These two are awesome - they keep us informed about local issues and events.
Enjoy,
Jay
New Permanent Colorado Springs Budget Items, School Lunch Boondoggle, ConnectCOS Needs Your Feedback, and More!
Here are some of the stories we are following this week. Connect with Laura and Rebecca on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for up-to-the-minute news.
One long-time political observer in Colorado sees the latest election as a signal that Colorado is in decline. Anyone paying attention to trends in lawlessness, drug overdose deaths, and general living conditions in the state, along with the strong desire of the electorate to see it continue, would likely agree.
The Colorado legislature changing auto theft from a felony to a misdemeanor for certain vehicles has emboldened car thieves. Since those who enforce the laws cannot, by law, issue effective penalties, the city of Pueblo is installing license plate reading cameras to attempt to curb auto thefts. But is the use of this technology about more than curbing auto theft? Yes, we live this way now.
A federal judge has quashed President Biden’s student loan relief program. Ultimately, it was just a vote-buying scheme.
The ConnectCOS transportation plan has been opened up for public review. You can provide feedback until December 6.
First, they pack people into downtown residences, and applaud themselves for it. Then, they address safety concerns that could easily be foreseen and addressed prior to step one.
Speaking of safety concerns, downtown Denver has turned into a version of Somalia with mountain views. But don’t worry, they have a plan to fix it.
The powers that be in Colorado government are scolding us for not recycling enough. They invested $350,000 in studying our trash, so naturally this leads to finding problems for government to address. Expect corrective action through the force of law in the coming legislative session. No word on whether vagrants, who create millions of pounds of trash, will be forced to recycle. They have no incomes to tax, so they probably get a pass, because this really isn’t about recycling.
The homeless outreach team, and vehicle abandonment team, will now be annual fully-funded line items in the City of Colorado Springs budget. In perpetuity. This may provide fun and exciting opportunities for those needing a second job to cover their ever-increasing energy and tax bills.
Despite millions of sound reasons not to, the Colorado electorate approved taxpayer-funded school meals for all children. At a price tag of $100 million a year to start (and we all know the “need” will increase every year), all Colorado school children will be given a school breakfast and lunch that they may not necessarily need or want. Will this be just another government boondoggle?
Also in school news, public school enrollment is dwindling. Jefferson County recently voted to close 16 schools. Denver will close 5 schools. Is it really practical to fund school lunches for children who are not there? Wait, we forgot. We’re dealing with government, not reality.
This year is now the deadliest year for traffic deaths in Colorado Springs history. Is this the result of an ever-increasing population, or something else?
The people who develop marketing terms for government income transfer programs have invented a new term for those who cannot, or prefer not to, afford rent: cost burdened. How many “cost-burdened” renters have cable TV, video game consoles, and tattoos? Watch as this burden gets shifted onto you, the cost-burdened taxpayer.
Now, Colorado Springs Utilities is discussing lowering gas and electric rates. Nobody saw this coming. Did they raise rates too aggressively last time?
The City of Colorado Spring has been handing out incentives, either tax breaks or your tax money specifically, to companies in exchange for “job creation.” Well, nobody at the city has been following up on the job creation part of the deal, they’ve only been handing out money, which is the level of competence we’ve come to expect from government at all levels, all day, every day. They promise to do better from now on, though.
Current Chief Operations Officer Travas Deal was selected as the Interim CEO at Colorado Springs Utilities. He will take the wheel while the Board searches for a replacement for Aram Benyamin.
Fires from homeless camps continue to put us all at risk. Maybe school lunch isn’t the biggest problem we face.
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