UPDATE: Stormwater is a municipal government obligation. While Mayor Steve Bach has said that city staff is looking for efficiencies within the existing budget to help pay for stormwater improvements, the mayor has not laid out a specific plan on how to pay for them.
The City Council is under pressure to come up with a funding mechanism to pay for Colorado Springs’ massive stormwater needs, which the city has largely put off since voters demanded an end to the Stormwater Enterprise more than two years ago.
While the contentious issue resurfaces from time to time, City Attorney Chris Melcher warned city officials in March that stormwater required immediate attention, especially since a permit to build the Southern Delivery System water pipeline was at stake.
Melcher presented Mayor Steve Bach and council members five options, including making stormwater a responsibility of Colorado Springs Utilities, which is building the 62-mile pipeline between Pueblo and Colorado Springs, and asking voters to pass a tax.
The mayor and council agreed in March to continue the discussion in 90 days.
Since then, the Board of Pueblo County Commissioners, which issued the so-called 1041 permit to build SDS, wrote a letter asking that Colorado Springs take immediate action.
During his monthly press conference on Tuesday, the mayor stressed the importance of addressing the city’s unfunded stormwater capital needs, which are estimated at a half-billion dollars.
Here’s the video:
This City has neglected it’s storm water obligations as well as our infrastructure for years our Capital Improvement Project money which should have paid for these repairs was taken/diverted by Previous administrations to pay for salaries/benefits/retirement, the purchase of Equipment and operating expenses as we grew the City governments personnel and equipment base.
Mayor Bach is right we have reached a critical stage within this City. We must address these issues and it will not be with fees or an increased tax! It must be with responsible actions downsizing, privatization and the sale of equipment. It is time for a HUGE YARD SALE!
HOW DID PUEBLO AND COLORADO SPRINGS EXPECT TO PAY FOR THIS IF THERE IS NO MONEY ALREADY IN THE BANK TO FUND THIS VENTURE.
WHERE IS ALL THE MONEY THE CITY COLLECTED THOUGH THE STORM WATER FEES?
THE UTLITIES ARE GOUGING OUR EYES OUT AS IT IS. SO RATHER THEN ASK FOR A TAX INCRESE WHICH I WOULD NOT SUPPORT LETS PUT IT ON THE UTILITES SO THE CITIZENS HAVE TO PAY FOR IT.
WITH ALL THE MILITARY BASES HERE IS THERE A FUND OR A GRANT THAT THE STATE CAN GIVE??
SEEMS TO ME THE CITY GOVERMENT IS ROBBING PETER TO PAY PAUL AND HAS BEEN FOR ALONG WHILE NOW.
IS THE CITY BANKRUPT??
THE MJ SALES TAX WHERE IS THAT GOING?
LIKE I SAID BEFORE ITS TIME TO CRY A RIVER
HO HUM
BACH CAN HAVE ANOTHER GOLF TOURNAMENT AT THE BROADMOOR AND HAVE EL POMAR COMCAST AND ALL HIS DEVELOPERS BUDDIES CONTRIBUTE OR THE BAORD OF MEMORIAL HOSPITAL.
LILITHIA
Well we do have that obligation and it will have to come in the form of increased fees. It will cost money in equipment and people to manage the stormwater demands. The citizens unlike Paul here will have to live in reality and realize it will cost everyone. Nothing is for free. This is an obligation we should meet.
A half billion dollars in stormwater needs? I seriously doubt it.
I DON’T DISAGREE WITH PAUL HE IS CORRECT. PROMBLEM IS THE CITY ADMIN AND CITY GOVERMENT DOES NOT LIVE IN REALITY……..
OBLIGATION , COLORADO SPRINGS CAN’T SEEM TO MEET ANY OF THIER OBLIGATION, WE CAN’T AFFORD STREET LIGHTS OUR PARKS ARE IN DIRE NEED OF MAINTANCE AND MONEY (WATER), PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, FREX . WHAT CAN WE AFFORD.
YET,BACH HAS DONE EVERYTHING BUT DOWNSIZE.
THERE IS NOT ENOUGH $$$$$$$ TO MEET ALL THESE DEMANDS.
NOW THEY WANT TO MOVE THE POWER PLANT,BECAUSE IT TAKES AWAY FROM THE BEAUTY OF THE CITY REALLY, AND THEY WILL PIGGY BACK IT ON THE UTILITES BECAUSE WE ALL NEED OUR UTILITIES, WE CAN’T SAY NO TO THAT.
I UNDERSTAND THIS ALL IS COMING ON BACH’S WATCH BUT LIKE OBAMA WE WANT ANSWERS AND SOULTIONS NOW.
WE NEED GOOD STEWARDS OF OUR MONEY AND WE HAVE NOT HAD THAT FOR 20 + YEARS
AT THIS POINT COLORADO SPRINGS IS MOVING BACKWARDS RATHER THEN MOVING FORWARDS.
…And the same people who were responsible for managing the implementation and execution of stormwater improvements (and bungling them) for the last 20+ years are the same ones today drawing large retirement packages out of PERA and Social Security while the current citizens struggle with how to pay for these as well as the stormwater projects that should have been done correctly the first time around.
Simple. Simply ask for a tax to pay for it. It’s been said a million times: the uproar against the Stormwater Enterprise wasn’t about money. It was a referendum against a government that lost the trust and respect of the people.
Stormwater is a legitimate government function that is legitimately paid for through taxes. We as citizens have a duty to pay it and our government has a duty as our servants to simply and honestly explain why the tax is needed, what it will be used for and how long it will last.
