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Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Pueblo Citizens for Positive Change(PCPC)
Meeting to select officers, set goals, discuss issues and set time lines to complete projects.
PCPC meeting:
February,12, 2008
6:00 PM
Barkman Library, 1300 Jerry Murphy and Bontforte
See purpose of PCPC in previously placed article.
I’m SOOOO Confused!
Is it too much to ask that it make sense?
An article in the Pueblo Chieftain today says that a developer is going to get a tax break for remodeling some apartments.
The Pueblo City Council and County Board of Commissioners both approved a measure this week that will give a private developer a break on property taxes in exchange for remodeling the Bethlehem Square apartments.
On Monday, council approved an agreement with Lucky Star LLLP that allows the company to make payments to the city and county in lieu of property taxes.
How, exactly, are “payments” different from property tax payments?
February 2008 PNP Meeting
The 2008 Neighborhood Clean-Up Summit
This Tuesday, 5 February, will see the monthly Pueblo Neighborhood Partnership meeting.
We’ll be meeting and eating at 11:30 am, in the Pueblo County Conference Center at Santa Fe and 10th St.
The agenda is as follows:
• Brief Introductions
• Announcements by Officials (who have to get back to work quickly)
- TBD
• Primary Topic
- 2008 Neighborhood Clean-Up Summit
• Adjournment
Food and beverages for a working lunch will be available through the offices of the Pueblo City-County Health Department
Please call or e-mail Susan Finzel-Aldred at 583-4309 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) to RSVP. Fee for lunch is $6 per person.
If you cannot attend, I suggest you send a representative.
Send announcements for the newsletter to Sandy Daff by e-mail at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Monday, January 28, 2008
Analyzing the Y Zone Analysis
The poor you will always have with you,—Matthew 26:11.
An editorial in the Pueblo Chieftain on Sunday discusses the so-called “Y Zone” and compares it to the rest of the city. The editorial is written by The Poverty Study Group, and the names of several well-known citizens and officials are given. The PSG is “an informal consortium of community leaders committed to understanding and reversing intergenerational poverty in Pueblo.”
First, let me say the article does present some interesting data, but data are not necessarily the same things as information. The article cites three sources for the data: the 2000 Census, data from the state Department of Public Health and Environment, and a book called “Missing Class” by Katherine S. Newman and Victor Tan Chen. The “progressive” nature of the book is signaled when the PSG says “the “Missing Link” {sic} authors, Newman and Chen, see universal, high-quality, early childhood education as key to improving the situation of the working poor. They also advocate universal health care. Also on their list is maintaining access to higher education, something we work hard at in Pueblo.”
Friday, January 25, 2008
Join Pueblo Citizens for Positive Change
Pueblo Citizens for Positive Change-Its purpose
Pueblo Citizens for
Positive Change
Purpose
The goal of this organization is a group of Pueblo resident volunteers working together to ensure “that government of the people by the people and for the people shall not parish from the earth” [Gettysburg, Nov. 19, 1865]. The purpose is: to oversee the operation of city and county governments in Pueblo, Colorado; to question elected officials on any aspect of government operation that impact tax-payers welfare; to serve the public interest by gathering data and disseminating information to interested parties and public officials to initiate healthy environmental policies that will encourage long term economic growth for future generations; to ensure elected official adhere to the highest standard of integrity, honesty and complete disclosure of government business; to require accountability of government operations involving all financial matters; to make timely recommendations to elected officials on improving all aspects government and economic development to improve the quality of life for the community; and to ensure all federal and state Constitutional laws are safeguarded for all city and county residents of Pueblo.
For those individuals that are interested in making a difference here in Pueblo, you are welcome to join the organization. To be successful the organization needs people to participate on committees, attend City Boards, Commissions, City Council meetings, more. The Pueblo Citizens for Positive Change asks that if you believe in our purpose, please join. Your ideas and talents are needed.
For more information, contact:
Ted Freeman
544-4479 or 369-4469
It’s That Time Again
The political processes begin once again.
Within a fortnight—specifically on Tuesday, 5 February 2008—we’ll see Colorado’s state-wide caucusing.
It is a simple affair, as opposed to the monstrosities we’ve been witnessing in places like Iowa. You go some place. You talk to some people. You listen to others. You come up with some ideas. You vote, in your group, about this and that. You go home.
If your precinct isn’t well-organized, it’s probably because YOU didn’t decide to do something. You’ll go to some dreary school and mingle with a bunch of other political ‘waifs’.
If your precinct IS well-organized, you’ll likely go to someone’s home and have cookies and coffee….maybe even something bit stronger. [Note: After all, we’re talking heady stuff here.]
The point is that this isn’t Monday Night Football. This is something that (1) happens only once ever two years, not ever week, (2) it requires personal participation, not being a couch potato and (3) the results are far longer lasting than the next days squabble on MVP in the break-room.
I get VERY frustrated with people who are self-defeating. You know the type. They’re the ones who say thinks like, “It’s government. I can’t do anything about it.”
That’s a mind-set that your run-of-the-mill politicians LOVE to hear. It means they don’t have to ‘worry’ or worse, ‘do anything’ about you. You’ve defeated yourself for them.
