Author Archives: Matt G

Woodland Park City Council to keep school sales tax | Pikes Peak Courier | gazette.com

Following repeated threats, compromises and a vote put forth to local taxpayers, Woodland Park’s city council unanimously voted to suspend an ordinance indefinitely to repeal a local sales tax for its public schools during their heavily-attended meeting. The 1.09% sales tax has been in place since 2016 and most recently contributed over $3 million to Woodland Park RE-2’s general fund. Some council members had said revoking these funds is intended to hold the school district accountable for what they believe has been a lack of financial transparency.
— Read on gazette.com/pikespeakcourier/no-more-clown-show-woodland-park-kills-effort-to-repeal-school-sales-tax/article_00930332-fb95-11ef-b417-c7885df231d1.html

Woodland Park City Council signals school funding cut over transparency concerns

During a council meeting last week, council members were visibly frustrated after they received a one-page summary from WPSD showing the six months of spending. The original summary showed money spent on replacing security cameras, software programs, and salaries for teachers at Summit Elementary School, Woodland Park Middle School, and Gateway Elementary, which closed at the beginning of the 2024-2025 academic year.
— Read on www.koaa.com/advocates-of-accountability/woodland-park-city-council-threatens-to-cut-sales-tax-funds-to-school-district-citing-transparency-concerns

Woodland Park City Council livid about school district report | Pikes Peak Courier | gazette.com

Instead of the detailed accounting concerning the 1% sales tax earmarked for the Woodland Park School District that had been negotiated in the intergovernmental agreement between the two entities, the district sent a one-page summary to meet the required Jan. 31 deadline.

The council was livid.
— Read on gazette.com/pikespeakcourier/city-council-livid-about-school-district-report/article_f6a06d86-e566-11ef-b2cb-0b82fce353cd.html

Woodland Park school board passes resolution to recognize “only two sexes,” mirroring Trump order language

Board member Keegan Barkley cast the only no vote. She said the district is facing myriad issues, from school roof leaks, inadequate heating, water breaks and declining enrollment.

“Why now?” she asked her board colleagues. “There are so many other more important, more pressing issues hitting our school right now. Why is this the most important thing on your mind? …Why do we keep focusing on these nonsense issues instead of focusing on things that are actually going to help our students and our school?”

She said Colorado’s anti-discrimination laws, including the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act, require that students have access to restrooms that match their gender identity.

“We would be opening ourselves up to lawsuits,” she said.
— Read on www.cpr.org/2025/01/30/woodland-park-school-board-passes-resolution-to-recognize-only-two-sexes-mirroring-trump-order-language/