Latest news with #AmandaSawyer
CBS News
07-05-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Controversial pay raise proposal goes to vote by full Denver City Council
A Denver City Council committee on Tuesday moved to send a controversial pay raise proposal for a dozen mayoral appointees to a vote by the full Denver City Council. The proposed raises, with some as high as 30% to 40%, have stirred both support and opposition as they come at a time when the city is bracing for flat tax revenues. Denver City and County Building in Colorado. John Greim/Loop Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images The economic outlook has prompted city financial experts to warn that government agencies should keep expenses flat through 2026. Some budget-cutting steps are already in motion. "There is never a good time to have this conversation," said council member Amanda Sawyer, who added that "We have to pay our people fairly." The pay raises would cover a dozen mayoral appointees whose salaries are governed by the city charter, so it takes a city council vote to make the adjustments. Among the pay bumps: -A proposed 17.2% raise for the Manager of DIA, taking his salary from $347,000 to $406,000 -A proposed 43.6% raise for the Manager of Finance, taking that salary from $185,000 to $266,000 -A proposed 31.9% raise for the Manager of Human Services, raising the salary from $176,000 to $232,000 Jeff Dolan, Mayor Mike Johnston's Chief Strategy officer, and Carla Anthony, deputy director of human resources for the city, told the council finance and governance committee members that the appointees had not received any pay or merit increases since 2022, and that the salary increases were necessary to keep the city competitive and retain qualified department heads. While several council members expressed support for the proposed increases, council member Flor Alvidrez expressed reservations, noting that some city janitors have already had their work schedules cut from four days a week to two. "So when I compare the need of that person to someone making over $200,000, it hurts my heart," said Alvidrez. Earlier this week, Denver property owners who have been paying their property taxes for years via credit card with no additional charges found out that starting May 1, they would be charged an additional 2.5% service charge if they opted to put their property taxes on their credit card. The Denver Department of Finance said that in 2024, "The city absorbed over $17 million in credit card processing fees. This new service fee will help ensure the city's payment system aligns with the practices in surrounding jurisdictions and supports the cost of service." The department said the new card fee would apply to credit and debit card payments. The question of appointee pay increases is scheduled to go to the full council in early June.
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Denver passes ordinance limiting new gas stations around the city
DENVER (KDVR) — On Tuesday, the Denver City Council approved an ordinance limiting gas stations around the city to address the housing crisis. According to the city council in a press release, the ordinance amends the Denver Zoning Code and updates Denver's land use policy on gas station development. In short, new gas stations cannot be built in certain parts of Denver. Denver officials unveil a new affordable housing development in Central Park This ordinance comes after councilmembers Diana Romero Campbell, Amanda Sawyer and Paul Kashmann proposed the law, arguing that Denver needs more residencies than gas stations. As Sawyer put it in December 2024, 'We have a housing crisis. We don't have a gas station crisis.' 'After a year of working on this text amendment, we have a thoughtful update to the zoning code. Existing gas stations can still operate, new stations can still open and our city will have another tool to address the housing crisis to keep residents in Denver,' said Campbell. The ordinance passed in a 12-1 vote. Councilmember Flor Alvidrez for District 7 was the only one to vote against the ordinance, stating that not building a gas station doesn't mean there will be affordable housing in place. 'We can't force businesses, or housing, to go exactly where we want them,' Alvidrez. Before the ordinance passed, this is where gas stations could be built: Here's where gas stations can now be built, following the guidelines, after the ordinance was passed: Now, the council said gas stations without plans submitted by May 13, 2024, can't be built within a quarter mile of an existing gas station, light rail station or within 300 feet of low-intensity residential zone districts, like single-unit and two-unit properties. Vacant Denver hotel for sale for $10, could soon provide housing to the unhoused To encourage grocery store development in underserved neighborhoods, the council said gas stations can be built within these buffers if they include a building of at least 20,000 square feet with a structure intended for food sales or other community-serving uses. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Axios
29-01-2025
- Business
- Axios
Denver may revamp its public financing laws
Major changes could be on the horizon for Denver's taxpayer-funded campaign finance system. Why it matters: A retool of the Fair Elections Fund could impact who runs for office and how millions in public money will be used by future mayoral, city council, city auditor and clerk and recorder candidates. Context: Denver City Council's proposed changes to the program include: Banning anonymous donations; Listing ways donations can't be spent, including on alcohol or marijuana; Simplifying and clarifying the election code to make it easier for potential candidates to understand how they can run for office. The changes also call for clarifying rules about mandatory debates to ensure fairness, and strengthening and clarifying the investigatory duties for staff responsible for overseeing campaign finance complaints. Driving the news: Denver City Councilmembers Amanda Sawyer and Darrell Watson introduced the bill with the proposed tweaks during a committee meeting Tuesday. Sawyer said the changes would "strengthen" the city's campaign finance program. Context: The Fair Elections Fund, which provides qualifying candidates with a 9-to-1 public match for donations of up to $50, was crafted to level the playing field for people seeking municipal office. The program provided $7.7 million during the 2023 election cycle, according to a report from the Clerk and Recorder's office, which oversees the fund. Not all candidates used it during that cycle. Between the lines: Denver City Clerk and Recorder Paul López supports the bill, per a letter sent to the city council. The intrigue: While a candidate survey in last year's clerks and recorder report suggested the program influenced their decision to run for office, at least $1.7 million was given to people who had no chance of winning their respective races, an Axios Denver analysis found. What's next: The full Denver City Council is scheduled to host a required public hearing on the proposal on Feb. 18.
