True Leadership is Hard to Find
It has been noted that President Ronald Reagan gave a pithy comment when staff asked about how to handle a particular economic crisis of the 1980’s, he said, “Don’t just stand there, go undo something!” The Federal Government has revamped the CARES ACT to provide very low interest loans to struggling businesses there by all but eliminating the interest owed.
Contrast this sentiment with the apparent agenda that Broomfield City Council and Mayor Quinn seem to be implementing amidst the COVID-19 Stay At Home Order.
Misplaced Focus - Lawsuits and Pay Raises?
While an economic contagion spreads across Broomfield and Colorado, City Council has been more focused on forging forward with a political agenda to shut down oil and gas production in Broomfield. City Council needs to be laser focused on allowing the rebuilding of small businesses and the community at large. They must reject the distraction, tension and financial burden of fighting the Temporary Restraining Order that Extraction Oil and Gas was forced to implement to protect themselves against the misguided actions of City Council. The situation has become so tenuous that Extraction has publicly questioned Broomfield leaderships’ ability to protect it’s citizens during the pandemic.
In addition, despite the tremendous suffering that restaurants and a slew of other small businesses are experiencing now, certain Broomfield City Councilmembers are floating the idea of giving themselves huge pay raises with full health and retirement benefits to the tune of $3,000 plus per month. This would fundamentally transform the structure of City Council by shifting from an essentially volunteer, part time, civil servant position to a full time, fully paid employment position. This will undoubtedly attract a different type of candidate. City Manager, Jennifer Hoffman estimates these changes will cost Broomfield Tax payers a staggering $500,000 per year. Despite during their campaigns, being fully apprised of the time commitment, committee engagement and additional responsibilities, this City Council wants to vote themselves a raise!
Squeezing in Housing, Income, and Business Subsidies
In addition to being focused on increasing the budget expenditures they are also driving earnest business out of Broomfield. Through a new ordinance, City Council now requires developers to take low income housing into consideration. In a cash-in lieu or land-in lieu style contribution City Council has concocted a plan to place the burden of fixing a low income housing issue on future developers who wish to invest in Broomfield. The plan would force developers to include an additional plan to fund and implement low income housing with their bid for their own development project. This could trigger immeasurable complications.
City Council is further extending government subsidies in two ways ultimately at the expense of taxpayers. To assist low income tax payers, the city is expanding the Enhance Broomfield business grant program, and low income rent assistance through Bridge The Gap program .
Enhance Broomfield was created to encourage businesses to enhance their “curb appeal” in the city. City staff is now recommending that this questionable program be extended to cover expenses to keep businesses open. As with any good government program, there are strings attached, including closely examining how business are treating workers before they would qualify for the assistance.
Bridge the Gap provides housing assistance to Broomfield Residents that have lost wages due to COVID-19. This is a new program launched by the City of Broomfield, and will be managed through Broomfield Health and Human Services.
Budget Impacts Looming?
While programs like Bridge the Gap and Enhance Broomfield sound good on the surface, the larger question is - how is the City of Broomfield going to manage these priorities in the midst of the economic and health crises that we are facing?
Here at BTM, we are suggesting that the focus needs to be on removing obstacles to recovery and healing by easing government restrictions. Instead, Broomfield City Council is doubling down on ever increasing programs and pet agendas. These issues will complicate the difficult path toward recovery that the Broomfield Community finds itself on. These are not the priorities of the hard working taxpayers of Broomfield.
We ask the City Council to focus on what the tax payers need now and well into the future and cast aside their agendas that are taking advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic. If you agree, please contact the Broomfield City Council and City Staff and voice your concerns.