SENTINEL EXPRESS C O M M E R C E
VOLUME 33 32
C I T Y
50cI
53 ISSUE SSUE 48
UESDAY ECEMBER 24, 28, 2020 2021 TTUESDAY ,,NDOVEMBER
New COVID-19 restrictions will prohibit indoor dining, personal gatherings
One-stop wellness center and social services Hub opens Easy access all in one location for services BY BELEN WARD BWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Multiple Adams County offices, as well as several social service agencies, will get a new home, based out of a neighborhood hub. Commerce City created a new one of its kind community campus hub at South Platte Crossing, 7190 Colorado Blvd. It combines neighborhood health and social services centers with numerous agencies all in one location. “We hoping to get as many services and supports on-site as possible to try and decrease barriers for families accessing the services that they need, “ said Stephanie Henderson, who works at the hub. “I’m with the Early Childhood Partnership of Adams County and the Early Childhood Council. We convened this collaborative, but we’re also providing services and support in this building. We opened up a family resource and support center about a month ago.” The Commerce City Community Campus (C4) at South Platte
Crossing provides services on campus such as access to housing, Adams County Department of motor vehicle, Cultivando, ECPAC childhood partnership of Adams County, Maria Droste Counseling Center for mental health, a Precious Child, Front Range clinic, Creative Treatment Options, and United for a New Economy. Coming soon and already provide services, the City of Commerce City, Kids First Health Care, Kids in Need of Dentistry (Kind), Colorado Orthodontic Foundation, Tri-County Health Department, Women, Infants & Children (WIC), and The Urban Land Conservancy. Also, on campus, they have a food and clothing pantry that provides food, diapers, and children’s clothing for those in need. A care package is put together to take home. Kids first Health Care provides health care to children from birth to age 21. It doesn’t matter where they live. Also, parents received help with health insurance or Medicaid. If families are unable to qualify for the assistant they are charged an affordable sliding scale fee. “There is going to be so many SEE WELLNESS, P3
Stephanie Henderson at the campus hub food and clothing pantry that offers free BELEN WARD food, clothing and other items for families in need.
State’s fiscal outlook keeps getting better Moon, the deputy director of the A long line of cars outside the city of Brighton’s rapid testing site at Governor’s Office of State Planning Riverdale Regional Park. The site has had to close early many days in recent and Budgeting. weeks due to high demand. Adams County’s 14-day test positivity rate OSPB and nonpartisan legislative presented separate, but equally was 15.9 percent, as of Nov. 17, accordingstaff to Tri-County Health Department. rosy budget forecasts the legislaBrighton and Commerce City’s test positivity rates were bothtohigher than ture’s Joint Budget Committee on BY DANIEL DUCASSI AND JESSE PAUL 13 percent. Forty-five people in Brighton and 29 in Commerce City have Friday. Economists for both agreed COLORADO SUN died from COVID-19 related health issues. Tostate limittax therevenue spread of COVID-19, that will end up higher than previously are more optimistic atEconomists least 15 counties moved to tighter restrictions that prohibits expected. indoor and The nonpartisan Legislative about Colorado’s tax revenue future personal gatherings.
Larger TABOR refunds on the horizon
than they were three months ago, even though labor and inflation strains continue and amid uncertainty caused by COVID-19. The headwinds have so far not been “strong enough to slow the impressive growth,” said Meredith
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Council Staff estimated there will be nearly $800 million more in revenue for the state’s general fund this fiscal year,Photo which began in July and by Belen Ward ends June 30, than they predicted in September, and more than $500 million in additional revenue for the
By Ellis Arnold
next fiscal year than their previous Community Media forecastColorado showed. That compares with slightly lower As Denver metro counties continue to estimates from OSPB economists inch closer to local stay-at-home orders who say there will be about $700 million in revenue the state’s undermore Colorado’s systemfor of coronavirusgeneral fund this the fiscal year than in related restrictions, state announced their last forecast, and about $420 a new level of rules that next prohibits indoor million more for the fiscal year dining and personal gatherings — than they previously thought. a change that applies to the majority of the “Colorado’s economy is coming back strong,” Gov. Jared Polis said Denver metro area and many counties in in a written statement. “This foreother regions. cast shows a robust recovery.”
The state’s COVID-19 dial, which has been in effect since September, Outlook barely affects budgetis the set ofThe different levels ofoutlook restrictions that each improved ultimately means little for how much state
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county is required to follow based on the
lawmakers will have tovirus spend in severity of a county’s local spread. next year’s budget. Tax dollars in The next dial grew outfiof theyears state’swere safer-atthe three scal home order — the policy that came after already expected to exceed limits on revenue in the Taxpayer’s the state statewide stay-at-home order this Bill of and Rights, meaning thetypes Friday spring allowed numerous of forecasts predicting even more tax businesses to reopen. dollars flowing into state coffers The state recently to colorwill simply means thatswitched more money identifiers — levels blue, yellow and have to be refunded to taxpayers. orange rather than numberedstaff levelsnow — to Nonpartisan legislative anticipate about $2 billion of annual avoid confusion. Until Nov. 17, level red TABOR surplus revenue in each meant a stay-at-home order. Now, level of the next three fiscal years, well red — “severe risk” — is the secondabove the $550 million to $900 million in excess predicted in
Please see RESTRICTIONS, Page 2 SEE OUTLOOK, P9
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