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Small business owner, veteran Jim Miller running to become Colorado Springs mayor

Gazette - 2/11/2023

Feb. 9—Editor's note: This article has been updated to correctly reflect the percentage of water required under Colorado Springs' recently passed water rule.

Jim Miller, a small business owner and political newcomer, is running in the April 4 race to replace Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers, promising if elected to fix roads, improve services, enhance public safety and create a more effective bridge between government and residents.

A Marine Corps veteran who runs vending and tire shop businesses in town, Miller said he is running for mayor as "a working guy" who believes the local government is not a place for career politicians.

"I'm not a politician. I don't want to be," he said Thursday. "I am running to be a representative of the people, to deliver on promises. The bank of the people has been charged enough."

Miller is one of 12 candidates running in a packed race this spring to become the city's next mayor. Suthers, who has served for eight years, cannot run again because of term limits. Miller will face some well-known names, including City Councilman and former Secretary of State Wayne Williams and former City Councilwoman Sallie Clark, El Paso County Commissioner Longinos Gonzalez and businessman Yemi Mobolade.

If elected, Miller said he wants to improve transparency and accessibility to government officials.

City Hall is "lacking humanity, trust and accessibility," he said. "I would be out in the community because I'm more that (type of) guy. If you're the mayor, do you need to be sitting in an office all day?"

Miller said public meetings, like City Council work sessions and regular meetings, should be rescheduled from weekday mornings so that more people can attend and not have to worry about missing work or school.

He also said the mayor should take a more hands-on approach to the office, such as cleaning up litter around town or creating more opportunities for face-to-face interaction with residents.

"Do the work. Remember that (residents) are people too and you're not better than anyone else," he said.

Miller wants critical infrastructure, like roads, to be fixed before the city embarks on other development projects.

Residents have been taxed for years in efforts to improve local thoroughfares, he said, but he doesn't think there's much to show for it.

"We have a soccer stadium and an Olympic museum when our roads are in bad condition. They're riddled with potholes and there doesn't seem to be a lot of maintenance," he said. "We should get stuff fixed before we have new things going."

He also said the city should assess its water availability to better plan for the future. The City Council recently passed a controversial water rule that requires Colorado Springs Utilities to have 128% of water needed to serve existing residents, businesses and the projected demand from land looking to annex into the city.

"We need to really look and see how much actual water we have, and how that can sustain how many structures, businesses, people," he said. "... Without water you don't have society, you don't have a city, you don't have a community, you don't have culture."

Miller said he also believes the Colorado Springs Utilities Board of Directors should not be made up of the same members of the City Council, and residents should have the opportunity to vote in a certain number of Springs Utilities board members.

"Colorado Springs Utility's interest is the utility's interest," he said. "The City Council should have the people's interest (in mind)."

Miller said he would also like to see more penalties for people caught using the Interstate 25 corridor to move drugs like fentanyl or run human trafficking rings. Registered sex offenders should also face more penalties if they live in the community, such as paying additional taxes, he said.

In all, he wants to be a mayor for the people, he said.

"If I am elected mayor, that's not who I am. I'm Jim Miller. I don't mean 'it's just a job' in a demeaning sense, but you're there to make sure (government) services are well delegated, and making sure that we're following through," he said. "Government needs accountability."

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