I am still thinking about Renee Marcellis's Oct. 20 letter to the editor against our City of Golden Mayor Weinberg concerning Golden Seniors staying in their homes. I thought her letter was disrespectful and not entirely accurate. I wondered if she ever talked with the mayor about her reported comments. I did, and the mayor was disappointed. 

It is true that we seniors keep our homes instead of selling them. Many of us do use them for family and other gatherings. Also, selling our homes means that a Senior Living corporation eats up the profit we gain from selling. However, when we bought this home 47 years ago, we were happy that we could assume the previous owner’s loan at 7.5% interest. Others were paying 10%. That said, I still feel great concern when I realize that young families cannot find a home in Golden because houses are selling for triple, quadruple digit dollars, even though the interest rates are lower.  

Some people who want to “preserve Golden as the precious place it once was” seem inconsiderate of new generations who have a “right to live and grow old in a house” also. I well remember Golden “as it once was.” Washington Avenue was closed after 6 p.m. and on Sundays, except for Foss Drug. We had very limited sources of tax income so the city public works and safety organization was in disarray and decline. New Golden residents do pay much higher taxes on their homes, and on everything, than we did. And, all those CSM students and visitors in Golden are paying taxes for their rentals and for every shopping trip, every entertainment and every restaurant meal. Thus, the city can pay for improvements and constant upkeep of our streets and all leadership and public works responsibilities  We need those tax dollars. We seniors are not spending money like we used to spend; thus, we’re not paying as many taxes. Just because something is what I am used to does not mean it is best for a better, safer community. And, our neighborhood is still very enjoyable with new families buying homes here.         

Janet Johnson, Golden