Reject extremist Proposition 127

I am not a mountain lion hunter, a trapper or a guide of any sort. I’m a Boulder mom, trail runner, snowboarder, angler and occasional hunter, and I am a hard “no” on Proposition 127.

Neither Governor Polis nor the Boulder County Democratic Party endorsed Prop 127. Both take no position on this one, perhaps because they wanted to distance themselves from this level of extremism.

I appreciate that wildlife management is an iterative art and science in which giving conservation experts the latitude to use the most up-to-date population data to make state-level decisions each year is absolutely critical. The current system works well. Every year, the Colorado Commission that oversees hunting, fishing and state park regulations reviews the latest data and trends on wildlife populations across the state; deliberates; then sets hunting limits for huntable species based on the up-to-date science and numbers.

The goal is always to maintain stable, healthy populations, and CPW does this so well (and has for 125+ years) that mountain lions and bobcats seem to be everywhere! According to CPW, Colorado’s mountain lion population is strong and they are abundant. Similarly, bobcats are widespread and population metrics suggest our bobcat populations are stable and may be increasing in some areas. Lynx is a reintroduced and recovering species in Colorado so they are protected by the state and federal government, which means it’s illegal to hunt them anyway. Jerry Apker’s guest opinion piece published in the BDC on October 5 was really informative and I encourage you, my fellow Boulderite, to please read that, as well as CPW’s FAQ on Bobcats, Mountain Lions and Lynx available online.

Please consider rejecting the extremist Proposition 127. Allow the experts to continue to make wildlife management decisions each year based on the latest data and science.

— Liz Rose, Boulder

Elon Musk can’t pay people to vote for Donald Trump

It is illegal to pay people to vote a certain way.

But then again, we live in a world where how much money you have protects you from the laws made by others for others.

— Colleen Ostlund, Boulder

SVVSD bond issue will allow community to thrive

One of the true jewels of our community is the St. Vrain Valley School District. This election season, we have the opportunity to support our school district by voting “yes” on District Ballot Issue 5C.

The achievements of the St. Vrain Valley School District are clear, including the highest graduation rates and lowest dropout rates among Denver Metro area school districts. As a parent of twin high school seniors, I can attest, from personal experience, that our schools serve the needs of students on an individual basis with myriad educational needs and desires. We are indebted not only to the leadership in our school district, at every level, but also to our community as a whole that over many decades has made the financial commitment to provide the resources our teachers need to give our students the education they need and deserve. This bond will support, without raising taxes, specific necessary projects including infrastructure upgrades, classroom modernization, safety and security improvements, investment in career and technical education, including skilled trades and construction of new schools to serve our growing student population. If our community schools are to continue to lead our region in student achievement it is vital that we make this commitment now. Passage of District Ballot Issue 5C will not only serve our students but will continue to make our area attractive to business investment that will help our local economy thrive. I strongly encourage my neighbors in this community to vote “yes” on St. Vrain Valley School District Ballot Issue 5C.

— Scott Dunn, Longmont