So, (1) stop whining about what you think is wrong in your community, city, county, state, and/or nation, (2) get up off of your fourth-point-of-contact and (3) get in the ‘game’.
As the adage goes….
Politics is the entertainment branch of industry.
And football season will be over in a couple of weeks anyway. You’ll need something to replace it.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Pueblo Citizens for Positive Change
Organization meeting
Pueblo Citizens for Positive Change(PCPC)
A meeting to organize, set direction and goals on issues which affect the Quality of life in Pueblo will be held:
Tuesday, January 29th at 2:00pm
425 West 23 Street, Pueblo
For more information contact:
Ted Freeman
544-4479 or 369-4469
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Part 1: So What Was Going with that Historic District and Council?
I apologize for any errors in the following narration. I have been patiently waiting for the minutes of the January 14, 2008, Pueblo City Council meeting to be posted on the City’s web site, but they are still not there.
Monday, January 14, 2008, Pueblo City Council was presented with a proposed historic district to be called the North Side Historic District. It has approximately 35 properties. The district boundaries had already been redrawn to accommodate people who protested being included.
After “testimony” was heard, Council then discussed the issue and decided that before the District could be finalized, every property owner had to agree to be included with an affidavit. This is not in Pueblo’s Historic Preservation Ordinance. This goes way beyond the noticing that the City was required to do and did do. This is called “changing the rules so your opponent can’t score.”
Personally, I think the whole thing was quite likely manipulated by parties with other agendas. I won’t say it was exactly pre-planned or orchestrated, but under the circumstances, it would be very easy to manipulate.
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Friday, January 18, 2008
Pueblo Citizens for Open Government Meeting - Tuesday Janurary 22nd 6pm Rawlings Library
Help us to save free speech in Pueblo, Colorado!
Pueblo City Council has shut down the public’s right to speak at the regular televised city council meetings.
City Council President Judy Weaver says: “People have to understand that this is our meeting being held in public; it’s not a public meeting.”
Join us to find out what we can do as a community to regain our voice at City Hall.
6pm Janurary 22nd - Pueblo City-County Library District: Robert Hoag Rawlings Public Library
Address: 100 E Abriendo Ave - Pueblo, CO 81004 http://www.pueblofreespeech.org
On September 24th 2007 the Pueblo City Council voted to deny citizens the right to speak during regular televised city council meetings. The ability for citizens to address city council was moved to the work session meetings, which are not televised. This action was taken one month before the municipal election without any opportunity for public input.
The City Council had just placed several controversial issues on the municipal ballot. Dissenting views before the election were silenced as comment was removed from public view. The free exchange of ideas that should occur before any democratic election was brought to a halt by this council’s heavy-handed actions!
In a recent article in the Pueblo Chieftain City Council President Judy Weaver dismissed arguments that removing public comment from the television cameras would have a chilling effect on a person’s First Amendment rights to address their elected officials. “People have to understand that this is our meeting being held in public; it’s not a public meeting,” Weaver said. - September 29 Pueblo Chieftain.
Monday, January 14, 2008
URBAN RENEWAL AREA FOR THUNDERVILLAGE
No Urban Renewal Area and no public funds for Thundervillage and Bella Villa
URBAN RENEWAL AREA FOR THUNDERVILLAGE
Today I took a ride out highway 47 to the Troy exit north to see if the undeveloped land east of CSU Pueblo is as I remember it. My first impression was that the land is as I remembered, undeveloped prairie. After getting back on highway 47, going east, I noticed that a pipeline was being built on both the north and south sides of the highway.
I located the project supervisor, with K R Swerdferger Construction, Inc., to find out what was going on there. He told me it was the sanitary(sewage) pipe line for the Thundervillage development. So, the LDM LLC has already started working on their development.
Also what LDM has already started working on, is the Urban Renewal Authority, having requested that all the land which will includes Bella Villa and Thundervillage be designated as an Urban Renewal Area. Why, so they will be in a position to receive public funding. The Principals of LDM have been involved in many projects on which they have received public funding. They know the game. It is hard to understand why they need the public funding, for each of them in their own right is a multimillionaire.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Historic Pueblo, Inc. Schedule of Meetings for 2008
Schedule of Events for Historic Pueblo, Inc.
Historic Pueblo, Inc. is a non-profit preservation organization that works closely with the City of Pueblo’s Historic Preservation Commission. Historic Pueblo, Inc was established in 2002 with a vision to become a complete resource for guidance, and for understanding the complexities and challenges of preserving Pueblo’s history in the midst of our community’s growth. HPI is commited to the concept that community pride and an atmosphere for prosperous economic development must include the preservation of our historic structures and cultural heritage.
HPI is a fun and involved organization that helps to keep preservation in focus for our citizens, city and city officials. HPI assists in purchasing National Historic Registry Plaques, purchases Pueblo Landmark Plaques, and sponsors the Historic Resource of Pueblo Plaque Program. We sponsor educational forums, receptions at historic homes, walking tours of the Northside and Southside of Pueblo, an annual October Historic Pueblo Home Tour and our December Orman-Adams tour membership drive To see Schedule of Events, click “more”