Occupy COS Vs Tea Party Permit Fees

The El Paso County Tea Party thinks city leaders may be treating Occupy protesters differently than the Tea Party, specifically when it comes to permit fees. Tea Party organizer Amy Mitchell told me she believes there is a disparity.

I did some checking to get to the bottom of this alleged disparity. The Tea Party wants to hold a repeat April 15th Tax Day in Acacia Park. The fee for this protest includes 750 dollars for park rental, 150 dollar refundable damage deposit, 25 dollar application fee and paying for electricity used during the event and insurance and security to make sure it’s safe and no one gets hurt.

The Occupy movement paid 100 dollars for a revocable right of way permit. It allows the group to be near the sidewalks but not put tents and tables in the park.

That location of the protest is a huge reason city leaders have a different fee structure for the two events. Tea Party Organizer Amy Mitchell told me she sees the difference but still believes that Occupy has a presence in the park. Mitchell still wants to have a conversation with the Colorado Springs Mayor Steve Bach about what she believes is a disparity.