Our world is obsessed with growth. Headlines celebrate growth in jobs, GDP, housing starts and consumer spending. Revenue and earnings growth are the Holy Grail for businesses. Entrepreneurs grow their companies. Of course, everyone wants to earn more money. Few would question these goals. But let’s take a critical look at our methods and results.

Easy Revenue Growth

Businesses achieve earnings growth by reducing expense or by growing revenue. The easiest way to grow revenue is to just show up in a growing market. That’s a major mission of chambers of commerce and economic development groups, and

“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.”
– Mahatma Gahdhi

The growth industry circled the wagons on the op/ed pages of The Gazette January 4, 2004, in an effort to quell the rising voices questioning claims our community benefits financially from growth. While we rejoice the dialog is happening and rational voices have the business-as-usual crowd on the ropes, it’s disappointing when pro-growthers or civic leaders still don’t get it or continue to ignore the truth. It’s apparent from recent Gazette editorials and letters from the Housing and Building Association, that we still have not articulated the slow-growth premise in a way that can be universally understood. So here’s another shot: . . .

Dave Gardner
Founder & Chair, SaveTheSprings

I happen to be one who believes we need the defeated countywide sales tax increase. While the election is behind us, 2009 city and county budgets are yet to be balanced, and we face a future that offers the certainty of both death and taxes. In fact, there is already talk of tax increases on the next ballots.

Tax increases seem to be a fact of life. Why is that? Haven’t we just experienced a turbocharged 15-year growth boom? Yet local backlogs and budget crunches didn’t appear suddenly with the economic meltdown. Backlogs have been

Dear Mr. Walter,

Your “ramblings” in the May 30 Cheyenne Edition about the Springs gaining local residents who feel no one else should be allowed into “our little circle,” call for a response, especially since your comment was in part precipitated — I suspect — by remarks I made in a recent Cheyenne Edition interview.

First, I am not a recent transplant to the Springs. I was born here, but that is actually irrelevant. Whether I was born here or not, I have a right – in fact a duty – to care about the quality, integrity and viability of this community. This community could use more people like me, who are willing to inform themselves, willing to get involved, and if necessary forego a Lexus in the garage in exchange for clean air, nicer people, less traffic congestion, and adequate water for the . . .

Chair, SaveTheSprings

I have deep respect for Editions editor David Vickers because of his thorough news stories and thoughtful editorials. So I’m confident he’ll be happy to share with readers my perspective on his latest editorial. In Do both! (4/21/06) Vickers advises us to plan on piping in more water than the Southern Delivery System alone can provide, because “Growth is where it’s at.” Before we invest billions and billions of dollars in paving the way for Vickers’ rampant expansion plan (the price tag of SDS alone is over $2 billion), let’s examine the future David implies is not only inevitable but possibly even desirable. . . .