Property Tax ... Not Solved

The majority of voters, voted no on Proposition HH last November. The state legislators had a special session in which they actually just repackaged Proposition HH into five different bills (see newsletter on December 11, 2023). So now you will be getting your highest property tax bill ever, "the legislature and governor have repeatedly failed to provide a meaningful relief plan.” Rep. Mike Lynch said it is important to make sure the "valuation and assessment methods that are transparent, stable, and uncomplicated."

1st Bank Center...

The first concert in the 1st Bank Center was Bonnie Raitt on Nov. 9, 2006. The mayor, Karen Stuart, introduced Raitt in the $45 million, 6,500-seat auditorium. The venue was to anchor the Arista development, where shops and entertainment were closer to the community.

Seventeen years later, the Broomfield City Council has decided to demolish the building still owing $35 million. It was envisioned to hold 180 to 190 events per year but the peak in 2016 was only 33. The pandemic finally did the event center in. It is expected to be demolished in June. Read about some of the tumultuous years and why the event center never took off.

This is why government's should not be using taxpayer money on developments. Let the people who know what they're doing take the risk. Seems like the Broomfield Town Square might be another development where taxpayers take all the risk, with little return on investment.

Legislative Session...

As of last week, 295 bills have been introduced, here are only a couple:

• HB24-1026 Local Government Tax Payers' Bill of Rights Prior Voter Approval Requirement
• HB24-1007 Concerning residential occupancy limits.
• HB24-1040 Gender-Affirming Health-Care Provider Study
• SB24-053 Racial Equity Study - reparations bill?
• HB24-1163 Pet Animal Registration System

Your City Council had a meeting with Aponte and Busam, public affairs consultants, paid for with your tax money to track certain bills through the legislature and provide amendments if necessary. Are they working on your behalf or theirs?

The more government tries to control the economy and everyone's behavior, the less successful they will be and the less freedom you will have. We don't need mommies, we need people that get out of the way of people who actually provide benefit, the employers, the producers, the inventor's, etc.

The Caucus Process...

Remember to Caucus between March 5 and March 9. This meeting decides local grassroots party leaders, provides an initial glimpse at candidates, and votes on delegates to attend the state convention to pick the nominees for the ballot in November.

Mayor Castriotta Addresses Chamber...     



Mayor Castriotta told the chamber that Broomfield has grown 35% since 2010. Broomfield residents are largely college-educated (> 60%) with a household median income of $117,000, 34% higher than the state average.

So, it's okay to brag about wealth when it provides the city revenue, but if you own a home, then you are too wealthy.

Jared Polis Allowed 1500 Evictions... 

Apparently, the state had $8 million in funds to help with rental assistance that could have helped keep 1500 families in their homes last year. Guess where they decided to use that money?

"The Polis administration asked to redirect the money to a migrant support program...The state spent most of the past year telling renters not to apply."

A Governor you can count on.

What? Electric Buses Sitting Idle?



We, the taxpayers are shelling out a lot of money for electric vehicle technology. What are we getting for our money?

"broken-down e-buses that cannot be fixed, are too expensive to fix, or they have scrapped their electric fleets altogether."

Remember how well EV's worked in the Chicago below zero temperatures?

You can't push a policy if the physics don't allow it.

New Jersey Plastic Bag Ban...Effective? 

After New Jersey banned single-use plastic bags, a research firm discovered that when consumers switched from plastic bags to reusable bags, the consumption of plastics went up six-fold. Why is that?

The study found that the alternative bags that have been used to replace the single-use bags consumed more plastic and created more emissions. It also appears that only retailers benefitted.

The unintended consequences of policies implemented by arrogant, government representatives.

The State of Colorado...Common Sense Institute

The Common Sense Institute, is a non-partisan research organization dedicated to the protection and promotion of Colorado’s economy. They have released three new reports:

• Colorado's Population Rising at Only a Fraction of Its Former Glory - "Between 2020 and 2023, Colorado had an average net gain of only 6,645 people from other states each year. That is compared to an average of 41,540 every year between 2013 and 2020."
• The Economic Costs of Colorado's Foster Youth featuring John Farnam - "Foster care youth aging out of the foster care system in Colorado face a multitude of challenges, including higher rates of homelessness, limited education, unemployment, involvement in the criminal justice system, early parenthood, mental health issues, a lack of support networks, limited healthcare access, substance abuse risk, and financial instability."
• Colorado Housing Affordability Report -

"This report analyzes trends in housing affordability and estimates whether there is a deficit or surplus in housing units in seven counties in the Denver metro area and five other large counties. This study encompasses the period 2000 to 2023."

The Gulag Archipelago...

The atrocities of Russian prison camps must never be forgotten. Demonizing groups of people only leads to their destruction. We, as human beings, can be better than that.

"The work represents the author’s attempt to compile a literary and historical record of the Soviet regime’s comprehensive but deeply irrational use of terror against its own population. A testimonial to Stalinist atrocities, The Gulag Archipelago devastated readers outside the Soviet Union with its descriptions of the brutality of the Soviet regime."

It was estimated that between 1.2 million and 1.7 million died between 1918 and 1956.

Chapter One: "Arrest! Need it be said that it is a breaking point in your life..."; " 'You don't need anything. They'll feed you there. It's warm there.' (It's all lies. They keep hurrying you to frighten you.)"; "The kind of night arrest described is, in fact, a favorite, because it has important advantages. ...everyone is thrown into a state of terror...torn from the warmth of his bed...dazed, half-asleep, helpless...superiority in numbers."

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