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Join us in supporting this week’s newsletter sponsor, CSSA!
Our friends at the Colorado State Shooting Association (CSSA) are hosting a can’t-miss event right here in the Springs, and we’re proud to help spread the word!
When: Saturday & Sunday, September 20–21
Where: Magnum Shooting Center South
This two-day event will feature leading firearms manufacturers & vendors, full-auto machine gun rentals, and a BB gun safety range for kids — run by none other than Sheriff Roybal!
Even better: Use code SPRINGSTAXPAYERS to get 5% off your tickets, raffle entries, and firearm rentals. Get your tickets now at: CSSA.org/events
Why are we helping promote this? Because CSSA is on the front lines defending your rights. They’ve recently filed a lawsuit challenging the unconstitutional firearms and ammunition excise tax — and this event will fuel that fight.
Let’s show up, have some fun, and stand with the folks who stand up for us.
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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Have you ever wondered how many wildfires or structure fires in Colorado Springs are started by homeless people camping and squatting? Have you ever wondered the cost of city resources needed to combat this lawless behavior? We wondered too, so we submitted a CORA request to find out. Read our latest original article to find out all the details.
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Denver radio host Ross Kaminsky interviewed Senator Barb Kirkmeyer about the upcoming special session of the Colorado legislature and what this session means for you. This is the third year in a row that Governor Polis has called a special session. Is this really a crisis, or is this just another dramatic political, anti-Trump stunt from the radical left?
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The legislature has published a list of bills that will be debated at the 2025 special session of the legislature. Additionally, Colorado taxpayer advocate Natalie Menten sits down with Brandon Wark at Free State Colorado to discuss the upcoming special legislative session.
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Brandon Wark also had Representative Ken DeGraaf on his platform to discuss his observations on the upcoming special session. Will the governor and legislature cut government spending at all, or will they just tax us even more?
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Many people are noticing that Colorado is not what it used to be. Out-of-control crime, illegal immigration, and a legislature that is bent on growing government and turning Colorado into California are all taking their toll. This video details one man’s observations on the decline of Colorado.
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Speaking of budget problems and being overtaxed, does anybody know what Lieutenant Governor Dianne Primavera does to get a double salary? Why are we paying her twice, when she doesn’t seem to do anything but exist?
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One bill being introduced in the special session would pause the wolf importation program and allocate those funds to Colorado’s healthcare program. Do you remember when we were told Obamacare would fix healthcare costs?
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In Denver, 30 people, including members of violent South American criminal gangs, were indicted by the Department of Justice. They are being accused of weapons trafficking, drug trafficking, and murder-for-hire. Polis said Venezuelan gangs are a figment of our imagination. But they aren’t. Remember when he called the cops on an Aurora city councilmember who alerted him to these gangs?
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Many Denver Public School families have concerns about federal immigration enforcement efforts. The district plans to have staff resist any immigration enforcement activity on school property.
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Also in Denver this week, Denver officials discovered that the city of Loveland was using Flock traffic camera footage to help ICE apprehend illegal aliens. Denver responded by cutting off Loveland’s access to this camera data. They come down on the side of illegal aliens and criminals every time.
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The Salvation Army is ending its management of 3 hotel shelters for vagrants on behalf of Denver. It appears that Denver is running out of other people’s money.
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One Arvada apartment complex has had nearly 200 requests for police to deal with squatters. To quote the article: “Under Colorado’s new eviction law, landlords must provide longer notice periods and mandatory mediation before evicting tenants, slowing down the process significantly." It seems this law is working as intended, and is causing chaos and problems for landlords and honest tenants. Thanks, Colorado legislature.
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Denver city government, in response to a $250 million budget shortfall, has laid off 171 employees and eliminated almost 700 open positions. We suppose that’s one way to shrink government.
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One Denver city councilmember’s husband was let go from his $170,000 per year job at the Denver Parks Department. The city councilmember is not pleased. Also, why do $170,000 per year jobs in government exist?
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Denver released details of employees laid off from various departments within the city government. Do you think this is the end of layoffs in Denver?
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One thing Denver did not do was cancel the $26,000 mountain retreat for Denver City Councilmembers. Employees are laid off in the wake of a budget shortfall, but city councilmembers still have taxpayer funds for luxurious, taxpayer-funded outings.
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UPDATE: Due to public backlash, the Denver City Council has postponed their plush, taxpayer-funded mountain getaway. People in government really do believe that taxpayers are their personal ATM.
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Colorado has fallen to 28th in affordability and 47th in public safety, among the 50 states. This is the true legacy of Governor Jared Polis.
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The City of Colorado Springs scaled back the removal of abandoned vehicles this summer. One resident noticed and complained. The city is, once again, aggressively towing abandoned vehicles. Thank you, vigilant citizen, for staying on top of this.
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The Colorado Springs City Council voted this week to allocate recreational marijuana tax revenue to the Clean and Safe program for downtown, as well as treatment for veterans with PTSD. Police and fire department support was noticeably absent.
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Xcel Energy is suing Elbert County over the county’s denial of a permit to build electric transmission lines in the county. Can we now expect companies like Xcel Energy, an agency that has a government monopoly on services, to sue counties and residents who do not bow to their will?
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Colorado Springs Utilities proposed its 2026 budget to the Utilities Board this week. This proposed budget includes a 23% increase over their 2025 budget. Customer rate increases are also expected with this $2.2 billion budget. We recorded that meeting for you here.
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El Paso County Clerk and Recorder Steve Schleiker takes issue with President Trump’s desire to end all mail-in ballots for elections. Do you believe mail ballots are safe from voter fraud?
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Back in 2019, the Mayor of Manitou Springs noticed that most of the town’s sales tax revenue came from marijuana sales. The mayor was correct. Now that Colorado Springs allows sales of recreational marijuana, Manitou sales tax revenue is taking a hit.
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The end of federal electric vehicle subsidies, paid by taxpayers, is causing electric vehicle dealerships to offer lease deals on these vehicles at steep discounts.
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An online petition has been started that would push back on the Colorado practice of allowing violent criminals, who have been found incompetent to stand trial, to be released into the public to offend again. This organization is also pushing back on anti-parent laws that have been passed in Colorado this year.
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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, August 25, 9:00 a.m.
Colorado Springs City Council Work Session
107 N. Nevada, 3rd floor
Live stream link here
Agenda
Tuesday, August 26, 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, August 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, September 2, 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 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
Monday, September 1, 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
Friday, September 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 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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