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Mayor Hancock Moves Forward with a Balanced, Sustainable Plan to Serve Denver's Financial Future
As explained in previous editions of this newsletter, the City faces a fundamental structural problem with its finances. Many of the things the City pays for (health care, fuel, equipment) are increasing in cost faster than inflation. At the same time, many of the sources of the City's revenue to pay for these things are growing more slowly than inflation (sales taxes, fees, fines, the "head tax"). If we don't fix this problem, we will face the long-term prospect of having to cut roughly $30 million from our budget, year after year after year, regardless of any improvements in the economy.
For the past year, a group of business and civic leaders (including your very own Councilman), appointed by the Mayor, have served on the Structural Financial Task Force (SFTF) to figure out how we fix this problem. City expenditures and revenues have been analyzed, a huge number of innovative ideas to lower the growth rate of City expenditures and increase the growth rate of City revenues have been vetted, and a comprehensive menu of options for putting Denver back on a sound long-term financial footing has been delivered to the Mayor and City Council. (Click here to see the report and learn more about the SFTF).
After reviewing the nearly 30 suggestions recommended by the Task Force, the Mayor has devised a balanced four-part package that will help solve the City's structural budget gap and establish a responsible and sustainable financial future for Denver.
What does this package entail?
- Achieving Efficiency Savings by fully implementing "Peak Performance," "LEAN," and "Strategic Resource Alignment" initiatives. The Mayor is moving forward with nine of the Task Force's efficiency recommendations to streamline services and realize an estimated $10 million in annual savings.
- Reducing Costs by making smart adjustments to employee compensation, including salaries, healthcare and pensions. Mayor Hancock is advancing three of the Task Force's cost-reduction recommendations, which will save an estimated $5 million annually, allowing the city to deliver the highest-quality services at the lowest possible cost while remaining fair to our employees and competitive in the marketplace for top talent. .
- Growing the Economy by enacting three recommendations, including collaborating with business groups to expand the city's retail sector, ensure high-rises and office buildings stay fully occupied, and facilitate sustainable development of vacant properties around Denver. The Mayor is also proposing to exempt new equipment purchased by Denver businesses from the Business Personal Property Tax for up to four years as an incentive for Denver business to vigorously reinvest and grow.
- Enhancing Revenues by asking the City Council to place on the November ballot a measure to permanently lift the revenue and spending restrictions imposed by TABOR. This full and permanent "de-Brucing" will allow the city to retain about $44 million a year initially and $68 million over time. These funds will help erase the City's structural budget gap and will immediately be deployed to restore library hours, eliminate furloughs, hire police and fire recruits, replace aging police and fire vehicles, and repave city streets.
This package represents a vital and important step forward to put our City on a sound financial footing. But City Hall cannot do this alone; it will take all of us working together to make our city better, faster, stronger, and more globally competitive. Mayor Hancock will formally submit his proposal to the City Council in July. (See this chart of the proposed plan.) Stay posted in this newsletter to find out how you can help Move Denver Forward. |
Mayor Michael Hancock's 2012 "State of the City" Address
When: Monday, July 16, 10:00 am
Where: Denver Museum of Nature & Science, South Atrium - 2001 Colorado Blvd
If you want to hear more about the plan for Denver's fiscal future come to the Mayor's "State of the City" address on July 16th. We encourage you to bicycle or take public transportation. Plan your trip at www.Denver.Bcycle.com or www.RTD-Denver.com. Spread the word - no invitation needed. |
"Beat the Heat" with Denver Pools Weekend Special - Kids Swim for FREE!
Keep your kids off the couch this summer. Send them to the pool instead - for FREE! Every Saturday and Sunday until August 12, Denver youth ages 17 and younger will have FREE access to 16 swimming pools across the city. Adults swim for a buck. Click here to "Beat the Heat" and find your nearest pool. |
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Denver Golf Offers Fun "Family Day Program" and "First Tee"
Looking for another way to bond with your kids? Check out Denver Golf's new "Family/Beginner Days." The program features forward tees and oversized holes to increase success and decrease frustration. Click here for more details and the full schedule.
If this doesn't fit into your schedule, check out "First Tee of Denver." With over 80 different classes this summer at five golf locations there is sure to be a spot that works. Click here to view our entire schedule and descriptions of all of the classes. |
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Coming Soon - Recreation Center Open Houses!
