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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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This week's newsletter is sponsored by Armi and Joni Hall. Thank you to the Halls for their support of our efforts. 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 keep looking out for taxpayers
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Now that recreational marijuana sales are legal in Colorado Springs, several agencies are scrambling for the anticipated sales tax revenue. One agency wants to provide us all with a “clean and safe downtown” and has plans to mitigate the chaos from the taxpayer-funded vagrant population. However, vagrancy isn’t just a downtown issue. What about your neighborhood? Do you deserve cleanliness and safety too? Read all about the grand plans and the mad scramble for fresh tax money in our latest original article.
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The Colorado Springs City Council recently voted to begin the process of screening applicants for grant money funded from taxes on recreational marijuana sales in the city. Mayor Mobolade vetoed this, stating that he will decide where this tax revenue goes, not the city council. Does the mayor already have plans for this tax revenue?
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The City of Colorado Springs will host a series of meetings to discuss housing needs in the city. The list of dates and times can be found here, and also in our miscellaneous meetings section below.
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An armed man, who was justifiably shot by Colorado Springs Police officers, is suing CSPD for excessive use of force. Will taxpayers again be on the hook for paying out on this lawsuit, or will the city stand its ground on behalf of taxpayers?
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Have you ever wondered whether or not you’ve been photographed by one of the 20 red light cameras around town? This article will answer any questions you might have about this.
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The homeless union in Colorado Springs pitched in to help clean up some of the mess made by their union members. We would encourage them to do this on a daily basis.
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Would you approve of Immigration and Customs Enforcement opening illegal immigrant detention facilities in Colorado Springs?
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The Colorado Springs City Council approved another taxpayer-subsidized “affordable housing” development last week near Sand Creek High School. Many current residents in this area are not pleased.
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Colorado Springs is also planning to extend Powers Boulevard on the north side of town. This will negatively impact existing neighborhoods in the area, and residents don’t want this. Will the city proceed anyway? A meeting will be held this Thursday to discuss the extension.
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The City of Colorado Springs would like citizen feedback on its 2025 Park System Master Plan. You can take the survey here.
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One Teller County woman is being asked to remove her large greenhouse over a code building violation. One code enforcement officer told her she did not need a permit. Now, after her greenhouse is built, she is being told otherwise.
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How does our current Colorado legislature pass policies that allow criminals to stay out of jail and commit more crimes? Many introduced bills that could address this pro-crime trend never even get to a full vote of the legislature. They are stopped in the House Judiciary Committee, which is controlled by some of the most radical legislators. They don’t represent you. They represent criminals.
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Colorado state law mandates that pharmacies upload prescription data into a state-managed monitoring database. This monitoring database was created to mitigate prescription drug abuse. A law, passed last session in support of transgender people, removes testosterone from the list of prescribed drugs that need to be reported. Is this appropriate?
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The Trump administration is banning illegal immigrants from participating in several taxpayer-funded federal programs, including the Head Start preschool program. Our pro-illegal immigrant state government is crying foul.
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Should Colorado taxpayers be forced to pay for Head Start education programs for people who entered the country illegally? Many in the Colorado government think they should, and are investigating ways to use state tax dollars to replace the federal tax dollars that will no longer be allocated to this program.
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You may get the opportunity to vote to exempt tips and overtime pay from state taxes in Colorado. If this passes, will the legislature simply create a Tip and Overtime Enterprise Fee to steal the money anyway?
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Governor Jared Polis is desperately trying to waste taxpayer funds on building a new, $29 million pedestrian bridge near the state capitol. There is now an online survey dedicated to asking for opinions on the construction of this bridge. Most people oppose this latest Polis boondoggle.
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As more and more chaos is occurring in the Gold Dome in Denver, legislators from both parties are leaving for less tumultuous jobs.
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Much of this legislative craziness we’ve been experiencing is being pushed by the many nonprofits that have more influence in the legislature than you do. Why should these nonprofits have an outsized influence in government? Is this a threat to democracy?
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Unelected bureaucrats in Colorado passed a rule that bans gasoline-powered lawn equipment. This rule, which went into effect on June 1, is not currently being enforced. That could change soon.
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Colorado Congressman Gabe Evans has introduced a bill to provide legal status to some illegal immigrants already in the United States.
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Fewer and fewer people are relocating to Colorado from other states. This trend seems to coincide with the leftist craziness coming out of the legislature and the governor’s office here, which negatively impacts overall livability. It seems word of the Polis legacy is reaching from coast to coast.
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The Colorado Department of Transportation is soliciting your feedback on its statewide transportation plan. But only if you want to ride a bike or take a bus everywhere you go. If you drive an automobile, they don’t care about your opinion or your transportation needs.
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Attorney General Phil Weiser has joined a lawsuit on your behalf over the Trump administration withholding $7 billion in education grants. These grants are not used for education purposes, but are directed toward after-school programs and other resources.
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One Denver community organization is being forced to shut down due to canceled federal funding. The Heart & Hand Center, which provided after-school programs to children in the Five Points neighborhood, is closing.
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Survey respondents in Colorado say politics is a concerning problem for them. Many of these respondents cite national politics, in particular the Trump administration, as a top concern for them, not state politics.
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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 21, 9:00 a.m.
Colorado Springs City Council Work Session
107 N. Nevada, 3rd floor
Live stream link here
Agenda
Tuesday, July 22, 9:00 a.m.
Colorado Springs City Council
107 N. Nevada, 3rd floor
Live stream link here
Agenda
El Paso County Board of County Commissioners Meetings
Tuesday, July 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
Tuesday, August 5, 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 20, 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 23, 9:30 a.m.
Colorado Springs Housing Needs Assessment Open House – North Location
Library 21C
1175 Chapel Hills Drive
Information and Agenda
Wednesday, July 23, 4:00 p.m.
Colorado Springs Housing Needs Assessment Open House – Southeast Location
Family Success Center
1520 Verde Drive, Room 127
Information and Agenda
Thursday, July 24, 9:00 a.m.
Colorado Springs Housing Needs Assessment Open House – Central Location
UCCS Downtown Lounge
102 S. Tejon
Information and Agenda
Thursday, July 24, 4:00 p.m.
Colorado Springs Housing Needs Assessment Open House – West Location
Manitou City Hall
606 Manitou Avenue
Information and Agenda
Thursday, July 24, 1:00 p.m.
Colorado Springs Housing Needs Assessment Open House – Virtual Meeting
Information and Registration
Friday, July 25, 9:00 a.m.
Front Range Passenger Rail Board of Directors Meeting
Online Meeting - Registration Required
Information and Agenda
Monday, August 4, 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 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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