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• District could raise lunch fees to pay for "free" breakfasts Play Video

  March 22, 2013 9:26 PM

  COLORADO SPRINGS - As the bell rang for the start of school Friday morning at Queen Palmer Elementary, students found a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal, a carton of milk, string cheese and an apple laid out on their desks. The school began serving breakfast "after the bell" two... more »

• Budget cuts to hit military school districts first

  March 2, 2013 12:23 PM

  FORT HOOD, Texas (AP) - While public schools everywhere will be affected by the government's automatic budget cuts, few will feel the funding pinch faster than those on and around military bases. School districts with military ties from coast-to-coast are bracing for increased class sizes and delayed building repairs. Others... more »

• Impact of possible federal budget cuts hit close to home Play Video

  March 1, 2013 12:18 AM

  Republicans and democrats continue to point the finger at one another for not reaching an agreement on spending. President Barack Obama wants more revenue raised from taxing the wealthiest, while republicans want deeper spending cuts from the President and democrats in Congress. The impact of Friday's possible cuts... more »

• Head Start, Early Head Start funding on federal chopping block

  February 25, 2013 7:04 PM

  If Congress fails to act, budget cuts could seriously impact local children and their access to early childhood education. The 'sequester'-- a series of automatic budget cuts-- has left funding for programs like Head Start and Early Head Start on the chopping block. The program provides free preschool and comprehensive... more »

• Budget cuts increased fire risk in parks and open space

  January 16, 2013 10:52 PM

  COLORADO SPRINGS - At roughly 14,000 total acres, the City of Colorado Springs parks and opens spaces are big part of the community's identity. But without the right stewardship, they can also be dangerous, especially to homeowners who live at the boundaries. City forester Paul Smith explains when the... more »

• Safety concerns surface following police department budget cuts

  November 26, 2012 10:50 PM

  Palmer Lake Police Chief Kieth Moreland will be out of a job Dec. 6 following massive budget cuts effecting the police department. Those living in the community are now left wondering if their safety will be put at risk. Bill McDonald has felt a strong sense of security... more »

• Layoffs likely as D11 board discusses budget cuts Play Video

  April 25, 2012 7:34 PM

  As many as 54 jobs are on the block as the District 11 Board of Education takes a preliminary vote tonight to cut some $8.6 million from the 2012-2013 school year budget. Of the job cuts identified, 25 would come from schools, around 17 from central administration and another 12... more »

• School board to consider eliminating 48 positions

  March 20, 2012 8:54 PM

  Budget cuts could force Colorado Springs School District 11 to eliminate as many as four dozen full-time teaching positions next year. Under a budget proposal up for consideration by the D11 board of education, all 48 Literacy Resource Teacher positions would be eliminated as the district attempts to close an... more »

• Expert says reported military cuts may not be too bad at Fort Carson Play Video

  January 26, 2012 12:42 AM

  Some big changes could be on the horizon for Fort Carson and Southern Colorado as a whole. The Pentagon is cutting its budget around $260,000,000,000 over the next five years. Military sources have leaked that as part of budget cuts, the Army plans to reduce the number of combat brigades... more »

• Area schools eyeing more budget cuts Play Video

  November 4, 2011 12:42 AM

  It seems another, deeper round of budget cuts are on the horizon for Colorado Springs schools. On Tuesday voters across the state defeated Proposition 103, which would have raised sales and income taxes to help fund schools. District 11 CFO Glenn Gustafson says cuts in his district will be steep.... more »

• Budget cuts may hit weather satellites

  August 9, 2011 11:38 AM

  BOULDER, Colo. (AP) - Weather forecasters in the United States may be forced to rely on European satellites for some of their weather information because of federal budget cuts. University of Oklahoma professor Berrien Moore says only four satellites supply data for weather forecasts, and that number could drop to... more »

• Durango donors give $200K to prevent school cuts

  May 29, 2011 2:59 PM

  DURANGO, Colo. (AP) - Colorado schools have been bracing for painful budget cuts next year because of declining state support. In Durango, local philanthropists are giving some $200,000 to make sure school cuts in their community don't go too deep. The Durango-based Marc and Jane Katz Family Fund is... more »

• Congressman pitches feds on Fort Lyon

  May 22, 2011 11:37 AM

  DENVER (AP) - A Colorado congressman is pushing for the federal government to find a new purpose for a Bent County state prison due to be closed next year because of state budget cuts. Republican Rep. Cory Gardner has written a letter to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs urging... more »

• Group pushes for tax initiative for parks

  May 3, 2011 8:09 PM

  Would you vote for a tax increase if the money was dedicated specifically to parks? That's the question that a group calling themselves Great Parks Great Communities wants to put before voters this fall. They announced plans Tuesday to ask El Paso County Commissioners to put a measure on... more »

• Parks group to seek ballot initiative

  May 3, 2011 12:33 PM

  A group calling themselves Great Parks - Great Communities plans to ask the El Paso County Commissioners to approve a ballot initiative seeking a 0.015 percent sales tax increase to fund operations and basic maintenance of parks, trails and open spaces in the county. The Sustainable Parks Initiative is... more »

