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Homeless Advocates Protest Denver Mayor’s Veto
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Denver Metro, Downtown Denver, Local, thelobby-co.com

Homeless Advocates Protest Denver Mayor’s Veto

By The Lobby Denver's homeless advocates gathered outside the City and County Building on Saturday morning to express their dissatisfaction with Mayor Mike Johnston's decision to veto a bill that would have prohibited homeless sweeps in freezing temperatures. Despite the frigid conditions, about a dozen members of Housekeys Action Network (HAND) showed up to voice their opposition to the mayor's announcement. The City Council Ordinance 23-1960, introduced in December, aimed to amend the municipal code to prevent various city agencies from clearing homeless encampments when temperatures dropped to 32 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. However, on February 2, Mayor Johnston vetoed the "No Freezing Sweeps" ordinance, which had been passed by the Denver City Council with a narrow 7-6 vote. ...
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El Paso official to Denver Mayor Mike Johnston: Keep asking for federal funds | Border Crossroads
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coloradopolitics.com, Downtown Denver, El Paso County, Local

El Paso official to Denver Mayor Mike Johnston: Keep asking for federal funds | Border Crossroads

By Nicole C. Brambila | SOURCE: COLORADO POLITICS Editor's note: Welcome to Border Crossroads, a series of dispatches from America's southern border, where reporter Nico Brambila and multimedia producer Tom Hellauer are chronicling the crisis that is spilling over into Denver and other interior cities.     EL PASO, TEXAS — El Paso Deputy City Manager Mario D’Agostino offered some advice to Denver Mayor Mike Johnston: Keep pushing for federal money to address the crisis brought on by surges of immigrants crossing the border. El Paso Deputy City Manager, Mario D'Agostino, discusses how his city obtained federal funds to address the immigration surges in recent yearsPlay Video “Don’t give up on the funding requests,” D’Agostino said. "Continuing to push for the fund...
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Migrants cost Sanctuary City schools $17.5 million, Colo taxpayers stuck with bill
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coloradopeakpolitics.com, Downtown Denver, Local

Migrants cost Sanctuary City schools $17.5 million, Colo taxpayers stuck with bill

SOURCE: COLORADO PEAK POLITICS Sanctuary City has thousands of new students this school year who are projected to cost Denver Public Schools an additional $17.5 million. Hang onto your wallets PeakNation™  because state taxpayers are being asked to foot the bill for the additional costs above Denver school’s $1.3 billion annual budget this year. Thanks to President Biden’s open asylum policy, the influx of migrant students in Denver has risen to almost 3,000 and continues to grow weekly. Denver Public Schools is asking the state for a one-time adjustment in increased funding, which must be approved and funded by the state legislature, reports the Denver Post. Denver schools are currently juggling some money already in the coffers, and the dip in enrollment from past yea...
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Elisabeth Epps’ primary challenger outraises incumbent, secures endorsements from legislators
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coloradopolitics.com, Downtown Denver, Local

Elisabeth Epps’ primary challenger outraises incumbent, secures endorsements from legislators

Meanwhile, Rep. Tim Hernandez trails his chief primary opponent, Cecelia Espenoza, in fundraising By Marianne Goodland | SOURCE: COLORADO POLITICS Rep. Elisabeth Epp's primary challenger has outraised the incumbent House legislator, securing key endorsements from colleagues and maximum contributions from several current Democratic legislators. Sean Camacho raked in the top dollars, pulling over $58,000 between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31, 2023, the most recent campaign finance reporting period showed.  His campaign chest counted contributions from fellow Democratic lawmakers, and, more notably, from leadership funds, which are set up to raise money to help Democrats keep their legislative seats and try and win others. All told, 17 current state lawmakers — including 11 of E...
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Denver’s Failed Universal Income Program Opens the Floodgates to Non-Citizen Migrants
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Downtown Denver, Local, thelobby-co.com

Denver’s Failed Universal Income Program Opens the Floodgates to Non-Citizen Migrants

SOURCE: THELOBBY-CO.COM In a controversial move that has sparked outrage among many citizens, the city of Denver's bankrupting sanctuary city policies have extended the eligibility of their failed universal income program to non-citizen migrants. The Denver Basic Income Program, which was initially introduced in 2021 with $2 million in funding from the city, has now announced its extension for another six months starting in February 2024. The program, which pays homeless individuals a regular stipend, was intended to assist citizens in need. However, the recent decision to include non-citizen migrants raises serious concerns about the city's financial stability and its commitment to prioritizing its own residents. According to the city's statement, the $2 million allocated ...
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Additional students buoy Denver schools’ budget
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denvergazette.com, Downtown Denver, Local

