Pueblo West Overview of Home rule or Statutory City/Town 1. Colorado Constitution and State and County Control 2. Home Rule And Statutory Authority - 3. Taxation and Cost 4. Services and Operations 5. Communication to Citizens Colorado Colorado Constitution: State, County, and Local Control Authority Colorado Constitution Article XX Powers • Structural – power to choose the form State Government of government, charter and enact charter revisions, Dillon's Rule is the State’s authority to determine the bounds of a municipal government's legal authority Dillon’s Rule was Colorado law everywhere until a 1902 • Functional – power to exercise local constitutional amendment granted a degree of independence to Denver and offered it to other cities. Amendments self government in a broad or limited expanded its scope and made it available to all municipal manner, governments. Home Rule In Article XX of the Colorado Constitution, home rule gives local municipalities the power to make • Fiscal – authority to determine revenue legislation relevant to their areas, exercising control over issues of “local sources, set tax rates, borrow funds and concern” while minimizing state Statutory City intervention in municipal affairs. other related financial activities, or Town According to the Colorado Municipal • Services – authority to create and League, statutory cities and towns are provide public services and manage limited to exercising powers that are granted by the state and are subject to employment contracts for providing provisions and limitations imposed by those services. Special the state. Local Government District Autonomy Special Districts and Statutory Cities/Towns Incorporation are limited to exercising powers granted by the state and are subject to provisions and limitations imposed by the state. Authority and Autonomy • Taxes, Fees, and Other Revenue • Council structure, lodging tax and sales tax collection • Authority and Flexibility Afforded to Home Rule Municipalities – Miscellaneous Powers granted through Article XX of the Colorado Constitution • Establish alternative procedures for management and operation of municipal utilities • Impose terms and conditions of municipal employment and broader authority with respect to civil service or other personnel systems • Broaden jurisdiction to municipal court • Provide additional tools for economic development • Clarify authority for or expand the types of services which the municipality can provide • Set forth more specific ethics and conflict of interest rules Home rule allows for greater flexibility in other areas of municipal government, including local elections, organizational structure and municipal courts. A home rule charter that is specifically While each home rule charter crafted and tailored to individual includes a few mandatory municipalities acts as the city or town’s basic provisions regarding initiative and governing document over local issues; referendum of measures and recall however, when a dispute arises, whether an of officers, many of the powers and issue constitutes “local concern” must be functions identified in a town’s determined by courts on a case by case charter are decided by an individual basis, and certain state laws will prevail in town and its citizens through an matters of statewide concern. extensive public input process, Taxes A home rule charter allows cities to collect and enforce local sales and use taxes and permits a broader or narrower sales and use tax base. Further, towns are allowed additional types of excise taxes, which may include admissions, entertainment, tourism and lodging taxes. “Home Rule allows us to dictate how we govern ourselves, whereas statutory communities are subject to state statutes and the desires of the state legislature,” The incorporation process is defined by Colorado statutes and requires three steps: 1. Petition, 2. Election and 3, Organization. Election Process Timeline for Home Rule Election a. Within 180 days of its election, the charter commission shall submit to the governing body a proposed charter b. Within 30 days after the date that the charter commission submits the proposed charter to it, the governing body shall publish and give notice of an election to determine whether the proposed charter shall be approved c. The election shall not be held less than 30 nor more than 185 days after publication of the notice Governing Body Types and Structure Council-Manager Strong Mayor - Council Council – Weak Mayor Voters Respond Elect Voters Voters Mayor Council Council Council Mayor Account Appoint and Advise and Hire City Manager City Administration City Administration City Administration Report Manage and Departments and Departments and Departments Services and Operations Services and Operations Pueblo West Board Create a Municipal Court Utilities Architectural Board Service and System Has a set of services Evolve into Planning Board Ordinances Roads Public Safety Services Maintaining existing roads Continue with contract with with lower set of funds Pueblo Sheriff’s department School District – District 70 Phase out over 10 years Keep using the District 70 Continue to use the Sheriff’s school district Department for jail service. Parks and Recreation Fire Department Several parks and recreation Currently has incorporated Fire center department Library – Pueblo Library District Looking at adding new station on the western region of the Pueblo West boundaries Benefits Burdens • Great autonomy through local government • Increased government • Creation of planning and zoning boards • Increased taxes • Ability to raise revenue by taxation and • Responsibility to provide local services • Direct and provide local services • Increased tax and non-tax revenue to improve the level and quality of municipal services. • Ability to generate additional revenue to maintain and improve deteriorating Pueblo West road system Complaints from Pueblo West citizens Concerns from Pueblo West citizens • Big government • Pueblo West Name • Increased taxes • Concern over control by Pueblo county • New taxes • Absorbed by the city of Pueblo • Urban - Pueblo Blight • Concerns over marijuana • Crime • Grow sites • Traffic • Distribution • Sprawl • Medical • Recreational Communication Newspaper Social Media Who/what groups, stakeholders, demographics are making the loudest noise about Pueblo West What is the dominant narrative Stakeholders Pueblo West Demographics Age Income Retired.