by Published: March 13,2010
Tags: 2010 legislature, Lon Matejczyk
I took the trip to Denver last week for the annual Colorado Springs Day at the Legislature. As usual, I learned as much from interacting with others on the trip as I did listening to some of our elected officials. Gubernatorial candidates John Hickenlooper and Scott McGinnis spoke to the group. While I liked both, McGinnis [...] [...]
by Published: December 31,2009
Tags: Lobbyist, Lon Matejczyk
A lobbyist. That’s all I wanted for Christmas, remember? And the Monday morning after my letter to Santa appeared in this space, a lobbyist contacted me and wanted to meet with a group from the city a couple of days later. The group gathered in the CSBJ office, with representatives from the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce, [...] [...]
by Published: December 11,2009
Tags: D.C., lobbying, Lon Matejczyk, Washington
As hard economic times continue, and economic development becomes more important, it is time for the Springs to consider hiring a professional Washington, D.C., lobbyist. Community leaders have been making trips to Washington, D.C., for some time, but, where’s the financial gain for the city? Howard Marlowe, principal of D.C.-based Marlowe and Co., a lobbying company that [...] [...]
by Published: November 20,2009
Tags: Lon Matejczyk
Last week, the CSBJ reported that the city budget cuts would include closing the Office of International Affairs. It’s hard to underestimate how important an office like this is to the city. Sure, all of the cuts hurt, but this cuts the Springs ties to the rest of the world. In 2007, the Springs accounted for 20.4 percent [...] [...]
by Published: November 6,2009
Tags: Lon Matejczyk, Tim Leigh
A term limit is forcing Colorado Springs Mayor Lionel Rivera out, so by sometime next year, probably sooner rather than later, his seat will become the most sought-after, woefully under-minimum-wage job in the city. Already, there is one candidate: Tim Leigh. For the measly $6,250 Colorado Springs pays its top elected official, candidates have to have already [...] [...]
by Published: October 30,2009
The National Security Agency wants to spend more than $1 billion to build a 1-million-square foot facility in Utah. Utah? Why not Colorado Springs? There’s a vacant little 1.7 million-square-foot parcel up on Garden of the Gods Road where a little business called Intel used to be. Could the Intel building be adapted to house the NSA? It could [...] [...]
by Published: October 16,2009
Tags: Lon Matejczyk, Sean Paige
Newly appointed City Councilman Sean Paige called me last week and left a voicemail saying now that he is on City Council, we can figure out how to build the private-public sports stadium downtown. He was chuckling. I appreciate his enthusiasm for rugby, but when I consider what he’ll mean to the business community, I’m not chuckling. Running [...] [...]
by Published: October 9,2009
Tags: April Fool's, census, Lon Matejczyk
April Fools’ Day 2010 is going to be a very special day. It is Census Day. Since 1790, the census has been conducted every 10 years; it’s a constitutional requirement. The Colorado Springs Metropolitan Statistical Area, including El Paso and Teller Counties, has grown 26 percent; from 490,044 in 1998 to 617,714 in 2008, according to [...] [...]
by Published: October 2,2009
Tags: literacy, Lon Matejczyk
If you can read this, thank your good fortune that you’re not one of the 25 percent of El Paso County third-graders who are reading below their grade level. The Pikes Peak region isn’t doing so well in third-grade reading skills. In El Paso County, 25 percent of public school third-graders are reading below their grade [...] [...]
by Published: September 25,2009
Tags: 2c, Lon Matejczyk, Vote
It is a critical time for Colorado Springs. Voters need to vote for 2C, but with the recent $43 million-plus U.S. Olympic Committee debacle, they have a legitimate right to say they cannot trust city officials. Life’s about timing, I always say, and unfortunately this may be an instance of disastrously bad timing. Elected officials should step [...] [...]
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