Is AI a Kitchen-Table Issue?
 Near Hinman Campground, Clark, CO |
Dear Restore the Balance Community, Is AI a Kitchen-Table Issue? Data centers under fire, inflationary concerns, volatility in tech stocks, and doomsday discussions- one could argue, yes! At last count, the Urban Institute states that 313 moratoriums in 44 states have passed, representing approximately 200 distinct communities that have put a stop to data center construction in their communities. And just this week we learned that Grand Junction municipal staff is drafting an ordinance for up to a one-year ban for the council to consider. Mesa County also has data centers on its mind, as Bobbie Daniels encouraged citizens to participate in the feedback process for revisions to the Mesa County Land Use Code, which comes before the Commissioners on October 20. Read here. On September 16, the Federal Reserve boosted its benchmark interest rate by 0.25% in response to inflation heating up. Pundits point to many connections between the massive infrastructure, capital, and resource-intensive builds of the "hyperscalers" as contributing to inflationary concerns. Then there's the fear of the endgame with this technology, substantiated by calls for a slowdown from its own industry leaders, along with encouragement for regulators to get involved, all while the most dysfunctional Congress of modern times recesses early to campaign for the midterms. WOW, oh, and did we mention the stock market volatility and labor market concerns? So the question of how to move forward with AI affects us all: how much should innovation be balanced by safety regulations? If you've ever seen Jurassic Park, you know the very critical and urgent question may be not whether we can do this, but whether we should. Here are some interesting reads, if you'd like to go down this rabbit hole.
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Have Your Say: Medicaid Commission Community Meeting Representative Rick Taggart is serving on the Commission on Medicaid, a legislative commission writing recommendations to the Governor and legislature about Colorado's Medicaid program. Their report is due in December. The Commission meets at the Capitol during the workweek, which rules out most of the people who actually depend on the program. So Rep. Taggart is holding a community meeting where the Commission wants to hear from as many people as possible. Colorado Medicaid is running over its budget this year, and decisions about what to do are being made over the next few months. What's heard at this meeting will be written up, combined with what the Commission has heard elsewhere, and shared with every member before recommendations are finalized. No one will be attributed by name.
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Mesa County's Land Development Code: What's Changing Following up on the data center conversation, Mesa County has posted its draft revisions to the Land Development Code, including additions and deletions under consideration. If you want to see the actual proposed language for yourself, rather than secondhand summaries, it's posted here. |
Worth a Read: On Redistricting David French (opinion columnist, New York Times) has a new piece on Missouri Republicans' recent congressional redistricting map ahead of the midterms. Read it here.**Worth noting: this is an opinion piece, not straight news reporting, and it argues one perspective on a contested political fight. |
Member Recommendations Gary Curtis raises a question worth sitting with: should we reject extremism to find balance, or accept that life is full of extremes and instead try to balance one against another? He also shares this piece from The Dispatch. Podcasts:
Mark Pakula shares this stirring performance: Heart's tribute cover of "Stairway to Heaven," originally performed at the Kennedy Center Honors to celebrate Led Zeppelin. Watch it here. Pope Leo XIV's first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, addresses artificial intelligence directly and the risks of rapid technological development, adding a moral and theological voice to a debate long dominated by tech executives, economists, and policymakers. Vatican News has a good overview of its significance. Read it here. |
Upcoming Events 9/21 — Disagree Healthier
9/22 — J.E.D.I. Task Force: Presentation on Propositions 134 & 135
9/23 — League of Women Voters Virtual Candidate Forum
9/28 — Western Colorado Days of Action Meeting
9/30 — Voter Registration Assistance Session
10/1 — Medicaid Commission Community Meeting
10/2 — Ballots mailed for the November 3 general election; 24-hour drop boxes open |
On the Radar: Local Government Meetings
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Thank you to all who have submitted photos, podcasts, and video recommendations. We will publish a recommendation in each category every week. Please keep them coming! Want to Contribute to Our Weekly Newsletter? Our best recommendations come from you! Have you read a thought-provoking book? Listened to an insightful podcast? Found an article worth sharing? Captured a beautiful photo of Western Colorado? We want to feature your discoveries and perspectives in our Monday Update. You can share resources, suggest topics you'd like RTB to address, or submit photos from around our community. All submissions can be anonymous or attributed to you; it's your choice. Submit your recommendations here Let's learn from each other and build a more informed community together. Don't forget to vote in 2026: Ballots will be mailed on October 2. Vote Early. |
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