After voters approved a strong mayor-council form of government in 2010, Colorado Springs City Councilâs role changed.
Before that, council relied on an appointed city manager to oversee administrative functions of the city and bring information to council to decide almost everything.
Now, the mayor runs the city and has veto power over almost all council decisions, save for referral of ballot measures, budget approval and land-use decisions. It takes six of nine council votes to override that veto.
The mayor proposes the budget, hires contractors through certain procedures â such as road paving and emergency ambulance service â and brings various measures to council for approval. Those can include ordinances for changing what types of structures are allowed in which zones or proposals to annex more land.
Theyâre certainly not as sexy as presidential elections, but the truth is, local elections provide the greatest opportunity for your vote to make an impact. Instead of being one in 160 million, your voice and choice are amplified; itâs one among several thousand. The city of Colorado Springs should announce the winners of six Council seats and the outcome of one ballot issue after polls close on Election Day, April 6. Ballots will be mailed March 12, so be on the lookout.Â
As in the country as a whole, there are tough issues facing Colorado Springs voters and the new and veteran elected officials who will hold these Council seats â issues like our affordable housing crisis and homelessness; infrastructure and development; struggling small businesses and COVID relief; the potential legalization of recreational marijuana dispensaries within city limits and, as Council members also serve as the board of Colorado Springs Utilities, preparing for the 2023 closure of Dra
The AASC s choices:
District 2 â Councilor Dave Geislinger
District 3 â Council President Richard Skorman
District 4 â Councilor Yolanda Avila
District 5 â Karlie Van Arnam
District 6 â Mike O Malley
Four of those six also won endorsements from the
About its selections, the Apartment Association said in a release: AASC supports candidates with goals and a clear vision of how to address the many challenging issues facing Colorado Springs. Our leadership feels it is important to get the right mix of talent to continue to move our city forward.
The endorsements were based on meetings with the candidates and their answers to a questionnaire. -
If you have an item of interest for the April 6 election, send it to zubeck@csindy.com