Colorado Springs Mayor, Police Chief suggest using TABOR money to train new police officers

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - A new proposed ballot initiative in Colorado Springs would allow voters to decide if part of their tax refund can go towards training new police officers.

Monday morning, Colorado Springs police Chief Adrian Vasquez told the city council that the physical space to train recruits and turn them into active police officers is lacking. Because of that, he and Mayor Yemi Mobolade suggested residents' tax refunds be part of that solution.

The pair urged the city council to put the question on the November ballot for voters to decide.

If it gains the support and votes of the public, taxpayers would surrender about $25 to $30 of the money they're owed through the Taxpayer Bill of Rights, known as TABOR.

The money collected would amount to nearly $5 million and would be used to create new space to train police recruits.

Not every council member is on board with the idea.

"Hey, $25 $30 to some, to many families is still an important amount of money applied to their utility bill, and it is their money, all right? It's easy for government to say, well, hey, let's just hang on to that. We've got good ideas with it. Well, it's not ours to hang on to," said Colorado Springs City Councilman Dave Donnelson.

For the proposed ballot question to make it onto a citywide ballot, the city council must approve the action by a majority vote.

The vote is expected at the city council meeting at the end of July.