GUEST COLUMNIST:City can't afford another revenue loss measure
This November, our city voters are once again (as we did decisively last year) being asked by Mr. Douglas Bruce if they want to go down a road of self-destruction.
I urge you to vote No on Issue 300, this year’s version of the campaign to attack the City’s ability to provide essential services through the General Fund, services like police and fire protection, parks and road maintenance.
Essentially the same as Issue 201 our voters defeated last year, Issue 300 would eventually prohibit payments from any enterprise to the City. This includes legitimate payments for efficient shared services such as accounting, legal assistance, fleet maintenance, audits, and other necessary services. The biggest impact would be the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) made by Colorado Springs Utilities. One of the important underpinnings of why Colorado Springs Utilities has been able to deliver below average costs for utilities is its unique culture of running like a business. The PILT is an accounting entry that appropriately charges the Utilities and its rate payers for the services it receives and the taxes it would pay if it were a private business.
To make matters worse, the ballot language in 300 is vague and can be interpreted many ways - the proponent of Issue 300 has already filed a lawsuit against the City because he did not like one word in the ballot heading language. Just imagine the lawsuits he will file (21 in the last few years and counting, costing the City taxpayer a significant amount dollars to defend, successfully each time) concerning part of his own language in the initiative, which includes: “…hereafter, all loans, gifts, and subsidies between an enterprise and the city or another enterprise are prohibited.” Will that mean that the Airport or the Hospital will have to hire their own police force? That the utility employees will not be able to share an insurance pool with the City employees? How efficient is that? One thing for sure, Mr. Bruce will sue for his own interpretation no matter what!
Mr. Bruce is the Author of TABOR. I support TABOR in that it gives the citizens the right to vote on tax increases. The problem: every time there is an issue put before the tax payers Mr. Bruce files a lawsuit or spends money he does not report according to campaign finance laws trying to defeat each and every issue. When he loses at the ballot box he files another lawsuit. So, look out, taxpayers he is at it again with Issue 300.
The City can ill afford to cut more from its budget next year, much less the loss of over 10% of the budget in later years. With our current budget shortfalls, essential services will be cut, why cut them more?
For the third or fourth time, please join me and VOTE NO on this self-destructive Issue 300!
It is wrong headed and mean spirited. Please vote to defeat this measure one more time and help send the message that we value our community and our quality of life which includes low taxes, low utility rates, top rate public safety institutions, and citizens who care.
—
Scott Hente is a Colorado Springs City Councilman serving District 1.
