Tag: Alison Coombs
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After heated debate, Aurora council finalizes harsh penalties on retail, restaurant theft
After heated discussion Monday night, Aurora city council finalized two ordinances making the penalties for retail theft and “dine and dash” crimes harsher. Both ordinances add to an original ordinance passed in 2023, which set a three-day mandatory minimum jail sentence for retail theft of $300 or more. Supporters of the ordinances finalized Monday night…
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Aurora council kills proposal to eliminate marijuana excise tax
Aurora councilmembers shot down a proposal at Monday night’s study session to get rid of the excise tax on marijuana cultivation in the city, saying the city relies on the tax money to pay for road work and debt. In Colorado, on top of regular sales tax rates, the marijuana industry pays an excise tax…
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Tension boils over at Aurora Council meeting about public defenders, call for ceasefire
Tension boiled over at the Aurora City council meeting on Monday, when two items — a call for a “cease-fire” in Gaza and efforts to undo the request for proposals to examine the potential effects of privatizing the city’s public defender’s office — were removed from the agenda. Councilmember Alison Coombs, who had championed the “cease-fire”…
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Aurora to local governments, nonprofits: Don’t bring immigrants in without coordinating
The Aurora council approved a resolution on Monday night telling other local governments or nonprofits entities to not bring immigrants — who ended up in metro Denver after illegally crossing America’s southern border — into Colorado’s third most populous city. The vote followed disagreement among councilmembers and criticism from some residents who attended the meeting. The…
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Looking ahead in Aurora: immigration, public defense, retail theft major topics at council meetings
The Aurora City Council on Monday will tackle anew several contentious issues, notably the possible privatization of the public defender’s office, handling of the influx of immigrants into the metro area, retail theft mandatory minimums and the Israel Hamas war. The councilmembers will hold a study session and their regular meeting late on Monday. In…
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Aurora council debates stance on home occupancy bill
Aurora City Council members debated Monday whether or not to take a stance on a house bill regarding housing occupancy limits, finally deciding to move the conversation to a later study session. The bill, House Bill 1007, approved by the Colorado House Friday, would restrict local governments from adopting ordinances that limit occupancy for unrelated…
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Aurora’s homeless service provider funding debate continues
Aurora’s councilmembers plan to discuss using American Rescue Plan Act funds to help fund homeless service providers at Saturday’s winter workshop — continuing a conversation councilmembers put off back in December. The winter workshop begins at 8 a.m. Saturday and continues for a good part of the day, with a break at 10:30 a.m. and a…
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Aurora councilmembers argue over rule to ban children on the dais
Aurora City Council passed new rules regarding seating on the council dais Monday following a councilmember’s decision to bring her child onto the dais that caused backlash and debate among members. Councilmember Danielle Jurinsky brought the rule change to Monday’s council meeting, prompting heated discussion between herself and councilmember Alison Coombs — who Jurinsky said…