Lakewood Informer

Resident generated news about Lakewood, Colorado

Lakewood Informer

Resident generated news about Lakewood, Colorado

LAKEWOOD INFORMER

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Lakewood 2A Summary on TABOR

October 28, 2024/

A summary of articles from Lakewood Informer news related to Lakewood ballot issue 2A: Resident Fights Against the City Machine – TABOR City Uses Budget Presentation to Push TABOR Retention TABOR Will Be on the Lakewood Ballot City Seeks to De-Tabor but Over Collects Property Tax Give us your TABOR refunds, says Lakewood Lakewood Lobbies for Your TABOR Refund Lakewood and Jeffco To Spend Money To Keep Your TABOR funds Lakewood Budget Board Recommends Keeping Future TABOR Refunds

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No More Gas Fireplaces?

October 27, 2024/

Lakewood City Council Member Paula Nystrom and Jacob LaBure proposed banning gas fireplaces on October, 14, 2024. On the heels of two other proposals that night for increased sustainability measures, most Councilors urged for a deeper discussion of the topic at the council’s annual retreat. Councilor Rebekah Stewart was the only other “yes” vote on moving this ban forward. This discussion will be included again later in the zoning update tentatively scheduled for May, 2025 The city is already moving forward to fund electrification efforts, which include eliminating all gas appliances. As recommended by Lakewood’s Sustainability Committee, funding incentives would be provided for residents to voluntarily change their appliances, after which, mandates would be needed for everyone else. When asked whether Council is advocating for electrification, then-Councilor Wendi Strom responded that Lakewood was just in the research phase. According to the 2025 budget Q&A, Lakewood has moved beyond research without a Council policy vote and without further public discussion. Lakewood will be a part of five different programs to remove gas appliances in residential homes starting in 2025. The theory is that since grants are “free money”, no one could object and furthermore, the city’s Sustainability Plan calls for decreasing greenhouse gas emissions 20% below 2007 levels by 2025 so no public discussion is needed. As Councilors LaBure and Nystrom point out, Lakewood is behind its goals. To assist in reaching those goals, all gas appliances will have to be replaced with arguably more expensive and less efficient electric appliances....

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Residents of Lakewood Reject Smart Tech, Citing ‘Big Brother’ Fears, Reveals Study

October 25, 2024/

From HostingAdvice Digital Dilemma: Residents of Lakewood Reject Smart Tech, Citing ‘Big Brother’ Fears, Reveals Study. For years, public policy experts have forecasted the rise of smart cities across the U.S., envisioning urban environments that enhance online connectivity, streamline infrastructure, and improve public safety. However, public opinion is increasingly divided. While some welcome the benefits, many are concerned about the potential downsides – chief among them, the fear of a “Big Brother” society where constant online surveillance undermines privacy, a reality already observed in some parts of the world, like China. HostingAdvice carried out a survey of 3,000 respondents to take the pulse of the nation when it comes to the introduction of truly connected smart cities. The survey revealed that Los Angeleans are most in favor of converting theirs into a smart city. And who can blame them? By using AI algorithms, smart transportation systems can dynamically adjust traffic signals and manage and predict traffic patterns to address the city’s notorious bumper-to-bumper traffic.  Residents of New York City followed in second place in the survey, which again is understandable, given that city’s heavy traffic, which commuters who travel via the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway would attest to. The top 5 cities whose residents are most enthusiastic to become fully integrated smart cities:1.     Los Angeles2.     New York City3.     Buffalo4.     Dallas5.     Jacksonville When it comes to Colorado cities, 3 emerged as supportive of smart technology and would broadly embrace it. These were: Denver, Fort Collins,...

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Jeffco Rescinds 777 S Yarrow Special Tax Deal

October 24, 2024/

From Save Belmar Park For years, the property at 777 S Yarrow Street has been under-taxed.   Yes, that is the same location as the proposed Belmar Park West housing project. Jeffco has finally rescinded the special deal or whatever it was. It had been going on possibly for decades!  There is more to the story. Details at:  https://savebelmarpark.com/jeffco-tax-deal/

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Janssen/Menten Proved Right – Lakewood Illegally Over-taxed

October 23, 2024/

In 2023, then-Council Member Mary Janssen and resident Natalie Menten brought to light that Lakewood’s City Charter had a revenue cap to protect residents from rapid property tax increases. Most of city leadership said Janssen and Menten were totally wrong and besides, leadership said, Lakewood needed the money. However, it turns out Janssen and Menten were not wrong, and Lakewood is now adjusting the 2025 mill levy to comply with the City Charter. There will still be a property tax increase for residents, but only half of the previously proposed increase. Lakewood did not explicitly state the reason for the change because residents can sue if the city of Lakewood was found to be over-collecting taxes. Instead, staff only referenced a “complex legal issue.” Per the new slide presented October 21 (below), the original mill levy would have resulted in $1,561,000 more taxes than 2024 ($872k + $ 689k). The Budget Book advertised this was a 6.2% increase over the 2024 REVISED BUDGET. However, the revised budget is over $1,000,000 more than the original 2024 budget. The mill levy to collect property taxes was set in the original budget. In reality, the original 2024 budget to 2025 budget numbers show a 13.5% increase. Lakewood has been collecting almost double the amount of property taxes allowed by City Charter section 12.12. No one has said that Mary Janssen or Natalie Menten was correct in their original interpretation of the City Charter, as presented to the Lakewood leadership on October 23, 2023....

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Janssen/Menten Proved Right – Lakewood Illegally Over-taxed

October 23, 2024/

In 2023, then-Council Member Mary Janssen and resident Natalie Menten brought to light that Lakewood’s City Charter had a revenue cap to protect residents from rapid property tax increases. Most of city leadership said Janssen and Menten were totally wrong and besides, leadership said, Lakewood needed the money. However, it turns out Janssen and Menten were not wrong, and Lakewood is now adjusting the 2025 mill levy to comply with the City Charter. There will still be a property tax increase for residents, but only half of the previously proposed increase. Lakewood did not explicitly state the reason for the change because residents can sue if the city of Lakewood was found to be over-collecting taxes. Instead, staff only referenced a “complex legal issue.” Per the new slide presented October 21 (below), the original mill levy would have resulted in $1,561,000 more taxes than 2024 ($872k + $ 689k). The Budget Book advertised this was a 6.2% increase over the 2024 REVISED BUDGET. However, the revised budget is over $1,000,000 more than the original 2024 budget. The mill levy to collect property taxes was set in the original budget. In reality, the original 2024 budget to 2025 budget numbers show a 13.5% increase. Lakewood has been collecting almost double the amount of property taxes allowed by City Charter section 12.12. No one has said that Mary Janssen or Natalie Menten was correct in their original interpretation of the City Charter, as presented to the Lakewood leadership on October 23, 2023....

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