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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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The Department of Justice is suing Colorado over the pro-illegal immigrant policy of allowing illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition in Colorado. This policy, which also allows illegal immigrants to receive state-funded financial student aid, was passed in 2013.
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The Polis dream of having a passenger train along the Front Range promises to be a money pit. The recent plan published by the Front Range Passenger Rail District is full of grandiose predictions of vast ridership backed by plans to spend oceans of taxpayer money.
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Public school enrollment in Colorado continues to decline. Colorado schools are predicted to lose around 16,000 students for the coming school year.
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Despite the fact outlined above, the Colorado Department of Education is allocating $24 million of your tax dollars for school lunches. This funding is being provided by the voter-approved tax on people earning over $300,000 per year.
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Another longtime Denver retailer is closing because of rampant theft and crime on the 16th Street Mall. Sole Street Shoes had been in business since 2005.
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Another large employer is contemplating leaving Denver, and may leave the state entirely. The Colorado Economic Development Commission is desperately trying to keep Alterra Mountain Co. from leaving Denver, and potentially moving to Salt Lake City.
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Signatures are still being gathered for Initiative 195, the progressive income tax ballot measure in Colorado. What proponents of this initiative neglect to mention is that all the taxes misnamed “fees” imposed on Coloradans without their consent add up to more than three times the current income tax rate. They can never steal enough from you, folks.
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Public school employees gathered this week to rally support for Proposition NN, the effort to destroy TABOR taxpayer protections forever in order to pump even more taxpayer money into failing public schools. They can never steal enough.
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Activists in Colorado claim that the technocrats in the state have cracked the code on how to build less expensive “affordable” housing. The key, they say, is to build on public land, not private land. Yes, this can reduce the cost, but taxpayers lose twice. They lose the land that once belonged to them, and they pay tax subsidies to build the homes.
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One Colorado senator is upset about a criminal incident that occurred in Loveland. The suspect fired shots at police, and this senator is upset that the police shot back. Politicians who are exclusively concerned with the welfare of criminals are why crime is through the roof in Colorado. Where have we seen this before?
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The Aurora Police Department is giving away steering wheel locks to combat auto theft. Too bad locking up car thieves isn’t an available tool for them to use.
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Colorado Springs will add eight new school zones by the end of summer. Watch for new school zones on a street near you.
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Colorado Springs Utilities is asking customers to help conserve electricity during high-demand periods of the day. At least they are asking. When will they have to transition to forced brownouts or blackouts?
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Xcel Energy is also asking customers to cut back on electricity usage. We used to pay our utility bill because they provided a service to us. Now, we pay our bill so that they can extend the reach of the busybody technocrats in government.
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Because of the pivot to “green energy” in Colorado, utility companies did not invest in maintaining coal plants. As a result, the Comanche 3 plant in Pueblo, managed by Xcel Energy, has been offline for a year to address a backlog of repairs. Decline is a choice that is being imposed on you.
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Colorado Springs City Council has approved an ethics code change regarding the personal use of city vehicles by the mayor and city councilmembers. Now, this code change goes to Mayor Mobolade for rejection or final approval.
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City Council also approved spending marijuana tax money to provide additional security to businesses along South Nevada Avenue.
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City Council has unanimously approved the Colorado Springs Southeast Strong Neighborhood Plan. This plan will fund additional infrastructure development in the southeast part of town.
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Three Colorado Springs City Councilmembers held a town hall meeting with Braver Angels this week. We were there too, and we recorded it for you to review.
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The City of Colorado Springs has overhauled parking and the accompanying payment system in downtown and Old Colorado City. These changes will make it easier for people to pay for parking in these locations.
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There is a plan being executed that will connect three existing streets to the Banning Lewis Ranch development. The developers will pay for extending the roads, but future maintenance costs will belong to taxpayers.
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El Paso County Commissioners may ask voters to extend the current public safety sales tax. The $0.0025 tax was approved by voters in 2012, and is directed toward law enforcement and public safety needs.
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Last week, the Colorado Springs Planning Commission soundly rejected the attempt to stop the Project Taurus data center project. The Commission suggests that activists who oppose data center construction are strongly opposed to these projects wherever they find them. Do you agree that data centers should be opposed?
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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
Monday, August 10, 9:00 a.m.
Colorado Springs City Council Work Session
107 N. Nevada, 3rd floor
Live stream link here
Agenda not yet posted
Tuesday, August 11, 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, August 4, 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, August 25, 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, August 19, 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, July 31, 9:00 a.m.
Front Range Passenger Rail Board of Directors Meeting
Online Meeting - Registration Required
Information and Agenda
Friday, August 28, 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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