Like the rest of the nation, Colorado and its cities are facing tough decisions in this economic recession, but Colorado Springs has faced national attention over its budget issues. Among the pieces included in this month’s Western Skies, we’ll have a conversation about the complexities of the city budget, an upside to what some may see as a downside, and, we’ll talk about how some residents are taking matters into their own hands.

You can download the full episode, or, listen here:

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You can also head to individual segments and listen to them as aired, or find complete interviews:

Roundtable discussion featuring Councilors Jan Martin and Sean Paige, and Gazette columnist Barry Noreen
Does misery love company? How Wichita, KS approaches their budget
The “adopt-a” phenomenon in Colorado Springs
Dark skies over Colorado Springs
Secession, you say?
A day in the life at Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Site

Western Skies is a collaboration between KRCC News and The Big Something.

The budget is a complicated issue in city hall, and our roundtable this month features a discussion with Colorado Springs Councilors Jan Martin and Sean Paige, and Gazette columnist Barry Noreen. We held the roundtable discussion in the courtroom at the Pioneer Museum, because in many ways, it’s one of the public faces of the budget issues facing the city. We talk about the struggles, nuances, and decisions facing our voters and elected officials.

Listen to or download the edited conversation:

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There are many topics we talked about that simply didn’t make the cut for air that also speak to the challenges facing the city, things like the double-TABOR effect, the Sustainable Funding Committee and the City Committee, and the oft referenced notion of changing the property tax to sales tax ratio. You can listen to or download the full conversation (about an hour long):

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To read more about the Colorado Springs city budget past and preset, the government portal has this guide.

Special thanks to Matt Mayberry and the Pioneer Museum for opening up the courtroom for our roundtable discussion. Engineered by Noel Black and Craig Richardson, produced by Noel Black, Craig Richardson, and Andrea Chalfin.