Golf, swimming, concerts in the park, wonder what else Denver Rec Centers offer? Come find out. Denver Parks and Recreation will be hosting Open Houses in Recreation Centers all across Denver in the upcoming weeks. Make plans to bring a friend and stop by a Recreation Center near you to check out the great opportunities and amenities available for you to take advantage of right in your own neighborhood. Open House dates and locations:
SE Region - July 12 - 14
NW Region - July 19 - 21
SW Region - July 26 - 28
NE Region - Aug. 2 - 4
Recreation staff will be available for tours, questions, activity demonstrations. Free Visit passes will be available (fitness classes not included), but drop in to swim and use the gym. Click here to find out what region you are in and to get a full list of Open House dates and locations. |
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River Vision Public Meeting - July 19
Thursday, July 19th, 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Harvard Gulch Rec Center, 550 E. Illiff Ave
Here is another exciting new development for recreational space in Denver: The South Platte River Corridor. Much of this 11-mile stretch is industrial now but has the potential to be an urban prize (much like its River North/Confluence Park predecessor). Denver's population will grow substantially over the next several decades. We want to provide great places for all our new citizens to live, work, and play. Come see the emerging vision for the South Platte Corridor and learn more about how it will encourage economic development, promote community revitalization, and enhance urban recreational opportunities. Share your input and imagination.
If you are unable to attend, there will be additional opportunities to participate. Stay tuned to the District 7 Newsletter and the South Platte Corridor project website. Send an email request to be notified of updates and future meetings over the next six months.
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Ruby Hill First Ever Music Event: July 12 To get a taste of what is to come when the River South Vision becomes a reality, check out the Greenway Foundation's summer concerts-on-the-river event at Ruby Hill on July 12 -- the first ever held outside Confluence Park. This concert even features Mary Louise Lee -- Denver's very own first lady. The concert starts at 6:30 p.m. and is free and open to the public. Click here for more details. |
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River Cleanup Removes 40 Cubic Yards of Trash From the South Platte
Can't come to the public meeting or attend the first-ever concert but want to do your part to make our river better? Help us keep it clean. This spring, more than 100 volunteers helped clean up the South Platte River collecting a total of 40 cubic yards of trash. An estimated 50 percent of the waste came from food, Styrofoam packaging, and plastic bags.
The event was the first of three river "sweeps" designed to remove debris, as well as create an inventory to determine the types of trash most commonly found in the South Platte River. The inventory will be used by the Greenway Foundation to create a large-scale educational campaign aimed at improving water quality by changing behaviors related to trash disposal.
Two river cleanups remain - Saturday, July 21 and Saturday, September 29 -- and there is still time to volunteer! Cleanup locations are along the South Platte River:
- Cherry Creek to City of Cuernavaca Park
- Johnson Habitat Park
- AquaGolf Pond to Santa Fe Ave
- Bear Creek to Hampden Blvd
Click here to learn more about what you can do to keep our river clean. |
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Take the "Grasscycle Pledge" Today!
Do your part for the environment and commit to "Grasscycling" this summer. It's easy! Instead of bagging and throwing away your grass clippings, leave them on the lawn (or ask your lawn service to do so). "Grasscycling" is the natural way to recycle grass clippings and provide your lawn with the valuable nutrients and water it needs.
Last spring, Denver residents raked, bagged, and dumped nearly 50,000 tons of grass clippings into the trash. If residents had left those clippings on their lawns the city would have saved more than $500,000 in landfill disposal fees and significantly reduced greenhouse gases generated by clippings buried in landfills. Leaving clippings on the lawn helps water conservation efforts as well. Click here and take the "Grasscycle Pledge" today! |
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"South Pearl Jam" Music Festival on Old South Pearl Street - July 14, 1pm to 10pm
Here's another fun summer thing to do. Check out local bands, brews, and food at the "South Pearl Jam." If you can't get there by bike or on foot, remember that the festival site is just one block from the Louisiana/Pearl RTD light rail station. Show your RTD ticket stub for a discounted admission. Bring chairs and blankets (but no outside food or drink). Click here for a complete band line-up. |
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20th Annual Kaiser Permanente "Moonlight Classic" Bike Ride
Do you hate riding your bike in traffic? Register now for the 20th Annual Kaiser Permanente "Moonlight Classic" and enjoy the freedom of riding your bike through 10 miles of downtown Denver streets closed off from traffic for your safety. See Denver in a fresh way as you pedal through a course that starts at the State Capitol and cruises by some of Denver's prettiest places. Ride one loop or as many as you can before hitting the finish line at 2 a.m. Sunday, July 15th. Join 5,000 of your closest family and friends for a night of moonlight cycling, midnight snacks, music, and more.
