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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 Colorado legislature passed a bill that allows government agencies to take more time to respond to CORA requests. The time limit for responding to these requests has increased from 3 days to 5 days. Media is exempt from this law. It only applies to us regular folks. Is the plan to allow media to get information and establish a government-friendly narrative before citizens and watchdog groups like Springs Taxpayers United can get the information and view it critically? The Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition is asking Governor Polis to veto this bill. Our prediction is that he will sign this into law.
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For years, the Colorado legislature has been using “fees” and “enterprises” to steal from taxpayers while getting around the TABOR requirement to submit a tax increase to voters. Proposition 117, passed by voters in 2020, was an attempt to rein in this abusive practice. The radicals in the legislature adapted by finding ways to skirt the requirements laid out in Proposition 117 and have created 12 new enterprises, funded by fees, since Proposition 117 passed. Our friends at Advance Colorado have created a detailed report showing just how much you pay in fees that are legitimately taxes. This report is well worth your time.
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Continuing on this subject, the Colorado legislature is working on a bill to create a Homeowner’s Insurance Enterprise. This would charge you an additional 1.5% on your homeowner’s insurance premiums, and fund two new government agencies you don’t need. They think you exist to fund their dreams of total control over you.
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Also in TABOR news this week, the Colorado legislature is suing to end your TABOR protections forever by challenging the constitutionality of TABOR. Never mind that this has been attempted before and failed. They don’t represent you. They represent themselves.
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Speaking of this lawsuit to declare TABOR unconstitutional, taxpayers will likely be forced to pay the legal bills for both sides of this argument. Greedy, radical leftists in the legislature have no problem wasting your money in an effort to confiscate more of your money.
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Remember when Secretary of State Jena Griswold mailed voter registration cards to illegal aliens, not once, but twice? Remember how she published voting machine passwords online for months, and was given a pass for this felony? Well, now she’s going to run for Attorney General of Colorado. Yes, now this partisan hack wants to help destroy Colorado from a new office. And she could win, because she will be the one counting the votes for her own election.
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Democrats in the Colorado legislature have unveiled their plan to protect illegal immigrants from federal enforcement of immigration laws. No, there are no plans to protect you from criminal illegal immigrants.
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In related news this week, a crew of illegal immigrants has been arrested in Aurora, Colorado, for conducting sophisticated burglaries of homes. Remember, they used your tax dollars to ship illegal immigrants in, and feed and house them. Now, they want to pass laws to protect them from legitimate law enforcement actions.
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Governor Jared Polis has signed a bill that gives tax credits to incentivize film festivals in Colorado. If you can’t have a film festival without going into taxpayers’ pockets, should you be having a film festival? Also, why is this a proper use of our tax dollars?
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We mentioned a story last week detailing the failure of the Colorado Springs City Auditorium remodel project. Now, the State of Colorado wants its $828,000 grant back. This should be interesting.
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Many museums and public educational centers could lose funding for special projects under the Trump administration's federal belt-tightening efforts. Do you think the federal government should be in the business of supporting museums? As a reminder, the federal government has put us taxpayers almost $37 trillion in debt.
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Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade penned an opinion piece this week, labeling groups opposing the Karman Line Annexation as “special interest groups.” Interesting. Are developers a special interest group? Mayor Mobolade also stated he would like to see this issue go to the voters.
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UPDATE: Mayor Mobolade will get his wish. The Karman Line Flagpole Annexation question will go to the voters on June 17. The mayor delivered his comments about this city council decision.
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This year will kick off the 2nd season of concerts at the Ford Amphitheater. Do you think the noise mitigation efforts will limit disruptions for neighbors?
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The vagrant camp cleanup effort in Colorado Springs resulted in 68 arrests in 2 days. Among these arrests were 5 felony warrant arrests and 3 drug-related arrests. We’ve seen this movie before.
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Farmers in the Arkansas River Valley are concerned that Colorado Springs' water usage, especially when it comes to large new developments, could impact the water supply they use to make a living.
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Have you ever wondered who the wealthiest people in Colorado are? Well, here’s the list.
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Pueblo is trying to end its relationship with Black Hills Energy by creating its own municipal electric utility service. Unfortunately, a recent study indicates this may not be feasible for the town.
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Denver is nibbling around the edges of the vagrant problem that elected officials created. They have proposed two ordinances to tighten regulations on scrap metal recycling. All they know is more and more laws and regulations to deal with the consequences of their last laws and regulations.
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Plans are in the works to convert two empty Denver office buildings into affordable housing.
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The tax revenue from marijuana sales in Colorado is a bummer, dude. Revenue from marijuana has crashed 41% from its peak 3 years ago. Bogus.
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Someone stole 600 pounds of seized marijuana from a Colorado State Patrol evidence trailer in Arapahoe County. This is a pretty brazen heist.
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Colorado has seen a decrease in auto thefts. However, auto theft is still a significant problem in the state.
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And, here we go again. Residents in the Spring Canyon neighborhood are trying to stop a 144-unit apartment complex. This complex will be built on a small parcel of land in a neighborhood that already experiences dangerous traffic. We wish these residents all the luck in the world.
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Ting Internet, a fiber-optic Internet Service Provider that leases fiber from Colorado Springs Utilities, is laying off 42% of its employees.
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One Alabama lawmaker is suggesting the future of the United States Space Command is still up in the air. Colorado politicians have responded to this suggestion.
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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
Tuesday, April 15, 2:00 p.m.
Colorado Springs City Council – Special Meeting to Elect President and President Pro Tem
107 N. Nevada, 3rd floor
Live stream link here
Agenda not yet posted
Monday, April 21, 9:00 a.m.
Colorado Springs City Council Work Session
107 N. Nevada, 3rd floor
Live stream link here
Agenda not yet posted
Tuesday, April 22, 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, April 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
Tuesday, April 22, 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, April 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
Monday, May 5, 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
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 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 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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