Victorious GOP sets out to repair image
Republicans cast themselves as the anti-Obama and scored a blowout at the polls. Now their real work – repairing the party’s still-tattered image and earning voters’ trust – begins. It’s a mammoth job,...
View ArticleRitter reflects on governorship
Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter is reflecting on his nearly four years in the governor’s office, saying he’s made some mistakes but also deserves credit for his successes. On his monthly appearance on KOA...
View ArticleDems say GOP exempting $1 trillion from deficit
Democrats are accusing newly empowered House Republicans of exempting more than $1 trillion in proposed tax cuts and higher spending over the next 10 years from a promise to cut federal deficits. The...
View ArticleColorado swears in more than governor
Democrats aren’t the only ones headed into office in Colorado. Two Republicans elected to statewide office are taking their oaths, too, tripling the number of statewide Republican officials. Republican...
View ArticleWadhams running again for Colo. GOP chair
Colorado Republican Party chairman Dick Wadhams is running for re-election. Wadhams sent a letter Tuesday to state party officials announcing that he will run for another term at the party’s central...
View ArticleStrong candidates for strong mayor
Walking away from the mayoral candidates’ forum for business leaders last week, it was easy to feel optimistic about the direction the city will be taking with the new strong mayor. Most of the...
View ArticleThe economic and political Medicare mess
Do the American people have the courage and clarity to do what’s needed to get government under control? Let’s face facts. Every penny in a federal budget estimated to hit $3.8 trillion this year —...
View ArticleRomney defends business record
Mitt Romney says he likes being able to “fire people” who don’t provide adequate business services. The Republican presidential candidate also is defending his business background as rivals step up...
View ArticleColorado Springs gears up for legislative season
When the Colorado legislature convened this week, local organizations were already keeping an eye on possible new requirements ...
View ArticleLocal politics might lead to a different future
It was an eventful year in politics and government — nationally, regionally, and locally. In fact, 2012 may have been a watershed year, one in which the comfortable assumptions of the past were...
View ArticleGovernor race: Currently, no bad choices
“It’s already 2018!” said Sherrie Gibson mischievously at a holiday party. “Hasn’t anybody told you, John?” Gibson, a prominent local Republican serving on the city planning commission, explained her...
View ArticlePay city councilors for their time and energy
Should we pay the Colorado Springs City Council, or continue to give them a miserly annual stipend of $6,250? Given that El Paso County commissioners make a fat $113,490 annually, 18 times as much as...
View ArticleImmigration aided Colorado Springs’ growth
I am an immigrant. What does it mean? More importantly in this political climate, what does it mean to my neighbors, colleagues or the U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services? After 40 years of being...
View ArticleSprings city council retains strong role
After the voter-approved strong mayor initiative took effect in 2011, many observers expected that the Colorado Springs City Council would devolve into a relatively powerless, policy-making body....
View ArticleTABOR changes: The time has come
The issue: Some legislators want to change the revenue caps required in the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights. What we think: Tying revenue caps to personal incomes provides stability — and ensures...
View ArticleBlog: In local government, hard work beats ideology
This year’s city council elections have been epically nasty. Scorched-earth political tacticians have targeted Richard Skorman, Jill Gaebler and Yolanda Avila. It seems that Richard, Jill and Yolanda...
View ArticleLathen to resign as executive director of Colorado Springs Forward
Amy Lathen has announced her resignation — effective May 31 — as executive director of local political nonprofit Colorado Springs Forward. In a news release Monday, Colorado Springs Forward...
View ArticlePeaceful communities are successful communities
Let’s see; I first engaged in Colorado Springs politics in June 1960, when I accompanied my best friend’s father, Judge Austin Hoyt, to the state Democratic convention. I was an unpaid “gofer,” an...
View ArticleTax bill could lead to fewer nonprofits
The issue: The current tax bill under review in Congress harms nonprofits in two ways. What we think: Congress should include a deduction for charitable giving in addition to the new standard...
View ArticleBanning-Lewis a balancing act for city council
On April 9, Colorado Springs City Council will meet in a 1 p.m. work session to consider the “Banning-Lewis Ranch annexation amendment and restatement presentation and proposed code amendments.”...
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