• D-49 still working to handle budget cuts for next year

  April 15, 2011 1:10 AM

  Thursday night the Falcon D-49 School Board voted for flexibility, allowing the district to get out of multi-year contracts -- including with staff. A teacher from the district told NF5 that staff was informed they would likely know by the end of the month whether or not they will... more »

• D-49 busing to the Capitol, fighting budget cuts

  April 1, 2011 12:36 AM

  State lawmakers continue to wrestle with ways to balance the budget. They're coming up about a half a billion dollars short. One area facing big cuts is education. Falcon District 49 is among many districts looking at hard choices. Thursday they wanted to visually show the legislators just what... more »

• Harrison braces for $6 million in cuts

  March 21, 2011 6:30 PM

  Administrators at Harrison School District 2 are expecting a $6 million cut in state funding for the upcoming school year. That amounts to about 7 percent of their annual budget. Assistant Superintendent of Support Services Kevin Smelker says that district will save roughly a million dollars from the closure... more »

• Budget deficit looming as legislators gear up for the second half

  March 19, 2011 8:04 PM

  Legislators have known since heading to the Capitol in January that they'll be looking at a lot of bills, but their big job is making sure the dollars and cents add up. "The most pressing issue for this entire session is the budget," says Rep. Bob Gardner, (R) House... more »

• District 11 could cut 81 teaching jobs

  March 7, 2011 6:58 PM

  Over the next few months the District 11 Board of Education will begin making decisions on where to cut an estimated $12.5 million dollars from next year's budget. District Chief Financial Officer Glenn Gustafson says a large portion of that cut could come from the classroom. "By and large... more »

• D11 looks to cut $12.5 million

  March 7, 2011 1:35 PM

  Colorado Springs School District 11 is bracing for an estimated $12.5 million in budget cuts for the upcoming school year. That dollar amount is based on combination of revenue shortfall from the state ($11.2 million) and increases in operating costs ($1.3 million). Board members were given a packet containing... more »

• Hickenlooper proposes cuts to schools, parks, prisons

  February 15, 2011 10:07 PM

  Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper has put together his plan to balance the state budget with its billion-dollar shortfall. The biggest cuts would come to Colorado's public schools. "Make no mistake, the choices we are making today will hurt," says Governor Hickenlooper. The Democrat's proposal would cut $375 million... more »

• D-2 closes school

  February 6, 2011 1:11 AM

  Harrison School District 2 will shut the doors to 54-year-old Chamberlin Academy this fall in an attempt to save money. Due to declining enrollment, the district had to make changes. One of which was to move to a year-round academic year; however, that change did not boost enrollment numbers as... more »

• No immediate impact from Pentagon cuts in Springs

  January 7, 2011 12:16 PM

  COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) - The Pentagon's plans to cut defense spending aren't expected to have a big immediate impact on Colorado Springs. The Defense Department on Thursday announced a proposal to freeze its growing budget to help the nation reduce its massive deficit. The plan is based on... more »

• Are budget cuts making bad drivers?

  October 2, 2010 12:25 AM

  Christopher Smith was in an auto-accident last week, and is surprised how Colorado Springs Police responded. "They did not do an accident report and left the scene," says Smith, who has estimates showing that accident did nearly $550 in damage. Then, just four days later, Smith was in... more »

• Colorado: $189 million in new cuts

  September 20, 2010 12:00 PM

  Gov. Bill Ritter may have to slash another $189 million from Colorado's budget because of a sluggish economic recovery and lower-than-expected revenues. In June, Ritter was forced to cut $60 million from this year's $18.2 billion budget, using money from marijuana registrations, cutting funding for the Department of Corrections... more »

• Colorado Springs Rec Center open again

  September 19, 2010 6:56 PM

  This year's city budget cuts had Colorado Springs swimmers nervous with the closing of local pools. However, those swimmers get a little more relief this weekend. The Colorado Springs Recreation Center, off of South Union Blvd., is open again. It was the Colorado Springs Swim School that stepped in... more »

• University of Colorado raises $140 million

  July 30, 2010 8:17 AM

  The University of Colorado received $140.8 million in private support over the past fiscal year, capping the school's strongest-ever four years for such donations. The private contributions for the fiscal year that ended June 30 represent a 4.7 percent increase from the 2008-09 school year. The funds include... more »

• Bill on college tuition hikes signed

  June 9, 2010 8:46 AM

  Many college students in Colorado will be priced right out of school, as the state allows colleges and university to raise tuition as much as they want. That's the fear of opponents of a new law signed by Gov. Bill Ritter Wednesday. The state legislature passed the bill, pressed... more »

• Colorado's largest school district cutting 136 jobs

  June 4, 2010 12:46 PM

  The state's largest school district is laying off 136 people, about half of them teachers, because of budget cuts. The Jefferson County school board voted late Thursday to approve the cuts because of a $50 million budget shortfall. Eliminating the 136 positions along with reducing bus routes and cutting... more »

