Pueblo City Council trusts voters to cut costs

Pueblo City Council is taking a nearly $2 million leap of faith. Council is banking on voters passing Measure 1A in November.

If approved, it would raise the sales tax by half a cent to benefit six non-profits: Colorado State Fair, Historic Arkansas Riverwalk of Pueblo, Nature and Raptor Center, Sangre de Cristo Arts and Conference Center, Pueblo Animal Services and the Pueblo Zoo.

Council decided not to include those nonprofits in next year’s budget, which would save council about $1.8 million. Council also cut funding to the Pueblo Chamber of Commerce by $100,000 and eliminated funding altogether for the YMCA– a total of $100,000.

In all, council trimmed nearly $2.5 million Monday night from its $3 million deficit.