My Vision, Values, And Position On The Issues
I invite full and robust conversation, including input from our citizens. I'd rather stay longer in a meeting to reach the right result, having fully explored the issues, than to trying to beat the clock toward a false timeline. An effective board works together for the well being of the community and strives to arrive at common ground.
Fiscal Health of Our Town
Growth has taxed our resources and many departments significantly in a need to provide more services for the same budget we have historically offered. In addition, this growth strains our natural resources and our existing water supply. Our Town is fiscally challenged, and we must continue to craft solutions that bring revenue from new tax-earning businesses which support and encourage economic development. We must focus on creating more organic prosperity from within, with less reliance on grants or the initial money bump supplied by housing developments. We need to have a strong focus and spotlight on economic development and sustainable growth especially in our downtown district. Our downtown area needs sidewalks and walkability allowing visitors to explore all that Palmer Lake has to offer. A strong downtown shopping district will support this endeavor.
Citizens Should Have a Voice!
I support citizen workshops and will continue to hold Town meetings at times that are advantageous to the majority of our residents and business owners. Citizen advocacy groups are paramount to who we are and bring a passion of participation and new ideas to the forefront of our community.
Let's Keep Our Public Safety Local
I support our local police and fire departments and believe in keeping our fire and police departments in the Town of Palmer Lake rather than merging with Monument public safety departments. Our Fire Department is deeply embedded in our history and traditions. We need to support these two departments through booster activities, fund-raising, and measures explicitly pointed at bringing their salaries closer to national averages and improving the equipment we provide these departments to do their jobs. Thriving public safety departments are instrumental to the health and financial vitality of our Town.
Short-Term Rentals
Palmer Lake is receiving an abundance of complaints about short term rentals. These rentals are drawing noise complaints, parking issues, and more. I want to further tighten our STR laws in order to get a handle on how many STR's are actually operating within town limits and tighten compliance so that families have more of a stake in their community. We continue to make progress in this area, and we are getting a strong handle on these rentals. We need to continue in the efforts of code compliance in this arena.
High Density Housing
There is still available land in Palmer Lake for building, however, I want to ensure that the planned density of any 'clusters' of homes or other types of construction is consistent with what our citizens want and need and in compliance with the Master Plan. I am in favor of smaller and locally-owned businesses in our downtown area. I will oppose requests from developers to disconnect from our Town, whether as a de-annexation or similar type of measure, as we would likely still be required to provide mutual aid services without any benefit or compensation to our Town. Development pays their own way in our community and must adhere to both local and county ordinances and define plans within water and drainage infastructure.
Property Taxes & MLO's
All across Colorado, our elected officials believe they know how to spend our money better than we do. This destructive way of handling local to federal government affairs is hurting people like me, people like you, and people like our neighbors and parents. All across Colorado, we suffer at the hands of elected officials who insist they will be the ones to save us. Then, they spend recklessly. Any elected official who asks you to reach into your pockets this year, does not care about you.
Palmer Lake residents cannot pay more in taxes. The last MLO request, asked to increase our tax rate by 32 mills to 50 mills in 2022. For a family with a home valued at 500k, this MLO would have doubled their property taxes. Palmer Lake said no new taxes, and the MLO was defeated.
Trustee Ball has suggested multiple times to raise MLO's and over ride Tabor initiatives. To suggest that voters should give up their hard earned money that the legislature fought so hard to save, after residents rejected MLO after MLO, is a slap in the face to anyone who lives in Palmer Lake. Shana Ball is running for Mayor, and she wants to raise your taxes. This tax-and-spend Trustee looks to make life even harder for families and for seniors. This is the mark of an elected official who knows better than you, and that is the most dangerous elected in Colorado. Spare your wallet; rest assured that I will not allow this.
I told Shana Ball that I will not assist in her suggested measure to ask our residents for more of their hard earned money, and I will not. I will always stand between you and the legislature. Denver does not care about Palmer Lake and will continue to ask more of your money to fund their state programs. I care about Palmer Lake, not Denver. You deserve representation that understands; every dollar counts.
Other Critical Needs and Issues
We have many critical issues to face, including our available water supply and infrastructure. We have huge the need to repair our water delivery and drainage systems throughout our Town, more budget to keep our roads safe and in good repair, and managing the extreme traffic we have experienced from overuse of our lake in the past few years. Drainage is of immediate importance. Planning for the future needs of our community is essential. Failing to plan is planning to fail. I will continue to work with town staff and the various departments on planning for the future of Palmer Lake. In addition, I will encourage citizen advisory groups to work with the Board of Trustees and Planning Commission to address these critical issues.
We are severely understaffed in most departments and current job postings go un answered due to budget constraints as budgeted salaries in Palmer Lake are well under the national average. A Code Enforcement Officer is a key area where service to our Town is in dire need. Both our Police and Fire Departments are understaffed. The Water department is understaffed with the Roads and Office staff in close pursuit. While our Town employees are fiscally challenged, we are lucky that we have a staff that truly loves our community and want to continue to serve the people who live and play here.
