Local governments cutting deeper into public services

Good morning. Here's a look at news reports from around the state on issues of interest to the Colorado Center on Law and Policy for Tuesday, May 25, 2010. Listing does not imply endorsement of the content.

GENERAL
Colorado Springs Gazette: Witness ties Douglas Bruce to three ballot measures
Colorado Springs resident Douglas Bruce was a guiding force behind a massive signature-gathering campaign that led to placement on the November ballot of three controversial measures, testimony in a campaign finance complaint hearing revealed Monday.
Also: Associated Press via KUSA: Tax petitioners: Not sure who's funding the effort


FISCAL POLICY
Pueblo Chieftain: D70 cuts more than $540,000
Pueblo County School District 70 central administration is sharing in the $5.8 million in budget cuts made by the district for the 2010-11 school year.

Longmont Times-Call editorial: County back on tax-increase bandwagon?
We’re not against the county helping out its most vulnerable residents. We’re aware that Boulder County has made cuts to some of those programs. But — we’ve said it before and we’ll say it again — this is a bad time to be talking about more taxes.

Loveland Reporter-Herald: Financial analysis reveals bright spots amid problem areas
Loveland city councilors will walk to the precipice tonight for a look at how far city revenue might fall this year and next. It’s not a pretty view, but not all the news is bad.

Canon City Daily Record: County saves more than $18,000 by cutting back
The Fremont County officials have announced the resulting savings from closing the administration building one day a week and other cost-cutting efforts.


HEALTH POLICY
Colorado Pols commentary: Caldara's Anti-"Obamacare" Initiative Sputtering
Face the State's report neatly glosses over the fact that Jon Caldara's initiative is well short of the number of signatures needed to make the ballot.


ECONOMY
Vail Daily: Vail sales tax collections up in March
The town collected more than $2.6 million in sales taxes in March, a 6.7 percent increase over last year's business. Like real estate sales, though, these increases, while welcome, are still baby steps up from a fairly deep hole. Sales tax collections throughout Eagle County in 2009 were off by 20 percent or more from 2008.