|
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.
-
Governor Jared Polis has signed an executive order banning sugary drinks at state functions, such as meetings and conferences. The order also bans alcohol at these functions. At least he’s not micromanaging the rest of us for a change.
-
Governor Polis also signed an executive order this week that reforms the Regional Transportation District (RTD) Board. This law will reduce board seats from 15 to just 9. We doubt this will make anybody want to use the often dangerous RTD services, however.
-
Governor Polis was recently censured by his party after he commuted the prison sentence of Tina Peters. In reaction to this, Polis appeared on a party Zoom meeting with tape over his mouth. It’s all fun and games in the circus that is Colorado government.
-
The governor also signed a bill into law that more severely punishes people who feed bears. This bill lowers the burden of proof for intention, and is meant to punish anyone who may accidentally or negligently feed bears.
-
After a great deal of public outrage, Governor Polis has signed a bill to update the criminal competency laws in Colorado, which have recently allowed violent criminals to be released if they are found incompetent to stand trial. Locking up dangerous, unstable criminals would seem like common sense. But in Colorado, this takes special effort.
-
The Colorado Legislature will now award taxpayer money to nonprofits before they even begin work. Typically, organizations are paid after work is completed, but the legislators, many of whom have close relationships to nonprofits, decided this would be better for them. And, it’s your money, so they can’t lose. Meanwhile, your cost of living goes up and up.
-
Taxpayers are on the hook for providing “gender affirming” care in Colorado. House bill HB 25-1309, which was signed into law by Governor Polis, allows people to receive these treatments and have taxpayers pay for them.
-
Should people who homeschool their children be able to recoup some of the tax money that is appropriated from them for public education? The legislature doesn’t think so.
-
The government in Colorado is attacking clean, affordable natural gas-produced energy. In response, a ballot initiative declaring natural gas usage a constitutional right is being pursued. Naturally, the anti-gas legislators are trying to sabotage this ballot initiative effort in any way they can. They don’t represent you; they impose their will on you.
-
Since they’ve already solved all the other problems, the Colorado legislature will now micromanage sales and disposal of lithium batteries in the state. We are certain that this effort will require a budget, and that budget will ultimately increase year after year.
-
In November, you will see a tax question aimed at generating funds to build the Polis Front Range Rail boondoggle. How will you vote on this proposed 19th-century transportation technology that will carry us into the future?
-
Would it surprise you to learn that high earners pay the most in income taxes in Colorado? If they are the ones paying the bills, what happens if they get sick of being demonized by elected representatives, and they leave the state?
-
Businesses in Colorado will be hit with larger emission fees. Unelected and unaccountable regulators approved over $13.5 million in fee hikes for Colorado businesses that produce higher emissions.
-
Staffing shortages at the Denver crime lab are causing a massive backlog in criminal cases. The turnaround time for evidence submitted to the lab has grown from 16 days in 2021 to 46 days this year.
-
Colorado Springs City Councilmember Kimberly Gold wrote a letter to the Pikes Peak Bulletin attempting to explain her yes vote for a pay increase for the CEO of Colorado Springs Utilities. She states that she understands the public outrage, but that it had to be done anyway.
-
Colorado Springs has the distinction of being home to the second most dangerous intersection in all of Colorado. The intersection of Academy Boulevard and Palmer Park Boulevard is the most dangerous intersection in the city, and the second most dangerous intersection in the state.
-
Colorado Springs City Council approved the closure of Boulder Street between Nevada and Weber, as was requested by Palmer High School. The high school wanted this section of Boulder Street closed permanently as part of the school’s renovation, and city council agreed.
-
City Council also approved the Elevate Downtown plan that will plan out the future of downtown. One hot-button issue that was not in the plan is a defined restriction on building height in Downtown Colorado Springs.
-
The City of Colorado Springs has launched a pothole repair surge. This effort is expected to last the next five weeks.
-
Remember Tom Bailey, the recently resigned District 2 City Councilman? He was approved as a new member of El Paso County's Planning Commission on May 26th, according to the El Paso County Commissioners' Agenda. It's item 5c if you are curious.
-
In Hudson, Colorado, officials deployed one temporary speed camera. This camera generated $1.2 million in fines in just a few weeks. The public backlash was fierce, and officials decided to void every ticket generated by this camera. No word from these officials on how this speed camera makes people any safer.
-
This week in Palmer Lake government chaos, the newly appointed Town Attorney has turned in his resignation. The now former Palmer Lake Town Attorney, Kent Whitmer, resigned due to “strife and turmoil” in Palmer Lake government. In 2025, Whitmer replaced the previous town attorney, who also resigned. What’s going on in Palmer Lake?
-
Four Colorado cities have been chosen by U.S. News and World Report as some of the best places to live in the country. Neither Colorado Springs nor Denver made the list.
-
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.
-
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
Tuesday, June 8, 9:00 a.m.
Colorado Springs City Council Work Session
107 N. Nevada, 3rd floor
Live stream link here
Agenda not yet posted
Tuesday, June 9, 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, June 9, 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, June 16, 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, June 17, 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
Tuesday, June 2, 6:00 p.m.
Colorado Springs City Council At Large Town Hall with Braver Angels
207 N. Nevada Avenue
Ticket Purchase and More Information
Friday, June 26, 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
| 
