Local housing ‘mitigation’ requirements have been around for decades, but our electeds have kept the mitigation rate at a laughably low level. They’ve focused on business growth; lots more. Now our housing problem is painfully obvious, and mitigation requirements are under review. In 2017 our electeds voted for 100% mitigation. Developers would need to provide housing for 100% of new […]
A government of, by and for the people does not blindside its citizens. It represents the majority and does the people’s bidding. Far too often our current town and county electeds pursue self-serving agendas that have little backing from their constituents. When did the public clamor: “We need more snowmobile racing at Snow King?” When did they say, “Summer is […]
The joint housing department is pedaling as fast as they can, all the while chasing the unachievable. Town and County Planners say we need another 280 housing units a year just to keep from falling further behind. That’s fairy-tale thinking, unrealistic, unachievable and unsustainable. Here is the Other Side of the Story of June 12:
The Town of Jackson says this is what you want. After consultants met with town residents, they determined you want to make room for more people. You want a lot more density in town. You want 1,800 more living units crammed into our small mountain community, even though those 1,800 homes were originally meant to be spread throughout the county. […]
More isn’t always better. Sometimes it’s just more. This notion that quality of life equates with an ever expanding economy, that community equals cash registers ringing faster, is a perversion spread by a few in the business community. Often it’s those with the most that are greedy for more. The Chamber of Commerce, along with pop-up strong-arm groups like ‘Think […]
Our local government has gotten off track. Lately they’ve set their core responsibilities aside and become lost in the weeds, creating special meetings, emergency joint meetings, and additional workshops so they can spend endless hours talking about fringe (some say lunatic fringe) ideas that are of little concern to the majority. Government’s core responsibility is basic services: provide for our […]
The filing deadline is fast approaching. May 31st is the last day to ‘declare’ and run for local office: county commissioner, town council, etc. Needed: Candidates focused on a livable Jackson Hole, wildlife, and small town values. The Big-Growth coalition has had their way for the last decade, ever since the great recession. They’ve built large hotels, approved massive housing […]
It’s not an easy thing deciding who gets subsidized housing. Who do we as a community deem worthy of a rent stabilized apartment or a price-reduced mortgage? Who should be housed locally? If you have twin 8-year-olds, a second grade teacher might be important. Then again, if your house is on fire or you’ve just been in a car wreck, […]
As town crafts new zoning for Districts 3 to 6, questions remain unanswered and concerns unheeded. Is any neighborhood stable? Zoning updates for Jackson’s downtown core were fairly contentious. It took signature collection, a petition, and eventually a referendum vote to force the council to follow the will of the people. Now, with mostly residential Districts 3-6 under the microscope, […]
Snow King has a place in our hearts. It’s the ski area Wyoming grew up with—the first in the state and the hill many locals learned to ski on. But we can’t be over emotional. Too often, the new and very wealthy billionaire owners have ‘cried-poor’ and demanded new entitlements. At times, they’ve threatened to shut down the lifts if […]
