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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.
This week’s newsletter is sponsored by Joni and Armi Hall. Thank you to the Halls for supporting our mission! We appreciate it!
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Colorado Springs Utilities CEO Travas Deal will receive a sizable salary increase this week. Your intrepid watchdogs at Springs Taxpayers United received a tip about this before the city council approved the pay increase, and were ahead of the issue. Here’s the information we’ve gathered on the 27% salary increase, plus increased severance payment potential, for Travas Deal.
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This original, in-depth reporting would not be possible without your generosity. We at Springs Taxpayers United thank you for your support, and we are always grateful for any assistance you can provide.
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Vagrancy and urban camping in Colorado Springs have risen despite a downward trend in the state overall. Maybe they just all moved here from other parts of the state. Why do you think this vagrancy problem just never, ever gets solved?
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Some Colorado Springs drivers are upset with the slow pace of pothole repair in the city. The city reports that more than 78,000 potholes were filled last year, but many, many potholes remain. And new ones are born all the time.
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The Town of Monument has set aside the idea of charging for parking at Monument Lake…for now. Residents who regularly enjoy the lake expressed concerns about the proposed new parking fees.
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In Aurora, Colorado, the majority of city councilmembers voted to protect criminals over the public. Police will no longer be allowed to post mugshots of their most wanted criminals on social media after a recent decision by the city council. Why wouldn’t councilmembers want the public’s help in finding criminals?
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Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade is responding to criticism he’s receiving over his policy regarding his personal use of a city vehicle. Former Mayor John Suthers calls Mobolade’s new policy “ethically problematic.”
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Antero Reservoir will be closed to the public. Denver Water will need to move water from Antero to lower reservoirs as part of its drought response. We wonder how many of the 5.4 million fish that were stocked here since 2020 will die.
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Officials in Denver have hatched a plan to heat and cool buildings without using fossil fuels. This plan instead calls for using sewage. Well, Denver is toilet city, so in that light this makes all the sense in the world. Will this also end up cleaning the streets to support this effort?
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Colorado is now the 3rd most expensive state in the United States. What do you think the number one cause of rising prices is in Colorado?
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Your November ballot will contain a measure that would eliminate TABOR forever. All voters need to understand just what’s at stake with this coming election.
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Also in cost-of-living news this week, the 2026 legislative session has ended. Here’s a summary of what laws were passed and what efforts failed, out of this year’s session.
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Speaking of rising costs in Colorado, is the “affordable housing” effort primarily concerned with lowering the cost of building homes, or is it only about government control of the housing market?
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Colorado passed a law this year that makes it illegal to block bicycle lanes in the state. Surely making more and more petty things illegal raises the overall cost of living, right?
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Governor Jared Polis commuted the sentence of Tina Peters, who had been sent to prison for tampering with election equipment. In response, almost 500 democrats in Colorado want to censure Polis for this move. Do you think this is all just theater on the part of our ruling elites?
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A judge has ruled that voters who are registered as unaffiliated will be allowed to participate in the upcoming republican primary elections. This came after some candidates sued to exclude unaffiliated voters from voting in primaries.
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If you would like to help support us in our mission as government watchdogs by becoming a Newsletter Sponsor, we are offering two sponsorships for each weekly newsletter, at the nominal cost of $100 each. Funds raised from these sponsorship opportunities will help us to keep looking out for taxpayers.
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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
Tuesday, May 26, 9:00 a.m.
Colorado Springs City Council Work Session – Moved to Tuesday due to Memorial Day
This is posted for Tuesday
107 N. Nevada, 3rd floor
Live stream link here
Agenda
Tuesday, May 26, 9:00 a.m.
Colorado Springs City Council
107 N. Nevada, 3rd floor
Live stream link here
Agenda not yet posted
El Paso County Board of County Commissioners Meetings
Tuesday, May 26, 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, June 9, 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, June 17, 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
Thursday, May 28, 5:30 p.m.
Dave Donelson CS Council District 1 Townhall
1875 Dublin Boulevard
Information and Agenda
Tuesday, June 2, 6:00 p.m.
Colorado Springs City Council At Large Townhall with Braver Angels
207 N. Nevada Avenue
Ticket Purchase and More Information
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 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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