Helen Collins is the only member of the so-called Reform Team, a slate of at-large City Council candidates led by Douglas Bruce, who hasn't contributed $10,000 to their election campaign -- not yet anyway.
Call it the $10,000 club.
With the exception of Helen Collins, four of five members of a slate of at-large City Council candidates led by activist Douglas Bruce pitched in $10,000 each this month to push what promises to be a robust campaign leading up to the April election.
The other members of the group are:
Ed Bircham, a retired office supply store owner
Richard A. Bruce, who owns three Waffle House restaurants in the city
Gretchen Kasameyer, a veterinarian at Cheyenne Mountain Animal Hospital who is dating accused killer Bruce Nozolino, a political ally and friend of Douglas Bruce.
Collins, the fifth member, was in the Navy and now works doing security background investigations of government personnel, according to the group’s campaign website.
The five candidates are among 16 vying for five at-large council seats.
If elected, Bruce and his slate would form a majority on the nine-member City Council and a powerful voting bloc that would most certainly shake up City Hall.
They’re running on a pledge to eliminate what they call wasteful government spending.
Stopping the billion-dollar-plus Southern Delivery System is among their top priorities. The 62-mile pipeline, designed to pump water from Pueblo to Colorado Springs by 2016, is a project of Colorado Springs Utilities.
Since the council doubles as the Utilities Board and has the power to approve or deny future water rate increases needed to pay for SDS, the group could affect the future of Colorado Springs.
“The campaign for City Council just got serious,” columnist John Hazlehurst, a former city councilman, wrote in the Indy.
According to campaign filings:
On Feb. 10, the group registered a political committee called the Reform Team. The committee was formed “to elect fiscal conservatives to City Council and oppose any … proposal that interferes with that.”
Douglas Bruce is the committee’s registered agent.
In addition to contributing $10,000, Douglas Bruce, a landlord and former legislator, lent the campaign an additional $10,000.
The group collected $10,000 more from donor Mark Bogosian of Colorado Springs.
Bircham provided $973 worth of paper and photos as in-kind contributions.
The group raised $60,050 total, including $50 from Michael Remington, also of Colorado Springs.
The group spent $16,078, primarily on signs, printing of mailers, postage and ads. Other expenses included $27.50 for a “list,” presumably of registered voters, from the El Paso County clerk and recorder
That means if voters haven’t heard of Douglas Bruce and his slate, they will.
you have our votes bruce. we are tired of corruption in this city government.
I noticed that the Gazette is playing the “guilt by association” card by identifying Gretchen Kasameyer, by associating her with a person under investigation. If only they would identify Barack Hussein Obama in the same fashion.
In other news yesterday, Colorado’s hispanics are the fastest growing population in the county. More illiterate peasant voters spell bad news for the bruce-bircham coalition. They are tired of corruption in this tax-dodge he calls a charity.
Again, thanks to Doug Bruce and the Gazette for making it abundantly clear who NOT to vote for.
Fawkes, get over it. When Michelle or one of the Obama girls are accused of MURDER as well as multiple attempted murders, you’ll have a point, but right now your post is just partisan and irrelevant.
Maybe they should have donated their money to their buddy’s defense, after all, they are so against taxation and government programs (unless they need them!)
@ Funny: not Funny at all (but so true)
I believe in cult circles this is actually called tithing, not donations.
can some one tell me why so many people who are opposed to government are so busy raising money trying to get elected to government? oh yeah right – they are just a bunch of power hungry sleaze buckets…
What is the significance of the $50 guy?
Gazette,
Can we please hear a little more about the other people running for at large seats (the ones we may actually vote for?)
Agnosticgirl2,
Absolutely. We’re putting together our voter guide right now.
Thanks for your interest in this historic election.
Daniel Chacon
City Hall reporter
Doug Bruce is probably the worst thing that has ever happened to Colorado and Colorado Springs.
Daniel Chacob wrote:
“Gretchen Kasameyer, a veterinarian at Cheyenne Mountain Animal Hospital who is dating accused killer Bruce Nozolino, a political ally and friend of Douglas Bruce.”
——————————–
Really?
Nozolino has been accused of his murder charges?
News to me.
I believe the correct word should have been “alleged”.
Hack journalism on your behalf Mr. Chacon, hack journalism!
If my post is partisan and irrelevant, the biased method in which the Gazette reported it is partisan and irrelevant.
If they need to make their donations to their buddy’s defense, then those union dues people are required to make to their union should be required to go directly to the Democratic campaign headquarters.
…and the promotion of Dog Bruce by this paper, hidden as “news”, continues.
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Micki…
Bruce and team are a lean, mean fundraising machine – City Desk : Colorado Springs Gazette, CO…