Words of advice for Council candidates
During my brief career in politics, I ran for office on four separate occasions. In 1989, I ran for the District 20 school board and lost. Two years later, I ran for an at-large City Council seat and...
View ArticleBennett, Gaebler elected to top Council positions
Keith King knew his time as president of the Colorado Springs City Council was about to end, so he chose diplomacy over a battle Tuesday afternoon. King nominated at-large Councilor Merv Bennett to...
View ArticleSubmitting PERA bill late part of strategy?
At midnight Wednesday, the Colorado legislature adjourned sine die, as law requires. As in past years, the legislative session began with fervent promises of bipartisanship from both parties yet...
View ArticleMayor-to-be Suthers sets new tone for city
John Suthers stepped onto the Gold Room stage Tuesday night, waiting for a two-man band to wrap up its version of the classic song “Johnny B. Goode,” knowing that he’d never have another chance so...
View ArticleSuthers hears the message
It was a cheerful and festive crowd that gathered in the downtown Gold Room on Tuesday night, even before the first results came out in the Colorado Springs mayoral runoff election. At 7:20 p.m.,...
View ArticleSuthers’ legal expertise may help soon
It was fun to pretend that we had a real horse race on our hands, wasn’t it? Even though Mary Lou Makepeace had been outpolled 2-to-1 by John Suthers on April 7, she contested the runoff bravely and...
View ArticleOne last look at Bach’s mayoral years
On June 2, Mayor Steve Bach will perform his last official function, introducing John Suthers to be sworn in as Colorado Springs’ next mayor. For Bach, and the city, it has been a long, strange trip....
View ArticleCollins defiant amid Council’s ethics process
Tuesday’s City Council meeting began amicably enough. Wearing western shirts, cowboy hats and blue jeans, Council’s seven male members thereby saluted the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo. A few minutes after...
View ArticleLooking at city through new lenses
By Jan Martin After eight years of spending every day worrying about the details of running a city, I’m enjoying taking some time to get reacquainted with the Colorado Springs I love. Although I’ve...
View ArticleBoard of Commissioners changes leadership
Amy Lathen was elected to serve as chairwoman of the El Paso County Board of Commissioners, while Dennis Hisey will serve as its vice-chairman. The group reorganized today with a new leadership slate....
View ArticleWoodland Park incentive change stirs debate
Woodland Park voters will face a record number of ballot questions in the city’s April 5 election, nine of which are proposed charter amendments that would streamline governmental processes and create...
View ArticleGroup tries to stop swap
(Editor’s Note: This article originally identified Friends of Cheyenne Cañon as the group pursing legal action to block the land exchange. It’s now been corrected.) By Amy Gillentine Sweet and John...
View ArticleMonday forum discusses economy, security
Monday, U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn, R-Colorado, and retired Lt. Gen. Ed Anderson will join leaders of the Pikes Peak region for a forum on national security and economic prosperity in Colorado Springs and...
View ArticleAnalysis: Government blocks locals
Knowledge is power — or so the saying goes. But lately, it seems some public entities are acting as if releasing information is disempowering. What happens when residents want information from their...
View ArticleTransient population posing problems in Manitou
To counter complaints in the business community about the city’s growing transient population, Manitou Springs has contracted with the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office and the Colorado Springs Police...
View ArticleScavenger hunt created for young pros
Leadership Pikes Peak and Colorado Springs Rising Professionals have partnered again for the second annual city scavenger hunt today to get young professionals clued in to local community improvement...
View ArticleSuthers’ legal expertise may help soon
It was fun to pretend that we had a real horse race on our hands, wasn’t it? Even though Mary Lou Makepeace had been outpolled 2-to-1 by John Suthers on April 7, she contested the runoff bravely and...
View ArticleAmendment 69 debate heats up as November approaches
It’s been a difficult month for Amendment 69 supporters. The November ballot issue would create the nation’s first taxpayer-financed health care system, and Colorado would act as guinea pig for the...
View ArticleSuthers delivers proud message at State of the City
During his second State of the City address as mayor of Colorado Springs, John Suthers spoke at The Broadmoor hotel on Sept. 8 about the city’s progress and potential — painting an optimistic picture...
View ArticleAnalysis: Budget reveals council favorites, debt
The proposed 2017 city budget makes interesting reading — all 639 pages of it. Most of it is dry and predictable, but some sections stand out because they illustrate budget tendencies or anomalies that...
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