Citizens encouraged to weigh in on proposed city budget

Should the city hire more cops to keep an eye on the medical marijuana industry?

What about FREX? Should the city break free from the FrontRange Express, a weekday commuter bus service to Monument and Denver, and focus instead on restoring local bus service?

Should it keep community centers open? Mow the medians? Water the parks?

Tonight, your opinion will be heard.

Colorado Springs taxpayers will have an opportunity to weigh in on the 2011 spending plan during a town hall meeting from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at City Hall, 107 N. Nevada Ave.

People who can’t attend can participate by calling in comments to 385-5961 or e-mailing ideas to etownhall@springsgov.com.

The meeting will be broadcast live on SpringsTV, cable channel 18, and streamed live at www.springsgov.com.

Although the public will get another chance to comment on the proposed budget before the year is up, the town hall meeting comes before a budget markup session Nov. 4 where the City Council spells out what should and shouldn’t be funded next year.

“The budget is supposed to reflect the priorities of the community,” Councilman Tom Gallagher said Wednesday.

“If the community does not participate, then it may or may not get the issues that it wants addressed. Representative government requires participation.”

Last year, Gallagher advocated across-the-board pay cuts for city employees and called on residents to show up in droves for a budget hearing to lend his proposal support.

More than 500 people packed City Hall, including a large contingent of city workers who showed up early and crowded into council chambers to oppose the proposed pay cuts.

Other interest groups also attended that all-night hearing, from bus riders who urged the council not to eliminate evening and weekend bus service to parks advocates who expressed concerns about the deep cuts in the Parks Department.

This year, city officials expect a smaller turnout, primarily because the proposed budget doesn’t call for the type of cuts Colorado Springs used to close a budget shortfall last year.

Also, no one has been pushing for pay cuts, although two council members have said they may want to continue to take 24 hours of vacation time from city workers, a cost-cutting measure implemented last year.

The proposed $222.5 million budget, which is a 4.8 percent increase from the 2010 budget, calls for restoring some services, including limited bus service on Saturdays and the mowing of all medians and parks.

Still, interim City Manager Steve Cox said he encourages the public to attend tonight’s town hall.

“This is their opportunity to be in front of council and give their recommendations, voice their concerns and make their comments about the proposed budget,” he said.

“That’s why we scheduled the meeting,” he added. “It’s for the public to come in and give their input.”

Town hall

7-9 p.m. Thursday at City Hall, 107 N. Nevada Ave.
Residents unable to attend can phone in comments to 385-5961 or e-mail ideas to etownhall@springsgov.com.

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Call the writer at 476-1623