Tax credits for Sundance raid TABOR refunds
Re: “Colorado gets blinded by showbusiness,” Feb. 2 editorial
The $34 million Colorado taxpayer bribe to entice the Sundance Film Festival to relocate to Boulder misses a bigger issue. As the sole legislator, so far, to vote against this taxpayer giveaway to a private entity, I’ve observed up close the legislative fetish to reward politically favored groups rather than focusing on core government functions. It is a huge problem. And a bipartisan one.
Not a single Republican voted against this $34 million raid on Colorado’s TABOR taxpayer refunds for Boulder’s film festival despite claiming to be responsible protectors of the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR). Yet while we can always find subsidies for politically favored groups and pet projects, we cannot attend to basic duties of government.
For example, despite Colorado’s high cost of living, we have some of America’s lowest-paid teachers. And they pay hundreds to thousands of dollars every year for classroom support/supplies. But while people know it is wrong to have them paying to help provide the constitutionally mandated public education for our children, a refundable tax credit to attend to this issue died unfunded in appropriations two years in a row despite moving out of committee in a unanimous bipartisan 11-0 vote last year.
Meanwhile, the state government sets up $2.5 million in film subsidies (with $500,000 given to Amazon for the “Coach Prime” series) and $26 million in taxpayer subsidies so people can receive $500 off electric bike purchases. We have to make choices. Resources are finite. We should focus those finite resources upon basic government functions rather than chasing every bright shiny project du jour.
Bob Marshall, Highlands Ranch
Editor’s note: Marshall is a state representative for House District 43.
Don’t discourage recycling by dismissing the science
Re: “Time to end the lie of plastics recycling and get real about reducing their use,” Jan. 24 opinion column
In response to the January 24th opinion piece, the writer presents a contradictory stance — calling herself a ‘dedicated recycler,’ while dismissing plastic recycling as a lie. This kind of rhetoric risks discouraging consumers from recycling valuable materials that are essential to a circular economy.
Misleading claims about plastic recycling undermine efforts to improve recycling rates in the U.S. Each year, Americans recycle over five billion pounds of plastic and the plastics industry has invested over $8 billion into improving recycling infrastructure and advancing new technologies.
Pyrolysis, one method of advanced recycling, breaks plastics down into their original building blocks — without burning them — expanding the types of materials that can be recovered. Instead of dismissing innovation, we should support solutions like pyrolysis that enhance recycling and keep more plastics in a circular economy.
We must work together to increase recycling rates, and the plastics industry fully recognizes its responsibility to be part of the solution. Plastic recycling is real — every day Americans recycle plastic, keeping valuable materials in our economy and out of the environment. That’s why the Plastics Industry Assocation launched our “Recycling is Real” campaign: to highlight the thousands of workers, facilities, and technologies showing that plastic recycling works. It’s also why we recently launched a Plastic Film Recycling Directory, where consumers can find a location near them to recycle plastic films.
Plastic plays a vital role in modern life, from protecting food and medicine to reducing transportation emissions. A recent life cycle analysis found that plastics have a lower total greenhouse gas footprint than materials like aluminum or glass. Rather than discouraging recycling or banning certain materials like plastic, we should focus on improving recycling systems, increasing consumer access, and advance policies that support a circular economy for all materials. The solution isn’t eliminating plastics; it’s ensuring we recycle more of it. The plastics industry remains committed to making that happen and wants to work together towards real solution to our recycling challenges.
Patrick Krieger, Washington
Editor’s note: Krieger is the senior vice president of sustainability and policy at the Plastics Industry Association.
While recycling faces challenges, PET (#1 plastic) recycling is a proven, scalable solution for a sustainable economy.
PET bottles are the most recycled plastic globally, with over 1.9 million pounds recovered in the U.S. in 2023. They can be repeatedly recycled and made with up to 100% recycled PET.
States like Oregon show that recycling works – its bottle deposit program achieves PET recycling rates above 75%, demonstrating the power of smart policies. Colorado is likewise taking the lead with an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) program to expand recycling and increase recovery of materials like PET statewide.
When recycled, PET bottles return to the market as new products, reducing waste, conserving resources, and lowering carbon emissions. Lightweight, durable, and FDA-approved, PET is also important in healthcare, food safety, and disaster relief. Misguided bans or production caps threaten these benefits without addressing waste effectively.
The solution isn’t to abandon recycling but to strengthen it. Investments in infrastructure, public education, and supportive policies can improve recycling rates nationwide and help PET reach its full potential as a sustainable option. Let’s not throw out a sustainable option based on misconceptions. Recycling is part of the solution – not the problem.
Laura Stewart, Middleton, Wis.
Editor’s note: Stewart is the executive director of the National Association for PET Container Resources, the trade association for PET plastics packaging industry.
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