citizens
have oft expressed by their votes, willingness to pay for like open space. “You
want it, you buy it” should be familiar to any consumer of goods and services.
At the same time, I cannot believe the CSU tuition paying students or parents in
Burlington, Aurora, or Grand Junction would be thrilled by the prospect of the
University reducing a source of revenue to favor Fort Collins wishes. Diminished
CSU proceeds, potentially cost all students and tax paying Colorado residents.
These competing values are a difficult conundrum. Gratefully, however, the issue
might be resolved should the City Council pose the question to the municipal
voters, “Are you willing to vote to buy the property at a value equal to the
amount estimated to benefit CSU?” (Not the developer profit) The vote would
give Council direction and permission. Now, they have neither.
This grandmother, helping to pay tuition for a granddaughter majoring in
neuroscience at CSU, “might” be willing to chip in for more open space, but
please just ask.
Essentially a municipal election would give the 7 member City of Fort Collins
Council direction to proceed on behalf of the 167,830 Fort Collins citizens, avoids
imposing local costs on the unsuspecting 34,166 enrolled at CSU and the
5,842,076 Colorado tax payers.
Thank you for your consideration.
Linda Hopkins
1300 Green Gables Ct.
970-217-1228