Congress gets gold-level care

According to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), these are the rates for federal employees for 2025, including members of Congress:

“Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) The 2025 biweekly maximum government contribution for most employees and annuitants (72% of the weighted average) is $298.08 for Self Only, $650 for Self Plus One, and $714.23 for Self and Family. The monthly maximum government contribution (72% of the weighted average) is $645.84 for Self Only, $1,408.33 for Self Plus One and $1,547.50 for Self and Family. …

“The monthly program-wide weighted average premiums for Self Only, Self Plus One, and Self and Family enrollments with a government contribution are $897, $1,956.02, and $2,149.31, respectively.”

Congress gets a subsidized version of the gold level of the Affordable Care Act with the option to continue when they leave. Such hypocrisy. Huge savings by firing federal workers.

Shame on them.

— Barbara Willis, Longmont

Open space should stay open indefinitely

Open space is of high value to the citizens of Longmont as demonstrated by the passage of Ballot Issue 3A last year that extends indefinitely the open space tax paid by Longmont citizens. That demonstrates the importance of open space to Longmont residents.

When open space has been acquired in the past, location is of primary consideration. To that point, once a location has been established, it is meant to be permanent and not a future candidate for relocation.

My opinion is that any consideration of moving or exchanging existing open space property is not what the voters of Longmont want. Longmont voters share a belief that existing open space should be left alone and not be a candidate for any future property exchange. I am one of those voters.

— Roger Lange, Longmont