Rotary Gram

 

Durango High Noon Rotary Club

April 3, 2003                                 

 

"My number 1 priority is my family"

 

Bill Owens, Governor of Colorado

    Jeff opened the meeting, quickly asking Ron Holligan to offer the invocation and lead us in the pledge.  Jeff announced that Ted Robson was to have surgery on Friday.  He is on his way back from Denver today (Wednesday), so we should see him in a couple of weeks.  All the best Ted!

    The introduction of guests included a charter member of the club and President in '85 - '86, Mr. Fred Klatt, recently retired County Commissioner.  Other guests included:

 

Kathleen May

Ed McMillan

Joy Mathis

Sheryl Ayers, County Commissioner

Former State Senator Jim and Shari Dyer

Claire Lodahl

Daryl Wotkyns

B.J. Boucher

Tim Walsworth

Rich S.

Katie Steelman

Steve Brittain

County Commissioner, Josh Joswick

Lisa Govreau

 

        Announcements

 

Mexican Food Fiesta:  Mark Prouty announced that this year's fund raiser will be Thursday, May 1st at the Fairgrounds.  He also announced that he is passing the torch after the event to another Rotarian and asked for someone to train.  We all have tickets packets, or will soon.  If you don't have yours, call Mark, 259-3131 or 749-4642.

 

    Program

 

    After the wall separating the Rotarians from the Kiwanians was removed, Jeff asked Cheryl Ayers to the podium.  Commissioner Ayers gave introductory remarks for the day's special guest, Governor Bill Owens.  She said the Gov. Owens was named best Governor by National Review in 1998.  He was reelected with the greatest majority ever and according to Ayers is an emerging leader, based on restrained government spending and low taxes.

 

    What follows is taken directly from the Herald, with credit to Tom Sluis

 

In Durango, Owens says war 'has been put to us'

 

April 4, 2003

 

By Tom Sluis

Herald Staff Writer

 

Politicians don’t want to talk about humanitarian efforts in Somalia because there are no votes to be gained by constituents. But for better or worse, the United States is the world’s leader and that requires provision for international aid – and sometimes war – Gov. Bill Owens said in Durango on Thursday.

Gov. Bill Owens speaks to local Kiwanis and Rotary Club members at a luncheon at the DoubleTree Hotel on Thursday.

 

"It is up to the United States to do what needs to be done, and that doesn’t always make us popular," he told a packed room of Rotary Club and Kiwanis members at the DoubleTree Hotel.

 

The United States’ history of isolationism is the basis for its foreign policy, he said. Just as the country reluctantly entered World War I, World War II and the Cold War, it is taking action in Iraq as a last resort.

 

"This war is one we all regret, but one that has been put to us," he said.

 

Despite the criticism against intervening in other countries, the policy has served the country well, he said. "There has not been one American killed in the United States from terrorist-related activities since 9-11," he said.

 

Just as President Ronald Reagan was criticized for bombing Tripoli in 1986 when Libyan leader Mu’ammar Gaddafi was suspected of terrorist links, history will vindicate President Bush in Iraq, he said. "Force does work, and it will work in Iraq," he said.

 

The costs of a foreign policy that may lead to pre-emptive wars will be measured in lost lives, but, Owens said, this is the responsibility the United States bears as the world’s leader. Owens will attend two funerals this week for Colorado servicemen killed in Iraq.

 

In other topics:

 

 The state’s budget crunch is not because of the Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights, which restricts how much money the state can spend, he said. The state’s stagnant revenue stream just doesn’t reach the 6 percent to 8 percent limit set by TABOR.

 

 The mandatory spending in the state’s budget is a bigger problem, he said. Amendment 23 requires a 10 percent increase in K-12 spending, which takes up 42 percent of the total budget. And federally required spending on Medicaid means a 6 percent spending increase on a program that comprises 21 percent of the state’s budget.

 

 Coloradans need to recognize the value of water storage, he said. Water for agriculture promotes open space, and building a dam is better than letting it flow down to California or Nevada. Curtailing water will not stop growth because cities will simply buy water rights from farmers, as what happened in the Arkansas Valley. "Reservoirs are never popular until they are built," he said.

 

 An initiative that would allow companies to borrow money to build water projects will go before voters if the General Assembly does not pass a similar bill this session, he said. Although the state’s name would be on the bonds, the companies that build the projects, not the state, would not be financially responsible for the bonds, he said.

 

 The state’s no-fault auto-insurance laws are up for their 10-year renewal, and Owens is ready to let them die in favor of a strict tort system. Under a tort system, auto accident victims can sue to be compensated. No-fault systems do not allow lawsuits unless the damage is greater than $2,500

 

        Adding to the above, Owens said that 85% of the state's water use is agricultural, as 50% of the state is cultivated.  This maintains open space.  5-6% of water use is household and another 5-6% is industrial. Continued drought and shortages may yield farmers selling their water to the 'highest bidders'.

 

    Regarding Tabor, Governor Owens stated that it helps keep the state efficient.  After a few questions, Mark Simon, President of Kiwanis thanked the Governor and closed the joint meeting as we all sang God Bless America.

 

Coming Up

 

Apr  10   Alexii Carey, Trip to Cuba, at the Rec Center

Apr  17   Dr. Heddington-Insights to Balding

Apr  24   Colorado Open Space

 

May  1    Mexican Food Fiesta

 

 

 

 

 

John E. Marshall

3005 County Road 207

Durango, CO 81301

970-259-6248 p

970-259-4498 f