Why is Colorado Springs so well-run with such low taxes. (Denver: middle-class, sales)

[lovecrowds]

I am certainly not a Colorado Springs cheer-leader but I have to say that the local government certainly runs extremely well considering how extremely low the taxes are.

Colorado Springs is run better then most cities I have been to, with a fraction of the taxes.

Sadly, Colorado Springs is sort of dealt a rough-hand when it comes to urban issues. It seems to be sort of the Colorado destination for people from out of state moving there which are less then outstanding citizens. Lots of people with many issues, sadly move to Colorado Springs.

Would be nice if the city could win the jackpot and attract just middle-aged and older people. Then taxes could be just as low and the numbers for the city such as poverty, income etc. rates would look better.

For example, 2,000 square foot of home in Central Colorado Springs runs about $800 property taxes compared to Orange County, California where it would be $8000/yr property taxes.

Sales taxes are relatively low also in the area.

Colorado Springs does have excellent libraries and parks compared to most cities.

The police department while low-staffed has a higher police to citizen ratio then most California cities, but still nothing like the Midwestern and eastern cities.

The weather is harsh, but the roads are getting better and it is far easier to get around Colorado Springs then most cities.

The holes in the streets were bad, but those are being addressed and during the summer paving crews were all over.

There are also some great school districts like D-12, D-20, D-38 and of course some not so good ones but a middle-class family can afford to buy in D-12, D-20, D-38.

[DrDog]

Originally Posted by lovecrowds

Sadly, Colorado Springs is sort of dealt a rough-hand when it comes to urban issues. It seems to be sort of the Colorado destination for people from out of state moving there which are less then outstanding citizens. Lots of people with many issues, sadly move to Colorado Springs.

Would be nice if the city could win the jackpot and attract just middle-aged and older people. Then taxes could be just as low and the numbers for the city such as poverty, income etc. rates would look better.

I've never heard this before about the springs. Is this true? Doesn't seem like this place is inexpensive enough for a lot of people with issues?

[otowi]

I think it is because we've been fortunate to have some people here work pretty hard to do a lot with little, and not just for themselves - and always have.

[Mike from back east]

IMO the reverse is more the case....the city is not well run at all and the extra low taxes are a disaster.

The city is run by an amateur city council of virtual volunteers. With the pay somewhere around $7k per year you will not attract serious professionals, just local wannabes who often have axes to grind and/or are paid shills for people like the Koch Bros whose goal is to destroy government -- especially government unions.

The roads are a disaster. The pittance of a tax increase passed last year for road repair expires in five years and will only patch the patches. People weave around potholes like a bunch of drunks. There's a 50-year backlog of street paving work.

Streets flood due to lack of funds for stormwater runoff. Tax haters love to blame the problem on developers but that's deflection; the city does not have the funds to do the infrastructure tasks that are squarely in the realm of government. Houses are sliding down hills due to lack of stormwater runoff infrastructure.

The main sewage treatment facility is obsolete and after heavy rains the runoff often causes raw sewage to overflow the plant and head downstream to Pueblo who've threatened to sue for years over this mess.

In 2010 a majority of voters declined to pass a small tax hike that amounted to about $200 per year per home. Without these funds during the 'great recession' the city had to sell off its two police helicopters, cut the police force, turn off the street lights and stop watering the parklands.

The city hasn't enough parks for a city of this size, especially baseball fields like the park at El Pomar Youth Sports Complex that is hopelessly overused. Parks are not well maintained due to lack of funds and lack of police to maintain order.

Fourth of July fireworks at Memorial Park were cancelled during the recession for lack of funds and have never resumed....rather ironic for a city with such a huge military presence to not have fireworks on the 4th.

The police force was further decimated this past year and more police work was shifted back to the citizens to do it themselves on minor issues. Crime rates rise and response times lag.

Though a majority of voters approved recreational MJ sales, the city council refused to implement the sale of MJ thus leaving tax revenue off the table.

The billionaire (Phil Anschutz) who owns the Broadmoor resort essentially owns the city and the main city newspaper, along with a cabal of major developers (Chris Jenkins, John Cassiani, Steve Schuck, Tom Neppl) who decide what gets done.

The city government has been a revolving door of short-lived department heads who leave with 6-figure golden parachutes.

The schools are a whole other issue, with about 20 school districts, each with an overhead staff fully redundant with all the other districts. Some districts are doing okay and some are not doing well. You get what you pay for. If someone wants good schools they head to D20, D12, D38, D8, parts of D11, and take their chances with the other districts. Check which districts consistently vote down school bond issues and which districts pass them for the sake of their kids; it's interesting stuff. School districts are independent of city government.

