Estes Park Trail-Gazette: The votes have been cast and the public’s will has been done. And now we will see how that goes. Simply put, the erosion of local governmental transparency and therefore credibility, by the process of death by a thousand cuts, is well on its way here in Estes Park.

Myself, the Trail-Gazette staff, and two guests wrote editorials clearly stating that removing the full publication of legal notices in the local newspaper of record would erode taxpayers’ rights to have clear and easy access to the goings-on of the government-appointed or elected officials who govern our community. The Town raised this ballot initiative in an attempt to save roughly $6,000 while selling out the taxpayers’ right to know (without having to find reliable internet access and go through the local government website) what actions are taking place and what legal notifications have been posted. I, personally, am shocked that the taxpayers of this town would ever allow the fox (government) to control the hen house (information required by law to be made easily available).

Well, we did and now we have to start the painful journey that could lead to us all one day being told how things are with nothing to go on but the words of our leaders shouting “trust me, this is how it is.”

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