Manitou Springs Mayor Pro Tem
City Council - Ward 3
November 12, 2009 - January 2, 2014
 2012 Tax/Budget Overview |
Manitou Springs Sales Tax and Taxable Sales  January 2005 - July 2013 January 2005 - December 2012 January 2005 - December 2011 January 2005 - December 2010 | |
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Council votes where I voted in the minority 08/20/13: Resolution submitting a ballot question to the voters regarding MJ retail sales: 2-4 03/05/13: IGA for Manitou Shuttle Service costing $1,681 a day: 6-1 02/19/13: $1,500 funding request from Manitou Springs Collaborative: 5-1 01/15/13: Vacation pay for employee who was FT only 5.5 months of the required 12: 4-2 12/04/12: Additional $8,152.30 budget request from iManitou: 4-3 09/01/12: Special ordinance for City inclusion into the Pikes Peak Library District: 6-1***** 08/21/12: Special ordinance for City inclusion into the Pikes Peak Library District: 6-1***** 02/03/12: Use of Barr Trail Lot money for City Wide Residential Parking Program: 3-3 tie then 5-1 04/29/11: Conditional use for Manitou Incline: 4-1 11/16/10: $400 fee waiver for two Salvation Army dinners: 6-1**** 10/19/10: Appeal of HPC denial to use vinyl siding in Historic District (Order): 4-2*** 10/05/10: Appeal of HPC denial to use vinyl siding in Historic District (Appeal): 4-2*** 08/17/10: $100 fee wavier for Manitou yoga: 5-1* 08/17/10: $1,050 fee wavier for Holiday Parade: 5-1* 08/17/10: $750 fee wavier for Emma Crawford Coffin Race: 5-1* 08/17/10: $740 fee wavier for Ugly Sweater Christmas run: 5-1* (Run cancelled in November) 06/22/10: Conditional use for hooka lounge: 5-1 (They stopped offering hooka in September)** 06/01/10: $650 fee waiver for Tai Chi classes (26 X $25): 6-1* 05/04/10: $1,000 fee waiver for yoga classes (40 X $25): 6-1* 02/02/10: Appointment for vacant Council seat: 3-3 tie then 4-2 02/02/10: $400 fee waiver for Cub Scout Pinewood Derby: 5-1* 01/19/10: $100 fee waiver for Clayfest: 5-1* 01/05/10: $2,740 fee waiver for Carnival: 4-1* 01/05/10: Postponement of facility rental fee increase: 4-1 * There is an important distinction between voting against an event and voting against a fee waiver. I was not, and am not, voting against these events. They are all great events! However, given our budget I believe the city can’t afford to be waiving fees. Bottom line, at the end of 2009 we had our finger on the trigger of cutting employee benefits and yet we waived ~$18,000 in fees. I have a hard time with that. Especially when many of the events asking for waivers are doing little in the way of seeking sponsorships beyond asking the city to waive their fees. This was touched on a little in this PPB story. **The Nile Cafe had been in business for a year and had not complied with the Colorado Clean Indoor Act. That is a serious violation to me. More here. (See 2nd item under "Conditional use issues.") *** The majority voted to overturn the Historic Preservation Commission and allow the use of vinyl siding in the Historic District. **** I felt these two community dinners were so important I actually raised the $400 to pay for the fees. However, Council waived the $400 anyway and then we spent the rest of the meeting talking about how we do not have the money to hire more police, raise salaries, improve benefits, fix streets etc. Meanwhile, Council has waived another ~$10,000 worth of fees this year to add to last year's ~$18,000. Frankly, the Salvation Army budget is far larger than the city's as they get billions in donations from people who want to help. But more importantly their donations come from people who CAN help. On the other hand, when Council waives fees we are basically imposing a tax on every citizen in Manitou including, ironically enough in this case, those who are having a hard time making ends meet. Heck there are currently more than 250 Manitou Springs citizens delinquent on their city water bill! As such, I feel Council should not be in the donation business with tax dollars. $400 could fill in a couple of pot holes of which we have plenty. Again, as stated above, these are all great events and causes but I think they should be supported by individuals and organizations based on personal choice. You like XYZ, then sponsor XYZ. You don't, don't. Of course that would mean these events and groups would have to do some work on their own. For example, I had to knock on 8 doors and make 2 calls to raise the $400. True, I got 2 "no's" but that is part of it. Unless of course you know you can just take 5 minutes and come ask Council to waive your fees. I honestly can't think of a time when the majority said no to anyone! At the same time, I don't have enough body parts to count the number of times the majority has said, "but not next year." Of course the problem is they have been saying it to the same folks, including many on the list above, for years and years. *****I am 100% behind this issue going to a vote of the people. However, I do not feel the Council should be taking a position on this issue. In my mind that is the purpose of letting the residents vote. As such I took issue with the first part of the ordinance which read, "WHEREAS, the residents of the City of Manitou Springs believe that they are best served by having the City be included in the Pikes Peak Library District;" ******The applicant stated their goal was to become a Retail Marijuana Establishment. Therefore I felt the application should not be looked at until our RME rules have been written since what is allowed as far as time/place/manor for Medical may be different than what is allowed for Retail. |
This election is about two very important words to me — Community Involvement! Since graduating college with a computer science
degree in 1987 I have been heavily involved with the communities where I have lived. At the relatively young age of 25 I co-chaired
the Alternative Choices Team (ACT) which was started to give kids worthwhile things to do so they stay out of trouble. We put on dances,
volleyball tournaments and hikes up 14,000 foot mountains.
Dear Manitou Neighbor,