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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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Pushing for growth at any cost has consequences, like increased crime, and traffic. Governments push for growth; regular citizens bear all the costs.
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Meth contamination in libraries. Meth contamination in the bus station. Now, fentanyl and meth contamination is being found in city buses. Do you really want to take the bus, and then require a hospital visit afterward, or fail a pre-employment drug test?
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Prop HH is a tax increase, regardless of how the politicians spin it. How do we know this? If Prop HH decreased your taxes, it wouldn't need to go to the ballot. Lowering taxes does not require a vote.
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It’s well known that Colorado Springs City Councilman Dave Donelson has been critical of Mayor Mobolade’s listening tour format. Now, Councilman Donelson is expressing concerns about transparency with the new mayor. Councilman Donelson is stating the mayor unnecessarily inserted himself into a fact-finding effort between Councilman Donelson and the city’s CFO, a practice that was commonplace when John Suthers was mayor. Councilman Donelson was asking the CFO for a comparison of current city budget spending versus spending four years ago. Mayor Mobolade then asked Councilman Donelson to justify his need for this information. Perhaps being an elected representative of the city is justification enough
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UPDATE: Councilman Donelson has his answer. The city budget has increased over $260,000,000 from four years ago. How hard was that, Mr. Mayor? So why are they asking for a TABOR retention measure for a new police academy? Can they not carve out $5 million from this $260,000,000?
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Recently we reported about Colorado Springs Utilities failing to properly communicate details of a water tower being built in the Mountain Shadows neighborhood. The City of Colorado Springs has ordered CSU to stop working on the project. Apparently, this project, ordered by the city, violates city code. Interesting. Perhaps the city will fine itself, and then pay the bill, completing the circle of ridiculousness.
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UPDATE: Colorado Springs Utilities is appealing the above-mentioned stop work order on the water tank being built in Mountain Shadows. This appeal allows CSU to continue work on this project.
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The proud Sanctuary City of Denver is preparing to receive more illegal immigrants that are being bused there from Texas.
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Also in Toilet City news, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston has big plans for homelessness. The cost for these plans is $52 million. What do you think, will vagrancy in Denver be decreased, or increased?
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An Economic Forum was held last week in Colorado Springs. While Colorado Springs has fared better than most Colorado cities, rough times may be ahead.
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Your November ballot has been certified by the Colorado Secretary of State, Jena Griswold. Also, you may remember Jena Griswold wants taxpayers to pay her student loans for her, but we digress. Here’s what you can expect to see on the ballot this November.
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Anti-automobile activists in Denver government used the COVID pandemic to close some streets to automobile traffic. Now, some of these street closures will be made permanent.
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Colorado Springs City Council is considering increasing electric and natural gas rates just in time for winter. The CSU website declares the cost increases are needed maintain and rehabilitate aging infrastructure, provide safe and reliable services, prepare for future demand, and meet environmental and regulatory requirements. Do you think they need money for pay raises and broadband, too?
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This week in “KeepItCleanCOS” news, four new street sweepers will be deployed throughout the city. These four will have clever names, selected by the public: Bruce Springsclean, Kevin, Sweepy McSweepface, and Dirt Reynolds. There’s no reason we can’t have fun with this, folks.
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Roundabouts, or traffic circles, can be confusing to some. In an effort to make them more confusing and dangerous, and also generate revenue, the Colorado Legislature passed new micro-managey laws regarding roundabouts and vehicle sizes. The rules are so confusing, we cannot possibly explain them here. You’ll just have to read the article, and perhaps plan on avoiding all roundabouts in your future travels.
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The thing about this new roundabout law, and the recent law change allowing cyclists to roll through stop signs is this: some people will know the law changed, and some will not. This not only creates a potentially dangerous situation, but also creates a condition where some drivers will unwittingly violate the law, which was one way yesterday, and a different way today, and end up being fined. It would probably be better to leave well enough alone. What is the actual intention of such odd law changes anyway?
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A National Federation of Independent Businesses study shows that, in Colorado, small business owners have not been enthusiastic about the success of their enterprises for 20 straight months. The specter of Proposition HH and inflation are two leading factors in this malaise.
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Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade will present a Lifetime Achievement award to his predecessor, John Suthers.
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Mayor Mobolade will be delivering his first State of the City Address on Thursday, September 14. Does he have big plans for your paycheck?
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A 2021 law passed in the Colorado Legislature is resulting in increased auto registration costs for drivers, including a special fee for registering an electric vehicle, as well as new late fees. Because they see you as their ATM, and they can never get enough of your money.
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There have been some developments from a Complete Colorado reporter's transparency case. The reported filed a CORA request, to determine if some outside activists participated in the creation of several healthcare industry-related bills last year. The Colorado Department of Healthcare Policy and Finance refused to turn over around 300 emails. We bet we know why. A judge has ordered the agency to turn over these emails for his review.
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The Colorado Springs Airport will receive a $6 million concourse remodel, courtesy of taxpayers.
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More on-ramp traffic control signals are being installed on I-25. According to CDOT traffic engineers, they really don’t know if these on-ramp traffic control signals are having a positive impact on traffic flow or safety, but they are installing them anyway.
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Student loan payments, which were on hold until President Biden’s illegal scheme to forgive these loans was stopped, will resume next month. This grieves Colorado Secretary of State Jena Grisowold deeply. We ask that you allow her privacy in this traumatic time of adulting.
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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, September 25, 1:00 p.m.
Colorado Springs City Council Work Session
107 N. Nevada, 3rd floor
Live stream link here
Agenda not yet posted
Tuesday, September 26, 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, September 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, October 3, 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 27, 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
Monday, September 18, 6:00 p.m.
Law Enforcement Transparency and Advisory Committee
City Hall
107 S. Nevada Avenue, Suite 200
Also, online via Microsoft Teams
Information and Agenda
Saturday, October 7, 9:30 a.m.
Independence Institute Speaking Up and Speaking Out Class
Koelbel Library
5955 Holly Street, Centennial, CO
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 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!
Rebecca
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