Pueblo County commissioner criticizes EPC voters

The election night defeat of Question 1B in El Paso County disappointed local elected leaders but also puzzled one in neighboring Pueblo County.

Commissioner Sal Pace said he can’t understand why voters rejected the issue that would have assessed a monthly fee to property owners and raised $40 million annually for 20 years. The money would have been used to fund more than 100 priority stormwater projects.

El Paso County voters also influenced the end of the Stormwater Enterprise in 2011 by voting to repeal it. The plan assessed a fee to property owners based on how much water drained from their property.

“(Pueblo) has a stormwater enterprise in place that’s been there for three decades. Colorado Springs is the only major city in the state without (one) and that’s completely irresponsible.”

Pace said he’s surprised that El Paso County wouldn’t vote for a plan to provide more protection from flash flooding.

“Let alone what the flooding does to us when it flows south in Fountain Creek,” he said. “Erosion, sediment, debris.”

Pace also accused Colorado Springs and Colorado Springs Utilities of failing to honor a 2009 agreement that allowed the utility to build part of its Southern Delivery System water pipeline through Pueblo County.

“They promised to correct their stormwater issues,” he said. “And that was when they had the stormwater enterprise. After the agreement, the enterprise went away and they’re doing even less than they were to honor their agreement.”

Pace was reluctant to say whether Pueblo County would consider legal action in the matter.

“We have to see if we can hold Colorado Springs accountable for promises made and broken,” he said.

Pace said the Colorado Springs City Council and El Paso County commissioners are being responsible in trying to address stormwater issues. However, he expressed frustration with Colorado Springs Mayor Steve Bach’s involvement.

Keith King, president of the Colorado Springs City Council, called the defeat of 1B “a pretty big defeat.”

“Utilities customers might see some rate increases due to the stormwater issues,” he said. “We’ll have to see how that goes.”

Dave Grossman, spokesman for Colorado Springs Utilities, emphasized that no stormwater fee or tax currently exists and there’s been no discussion about other possible utility rate increases.

Dennis Hisey, chairman of the El Paso County Board of Commissioners, believes the defeat of 1B doesn’t reflect an opposition to stormwater improvements.

“I think our question was just too confusing and people said they weren’t going to vote on it or they didn’t understand it, so they voted against it,” he said. “We’ll just have to start with a clean slate.”

Rachel Beck, spokeswoman for the group spearheading 1B — Citizens For Responsible Stormwater Action — declined an interview request Wednesday.

“We gave it our best shot,” she said via phone. “It’s up to our elected leaders to take the next step.”