Nearly 30 years ago, I started my career in journalism, hoping to change the world. While I knew I couldn’t do that, I like to think I’ve played some role in making positive changes to Greeley and Weld County during that time.
The other thing I hoped when I went into this job was that I would be humble, and if I ever made a mistake, I’d own it. I know that at least for that goal, I can look myself in the mirror every day and say confidently I have.
I’m here to do that again by admitting my most recent mistake. When I first heard about the Cascadia project on U.S. 34 in West Greeley, all I heard was “Certificates of Participation.” My blood boiled. I will never agree with COPs. They are an end around the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR) and the city of Greeley uses them far too often to get what they want.
However, and that’s a big however, sometimes you have to keep your friends close and your enemies closer. In this case, my “friends” are my friends and family who live here, and my “enemies” are those blasted COPs.
While I will never support the use of COPs because they don’t require voter approval, Colorado courts have consistently ruled them legal. Judges have also ruled they are administrative actions that cannot be recalled by voters. So I chose to find another reason to oppose this development. The thing is, I can’t.
I grew up living where it “stunk,” where “crime was high,” where it was “dirty,” and a ton of other things our neighbors to the south and west still say about Greeley! Greeley has been on the outside looking in since the Budweiser plant located in Fort Collins. That is a very long time. It is our turn, our turn to pull residents from other cities to pay our way! Cascadia will do that.
So many great editorials on why to vote No have come before me, and unfortunately, I don’t have the word space here to list all the other reasons why you should vote No on this in February, but I’m willing to talk to anyone who has questions, just email me at sherrie@simplysherrie.com and ask. If I don’t know, I’ll find out!
What I do have space for is to encourage you to vote No on 1A! If you are a conservative, you should vote No based on the principle of personal property rights and not endorsing ballot box zoning. If you are not a conservative, you should vote No based on development paying its own way. Cascadia gives Greeley the opportunity it deserves to improve downtown and other locations around town with the added revenue this project will bring.
But even more important — please do not hope other voters will get it done for you! You must cast a ballot that says No! No don’t change the zoning! No don’t infringe on property rights. No don’t cave to pressure from those who will fight back against anything that includes growth. If you know — it’s No! Greeley stands to gain so much with Cascadia, but lose so much more if this initiative passes.
Vote No on 1A to move Greeley forward!
Sherrie Peif is a native of Greeley with six generations of her family living here. After spending nearly three decades as a journalist, she currently splits her residence between Greeley and Wyoming, where she works in education.
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