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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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Taxpayer dollars are no longer flowing into the City of Colorado Springs coffers like they used to. The city is starting to realize this, and take some action to reduce costs, but is it too little too late? Read about it in our original article.
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Your loyal watchdogs at Springs Taxpayers United attended Wednesday night’s City Council District 3 townhall, and asked Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) leadership if they will be pursuing federal taxpayer-funded grants to pay for the CSU broadband fiber-optic network. News came out this week that Colorado will receive over $826 million dollars in federal funds to fund “broadband equity”. CSU Fiber-Optic and Telecommunication Manager Brian Wortinger answered our question here. It’s important to recall, CSU’s broadband infrastructure is costing $600 million. Ting internet is leasing CSU broadband fiber for $593 million over the next several years. In the past, we were told that leasing the fiber would pay for the program. That notion is not panning out, and, as usual, taxpayers and ratepayers will be absorbing much of the cost.
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Denver will begin offering “free” public transit in July. Of course, the free part isn’t true at all. Taxpayers are funding this, while politicians pat themselves of the back for their greatness. But what will be free is the ultra-violence and drug addicts those taking RTD trains and buses are likely to encounter.
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Also in public transportation news, Mountain Metropolitan Transit received $3.2 million in federal taxpayer funds to help them afford to drive mostly empty buses around town.
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Bike to Work Day occurred on June 28 in Colorado Springs. You may have missed it, because few people, other than die-hard cyclists, actually participate in this event, even with the lure of a free breakfast.
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Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade has hit the ground running, and has created a new organizational structure for city departments. He is also giving out raises to some employees.
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Some residents in Briargate are accusing the city of obfuscating details about an apartment complex, now under construction in their neighborhood. Would the city of Colorado Springs do such a thing?
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Stormwater runoff from a development project in one westside neighborhood is causing severe flooding on a resident’s property. The City of Colorado Springs told him it was his problem.
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By now I’m sure you’ve all heard about the people who died on the submarine, meant to view the wreckage of the Titanic. One Colorado State Representative, Democrat Stephanie Vigil, seized the opportunity of their deaths to ridicule how wealthy these people were, and how she has smarter and more worthy ideas for how to spend the money of all wealthy people. To our knowledge, she has not expressed her thoughts on the millions Jared Polis has spent buying political power. When your elected representatives tell you what they are, believe them, folks.
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Inflation could increase CORA (Colorado Open Records Act) costs as much as 23% next year. This will impact us at Springs Taxpayers United. We’d like to thank you in advance for your continued support.
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The “green energy” policies, as managed by the Colorado Department of Transportation, are going to get very, very expensive in the coming years.
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Colorado Springs Utilities is touting the largest energy cost decrease to customers in years. Be sure to spend that $8 per month windfall on something special for yourself.
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Denver has some of the highest commercial property vacancy rates in years. COVID work from home policies are partly to blame, but what role does rampant crime and drug use, as well as government regulations, in Toilet City play in this?
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Roads that are not well maintained get worse during heavy rains, like the storms the El Paso County region experienced in early June. What’s the solution? Declare a state of emergency and get taxpayer funds from FEMA, of course. The government never runs out of your money.
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Did Colorado hospitals make record profits as part of the taxpayer slush funds distributed during COVID? A CORA request from Complete Colorado asking this question is being rejected by the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, which is telling. Complete Colorado group has filed a lawsuit to get the records released.
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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.
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, July 10, 10:00 a.m.
Colorado Springs City Council Work Session
107 N. Nevada, 3rd floor
Live stream link here
Agenda not yet posted
Tuesday, July 11, 10:00 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 Commissioner Meetings
Tuesday, July 11, 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, July 18, 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, July 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
Wednesday, July 5, 4:00 p.m
El Paso County Redistricting Open House
Columbine Hall, Room 329
UCCS Campus
Agenda not yet posted
Wednesday, July 12, 4:00 p.m
El Paso County Redistricting Open House
Tutt Library, Room 230
Colorado College Campus
Agenda not yet posted
Tuesday, July 18, 6:30 p.m
Living With Wildfire Townhall for Cragmor, Falcon Estates, Garden Ranch, Palmer Park, Pine Creek Estates, Pulpit Rock, Rockrimmon, Rustic Hills, Sunset Mesa, Thunderbird Estates, Woodmen Valley
Pulpit Rock Church
301 Austin Bluffs Parkway
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 You Tube 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 tri-pod 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 Mayors 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!
Laura and Rebecca
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