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Here are some of the stories we are following this week. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for up-to-the-minute news.
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This week's newsletter is sponsored by Armi and Joni Hall. Thank you to the Halls for supporting our mission. If you would like to help us in our efforts, we are offering Newsletter Sponsorship opportunities. We are offering two sponsorships for each weekly newsletter at the nominal cost of $100. Funds raised from these sponsorship opportunities will help us to continue our mission.
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United Van Lines is out with their 2025 National Movers Study. Pueblo, Colorado, is the 4th highest outbound city in the country. The State of Colorado overall is the 5th highest outbound state in the country. Are you surprised?
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The Colorado Legislature has given preliminary approval to a bill that would give local governments the authority to grant noise permits to private businesses, like the Ford Amphitheater. Residents near Ford Amphitheater are concerned that this bill would prevent them from suing if noise from events keeps them awake all night.
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The Colorado Springs Rotary Club would like to renovate the historic band shell at Acacia Park. The original target estimate for this project was $500,000. With the addition of bathrooms and some other updates, the new project estimate is closer to $7 million. The City of Colorado Springs has already stated that it cannot help with funding.
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The cost of providing healthcare to illegal aliens in the Sanctuary State of Colorado is proving to be over 600% more than initial projections. How long before the sanctuary legislature comes to taxpayers with a plan to take more from them to fund medical treatment for illegal aliens?
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The bill to steal your TABOR refunds once and for all has cleared a committee in the Colorado Senate. When, not if, this passes the legislature, you will have the opportunity to vote on it in November. They are saying this is for funding education, so get ready for the onslaught of “it’s for the children” rhetoric.
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Denver is dealing with a significant budget shortfall. So large, in fact, that Denver has let several employees go. Two Denver City Councilmembers refused a request to give up 5 furlough days’ worth of their salary to help offset this budget shortfall. Lesser citizens are suffering the pain that legislators caused in Denver.
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There has been a lot of talk about building data centers in Colorado. Do we have enough water to do this? Also, will the Polis dream of 100% renewable energy provide enough power to any data centers?
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Data centers to support the coming AI innovations will certainly be in the future. Some estimates show that these data centers could use as much as 10% of all electricity produced. Unfortunately, for now, the cost of upgrading the infrastructure will be borne by current ratepayers.
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The Colorado wolf-reintroduction program continues to fail. Another wolf has died, bringing the total number of wolf casualties to 14. Can we just stop this abuse of animals to please environmental zealots, please?
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Is Colorado building affordable housing or taxpayer-subsidized housing? A survey of all the evidence reveals the truth about “affordable” housing initiatives in Colorado.
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Here we go again. A proposed “affordable” apartment development off Marksheffel Road is causing concern among residents who live near the project site. These residents say that traffic congestion is bad enough now, without adding 300 new apartments in the area.
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Colorado Springs Utilities is proposing a rate reduction for both gas and electricity for this summer. If the city council passes this, you will see a small reduction in your utility bills.
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Last year, Colorado Springs Utilities confirmed that they have enough water to support the proposed Karman Line Annexation development. Today, Colorado Springs Utilities is encouraging us to conserve water so that reserves do not fall too low. Seems like a mixed message.
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Just when Colorado Springs City Council District 2 thought they were going to get rid of a representatives who supported the Ford Amphitheater and Royal Pine “affordable” housing project, the rug has been pulled out from under them. Former Council President Randy Helms has applied to take this seat. We will be shocked if Helms isn't appointed by the rest of the councilmembers.
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El Paso County has a high inventory of unsold, builder-owned homes. For example, the Banning Lewis Ranch area has an inventory of 430 builder-owned homes that have yet to be sold. Are builders building homes that no one can afford?
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Two masked individuals pulled guns on one Colorado Springs resident as he tried to keep them from burglarizing his two cars. That was only one of two similar events that happened this week. When criminals get a pass from lawmakers, they begin to feel untouchable.
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An organization has submitted a proposal to take over the services of the now-closed Meadows Park Community Center. This facility was closed last October to help mitigate city budget woes.
