By John Boren

On Tuesday, Oct. 11, at 7 p.m. The Pueblo City Council met. Only five of the seven members were present: Vincente Martinez Ortega and Larry Atencio were not present.

Councilor Sarah Martinez proposed that an ordinance be drafted to get a first reading at the next meeting that would remove the 3.7% city sales tax on menstrual products and diapers, also known as the pink tax. This is to coincide with the removal of the state sales tax on these products, which was a bipartisan law that was signed by Governor Polis back in August.

The rising problem of people experiencing homeless was brought up again at the meeting. President Heather Graham of the City Council went to 15-20 separate homeless camps and mentioned that many of these people are not local Puebloans and have come from elsewhere. Graham shared one story as she saw two people living in a camper covered in solar panels from Pennsylvania, and they told her, “they have been living down there for the last year cause it’s easy to live down there because the city doesn’t do anything about it.”

There will also be several ordinances drafted up that will replicate the ordinances that Aurora and Colorado Springs will be up for first readings to help deal with the homeless issues communities face. The councilors ask that their constituents show up to voice their opinions on this reoccurring issue because of problems with safety and crime brought to the community. 

The City Council Approved many ordinances for grants to help struggling businesses and non-profits. One ordinance allowed $5,000 from ARPA, American Rescue Plan Act, to be given and used by the El Pueblo History Museum as they have struggled since covid. 

On Saturday, Oct. 29, at the State Fair Grounds, there is a free team up to clean up event where you can bring trash, such as your old mattresses, to dispose of.

Tuesday, Nov. 8 at 9:30 a.m. at PCC, there will be an Economic Outlook Forum where economist Dr. Tatiana Bailey will be speaking.