IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON COUNTY TAX DOLLARS AND HOW THE EL PASO COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS HAS VOTED TO ALLOCATE THEM
VIDEOS on the subject:
"The Short of it"
"Background and Overview"
County Commissioner attacks those who oppose corporate welfare
"The Short of it"
"Background and Overview"
County Commissioner attacks those who oppose corporate welfare
Just nine days after the Board of El Paso County Commissioners successfully convinced taxpayers to continue the .23-cent public safety sales tax increase for another 9 years to the tune of $200 million, the Board approved two "revenue sharing agreements" with the Urban Renewal Authority. County sales and property taxes will be collected in special crony capitalism zones in Downtown Colorado Springs. However, instead filling County coffers (that pay for Public Safety), the tens of millions in County sales and property taxes collected in those areas will be transferred to the Urban Renewal Authority to subsidize the areas’ developers. The total of the County taxpayer money likely to be given to developers in this process: $44.4 million (broken down below).
Keep in mind that Commissioners have said with straight faces that there just isn’t enough money to fund our Sheriff’s Department without taxpayers opening their wallets for another 9 years. Commissioner Waller went on record saying 180 Sheriff’s Office personnel would have had to have been laid off without the continuation of the tax increase.(https://www.fox21news.com/news/election/both-sides-of-el-paso-county-ballot-measure-1a-disagree-about-county-funds/1565363101)
Below is some brief information about each area along with campaign donor information for each commissioner from project developers.
Keep in mind that Commissioners have said with straight faces that there just isn’t enough money to fund our Sheriff’s Department without taxpayers opening their wallets for another 9 years. Commissioner Waller went on record saying 180 Sheriff’s Office personnel would have had to have been laid off without the continuation of the tax increase.(https://www.fox21news.com/news/election/both-sides-of-el-paso-county-ballot-measure-1a-disagree-about-county-funds/1565363101)
Below is some brief information about each area along with campaign donor information for each commissioner from project developers.
Area #1. “Museum-Park” (Developer: Nor’wood Development Group)
Pretty pictures:
Pretty pictures:
How much County tax money will Commissioners give away to the developer that would otherwise be available for use to pay for public safety:
Property tax: $17,690,862 (see table from CSURA)
Sales Tax: $23,873,740 (see table from CSURA)
Total: $41,564,602
Area #2: Tejon and Costilla
Development Team:
Jim DiBiase - Olive Real Estate Group Inc.
Kevin Englehardt - Hotel Operation Services
Vince Colarelli - Colarelli Construction
Hotel Operator - Hotel Equities
Pretty pictures:
Property tax: $17,690,862 (see table from CSURA)
Sales Tax: $23,873,740 (see table from CSURA)
Total: $41,564,602
Area #2: Tejon and Costilla
Development Team:
Jim DiBiase - Olive Real Estate Group Inc.
Kevin Englehardt - Hotel Operation Services
Vince Colarelli - Colarelli Construction
Hotel Operator - Hotel Equities
Pretty pictures:
How much County tax money will Commissioners give away to the developer that would otherwise be available for use to pay for public safety:
Property tax: $1,458,530 (see table from CSURA)
Sales Tax: 1,335,634 (see table from CSURA)
Total: $2,794,164
*Campaign finance information for Commissioners receiving campaign donations from executives at Nor’wood and the Colorado Springs Housing and Building Association whose board is well-represented by Nor'wood executives (as reported by the Colorado Secretary of State):
Commissioner Waller ($6,250) (Donation, Donation, Donation )
(also worthy of note is that Waller has served as a Regional Building Department (RBD) commissioner who voted to sell publicly owned RBD property to Nor’wood below appraisal price, without competitive bids--see story here: https://www.csindy.com/TheWire/archives/2017/10/11/jenkins-buys-rbd-downtown-properties )
Commissioner Glenn ($850) (Donation, Donation)
Commissioner VanderWerf ($5,600) (Donation, Donation, Donation)
Commissioner Littleton ($1,400) (Donation, Donation, Donation, Donation, Donation)
Commissioner Gonzalez ($600) (Donation, Donation, Donation)
Two new Commissioners replacing Glenn and Littleton in January:
Commissioner-to-be Kami Bremer ($7,250) (Donation, Donation, Donation)
Commissioner-to-be Holly Williams ($5,000) (Donation, Donation, Donation, Donation, Donation)
Property tax: $1,458,530 (see table from CSURA)
Sales Tax: 1,335,634 (see table from CSURA)
Total: $2,794,164
*Campaign finance information for Commissioners receiving campaign donations from executives at Nor’wood and the Colorado Springs Housing and Building Association whose board is well-represented by Nor'wood executives (as reported by the Colorado Secretary of State):
Commissioner Waller ($6,250) (Donation, Donation, Donation )
(also worthy of note is that Waller has served as a Regional Building Department (RBD) commissioner who voted to sell publicly owned RBD property to Nor’wood below appraisal price, without competitive bids--see story here: https://www.csindy.com/TheWire/archives/2017/10/11/jenkins-buys-rbd-downtown-properties )
Commissioner Glenn ($850) (Donation, Donation)
Commissioner VanderWerf ($5,600) (Donation, Donation, Donation)
Commissioner Littleton ($1,400) (Donation, Donation, Donation, Donation, Donation)
Commissioner Gonzalez ($600) (Donation, Donation, Donation)
Two new Commissioners replacing Glenn and Littleton in January:
Commissioner-to-be Kami Bremer ($7,250) (Donation, Donation, Donation)
Commissioner-to-be Holly Williams ($5,000) (Donation, Donation, Donation, Donation, Donation)