Date: Saturday, July 14, 2012
Time: On-site registration starts at 8:30 p.m.
Family Wave starts at 10:30 p.m.
Casual Cruiser Wave at 11:00 p.m.
Gonzo Wave starts at 11:30 p.m.
Start line closes at 12:30 p.m.
Location: Colorado State Capitol, 200 East Colfax Ave.
Fees: Adults $35; seniors over 60, $30; & Children under 12, $20
Register Online at: www.Moonlight-Classic.com
The Moonlight Classic benefits Seniors Inc. and is a family & community ride, not a race. The relaxed attitude and safe route makes the event accessible for kids of all ages. Helmets and bicycle night lights are required. For more information visit www.Moonlight-Classic.com. |
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2012 Denver Bike Maps Now Available!
If you're a bicyclist and can only have one map of Denver, this is the one to get. It's easy to read, covers the area from Commerce City to Cherry Creek State Park, and even includes a bicycle route to the airport! Plus, it's printed on durable water-proof stuff, so it can hold up against the elements as well as you do. It also has an enlarged map of downtown, a list of local bike laws, and safety tips. Check out the PDF. You can also get a print copy from many Denver Recreation Centers or the BikeDenver office at 27th and Larimer.
The best thing about the City bike map is that it shows you all of the City's recommended street routes for bicyclists. Get one today and check out all of Denver's great new striped bike lanes! |
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Denver Institutes Immediate Fire Ban for Mountain Parks
Denver Parks & Rec has instituted a fire ban in Denver Mountain Parks, effective immediately. This temporary fire ban will remain in effect until superseded or rescinded by the Manager of Denver Parks & Rec. Click here to learn more about the restrictions. |
Denver Police District 4 Facebook Page
Police District 4 works hard to protect you and your neighborhood. Now they're using social media to do more. Visit the new Police District 4 Facebook page for updates and crime prevention information. Don't forget to give them a "thumbs up" for all of their efforts. |
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Sick of Graffiti? Join the Denver "Brush Off" Community Challenge
Tired of seeing graffiti your neighborhood? Become part of a movement to keep our communities graffiti-free. The "Brush Off" program asks folks to adopt a frequently vandalized spot in their neighborhood and pledge to keep it clean. The program provides paint and supplies; the community provides elbow grease and commitment. Take the pledge today! |
Denver County Cultural Council Vacancy - Interested?
If you are engaged in your community, have experience with art, cultural, scientific, or historical organizations, and are looking to do more, consider applying to serve on the Denver County Cultural Council (DCCC). The DCCC is authorized by the State to distribute Scientific & Cultural Facilities District Tier III revenues to cultural organizations in Denver. Serving on the Council requires 15 to 20 hours a month with workloads peaking during the annual grant application review period (March through June). The term for the vacant position is for three years, beginning on October 1, 2012, and is renewable for an additional term for a total of six years. Click here for an application or contact Ginger.White@DenverGov.org. The deadline to apply is Monday, July 30 at 5pm. |
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Apply Now: Denver Commission on Cultural Affairs Seeking Members
The Arts & Venues Denver seeks enthusiastic, innovative, and civic minded leaders with experience in marketing, dance, gallery ownership, film, and philanthropy to participate on the Denver Commission on Cultural Affairs. The role of the commission is to provide advice and input to the Mayor and Denver City Council. The Commission meets the 1st Tuesday of each month from 4:00 to 6:00 pm at various art/cultural sites across the City. Interested applicants should submit an application and résumé by close of business Wed, July 11. Contact Anthony Aragon at 720-865-9032 with questions. |
Denver's Animal Care & Control Advisory Committee Needs You!
