LETTERS: Improve in-person town halls; workers did a bang up, good job – Colorado Springs Gazette

Rep. Doug Lamborn, though I'm glad and appreciative of the fact that you are finally holding in-person town hall meetings, the April 12 town hall meeting in Colorado Springs held at a small police substation and during the time when most people are working, isn't enough to hear the many voices of your constituents in Colorado Springs.

Rep. Lamborn, you work for us, the people, and you need not feel the need to hide from your employer. We only want you to do a good job for us and, a good employee should always be open and accessible to meet with their employer in person to receive any feedback or criticism so they can do better in their job. Failing to do so, or only partially, shows you aren't really interested in serving the people of our district but rather only those who donated substantially to your campaign and those who may just happen to agree with those donors' ideology and wants. The town hall you had in Colorado Springs just seemed to be more a PR event to overcome criticism for past refusals to hold in-person town halls than anything else.

If you feel that is a misrepresentation of where you truly stand, then prove me wrong by holding more frequent in-person town hall meetings within the more populated areas of CD5 (i.e., Colorado Springs) in larger venues, and have most of them in the evenings or on weekends so that the majority of your constituents who work during the weekdays can attend. Doing so will show the people and the media that you aren't just about "phoning-it-in" but you are truly here to serve.

David Read

Colorado Springs

Science center would be a draw

Now that the City of Champions concept for a sports complex downtown is a nonstarter and the idea of having an aviation museum to take its place has fallen through, has anyone given any thought to using the downtown site for a Colorado Springs Science Center? This project is long overdue for our city.

With all the talk about how the Olympic Center will bring tourist dollars into the community; just imagine how a science center would become a tourist destination as well as a public educational center of gravity for the Pikes Peak region.

We hear the constant drum beat in the media for the need to improve STEM education for all students. I for one would have no problem approving the use of some tax dollars to go to establishing the Colorado Springs Science Center.

Norm Black

Colorado Springs

Human trafficking a threat

People assume that we no longer have to worry about slavery in this modern day and age; claiming that such a thing was abolished over a century ago and couldn't possibly exist anymore.

But while it is true that slavery might be illegal now, this does not excuse the fact that about 20 million people are involuntarily shoved into human trafficking systems every year. In Colorado Springs alone, there have been as many as 163 human trafficking cases reported between 2015 and 2016; many of them involving the prostitution of underage children.

Within the past few decades, Colorado had become one of the largest human trafficking hubs in the nation, due to the increasing population, international airport, and two major interstates that intersect directly in the heart of Colorado's capital; Denver. Yet despite all this, people still manage to convince themselves of the complete abolition of slavery; ignoring the reality of the underground trafficking system that continues to grow right in front of them.

Most of the state's citizens aren't aware of such a large and dangerous business being run so close to home. Because of this there are numerous organizations that seek to eliminate the human trafficking industry that threatens our very own community. Through the education and awareness of the issue, we can work to eradicate the industry and make our home a safer place for all.

Aspin Rasch

Colorado Springs

Golden rule in full effect

Many, many thanks to the person who turned in - intact - the wallet I had left at Lowe's recently. The golden rule must still be in force in Colorado Springs.

Paula Bondurant

San Antonio

Support a culture of transparency

As a U.S. and Colorado citizen, I look forward to exercising my constitutional rights of freedom of speech and assembly this weekend. I'll be participating in the Denver Tax March with what I hope will be multitudes of like-minded people who support the idea that our politicians are public servants, beholden to the public good and not their own overarching financial interests. Our public offices are not marketplaces in which politicians should profit, especially at the expense of the public interest.

I believe that it's critical for the health of our democracy that our elected officials support a culture of transparency, especially as it relates to their financial interests and the positions of power that might allow those interests to supersede our public good.

First and foremost of these public servants is the president of these United States. We demand to know where his interests lie and to whom he is beholden. #showusyourtaxes

Robyn Rissman

Denver

Workers did a bang-up, good job

I'd like to express my admiration and appreciation to the city workers who put in new sidewalks between South Union and Hancock on East Bijou Street. They worked hard and steady and did a bang-up, good job.

Frankie Roland

Colorado Springs

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LETTERS: Improve in-person town halls; workers did a bang up, good job - Colorado Springs Gazette