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This week’s newsletter is sponsored by Armi and Joni Hall. We appreciate the Halls’ generosity in helping us get all the latest news out to readers!
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 chief security officer for Denver abruptly resigned last week. The officer states that he was punished and ridiculed for speaking up about problems in Denver government.
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The Denver Immersive Reparatory Theater was awarded a $400,000 taxpayer-funded loan by the City of Denver. The theater never opened, and the taxpayer money is gone.
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Also in Denver, a surge in homicides in Toilet City is among the highest in the nation. This is the same Denver that cannot afford to repair police vehicles or properly staff civilian police positions, but has all the money in the world to support illegal aliens and vagrants.
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A fire in a vagrant camp in Greeley killed one and injured another. What government incentivizes with tax dollars, we get more of.
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Also in fire news this week, at least four people have been charged with intentionally setting wildfires around the state. Maybe global warming isn’t causing more fires.
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In November, voters will get to decide whether or not they should have a right to natural gas for energy. This ballot initiative is a direct response to the ill-conceived and punitive rush to “renewable” energy that is being forced on us by the state.
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One Xcel Energy customer learned the hard way that delegating control of her thermostat to Xcel is a bad choice. When she tried to lower her home temperature from a miserable 79 degrees, her thermostat would not allow her to.
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Did you know that taxpayer funds are used to help pay for homes for teachers? These funds are used, in part, for down payment and closing cost assistance. Do you support this targeted use of your taxpayer funds?
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Did you know that your taxpayer dollars are used to fund rebates to people who purchase electric bicycles? Government takes from all taxpayers to fund the specific transportation choices that please government bureaucrats.
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The proposed progressive income tax scheme that will appear on your November ballot is designed to take more money from more people. As people improve their lot in life, their income will go up, leaving them open to being taxed even more as they move into different tax brackets. This progressive tax scheme deliberately punishes upward mobility.
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A new law passed in the legislature is leaving homeschool parents and teachers wondering how to proceed. The legislature created new, tighter rules for homeschool enrichment programs, which let homeschooled kids take part in certain public school activities. But now such programs need to comply with a labyrinth of bureaucratic rules.
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More and more families are choosing to educate their children at home and reject the agenda of government schools. Southern Colorado, including Colorado Springs, is one area that has seen a significant uptick in homeschooling.
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Secretary of State Jena Griswold has been ordered by a Denver District Court judge to turn over public records that she has clearly been hiding. These records have to do with a $25,000 contract with a consulting firm that was hired, at taxpayer expense, to discover why her office had such high employee turnover.
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One former University of Colorado administrator has been arrested for theft and embezzlement. He is accused of stealing university grant money from the Nike Elite sports program.
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Long-time Gazette Executive Editor Vince Bzdek will be retiring this year, so management at the local media outlet will be making personnel changes. Some are observing that these changes are rather ham-handed.
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Jefferson County Schools may ask taxpayers to help fill a $135 million hole in their budget. Jeffco Schools loses about 1,000 students annually, and closed 21 schools in five years. Yet they still see fit to ask taxpayers for more. Always more.
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The Sundance Film Festival will be held in Boulder, Colorado, in 2027. Vast amounts of taxpayer money will be used to support this festival.
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The public release of Anthony Fauci’s diary is shedding a lot of light on the arrogance and untruths in the government’s response to COVID. Never forget that the Colorado government in general, and Governor Jared Polis in particular, amplified these disorders here locally.
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Douglas County Commissioners this week approved a $19 million tax rebate for a data center in Parker. Some residents are not pleased to be subsidizing this business with their tax dollars.
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Manitou Springs has been ordered to pay a one-time payment of $3.2 million to the Cog Railway owners. This is a settlement for a lawsuit against Manitou by the railway for not honoring a payment agreement.
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We missed this radio story last month highlighting how Mayor Mobolade and Wayne Williams are working together to run Colorado Springs government. Are you happy with this partnership?
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One popular restaurant in downtown Colorado Springs has suffered repeated vandalism issues. Where are the Clean and Safe Downtown people when you need them?
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Colorado Springs City Council has scheduled a special hearing regarding the latest Project Taurus appeal. This meeting will be held September 17 at the Pikes Peak Center. A total of 120 people will be allowed to speak. If you would like to sign up to speak, there are instructions in the article linked in this post. We will also keep you updated as details are released.
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Are issues with rampant vagrancy improving in Downtown Colorado Springs? Some say yes. Others say the city needs to do more, which would likely mean spending more taxpayer dollars on the issue.
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On that subject, Mayor Yemi Mobolade has revealed his next steps for his vagrancy response plan for the city. The plan coordinates efforts from 15 different city departments that have previously worked independently. Some details of the plan have yet to be finalized. We attended and recorded the press conference for your viewing pleasure.
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The El Paso County Commissioners will hear an appeal from Buc-ee’s later this month. The company would like their proposed establishment listed as a convenience store for zoning purposes.
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Some in Colorado Springs are very excited about the Polis choo-choo train. However, permission from voters is still required to fund this passenger rail boondoggle. Do you know how you will vote on this?
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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 24, 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 25, 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 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
Tuesday, September 1, 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
Thursday, August 20, 5:30 p.m.
Colorado Springs City Council District 4 Town Hall
Deerfield Hills Community Center
4290 Deerfield Hills Road
Agenda and RSVP
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 You Tube Channel. Since most of the City and County board and commission meetings are not televised or recorded, we are working to remedy this. 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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