Letter to the editor: Growth is not inevitable

Somehow, highly credentialed leaders in Colorado seem to think that our state can continue unlimited growth. There’s no question that leaders in the Golden community think that every new building added to our mountain area becomes a ‘plus’ to our economic excellence. Their mantra, “Growth adds more jobs…”

They said the same thing about Denver, Colorado Springs, Fort Collins and Greeley — all facing enormous consequences to their unending population growth. 

It’s time to correct the educationally credentialed but “innumerate” experts, (innumeracy is the mathematical equivalent of illiteracy), who say that growth must be deemed ‘inevitable’.

The realtors and construction people fail to understand that continued growth equates to a cancer cell. It continues growing until it kills its host. But before death occurs, an army of consequences marches against the host — pain, tears and anguish.

The authors of exponential growth would like us to believe that the battle against growth is lost; therefore, our only role degrades to be the best possible losers. “We must give up any efforts to achieve a quiet, sustainable or stable community,” they explain.

We must remember that “smart growth” vs “dumb growth” vs “slow growth” vs “managed growth” vs “economic development” all destroy our environment and our quality of life. But “smart growth” destroys everything we cherish with “good taste.” 

Let’s offer a realistic solution: let’s vote for a “Golden Population Stabilization Policy.” Let’s avoid becoming another ‘mega-city’ where the engines of progress became so successful that they created mega-problems that cannot be solved.