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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 November, voters will get to decide if the state income tax should be capped at the current 4.4%. If passed, this measure would stop the income tax rate from rising, but would allow for rate reductions in the future. How will you vote on this?
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Voters will also be able to decide whether there should be an amendment to the state constitution to require voter ID for mail-in ballots. This seems like common sense to us.
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Colorado voters will also be asked in November if they would like to see tax revenue, generated from sales taxes on sporting goods, allocated to conservation. While this sounds like a good idea, “conservation” could mean many things. For instance, it could mean funneling even more taxpayer money to radical environmental groups to craft radical environmental policy, then donating some of the money to legislators who will force that radical policy on you. Vote carefully, citizens.
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Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold’s grotesque incompetence is on display again. She has apologized after information on confidential voter profiles was exposed on the “gold standard” voting system she is responsible for maintaining. Ironically, one of the confidential voters whose private information was exposed by her incompetence is her Republican opponent for attorney general, Michael Allen.
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Front Range voters will get to decide whether they should pay taxes forever for Governor Jared Polis’ choo-choo train boondoggle. How will you vote on this 19th-century dream of his?
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On that subject, we virtually attended the Front Range Rail Passenger District Board of Directors meeting last week and recorded it for your review. Unsurprisingly, the board voted almost unanimously to submit various tax measures to the November ballots in each applicable municipality. Governor Polis wants his choo-choo train, folks.
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There has been a quiet battle going on over road funding in Colorado. One road funding advocacy group was planning to submit a ballot initiative in support of funding road repair and construction, but they have now reached a truce with legislators, who promise to dedicate funds to Colorado’s roads. Will these legislators keep their end of the bargain? Our Magic 8-Ball says nope.
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Governor Polis has announced a competition that will allow one lucky middle schooler to be Colorado’s governor for one day. Honestly, a random middle schooler could likely do a better job than Governor Jared Polis. Instead of one day, can we change this competition to be the remainder of Polis’ term?
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Almost 400,000 Colorado residents who receive Medicaid will be required to work in order to keep their taxpayer-funded medical care. This requirement starts in 2027. If they can work, why wasn’t this a requirement decades ago?
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El Paso County Commissioners have decided that a potential Buc-ee’s location in Monument can qualify as a convenience store. This is only the first step in the process, however, and many other government hurdles need to be cleared before Buc-ee’s can begin construction.
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This week in Clean and Safe Downtown Colorado Springs news, five people were arrested after multiple bar fights in the downtown area. The combatants even surrounded and threatened police officers. CSPD states that bar fights like these are on the rise in the downtown area, and that many of these fights endanger the safety of responding officers.
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Also in Colorado Springs Police Department news this week, a recent social media video appears to show one CSPD officer asleep in his patrol car. Police officials are investigating.
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A sewer line failed near Confluence Park in Pueblo, causing several million gallons of untreated sewer water to pour into the Arkansas River. The water level in the Arkansas is low this time of year, which will compound the problem. This could impact agriculture downstream in areas like La Junta and Rocky Ford.
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Denver will join cities like San Francisco, Seattle, and Boulder and require businesses and some residents to both recycle certain trash items and compost food waste. This requirement will further burden already struggling Denver businesses. Watch for more restaurant closures in the near future. No word on whether all the taxpayer-funded vagrants will have to comply with this new requirement.
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One Denver intersection was taken over by street racers last Sunday night. This lawless disruption also included fireworks and other disorderly behavior. The lawbreakers fled before police arrived, but so far, seven arrests have been made, and several vehicles have been impounded.
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Aurora also saw some youth chaos last Sunday when a mob of 500 unruly and entitled teenagers took over a Burger King and a King Soopers. Can we bring back hard labor as a punishment for criminals?
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But wait, there’s more! A man brandishing a realistic-looking toy knife approached Denver Mayor Mike Johnston while Johnston was at Union Station filming a social media video. The mayor’s security detail pulled guns on the fake knife wielding man, and he fled. Mayor Johnston insists that crime is not too bad in Denver, so there’s that.
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Denver Water has started a billboard campaign around the city to remind people of the current water restrictions they have implemented.
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One Monument man is warning E470 drivers to be on the lookout for mistaken toll bills. This driver received a toll bill for a day he did not drive on the E470 toll road, and the suspicion is that many other drivers could be receiving bills in error, too.
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Students at over 100 Colorado schools will participate in a walkout to protest Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Also noteworthy, many of these school districts will be asking taxpayers for more money this November. Additionally, many of these kids, who are being encouraged to protest for radical left causes by their radical left teachers and faculty, can’t read or write at grade level. Taxpayers should get their money back.
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One District 11 teacher fears retribution for wearing a T-shirt at a staff meeting that was made by a company that is dedicated to acknowledging biological reality and protecting women’s sports. This teacher wore a shirt produced by XX-XY Athletics, an organization dedicated to keeping males out of female sports. The teacher now expects repercussions and has been told not to wear “controversial” clothing.
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In 2022, voters approved a “free” school lunches for all program. Almost immediately, this program was a fiscal disaster, and it’s only gotten worse since. Is this unnecessary program unsustainable?
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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 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, September 8, 9:00 a.m.
Colorado Springs City Council Work Session
107 N. Nevada, 3rd floor
Live stream link here
Agenda
Tuesday, September 8, 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, September 8, 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, September 15, 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, September 16, 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, September 25, 9:00 a.m.
Front Range Passenger Rail Board of Directors Meeting
Online Meeting - Registration Required
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 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 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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