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More public transit funding not likely to go before voters in 2012

November 15th, 2011, 3:24 pm by

Voters likely won’t get to decide whether public transit should get a bigger share of a 1-cent sales and use tax that funds road construction and maintenance projects and public transit.

Officials from the Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority, its Citizen Advisory Committee and a Greater Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce task force agreed in a joint meeting Monday that the formula for dividing up the tax shouldn’t be changed, when a renewal question is brought to the ballot in November 2012.

 Under the 2004 voter-approved division of revenue, public transit gets 10 percent of the 1 percent tax that’s collected in unincorporated El Paso County, the cities of Colorado Springs and Manitou Springs, and the towns of Green Mountain Falls and Ramah.

 Maintenance projects receive 35 percent, and capital construction projects 55 percent. The latter sunsets in 2014. Transportation officials agreed Monday to bring a renewal measure before voters next November.

 A nearly year-long study of the local public transportation system, called the Future of Regional Transportation, had looked at the possibility as a way to boost revenue for the city of Colorado Springs-operated system because it has experienced drastic budget cuts in recent years.

 Other agreements reached Monday:

 – The PPRTA board would refer the measure to the ballot and pay for the cost, an estimated $200,000 to $350,000.

 – Gross revenue for the RTA is estimated at $69 million per year

 – Future projects should be reprioritized for voter approval

 – Projects will shift from large-scale ones to relieve traffic congestion to smaller, ones to sustain and improve existing infrastructure

 – Still to be decided: Whether the extension should be for 10 or 12 years and whether voters should be presented with just one project list instead of three lists, which is what voters approved in 2004. Projects on only the A list are likely to be completed before the existing capital tax expires in 2014. But there are projects on a B list and a C list that won’t be addressed. The PPRTA’s Citizen Advisory Committee will review those and other issues and make a recommendation to the PPRTA board, the final decision-maker on the plans.

 Former County Commissioner Douglas Bruce advised the group to reconsider referring a renewal measure to the ballot next year, saying it should be brought to voters in 2014, when it expires, not before.

 “I think voters will see they’ve been duped by a wish list that wasn’t completed,” he said. “There’s been a number of broken promises.”

Posted in: El Paso County • • • • | 2 Comments »

About 50 participate in economic development trip to Oklahoma

May 4th, 2011, 1:43 pm by
Amanda Mountain of Rocky Mountain Public Broadcasting Service is one of about 50 local community and business leaders on the Oklahoma City trip.

What does Oklahoma City know that Colorado Springs doesn’t? Fifty local business and civic leaders are in Oklahoma City this week, not to watch the Thunder compete in the National Basketball Association playoffs, but to learn the flourishing city’s secrets.

 The goal of the scouting mission: Find out what led to Oklahoma City’s economic renaissance and how Colorado Springs can follow suit.

 “This city is known for innovative ideas, and there are some great things happening,” said City Councilwoman Jan Martin, who is on the trip, which concludes Friday.

 On the trip are representatives from top businesses and organizations, including El Paso County, the city of Colorado Springs, the Greater Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce, the Colorado Springs Regional Economic Development Corp., the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, the Colorado Springs Philharmonic and others.

 The population of Oklahoma City is 579,999, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, slightly larger than Colorado Springs’ 416,427 residents.

Participants are learning about Oklahoma City’s developments in the arts, government, sports and the environment, said El Paso County spokesman Dave Rose. Each organization is paying its way, he said.

The site of the 1995 bombing of a federal building, Oklahoma City has since resurrected a moribund downtown with renovations and additions that include a baseball park and library, improved its public education system and added 72,000 jobs between 2004 and 2009, according to the city’s website. During the recession, Oklahoma City consistently had the lowest unemployment rate in the nation.

This is the third annual “Regional Leaders Trip” to study cities that are nationally recognized as doing things right. Local officials visited Charlotte, N.C. and Austin, Texas, on previous trips.

Rose said participants on last year’s trip were impressed by how Charlotte and Mecklenburg County work together to enhance public services and save money. 

As a result, El Paso County and the city of Colorado Springs improved joint contracting to get lower prices on fuel through volume purchasing, he said.

Also, last month, El Paso County commissioners renewed a push to collaborate with the city of Colorado Springs. On the table is at least one idea gleaned from Charlotte: a centralized customer service call center to respond to transportation issues.

