Recent Posts
What lies ahead in EPA's lawsuit against Colorado Springs?
- Aug 23, 2017
Pam Shockley-Zalabak inks agreement with Colorado Springs Forward
- Aug 22, 2017
City Council refers stormwater measure to November ballot
- Aug 22, 2017
Recent Articles
Springs faces uphill slog in the EPA lawsuit alleging stormwater system neglect
Burden of proof
- Aug 23, 2017
What the city's MS4 permit means
- Aug 23, 2017
City appeals ruling that CSPD testing discriminates against women
A second shot
- Aug 23, 2017
Recent Comments
Re: “Local developers make two picks for Colorado Springs City Council”
All candidates are welcome to let us know about campaign events that we can then tell our readers are happening. The Independent plans to endorse candidates as the election draws nearer. The filing deadline is Monday, Jan. 23.
Re: “Leadership title changes for board of county commissioners”
There's already a pay increase that applies to the three incoming commissioners, who take office on Jan. 10. As we previously reported: the three newly elected commissioners will see a hefty pay increase from $87,300 a year to $113,490. The raise was put in place by the Colorado General Assembly in 2015. The other two commissioners who weren't newly elected this year will remain at $87,300, but their successors will get the higher pay when they take office in January 2019.
Re: “Darryl Glenn regains memory of assault charge, sort of”
Curious, Sen. Michael Bennet has had nothing to do with our reporting on this incident. We simply looked up Glenn's record and then dug deeper.
Re: “Police, court documents differ from Glenn on 1983 incident”
To be clear, Ernest Glenn didn't take over running the Alumni Lounge until 2002, according to the city's Liquor and Beer Licensing Board minutes.
Re: “"Vote yes" group reports $89K raised”
Curious, Mayor Suthers has repeatedly referenced a renewal of the tax for another five years after the first five years. However, he also has said voters would decide whether to extend it. There's also the chance that after five years, city revenues would have bounced back so that more money is available for road work.
As for the annexation agreement, I'm no expert on the topic, but there are provisions that require infrastructure to be built all at once if even a small section is developed, which runs contrary to other annexation agreements. This provision was among those that the late Mayor Bob Isaac insisted be included, because he opposed the annexation and wanted developers, not the city, to fund infrastructure. The agreement has had the affect of sterilizing the land from development, because no one wants to front the money for all the infrastructure at once. I have no idea how a revision of the annexation agreement will play out, but it's likely the master plan will be changed and that a phased approach will be considered. Also, when it was annexed in 1988, the BLR was master planned to be completely developed for homes, business and industry. Now, open space advocates are at the table and are making a pitch that a substantial part of the ranch be set aside for public use, up to 12,000 acres. To accomplish this would require an overhaul of the master plan and annexation agreement. I hope this helps.
Re: “Homelessness easing, potholes tax headed to ballot, and more”
Randall Flagg, To be clear, the jail addition was built by El Paso County using certificates of participation. COPs have been declared legal by the courts but are considered by some as an end-run around the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights, which requires all debt and tax increases to be approved by voters. COPs don't require voter approval. County commissioners decided to use COPs after the ballot measure failed. So, there was no city money used to build this addition. The city didn't take money from road maintenance, public transportation and parks to help fund the jail.
Colorado Classic: 2017 Stage One (men's)
Road Trip Hike: Herman Gulch to Herman Lake
Coquette's Bistro and Bakery reopens
Photographing Colorado Springs Philharmonic's Summer Symphony
Road Trip Hike: Grizzly Lake
The fine art of childhood
The 4th Annual Inclusion Awards at Briarhurst Manor
Road trip hike: Hartenstein Lake
Bruce Munro's Field of Light in Green Mountain Falls
John Venezia Park opens in time for summer
Road Trip: Lost Lake in Cottonwood Pass
Whirlyball promises entertainment, craft beers and bites
How marijuana grow busts go down in the age of legalization
Sakura bar promises interesting Japanese-inflected cocktails
A cover so nice we did it thrice
Tree fight in Stratton Open Space
Contact
Colorado Springs Independent
- 235 S. Nevada Ave.
- Colorado Springs, CO 80903
- (719) 577-4545
Re: “UPDATE: Cleanup costs for Colorado Springs downtown land: $4.4 million”
To be clear, Richard Skorman wasn't rude and didn't "shout down" this person or anyone. He allowed her the full amount of time allowed anyone else and then told her she was mistaken in some of the comments she made. The video is available on the city's website if you'd like to view it and make your own judgment.