[worst-case scenario]

People of Colorado Springs decided to cut taxes and take their responsibility for services formerly provided by the city.

Anybody from Co. Springs here to tell us what it's really like?

[r9etb]

Anybody from Co. Springs here to tell us what it's really like?

It's fine, unless you like grass and trash cans in the parks; plowed and sanded streets when it snows; street repairs for things like pot-holes; fire and police protection that expands with the population and extent of the city ... you know, the luxuries.

The people of Colorado Springs screwed the pooch last fall. And I say that as a conservative Republican.

[KarlInOhio]

Is this the usual state/city/school board trick of cutting the popular programs while keeping the questionable/unpopular ones well shielded? Like when a school board threatens to cut buses and the football team, while never questioning why they need two assistant associate vice principals when they are asking for a new levy to be passed.

[tcrlaf]

QUESTION # 1:

Why Does a city the size of Colorado Springs have MULTIPLE Police Helicopters???

[mmichaels1970]

"If a playground burns down, I can't replace it," Schroeder said. Park fans' only hope is the possibility of a new ballot tax pledged to recreation spending that might win over skeptical voters.

OMG! That's awful when you think of all the burning playgrounds nation-wide. It's a wake up call for sure. Hopefully they have at least enough tax dollars to save the poor kid stranded at the top of the sliding board.

[norton]

Meanwhile:
The nasty woman who issues parking tickets on street sweeping day will continue - while the sweeper stays in the garage.
The guy who prowls the neighborhood looking for trash cans on the wrong side of the gate will continue issuing citations.
Construction permit enforcement will probably double.
New and more imaginative taxes will be dreamed up and applied.
And the bloated staff at every city office will continue to collect wages.

Solution:
Cut wages 10 percent.
Go back to full services and full work weeks.
Dump every task that does not provide value to the town citizens (not the city employees).
Fire the bottom ten percent of workers.
Tell employee unions that they can renegotiate retirement to something that vaguely resembles private enterprise - or they can strike and be replaced.
Then freeze raises for the next three years.

Repeat as needed at county, state, and federal levels.

[randog]

The deep recession bit into Colorado Springs sales-tax collections, while pension and health care costs for city employees continued to soar.

Chickens coming home to roost. Coming soon to a town near you!

[Mr. K]

I WONDER HOW MUCH THEY LOVE ALL THE MONEY SPENT ON ‘DIVERSITY TRAINING’ AND OTHER SUCH POLITICAL NONSENSE NOW

COLORADO IS A LIBERAL HOTBED POSSIBLY THIRD ONLY TO CA AND MASS.

[SnakeDoctor]

Maybe now is a good time for a redefinition of essential services ...

Cops, firemen, lights, trash, etc. are essential.
Parks, libraries, etc. are NOT.
Education ... debatable.

If the localities in this country provided only essential services ... we’d be a lot better off.

SnakeDoc

[Reagan Man]

I've lived here for over 30 years, conservative Colorado Springs has always been a tax cutting community. Colorado has a statewide law called TABOR -— Taxpayer Bill of Rights -— that limits taxation and spending. The Springs has its own built in mini-tabor provisions for controlling taxes and spending. We're doing fine, thank you.

Fiscal responsibility and tight budgets is always the goal. Some street lights being shut off is not gonna have a serious effect on anyones lives. Once tax receipts start to increase, the city budget will get a boost.

[Red Steel]

People of Colorado Springs decided to cut taxes and take their responsibility for services formerly provided by the city.

Actually, the Springs rejected a millage levy increase in their property last November.

[latina4dubya]

replacing them with signs urging users to pack out their own litter

how much did those signs cost?

[TankerKC]

What is STILL being funded will tell a more accurate story than a list of what is being de-funded.