Oklahoma City’s downtown development details

 Late 1980s: Companies began abandoning downtown following a major economic downturn

 December 1993: Voters passed a 1 percent sales tax increase to fund a $254 million downtown revitalization project including a new baseball park, a new sports arena, convention center expansion, a new library, a downtown canal and river construction, renovations to the State Fair Park, civic center upgrades and a transit system

 1998: What is now the AT&T Bricktown Ballpark opened; voters approved a six-month extension of the sales tax

 December 1998: Voters approved a six-month extension of the sales tax

 1999: Trolley system opened

 2001: Extensive renovations completed at the Civic Center Music Hall; voters pass a sales tax and bond issue to fund public school construction projects

 2002: The Ford Center, a concert venue that in 2005 hosted the NBA’s Hornets franchise following Hurricane Katrina and now is home to the Oklahoma City Thunder, opened

 2004: North Canadian River parks and waterway restoration completed

2009: Voters passed a $777 million tax-funded proposal to build a central park downtown, a new convention center, a commuter rail system and other economic development projects

 Source: The Oklahoman

Posted in: city of colorado springs • economic development • El Paso County • • • | 34 Comments »

Free city, commuter bus rides on Earth Day

April 15th, 2011, 11:07 am by

Always wanted to try the bus service? On Earth Day, April 22, Mountain Metropolitan Transit will offer free bus rides on city buses and the two commuter lines, the FrontRange Express north to Denver and the Ute Pass Express west to Divide.

The city of Colorado Springs operates the systems and wants to give loyal riders, as well as newcomers, the chance to experience the local service, according to Craig Blewitt, interim transit division manager.

Free bus rides also will be given to active duty military and reserves throughout May, in honor of Military Appreciation Month. Military passengers will need to show their identification cards to get the free service.

Posted in: bus service • city of colorado springs • mountain metro transit • Uncategorized • • • | 4 Comments »

City elections could be different next time around

April 5th, 2011, 3:44 pm by

  In a municipal election, like the one being held today, leadership at the city of Colorado Springs independently gets to choose who conducts the election. The city typically has decided to contract with a private entity and do some of the work in-house.

But it could be a different story next time a city election rolls around.

El Paso County Clerk and Recorder Wayne Williams, who took office in December, said Tuesday that he is open to playing a “more active role” in city elections. His office runs all other elections, including county-coordinated ballots and general elections.

“It depends on the new mayor and city council, but I’d be surprised if this wasn’t something we looked at more of sharing services,” he said.

 His office did provide voter registration lists and signature verification for the April 5 city election.

Posted in: city of colorado springs • Clerk and Recorder Office • El Paso County • elections • Uncategorized • Wayne Williams • • • • • | 1 Comment »

Westside MMJ survey results

December 22nd, 2010, 1:37 pm by

The majority of respondents to an Organization of Westside Neighbors survey about medical marijuana believe that there is a need for the alternative drug but also that the city has an obligation to regulate the industry. Respondents favor liquor store-type laws.

OWN mailed the survey to 7,900 homes on Colorado Springs’ west side and received 171 responses by Nov. 30.

Results:

– 72 percent believe there is a need for medical marijuana

– 74 percent believe separate distances from other medical marijuana facilities, at a minimum, be equal to that of liquor store criteria

– 81 percent believe the city should notify parents of minors receiving medical marijuana

– 83 percent believe the city has an obligation and duty to properly regulate and enforce city ordinances with regard to commercial operations in mixed-use neighborhoods

– 33 percent believe current city ordinaces adequately address medical marijuana businesses and density

– 72 percent believe the city should adopt an ordinance that mirrors the El Paso County land-use regulations

– 83 percent believe standoff distrances from homes, schools and churches be at a minimum equal to that of liquor store criteria

–37 percent believe the city shoudl place a ballot issue for banning medical marijuana facilities within city limits oon the ballot for voter approval, as EL Paso County did on the Nov. 2 ballot

– 33 percent believe the city should ban medical marijuana businesses in city limits

On Dec. 15, City Council rejected stringent zoning regulations for medical marijuana, instead agreeing to a 400-foot buffer between centers and grade schools, residential child care facilities and drug and alcohol rehab centers.

Businesses are banned from residential zones, but can be allowed in industrial and office complex zones.

El Paso County still has temporary land use regulations in place for its existing medical marijuana facilities, which also restrict zoning and proximities  to certain facilities.

Posted in: medical marijuana • • • • • | Post a Comment »