Broomfield Taxpayer Matters

April 8, 2024

This newsletter contains the following stories and information:

City Council 1st Quarter Travel & Training Expenditures
Make Your Voice Heard - Event #2
Denver Says, "No More Immigrants"
Universal Trash from on High
City Council Agenda for April 9, 2024
City Council member contact information
Other Information Resources

“Human beings are born with different capacities. If they are free, they are not equal. And if they are equal, they are not free.”

― Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

1st Quarter Expense Report...Say What?

Do you want your councilmembers to be responsible for your taxpayer monies? Do you remember about one year ago, when we called out Councilmember Henkel for going over her allotted travel budget of $6500? Has anything changed?

Last year they changed the budget so that travel expenses can be shared by councilmembers. Is this fair? Is this equitable?

Let's examine this 1st Quarter travel and training expense report (see item 3A n the agenda), and compare it to the 1st Quarter travel and training expense budget in 2019. See the table shown below. Your city council members have increased their expense budget spending by almost 200% since 2019! This certainly is not due to inflation.

1st Quarter Expense Report Comparison	2019	2024
Total Spent	$9,287.26	$27,528.28

You're reading that right folks. $27,528.28 spent by the Broomfield City Council on travel. In the first 3 months of 2024. Are they kidding, or do they really not care about how they are spending YOUR money?

Now they will probably tell you it is necessary travel to ensure that Broomfield gets its share of grants, or representation or whatever. We believe they should be focusing on local issues that address Broomfield, not comparing ourselves to outside cities or counties, and not expanding our budget at a time when you and your kids are struggling.

So, who spent the most and how much did they spend in the first quarter of 2024?

James Marsh-Holschen: $7,691.03 (118% of $6,500 budget)
Heidi Henkel: $5935.22 (91% of $6,500 budget)
Austin Ward: $4880.15 (75% of $6,500 budget)

What value have they added? Will they provide a summary of what they accomplished with their travels to DC? We're holding our breath right now.

What have you had to cut back on? As they take more money from you, you are getting poorer and government is getting bigger. What happened to limited government and allowing people to spend their money more wisely than our "politicians".

We will have to follow these every quarter so that you know how much they spend. Instead of trying to conserve your money and spend it wisely, they are blowing their budgets and increasing their spending in every area.

“I cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article of the Constitution which granted a right to Congress of expending, on objects of benevolence, the money of their constituents.”

― James Madison

Make Your Voice Heard - Event #2

Broomfield Taxpayer Matters' mission is to raise the awareness of Broomfield taxpayers and arming you with information regarding the policies of the City and County of Broomfield that impact us civically and financially.

We empower citizens to ask the hard questions, demand truth and accuracy, and request changes in the public policies of our municipal government and elected officials that limit citizens’ economic and personal freedoms.

In that spirit, we are hosting a second action event on Saturday, April 27, 2024 where you can learn more about how YOU can make your voice heard. You can learn how to interact and communicate with your community, including the Broomfield City Council.

The topic for this action event is "How to make the most of your three minutes", providing you with the most effective way to speak to our elected officials including the City Council and Legislature when they are taking public comment.

Below are the event details.

Event Date and Time:

April 27, 2024, from 3-5pm

Check-in begins at 2:30pm

The event location will be sent after sign up is completed and RSVPs have been verified and confirmed.

* Broomfield Taxpayer Matters is a 501(c)4 organization. We reserve the right to accept or reject any reservation request for this event.

Please follow this link to sign up.

“Unlimited power in the hands of limited people always leads to cruelty.”

― Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, The Gulag Archipelago 1918–1956

Denver says, "No more Immigrants"

Newcomer Communications Liaison Andres Carrera, was on video at a shelter telling immigrants who recently arrived in Denver that there is no more opportunity and suggesting they move onto Chicago or New York. Denver is facing a multi-million dollar budget deficit and has closed three migrant shelters this week. Even Douglas County passed an ordinance that will fine bus companies $1,000/person if they drop off immigrants. Immigrants are also using a loophole to get around the legal requirements to work. They are setting up limited liability corporations (LLCs) which do not require a social security number and their business assets are separate from their personal assets.

If Denver cannot handle the cost of housing migrants with a population seven times larger than Broomfield's, and with a budget that is about six times larger, then what would that do to our economy?

"Where an excess of power prevails, property of no sort is duly respected. No man is safe in his opinions, his person, his faculties, or his possessions." ― James Madison

Universal Trash from on high...

In our last newsletter we told you about the state legislator's requirement to force recycling on us and we asked you to be prepared to speak on this as we know this will be on the Council's agenda this year. Here are a couple of articles to give you a little more information on what can happen if the free-market is not allowed to stay free.

New York has a rat problem and they haven't been able to solve it by giving them birth control. Apparently, there is no room to place large trash containers in the city and so garbage bags are left on the sidewalks until they are picked up by trash collector's. Residential trash is picked up by city sanitation employees, which the city claims is efficient. Commercial trash is picked up by "private" companies, which the city claims is reckless and inefficient. The city has come up with a plan to replace 150,000 parking spaces with hard-lidded containers and food scraps will be required to be composted. There will be 20 commercial trash zones with three private "carters" for each trash zone. Artificial Intelligence will be used to turn trash into a new energy source as well. Usually when government gets involved costs go up and there are a lot of unintended consequences. We'll see what transpires.

In Denver, the city can't seem to get trash bills to residents of HOAs or residents in general. The HOAs are getting billed thousands of dollars and frustration is growing as they cannot get answers or resolutions from the city.

"What is government itself but the greatest of all reflections on human nature?" ― James Madison

April 9, 2024

Executive Session - 5:15 p.m.

Agenda

Presiding Judge's Annual Performance Review

Regular Meeting - 6:00 p.m.

Agenda

Meeting Commencement (1)

1A. Pledge of Allegiance

1B. Review and Approval of Agenda

Petitions and Communications (2)

2A. Earth Day Activities CSU Extension

2B. Broomfield Business Week Proclamation (April 28-May 4, 2024)

Councilmember Reports (3)

3A. Expense Report for Elected Officials-1st Quarter

Public Comment (4)

Consent Items (5)

5A. Manager's Update - Broomfield Event Center Demolition

Action Items (6)

6A. Approval of Minutes - 3/19/2024 & 3/26/2024

6B. CSU Extension IGA with Broomfield

Resolution 2024-35: Approving an IGA between the City and County of Broomfield and Colorado State University for the Operation of the Broomfield Colorado State University Extension Office

6C. Amendment with Kimley Horn for CO7 Interim Improvements

Resolution 2024-43: Authorizing the Second Amendment with Kimley-Horn Associates Inc. for the CO 7 Interim Improvements Project Info

6D. Dutch Bros Empire West Site Plan Located in Unincorporated Jefferson County:

Resolution 2029-39: Dutch Bros Coffee Shop

Reports (7)

7A. Amending and Restating Certain Agreements related to Arista Parking Garage Bonds (2024) - First Reading

Ordinance No. 2231: Authorizing the Execution and Delivery of Amendments for Restated Annually Renewable Reserve Fund Agreement for Arista Parking Structure with the Arista Metro District

7B. Standing Legislative Update

Mayor and Councilmember Requests for Future Action (8)

Adjournment (9)

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April 16, 2024

Executive Session - 5:15 p.m.

Agenda