October 16 The Ant is overwhelmed by the complexity of ballot issues. We are learning that even some of our elected officials feel the same way, trying to get up to speed on the complexities of area ballot measures. Here's an opportunity to feel confident on the local issues when you are in the voting booth.
October 16 "Will you promise to run (or not to run) in the next election?"
October 4
Updated on October 5 by
Elizabeth
Click-Through Test Below
See how you stack up against expectations the current Council has for their soon-to-be-appointed colleague.
The process sounded good when The Ant first read about it. Council is to fill the open seat with a "transparent process" of evaluating applications, narrowing the field, asking for written responses to a list of questions, and then a personal interview in public.
In practice, the process/scoring system to select the finalists, as well as the number of finalists to be considered, were apparently determined in closed session, and not explained to the applicants nor the public. The five finalists have been asked to answer 22 questions in writing. Make your own judgments when you see the questions
October 3
This morning City Council narrowed the field to 5 candidates for the open Council seat. Marcia Goshorn, Jackie Kasabach, Howie Mallory, Jim Pomeroy, and Jasmine Tygre, got the nod.
A few highlights from their applications:
October 1 The Red Ant 
Democracy! .. Issue #12, Oct. 1, 2008
The Ant and Her Friends Sponsor a Citizens' Forum on the Issues
Thanks for all of the ideas! We've heard from many of you about your local concerns and have decided to spearhead a pre-election event for the entire community - a citizens' forum on the (local) ballot issues.
If you're like us, that sample ballot looks like mumbo-jumbo, making the issues hard to sort out. You may know what you want to vote for, but the legalistic ballot language confuses the issues. Yes can mean no, and no can mean yes.
And this year, looking at LOCAL issues in Aspen and Pitkin County, including RFTA, there are seven (yes, 7) tax measures. Each certainly has its merits - but in the current economic environment, how does one decide? What is necessary now?
October 1 |
Ordinance 22 - You Spoke. Ordinance 22 Redux! |
September 19 
Ants Un-Nerved
The Red Ant regrets that her instincts (and facts) were right on proposed Ordinance #22 - next Monday night's big discussion at City Council that will update a long-standing land use code section concerning the combination, redevelopment and demolition of "multi-family unit dwellings" (condos, townhouses, etc.) and tighten the exemptions that owners have liberally enjoyed for years.
September 17 The Red Ant is scratching her head. A vortex is spinning and we're now in it. We've heard a lot these past two days from many of you asking about proposed Ordinance #22 - next Monday night's hot topic at City Council, which, if passed, is slated to become law thirty days afterward.
In short, Ordinance 22 seems to update an old law that stipulates affordable housing mitigation for the redevelopment/demolition/ combination of units of "multi-family dwelling units." The effect is to make it almost impossible to