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Author: Jen Schumann

Drive less, bike more? Polis’ transportation vision faces public backlash in one city
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Drive less, bike more? Polis’ transportation vision faces public backlash in one city

By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice Gov. Jared Polis' Administration plans to build 3,540 miles of new bicycle lanes, an 81% increase from the current reality. This goal is one of many outlined in his Administration’s “Colorado Transportation Vision 2035.” The plan is aimed to play a role in helping meet the state’s climate goals. An underlying agenda, or one sub-goal, is explicitly stated in the plan: “Doubling Colorado’s non-auto mode share from today’s level of 9.6% to 19.2% by 2035.” But what does this administrative jargon mean exactly? No speculation is needed. The answer is provided in the plan. “This means that the percentage of trips where people choose to take transit, walk, bike or roll (instead of driving alone) would slightly more than doubl...
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Schumann: Understanding special districts. Where your tax dollars meet local decisions and why you should care
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Schumann: Understanding special districts. Where your tax dollars meet local decisions and why you should care

By Jen Schumann | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Coloradans, on average, will pay $540,680 in taxes over their lifetime.  Many politicians promise to limit taxes once elected. President Trump believes there is a way the U.S. can abolish federal taxes. Let's say the second Trump Administration does fix the $36 trillion national debt crisis, growing by $268 million each hour, and cuts federal taxes. There will still be state and local taxes to pay. Many local leaders elected through special district elections will set county and city tax rates. They make decisions on how to spend taxpayer dollars, having a huge impact on residents' lives. In Colorado, there are more than 3,000 special districts.  Special district elections in Colorado have low voter turnout. But...
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Food Bank of the Rockies facing challenge of meeting highest food insecurity level in a decade
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Food Bank of the Rockies facing challenge of meeting highest food insecurity level in a decade

By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice "On the Western Slope, one in eight people — our neighbors — are food insecure. For children, it’s even worse: one in seven kids is unsure where their next meal will come from," shares Sue Ellen Rodwick, director of the Western Slope Food Bank of the Rockies. "Statewide, the numbers are slightly better, but still troubling. One in nine Coloradans face food insecurity." The Food Bank of the Rockies (FBOTR) is spearheading the response to this growing crisis. It serves 417,317 people a year. The U.S. Census puts the state's population at 5,877,610. This is the largest food bank area in the contiguous U.S., covering Colorado and Wyoming. It serves a region of more than 150,000 square miles. It has three distribution centers ...
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Schumann: Colorado Springs has ‘a hometown Jussie Smollett situation’. A look at a mayor’s alleged deception
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Schumann: Colorado Springs has ‘a hometown Jussie Smollett situation’. A look at a mayor’s alleged deception

By Jen Schumann | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Colorado Springs is dealing with “a hometown Jussie Smollett situation.”  That's how Todd Watkins, vice chair of the El Paso County Republican Party, described the hate crime hoax involving Mayor Yemi Mobolade. Watkins, a former U.S. Customs and Border Protection official and U.S. Army analyst, says political violence in El Paso County has risen during the last nine years. His remarks highlight the seriousness of the allegations of an alleged hate crime that may have impacted the outcome of a municipal election. Three individuals have been indicted for their roles in the hoax. But the DOJ has reportedly declined to charge Mobolade despite evidence of false statements. The FBI found that Mobolade allegedly denied contact wi...
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Two more elementaries to close in Western Slope district, school board unanimously decides
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Two more elementaries to close in Western Slope district, school board unanimously decides

By Jen Schumann | Contributor, Rocky Mountain Voice A special board meeting for Mesa County Valley School District 51 on Friday evening led to a 5-0 vote to close Clifton and Scenic Elementary Schools. The vote came after a presentation by demographer Shannon Bingham, and a discussion on the declining enrollment, demographic shifts and the district's finances. Shannon Bingham, the district's demographer, presented data detailing a decline in birth rates and a shift in housing. Both factors are causing reduced enrollment. “We are not getting student growth from the neighborhood. The numbers say that [enrollment] is going to continue to go down into the upper 20s,” Bingham explained. He pointed to projections of a 15-20% drop in kindergarten enrollment over the next five years. ...
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Boebert’s ZIP code bill boosting rural towns passes House Oversight Committee with unanimous support
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Boebert’s ZIP code bill boosting rural towns passes House Oversight Committee with unanimous support