• Fort Collins schools to lay off dozens of teachers

  May 6, 2010 8:27 AM

  Teachers and staffers at schools in Fort Collins are facing layoffs. The Poudre School District announced Wednesday it will cut 139 teaching and other school jobs because of budget cuts. The state's ninth-largest school system says it has to cut $12 million from next year's budget. Sixty of the... more »

• Colorado lawmakers considering tuition overhaul

  April 28, 2010 5:37 PM

  College presidents and educators are telling Colorado lawmakers they need flexibility to set tuition rates if the state wants them to give up $300 million in state funding. Sen. John Morse, a Colorado Springs Democrat, says that's the only way colleges can stay open if the state cuts their... more »

• University of Colorado to consider more cuts

  April 8, 2010 8:39 AM

  University of Colorado officials are planning $22 million more in reductions and other budget-balancing measures expected to eliminate a total of 339 positions across the four-campus system. The proposed measures will be discussed at the April 22 Board of Regents meeting. The university has already approved $29 million in... more »

• Pueblo District 60 braces for budget cuts

  March 31, 2010 12:12 AM

  School districts across the state have to tighten their belts and brace for budget cuts across the board. You can now add Pueblo School District 60 to that growing list. Many teachers in District 60 are not happy about proposed budget cuts. It has many worried they could lose money... more »

• Bill aims to untie schools from TABOR

  March 30, 2010 7:32 PM

  State lawmakers will soon take up the issue of whether to ask voters for more power to raise taxes specifically for schools and colleges. The proposed DECIDE amendment is being pushed by the group Great Education Colorado . Policy Director Lisa Weil says, if passed, the amendment would give... more »

• D-49 cutting 92 jobs

  March 25, 2010 6:44 PM

  Staff cuts weren't an easy decision for school board president Danielle Lindorf, but a unanimous one for the D-49 school board. "There is always a concern, that we're not meeting the needs of our students and it's always a reassessment whether or not we are," Lindorf says, talking about... more »

• Fort Lewis College budget proposal includes 7 layoffs

  March 25, 2010 9:55 AM

  Fort Lewis College officials have proposed layoffs and in-state tuition hikes at the Durango college to help cut $4.5 million over roughly the next two years to deal with a rollback in state funding. The proposal includes seven layoffs and a 9 percent tuition increase for in-state students to... more »

• Budget cuts loom as lawmakers reach halfway point

  March 12, 2010 2:33 PM

  Colorado lawmakers say they're making progress on bills to create jobs and increase the use of renewable energy as they near the halfway point of their 120-day session. But House Speaker Terrance Carroll, a Denver Democrat, said Friday the biggest fight is yet to come as lawmakers prepare to... more »

• Layoffs loom as D-11 votes on budget cuts

  March 10, 2010 3:39 PM

  As many as 15 assistant principals, school support staff, special education teachers and transportation employees could be out of a job this summer as a result of $6.8 million in budget cuts being considered tonight by District 11 Board of Education. Teachers, custodians and bus drivers will be spared... more »

• Trying to avoid the chopping block for prison funding

  March 5, 2010 8:37 PM

  It's all about politics at the State Capitol, with organizations fighting for funding. Everyone's looking for places to cut, but one group says the Department of Corrections isn't that place. "Those positions are integral to the safety of any state run prison," says Rep. Buffie McFadyen, a Democrat from... more »

• Springs P.D. cutting down on vehicles

  March 3, 2010 5:31 PM

  Colorado Springs Police say the size of their fleet of vehicles is coming down. They started looking into the size and management of their fleet after questions from the media. Results from the findings are prompting the force to cut about 70 vehicles by the end of 2010... more »

• Colorado House cutting $475 million from state budget

  February 18, 2010 8:23 AM

  Colorado lawmakers are slashing jobs and state services in an effort to cut another $475 million from this year's budget, targeting education, prisons and Medicaid patients. The House approved 31 bills Wednesday that will cut nearly every sector of state government as they work to cut $1.5 billion over... more »

• D 70 may move top-ranked school

  February 16, 2010 6:03 PM

  A big crowd is expected at Tuesday night's school board meeting at Pueblo County High School. Board members will consider the first round of cuts aimed at trimming $5 million from the District 70 budget. That includes moving one school and possibly closing others. One idea D-70 is considering is... more »

• CSPD may unload one helicopter

  February 11, 2010 12:10 PM

  At least one potential buyer is making the minimum bid for one of two Colorado Springs police department helicopters up for sale. The helicopters were grounded in December by budget cuts. The city is trying to sell them on the Internet. Sgt. Dan Lofgren says at least one... more »

• Colorado governor to announce more budget cuts

  January 27, 2010 11:44 AM

  Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter is going to reveal details of his $50 million plan to re-balance the current fiscal year state budget. Todd Saliman, the governor's budget director, says the cuts are needed because of higher-than-expected Medicaid caseload growth and previous cuts that Ritter backed away from. Those include $4.5... more »