If that happens there will be no problem whatsoever getting the tax approved.
i have an idea. we take alll of that money we give to the usoc over the next 30 years and give it to stormwater.. wow how simple was that to solve. yeah remember that money that bernie herpin and lionel rivera gave away along with the rest of them such as the guy who is on trial right now for fraud. oh yeah scott hente.. yeah all of that money … tell the usoc to get bent.
Mr. Kleinschmidt – enough with the “sell off City equipment” mantra. We all know your contracting firm wants to buy it for a song (based on low ball offers you have made to the City before). But just accept facts – in some areas, the City can actually do things better and cheaper than the private sector including some construction and maintenance activities.
AS for Mr Marlowe suggesting people once with the City are drawing big PERA and Social Security pensions, City staff don’t pay into Social Security which means they all get less when they hit the age they can collect.
As for the others lamenting about why this hasn’t been taken care of along with all the other shortfalls (for parks, transit, etc.), it comes down to one core issue – supply (of necessary funds) and demand (too much demand for too little paid for services). I am all for efficiency and effectiveness of spending tax dollars. But there are simply not enough of those paid to fund all the needs and desires of this community.
Glad to hear that many think Stormwater is a critical issue. But any new fee or tax really can’t have a sunset because this issue goes in perpetuity.
One suggestion to Mayor Bach – please stop the cave in to the development community on infrastructure requirements. Please stop allowing some developers to walk away from transportation requirements and drainage infrastructure and appropriate parkland and school site dedication (giving the City or school districts crappy properties shouldn’t qualify as land dedications). That would help stem some of the costly problems in this community that are landing on citizens.
RealityCheck, 1st, Use your real name when you comment, I always will.
2nd, This is what is wrong with our City, perception is that the City must be in business to perform work in-house, perception is that City employees can do it better, perception is that there will always be a never ending revenue source, perception is that we just cannot change our direction, well those perceptions are WRONG! There are better cost effective, efficient and warrantied ways of doing things! Lets step up and get the ball rolling in the right direction, Government is not a Business, by definition it is;
Definition of GOVERNMENT
1
: the act or process of governing; specifically : authoritative direction or control
2
obsolete : moral conduct or behavior : discretion
3
a : the office, authority, or function of governing
b obsolete : the term during which a governing official holds office
4
: the continuous exercise of authority over and the performance of functions for a political unit : rule
5
a : the organization, machinery, or agency through which a political unit exercises authority and performs functions and which is usually classified according to the distribution of power within it
b : the complex of political institutions, laws, and customs through which the function of governing is carried out
6
: the body of persons that constitutes the governing authority of a political unit or organization: as
a : the officials comprising the governing body of a political unit and constituting the organization as an active agency
b capitalized : the executive branch of the United States federal government
c capitalized : a small group of persons holding simultaneously the principal political executive offices of a nation or other political unit and being responsible for the direction and supervision of public affairs: (1) : such a group in a parliamentary system constituted by the cabinet or by the ministry (2) : administration 4b
NO TAX INCREASE HERE. TRUST AND BELIEVE THEY WILL FIND WAYS TO GET OVER ON US AS THEY ALWAYS DO.
LILITHIA
City Attorney providing options to stormwater issues? Is that what an attorney does? Is he the real mayor? This is a weird town indeed.
RealityCheck,
Reliability and accountability is key. Yes, the need is perpetual, but that doesn’t mean we don’t need a sunset clause in the tax. Government must keep asking it’s citizens for permission to tax them.
Ask for a 5 year tax. Show us that our money has gone to where it’s supposed to go. Then, ask for the tax again. Be accountable and ask for the tax again.
We might be a little behind on necessary infrastructure maintenance and construction. Once we get the backlog taken care of, we should all expect the tax to gradually go down each time the city asks for it. If it doesn’t go down that raises questions about accountability and responsibility.
The citizens of Colorado Springs whine and complain about city services, employees, their retirements, parks, etc. Yet they refuse to pass any taxes that would help fund the needed improvements. As citizens that is our duty and obligation to pay taxes. It is very obvious that we do not have enough revenue to take care of the needed improvements, yet many citizens refuse to vote for any taxes that would be designated to make the necessary improvements. This is also the norm when school districts ask for additional tax revenue. Our children are our future, and providing them a good education is one of our main priorities, yet almost every property tax increase is denied. The quality of schools affects our future employees and leaders. It also has a direct link to attracting and retaining quality employers but people or too short sighted and tend to care only about theirself. You get what you pay for. Wake up!
Please ! i grew up in a mid sized cowtown in the 60′s and 70′s,even before we arrived they had city wide storm drains and drainage plans…i’ll go you one better-even the romans had storm drains,run off and modern plumbing facilities back in the gladiator days.WHAT is YOUR excuse Colorado Springs ? answer is-cronyism,favoritism and kissing butt to developers.just like the debacle of the too tall town houses,the powers that be are either inept or turn a blind eye to developers,all for the sake of tax money.News flash,i don’t have a job,ergo i don’t spend money here,so if you are looking to me for your precious tax money,you are out of luck.this town needs a complete overhaul and cleaning out of the powers that be,the cronies,the good ole boys,and any city employee that has created their own little kingdom,root em out,get them gone,and get this city where it needs to be without trying to fleece the tax payer,i have not one thin dime for you…
It needs to be funded by ALL residents within El Paso County, not just property owners within the City of Colorado Springs. A County sales tax increase would be a fair way to distribute the cost among all citizens.
Let the hangings and firing squads commence on current and former members of City Council and admins!
Just sayin’