Ranked Choice Voting: a push is here, and leaves me uneasy. Let's educate ourselves a little. And, take the time to talk to your local officials about property taxes.
Ranked Choice Voting
Maybe it's my age and a natural resistance to new things as I get older, but I can't help but cross my arms on my chest and say that I'm against ranked choice voting.
I have read all the cheerleading about it (see for example the first link below), and I do not feel any differently. I'm not convinced that it can reduce partisanship, allow for more representative government, slice, dice, or julienne fries.
I think what it does do is create confusion (see the second link below about Boulder's wacky mayoral race) and make it so that some votes don't count (see the screenshot attached from the third link below--most assuredly a NON cheerleading site).
Call me paranoid too, but I can't help but think it's gamesmanship. I get this feeling sometimes while playing a much better player in chess: I'm not sure what they're up to but I know it's not good. That's the feeling, the intuition, I have here. This feeling is bolstered by the fact that it's taking off in mostly liberal places.
Unfortunately, I also have the feeling that there will be more of a push here in Colorado.
Not good in my view, but I suppose we'll see whether it tries to jump from localities to statewide. If enough money is raised and the folks that support it think blue Colorado is a good testing ground, expect it.
https://fairvote.org/our-reforms/ranked-choice-voting/
https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2023/11/09/boulder-mayor-race-ranked-choice-voting-election
https://thefga.org/research/ranked-choice-voting-a-disaster-in-disguise/
Related:
The first inklings of a STATEWIDE initiative to start putting in ranked choice voting among other things.
My hot take having not seen the actual language? I'm not averse to some of the ideas, but there's a whole lot in here and I think those things should be in separate initiatives so we don't have to take everything as a lump sum.
That's likely what I'll say to the Title Board when it comes up. As of a check when this article came out, I didn't see it on the Secretary of State's initiative tracker.
When it does, expect an update.
https://coloradosun.com/2023/11/20/2024-ballot-measure-ranked-choice-voting/
Talk to your local elected officials about property taxes.
It's less frequent now (I think I've been here long enough that students who didn't grow up in my part of the state assume I am also a lifelong local), but when I first started teaching out here at the Junior College, I would frequently be asked the same question.
Why on earth did you move out here?
Part of the reason is the space and quiet. And the lack of traffic.
Part of the reason was the chance to teach at the college level.
Lastly, and this is not so much a part of why I moved as why it is that I stay, I like living somewhere that the government respects my freedom and my money.
The article linked below details how the county commissioners where I live (Logan) recently voted to lower the county mill levy rate to "blunt [the] property tax hikes".
You're welcome to read up on it if you'd like, but the important part for you, whether you live in Logan or not, is that this is possible and it is something you should be paying attention to.
If you live here, write or call your commissioner and tell him thank you.
If you don't live here, write or call your commissioner and tell him or her to follow Logan's (and DougCo's) lead.
If one county can, others can too.
There is no reason the county should be raking in your money while you face higher and higher bills every time you turn around.
Yes, costs have risen for governments too, but they have not risen enough that some of the unexpected windfall cannot come back to you.
This won't happen if people don't speak up, so take care of your money and speak up.
https://www.journal-advocate.com/2023/11/14/logan-commissioners-cut-county-mill-levy-to-blunt-property-tax-hikes/