Additional students buoy Denver schools’ budget

By Nicole C. Brambila | SOURCE: DENVER GAZETTE An unexpected influx of students this academic year means Denver Public Schools might not have to dip into its reserves, the district’s chief financial officer said this week. The Board of Education is expected to review the district’s amended budget when directors meet on Thursday for their regular meeting. The budget for the state’s largest district this school year is about $1.5 billion. District officials had anticipated using $12 million from reserves to help offset budget shortfalls. The district has roughly $140 million in its fund balance, which is on target for its 10% of budget goal, said Chuck Carpenter, chief financial officer for Denver Public Schools. READ FULL ARTICLE ON DENVERGAZETTE.COM
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New councilwoman investigated for shady spending habits after entire staff quits
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coloradopeakpolitics.com, Downtown Denver, Local

New councilwoman investigated for shady spending habits after entire staff quits

SOURCE: COLORADO PEAK POLITICS Shady spending habits by newly elected Denver City Councilwoman Flor Alvidrez, including $14,000 for a Halloween parade float, are under investigation by an ethics panel. The complaint was filed by one of her staffers, all of whom quit after only five months. More than $4,200 of that parade float money went to her ex-husband. The ethics board is investigating the suspect spending that also includes alcohol purchases, a $300 flight upgrade for a trip to Chile, and a questionable per diem payment. Denverite broke the story: These records show Alvidrez requesting reimbursements for things potentially barred under spending rules or that raised concerns about spending transparency among her staff. The complaint document also alleges that Al...
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Another Antisemitic Protest in Downtown Denver Organized by Pro-Palestinian Groups
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Downtown Denver, Local, thelobby-co.com

Another Antisemitic Protest in Downtown Denver Organized by Pro-Palestinian Groups

SOURCE: THELOBBY-CO.COM Pro-Palestinian protesters once again disrupted downtown Denver as they marched along Speer Boulevard near the Auraria campus on Monday. The demonstration, organized by the Party of Socialism and Liberation, caused police to shut down streets in the area, further inconveniencing local residents, traffic, and businesses. The group of protesters, wielding signs that read "Free Palestine" and "End the aid, no more funds," displayed their support for the Palestinian cause while spreading a disturbing message of animosity towards Israel. These signs not only advocate for the dismantling of Israel but also call for the cessation of financial aid to a country that has been a long-standing ally of the United States. Party of Socialism and Liberation (Facebook) T...
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The Cost of Doing Business in Denver: Senseless Policies & Band-Aid Bailouts
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Downtown Denver, Local, thelobby-co.com

The Cost of Doing Business in Denver: Senseless Policies & Band-Aid Bailouts

SOURCE: THELOBBY-CO.COM In a recent report by Axios Denver, the city's laughable attempt to salvage struggling businesses from the impact of nearby homeless encampments has laid bare the failures of Denver's misguided policies on housing immigrants, lax drug regulations, and the acceptance of near-permanent encampments. The situation reveals a city administration more adept at applying band-aids than addressing root issues, leaving businesses to bear the brunt. The controversial grant program, facilitated by the Denver Economic Development & Opportunity (DEDO) Programs since 2022, is nothing short of a desperate move to cover up the city's glaring policy missteps. A total of 69 businesses, teetering on the edge due to encampments, are now recipients of what amounts to...
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Immigrants may cause spike in annual metro Denver homeless count
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coloradopolitics.com, Downtown Denver, Local

Immigrants may cause spike in annual metro Denver homeless count

By Kyla Pearce and Noah Festenstein | SOURCE: COLORADO POLITICS An annual count of Denver's homeless population will include immigrants who crossed America's southern border and ended up in the city's shelters, potentially increasing the number by a significant amount. The annual point-in-time count, which offers a snapshot of the country's homeless population on a single night, is taking place across Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas and Jefferson counties from sundown to sundown between Jan. 22 and Jan. 23. Last year's count put the number of homeless people at more than 9,000, but a different tracking system said the figure is closer to 30,000 throughout the year, leading many to believe that the annual point of time count is limited.  Kyla Moe, depu...
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