I want to live in a community where as many residents as possible feel welcome and safe.
I want it to be known as more than a place to drink beer and ski by college students and tourists, or by the .01 percent as a place to invest in property.
Could it be known for years to come as a community full of caring people invested in preserving Durango’s uniqueness?
A place full of people who care about the future of this region, where leaders and citizens address the massive disparities and gaps that exist throughout our part of the Southwest in health, education, and opportunity?
I do not know if Durango will turn out to be this place I envision in the long run. The ACLU was not making a stretch last when it warned Durango residents that criminalizing homelessness is neither a cost-effective nor a productive solution to homelessness. To anyone who has done the research, this is not up for dispute.
What some Durangoans may dispute is the ACLU’s labeling the homeless as residents rather than the invaders they have been called.
I want Durango to be a place where wealth is leveraged to address pressing causes so that it can be a better place to live for everyone. What kind of a place do you want Durango to be?
I encourage any of you who know what kind of a community you want to live in to respond and share your vision.
Debbie Higgs
Durango