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The Southeast Strong Neighborhood Plan was developed in Colorado Springs in 2021. This plan was drafted to help struggling areas in that part of the city. To date, no action has been taken on this effort, and the Colorado Springs City Council has not brought it to a vote.
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The Pikes Peak Library District closed the Rockrimmon Branch of the library in November 2024. Today, the Pikes Peak Library District celebrated the announcement of its future location on Pony Tracks Drive. What gives?
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In El Paso County, if your car is damaged due to a pothole in a construction zone, don’t expect reimbursement from the local government.
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Colorado Springs public works officials say they are filling more potholes than in previous seasons. At the same time, car repair shops say they are seeing an uptick in vehicle damage caused by potholes.
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Mountain Metropolitan Transit is advertising “free” bus service between Colorado Springs and Manitou. But, by now, readers of this newsletter should be familiar with this game. Nothing is free, especially when the government provides it.
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You can also support Springs Taxpayers United when you shop. Springs Taxpayers United is now enrolled with the King Soopers Community Rewards Program. You can link your SooperCard to us by logging into your account and designating Springs Taxpayers United (SW470) as the recipient of the community reward for your King Soopers card. Thanks for your support!
Here are some upcoming meetings in the area. We hope you can attend one or more!
If there are other public meetings you’d like to see announced here, please drop us a line. We are happy to include them in an upcoming newsletter. These might be government-related, candidate, or elected official meetings. Thanks!
Colorado Springs City Council Meetings
Monday, March 23, 9:00 a.m.
Colorado Springs City Council Work Session
107 N. Nevada, 3rd floor
Live stream link here
Agenda
Tuesday, March 24, 9:00 a.m.
Colorado Springs City Council
107 N. Nevada, 3rd floor
Live stream link here
Agenda
El Paso County Board of County Commissioners Meetings
Tuesday, March 31, 9:00 a.m.
El Paso County Board of County Commissioners
Centennial Hall
200 S. Cascade
Live stream link here
Agenda not yet posted
Tuesday, April 7, 9:00 a.m.
El Paso County Board of County Commissioners
Centennial Hall
200 S. Cascade
Live stream link here
Agenda not yet posted
Colorado Springs Utilities Board of Directors
Wednesday, April 22, 1:00 p.m.
Utilities Board of Directors
Blue River Board Room
Plaza of the Rockies, South Tower, 5th Floor
Live stream link here
Agenda not yet posted
Miscellaneous Meetings of Interest
Friday, March 27, 9:00 a.m.
Front Range Passenger Rail Board of Directors Meeting
Online Meeting - Registration Required
Information and Agenda
Monday, April 6, 6:00 p.m.
Law Enforcement Transparency and Advisory Committee
City Hall
107 S. Nevada Avenue, Suite 200
Also, online via Microsoft Teams
Information and Agenda
View the full Colorado Springs City Council meeting schedule here to see upcoming meetings.
View the full Board of El Paso County Commissioners meeting schedule here to see upcoming meetings.
View the full Colorado Springs Utilities Board meeting schedule here to see upcoming meetings. Please also follow CSU on social media at their Facebook Page and on Twitter.
Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube Channel. Since most of the City and County board and commission meetings are not televised or recorded, we are trying to remedy that. We now have a camera and a tripod for volunteers to check out for future meetings.
If you have a tip about a story in the Pikes Peak region that you aren’t seeing reported, let us know. We will see what we can find out.
How to Contact City and County Officials:
City Hall
107 N. Nevada Avenue
Colorado Springs, CO 80903
(719) 385-5986
Contact City Council
Mayor's Office
30 S Nevada Avenue, Suite 601
Colorado Springs, CO 80901
(719) 385-5900
Contact the Mayor's Office
County Commissioners
200 South Cascade Avenue, Suite 100
Colorado Springs, CO 80903-2202
Phone: (719) 520-7276
https://www.elpasoco.com/contact-us/
Thank you!
Rebecca
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