Do you love animals and Denver's great neighborhoods? Do you want to help them both thrive? If so, apply for a spot on Denver's Animal Care & Control Advisory Committee. The committee meets on the first Tuesday of every month from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm at the Webb Building or Denver Animal Shelter. Click here for more information. Interested in applying? Send your resume to: Doug Linkhart, Department of Environmental Health, 200 W. 14th Avenue, Suite 300, Denver, CO 80204. |
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Protect Your Pet: Denver Animal Shelter Offers Weekend Pet Vaccination Clinics
You can also show your love by protecting your pet with the proper vaccinations. Take advantage of Denver Animal Shelter's (DAS) new Saturday clinics from 9:30 to noon at 1241 W. Bayaud Ave. Cats must be in carriers, dogs must be on a leash.
- $35 - includes rabies vaccination, distemper/parvo and a (1) year license for Denver County residents or out of county residents that use Denver dog parks.
- $55 - includes rabies vaccination, distemper/parvo and a (3) three year license for Denver county residents or out of county residents that use Denver dog parks.
The shelter will continue to offer Wednesday vaccination clinics from 2:00pm to 4:30pm for dogs only. For more information on DAS license and microchip clinics throughout the summer, visit www.DenverAnimalShelter.org |
Denver's Second Annual Denver County Fair
Are you a fan of homemade jam? Do you long to eat a fried pickle? Want to enter a hot dog eating contest? Win a blue ribbon? You don't have to go out to the country. Instead, check out the second annual "Denver County Fair," Aug 10th- 12 th at the National Western Stockshow Complex, 4655 Humboldt. The fair features 10 different pavilions, each with its own theme including:
- Welcome
- Animals
- Buy Local
- Farm & Garden
- Holistic Health
- Fashion
- Art
- Sustainability
- Kitchen
- Youth
Fun for everyone is guaranteed. Click here for ticket information. |
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Denver Urban Renewal Authority Home Repair Program
Have you been putting off critical home repairs? This summer, take the steps necessary to preserve your house and protect your home. For more than 35 years, the Denver Urban Renewal Authority (DURA) has provided low- or zero-interest loans to qualifying low- and moderate- income Denver homeowners for needed home improvements and emergency home repairs. Qualifying repairs include: roofing, furnace, plumbing, water heater & sewer line repair/replacement, exterior/interior paining, windows, & doors, kitchen & bathroom repairs, electrical, sidewalks & driveways, insulation, and handicap accessibility. Loans are processed on a first come, first qualified basis, and funds are limited. For more information, including loan guidelines, contact DURA at 303-534-3872. |
Mayor Hancock and Local Sponsors Launch Free Summer Food Program When school lets out for summer a shocking number of children go underfed. Mayor Hancock, Denver Public Schools, Food Bank of the Rockies, and Hunger Free Colorado have launched "Denver's Summer Food Service Program" (SFSP) to make sure kids under the age of 18 have access to good healthy food every day. Click here for more information and a list of SFSP sites. |
Fall 2012 Transit Alliance Citizens' Academy
Do you dig public transportation? Are you interested in making Metro Denver a better place to live? Sign up for the Transit Alliance Citizen's Academy.
The Citizen's Academy will host a maximum of 60 participants over 7 weeks to discuss the complex linkages between transportation, community development and sustainability. These complexities and their relationship to the goals of the Denver Metro Region are covered in a program of speakers drawn from a diversity of expertise, such as the development community, public health sector, municipal government, and the Regional Transportation District itself.
The cornerstone of this unique program is that participants will take their new knowledge and put it in action. Each session will be designed to be very interactive and participants will be asked to follow-up each session with a homework assignment. In addition, participants will spend a portion of each class designing their individual action plan that they will implement in their community upon completing the Academy.
Participation is free but participants will be selected on the basis of demonstrated leadership ability and commitment to make future contributions to transportation, community development, healthy living, and improving the quality of life in Metro Denver.
The Academy will meet on Wednesday evenings from 6 - 9 p.m. for seven consecutive weeks beginning September 12 and ending on October 24. Meetings will be held at the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, 1445 Market Street, 5th Floor, Denver, CO.
APPLICATIONS ARE DUE FRIDAY, AUGUST 17. For more information and the application form, check the website at www.transitalliance.org/Academy. |
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Platt Park Peoples Association Annual Picnic-in-the-Park: July 28
It's time to celebrate summer with Platt Park Peoples Association (3PA) for their 10th annual "Picnic in the Park". Enjoy music, drawings for very desirable donated items from local merchants, and fun activities for all.
When: Saturday, July 28, 6:00pm
Where: Platt Park (Logan St. between Florida & Iowa)
For more information on this event and other 3PA activities check the website at www.3pa.org. |
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