The list goes on and on, but these are the main issues. The underlying issue with taxes is the TABOR law that handcuffs the city with taxes so low the city infrastructure rots beneath your feet.

[vnodak]

Thanks Mike, that is more of a reality check. The interesting thing to me is that I have met so many who have moved here from California and if I hear one more time---"well in California"---this is not California or any other state. Like it or leave it and it is not perfect but I have lived in a few other states and it works for me just fine. No, it is not perfect and has issues but really all places do. I am totally happy. I have lived in a few other states and I will take these issues over the others I have encountered. I have family in California and personally I have no desire to live there at all. We moved here from the Seattle area and I could not wait to leave. It is really a awesome place to visit but live there---not for me. Yes, the food and other things are so much fun but everyday life==torture. Just my 2 cents.

[DrDog]

Originally Posted by vnodak

Thanks Mike, that is more of a reality check. The interesting thing to me is that I have met so many who have moved here from California and if I hear one more time---"well in California"---this is not California or any other state. Like it or leave it and it is not perfect but I have lived in a few other states and it works for me just fine. No, it is not perfect and has issues but really all places do. I am totally happy. I have lived in a few other states and I will take these issues over the others I have encountered. I have family in California and personally I have no desire to live there at all. We moved here from the Seattle area and I could not wait to leave. It is really a awesome place to visit but live there---not for me. Yes, the food and other things are so much fun but everyday life==torture. Just my 2 cents.

Always frustrating when someone says "well in California (or wherever they're from)". I fell like saying - "well, then go back".

[lovecrowds]

Originally Posted by vnodak

Thanks Mike, that is more of a reality check. The interesting thing to me is that I have met so many who have moved here from California and if I hear one more time---"well in California"---this is not California or any other state. Like it or leave it and it is not perfect but I have lived in a few other states and it works for me just fine. No, it is not perfect and has issues but really all places do. I am totally happy. I have lived in a few other states and I will take these issues over the others I have encountered. I have family in California and personally I have no desire to live there at all. We moved here from the Seattle area and I could not wait to leave. It is really a awesome place to visit but live there---not for me.

I have to say I do know some Colorado Springs residents when I was talking to them about the city they would complain about the roads causing issues with their cars and then gripe about the property taxes.

I would never want Colorado Springs to be run like a California city. I do think that there are other western states that set a good example.

Arizona and Nevada on roads, Gilbert and Chandler in Arizona have excellent police departments and Salt Lake City for municipal infrastructure.

I do agree that there are certain taxes that could go up a little more.

It would be nice if they would raise the sales tax for CSPD to go from 1.5 to 2 officers per 100,000.

Salt Lake, Denver and Aurora have around 2 per 100,000 residents and Colorado Springs could afford that.

It seems as though there have been many news stories on the lack of officers at CSPD. I did some research and does seem like it is around 1.5 per 100,000 residents, compared to just over 2 per 100,000 in Denver and Salt Lake City.

Some suburbs like Gilbert, Chandler have silky smooth roads. I don't know the funding source but I have always believed in a city or county gas tax. I do know Clark County has a gas tax that is added on to each gallon of gas.

Low property taxes are a Colorado Springs tradition in my opinion but I wouldn't mind the city having a local gas tax and a small increase in the sales tax.

[MountainEarth]

Taxes in the Springs are low. And in my opinion it definitely shows. Wait until the EPA's lawsuits for the Springs' consistent violations of the Clean Water and Flood Control acts are settled. The costs will be enormous.

[mogon]

Originally Posted by lovecrowds

Why is Colorado Springs so well-run with such low taxes.

As Mike as so well documented, please see begging the question.

...which [sic] are less then outstanding citizens....

The prejudices and biases in this statement are both sad and breathtaking.

[Vision67]

The fundamental flaw wrt running Colorado Springs is that the city sprawls too much and the citizens will not support taxes sufficient for the city to provide excellent services.

As a result, we suffer the consequences so eloquently described by Mike.

As the older parts of the city decay, the people with resources move to the newer areas. By doing that, they get the new houses, new roads, new schools, new parks, new strip malls etc. ad nauseam.

However, this is what the citizens must want. For many of them, low taxes is the most important thing.

So, as a prospective new inhabitant, evaluate this situation with eyes wide open and make a choice.

Personally, I could not afford to retire in many of the communities on either coast that have property taxes of $12K per year for a "free and clear" house.