Westsider Westsider 9-13-2013
North Jeffco
POSTAL PATRON
September 13,2013
A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourwestminsternews.com
North Jefferson County, Colorado • Volume 12, Issue 36
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Construction near completion at airport Buffer zone helps for a safe landing By Amy Woodward
awoodward@ourcoloradonews.com Rocky Mountain Metro Airport is undergoing construction to meet safety standards required by the Federal Aviation Administration for the airport’s main runway, 11L. The project has proven to be a doozy, requiring the movement of State Highway
128. “We are in the middle of a two-phase project that is improving safety area to the west of the airport’s primary runway,” said Kenny Maenpa, Metro Airport director. “Currently the runway safety area is 600 feet in length off the end of the runway, and we require a total of 1000 feet of safety area to meet safety standards of aircraft that are currently operating at Metro Airport,” Maenpa said. In the event a plane is not able to stop by the end of the runway, or a plane taking off
does not reach high speeds in order to lift off before the runway ends, the safety area will act as a buffer to help prevent drastic consequences. The safety area will not be paved but graded flat to prevent a plane from inflicting significant damage to the property or to the plane itself. It is a two-phase project, but the good news is, phase one of the project which includes relocating State Highway 128, is 90-percent complete. The second phase, which involves re-
moving the existing retaining wall, and building out the safety area or buffer zone will require dirt taken from several sources around the airport, with majority of the earth coming from west of the intersection of Simms Street and State Highway 128. Officials anticipate the project to be complete by December 2013 with some minor touch-ups in 2014. “We’re still going to have come back in Airport continues on Page 2
Banquet honors community heroes By Ashley Reimers
areimers@ourcoloradonews.com It was an evening of honor and recognition during the Sept. 6 Westminster Public Safety Recognition Foundation, WPSRF, annual awards banquet at the Westin Westminster. Throughout the event, 35 people were recognized for their courage and heroism in the acts of public safety in the community of Westminster Whether it was a police officer, firefighter, emergency medical technician or a community resident, each story told during the banquet had the common theme of bravery and endurance in a time of need. “The foundation’s No. 1 goal is to honor
State Sen. Pat Steadman, D-Denver, speaks on behalf of a marijuana tax ballot question at a Sept. 4 Capitol press conference. Photo by Vic Vela
Banquet continues on Page 2
Push is on for marijuana taxes Capitol rally urges voters to approve 25 percent levy By Vic Vela
vvela@ourcoloradonews.com Supporters of a retail marijuana tax initiative held a Capitol rally on Sept. 4, urging Colorado voters to back pot sales taxes to ensure that the newly created industry “pays its own way.” The rally served as a campaign kickoff for Proposition AA, which will ask voters to give the go-ahead for retail pot to be taxed at 25 percent this fall, with the revenue going toward school construction and support for industry regulation. Retail pot sales will soon become a reality in the state, thanks to last year’s voterbacked passage of Amendment 64. The Legislature passed pot regulations earlier this year, but voters still must decide whether they will support the taxes needed to fund retail marijuana rules. State Rep. Dan Pabon, D-Denver, who played a key role in crafting Amendment 64 legislation, said that unless voters back the pot taxes this fall, “we will have to do one of two things: Take money from education and other programs in Colorado to fund this industry, or we’ll have lackluster or lax enforcement,” “This campaign kickoff is to acknowledge and recognize to the people of Colorado that these taxes absolutely must pass,” Pabon said. Proposition AA will ask voters to approve a 15 percent excise tax and a 10 percent retail tax on marijuana sales. Revenue from
‘I also understand the importance of having the funding available to make sure that our communities are safe and that we build better schools.’ State Rep. Jonathan Singer the excise tax will go toward public school construction, while the money collected from the retail tax will back the regulations that were enacted by the Legislature. The 25 percent state tax does not include whatever local taxes might be imposed by individual municipalities. Brian Vicente, an architect of Amendment 64, said the taxes are expected to bring in about $70 million in revenue for the state. Vicente also reminded voters that only pot-smokers will be required to cough up the tax money. “This is a tax that really would only apply to people who choose to participate in regulated marijuana,” Vicente said. “Those who do not purchase marijuana will not be subject to this tax.” Pot tax supporters were asked whether they had concerns that competing tax questions on this year’s ballot could affect the passage of Prop AA — such as Initiative 22, which will ask voters to support more than $900 million in new taxes to overhaul the school finance system.
“I think these issues will rise and fall on their own merits,” said state Sen. Pat Steadman, D-Denver. “I think our voters are discerning.” Steadman also said that voters who supported Amendment 64 last November knew that the pot industry would have to be taxed. Proposition AA supporters also said they were pleased with the federal government’s recent guidance on states that allow legalized pot. The Department of Justice issued a memo saying it would not seek to block recreational pot sales in states that allow it, so long as the retail pot industry abides by firm state regulations. State Rep. Jonathan Singer, D-Longmont, who sponsored the marijuana tax bill that led to Proposition AA, said the Legislature made “very responsible and very necessary first steps” in making sure the marijuana industry abides by a strict set of rules. Singer, who worked as a drug counselor Taxes continues on Page 2
A member of the Colorado Emerald Society Bagpipe and Drums performs during the Westminster Public Safety Recognition Foundation annual awards Banquet on Sept. 6 at the Westin Westminster. Over 30 people were recognized during the event. Photo by Ashley Reimers
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