By Jen Schumann | Contributor, Rocky Mountain Voice Rural America is home to nearly 60 million individuals. That's one out of every five Americans. Many argue that policymakers overlook rural America. Yet a simple bill led by U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Silt) will have a big impact on small towns.  “I am thrilled to see my bipartisan Zip Code bill pass through the House Oversight Committee with unanimous bipartisan support," Boebert said this week in a statement. The introduction of ZIP codes in the 60s transformed mail delivery. They also became vital to economic growth, public safety and community identity. But many communities still face challenges without unique ZIP Codes, leading to misdirected tax revenue and delayed emergency responses. Congresswoman Boebert took action ...
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Western Colorado school board votes to close one elementary school, two more could shutter
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Western Colorado school board votes to close one elementary school, two more could shutter

By Jen Schumann | Contributor, Rocky Mountain Voice It was an emotional night at the Mesa County Valley District 51 school board meeting on Nov. 19, as more than 50 public commenters packed a seven-hour session that stretched past midnight. Parents, students, teachers and community members voiced their concerns about the proposed closure of Scenic, Nisley and Clifton Elementary Schools. "No one wants to be in a situation where they are having to close schools," Superintendent Dr. Brian Hill said. "It will never feel good, but it is the situation we find ourselves in."  Hill detailed the data-driven approach used to identify schools for closure. He highlighted the Elementary Declining Enrollment Committee’s criteria, which included building adequacy, enrollment and transportatio...
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Schumann: Are Colorado Democrats justified in fearing a Trump comeback, or is a reality check needed?
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Schumann: Are Colorado Democrats justified in fearing a Trump comeback, or is a reality check needed?

By Jen Schumann | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice A second Trump presidency has sparked significant concerns among some Colorado Democrats. They cite fears over federal overreach, social policy rollbacks and economic instability. Left-leaning Colorado news media and Democrat politicians are sparing no time and revving up the fear-mongering engine. Last week, Gov. Polis and his co-chair received national attention for launching “Governors Safeguarding Democracy” to fight against President Trump’s policies.  Polis stated, "We want to make sure that the American people can be certain that the elections are safe, that the separation of the courts and powers is safe, and that governors exert the powers that we have as states to make sure that we can protect freedom...
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Colorado GOP calls voters into action against Jena Griswold’s cover-up of password leak
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Colorado GOP calls voters into action against Jena Griswold’s cover-up of password leak

By Jen Schumann | Contributor, Rocky Mountain Voice The Colorado Republican Party is attempting to rally residents of the state into action. Amid claims of compromised election security, party leaders are urging voters to demand accountability from officials through the filing of affidavits. They have accused Secretary of State Jena Griswold of overseeing serious election security flaws. The GOP, in their affidavit, called for action. They released expert testimonies, supporting documents and recordings of internal calls between Griswold's office and county clerks. The materials reveal growing frustration among election officials and cybersecurity experts. A controversy exists over exposure of more than 600 BIOS passwords for election systems in half of Colorado's 64 countie...
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Boebert, Hurd commit to seamless transition in 3rd District U.S. House leadership
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Boebert, Hurd commit to seamless transition in 3rd District U.S. House leadership

By Jen Schumann | Contributor, Rocky Mountain Voice Colorado Republicans have had some inner-party drama this year. But, teamwork is possible. U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert and U.S. Rep.-elect Jeff Hurd are proving it. In a joint press release, the two pledge a smooth transition of leadership for Colorado's 3rd U.S. House District. Boebert presently serves in the seat. Hurd will serve in the seat come January. They both express confidence in each other and their teams. “As legislators wrap up our work for the 118th Congress, it is critically important that the people of Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District experience a smooth transition of representation as Congressman-elect Jeff Hurd begins his term in January,” says Boebert. The congresswoman highlights ongoing collaboration, not...
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