It’s your turn

If you haven’t already received it, it shouldn’t be long before you get an election ballot in the mail from the county. It will allow you to vote for a couple of county issues. Mt. Crested Butte residents get to vote on tax measures. Crested Butte residents get to vote for Town Council wannabes.
In an effort to help you figure it all out, the Crested Butte News is inviting everyone to a Candidate’s Forum this Sunday, October 18. Hosted by the stalwart Denis B. Hall, proponents of the ballot issues 1A and 5A will get a few minutes to explain their issues and take questions starting at 6 p.m. Mt. Crested Butte representatives will be given some time to argue their case and take questions. And hopefully by 7 p.m. the nine people running for Crested Butte Town Council will take the stage at the Crested Butte Center for the Arts and be grilled by the public.
The entertainment and education is free of charge.
A few weeks ago we asked people to send us some questions to ask the candidates. We have used some of them to help introduce the candidates to voters. I thought it might be useful to the general public and the candidates in particular to see some of the questions submitted but not chosen in order to get an idea of what people are thinking about.
Here is a sampling:

What position do you feel the Town Council should take regarding the governance of the Crested Butte Land Trust?

What decisions taken by the Crested Butte council the past two or four years would you like to see reversed? Which do you enthusiastically support?

Do you think that the elimination of the Real Estate Transfer Tax would help the Crested Butte economy?

It has been argued by some that developing Snodgrass will hurt tourism—that more people will come here because we don’t have developed tourism than if we expanded our ski offering. Please comment.

What motivated you to run for Town Council?
How would you engage the community in town issues?

Are you in favor of the Foothills expansion? What about the Sixth Street Station?

What is it about your life experiences that will enable you to be an effective council member?
Do you support mining on Red Lady?

Do you believe in compromise? Give some examples where you helped create “win-win” solutions.
Tell us about how you’ve been involved in the community.

After five years of collecting signatures the Friends of Snodgrass has support of less than 4 percent of registered voters in the valley. Based on this, do you think the community supports developing Snodgrass or is against developing Snodgrass?

How would you deal with issues that “polarize” the community?
Describe how you would work with other municipalities to resolve common issues.
People argue that we need to broaden our economy… that our valley needs another business generator besides tourism/second home ownership, the college and ranching. Is that your belief? If so, exactly what would you propose to broaden our economy?

Why should people vote for you?

Hmmm… Red Lady, Snodgrass, development, the economy, civility. It’s what people are still curious about from their candidates. So, if you can’t think of an original question to ask the candidates this Sunday, steal one of these.
We hope to see you Sunday night starting at 6 o’clock.