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May 17, 2018
DENVER Since 1926
DENVER, COLORADO
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FEELING THE FORCE: Comic Con gives fans a chance to get their cosplay on P8
Lawmakers conclude session with pension deal Teachers’ union criticizes measure, which increases employee contributions BY BRIAN EASON AND JAMES ANDERSON ASSOCIATED PRESS
There are possible few explanations. Trespassing means someone was present where they weren’t allowed, including private land — such as vacant lots — and certain restricted public areas. Denver’s population has grown significantly in the last few years, but the DU report shows that the increase in trespassing warnings has largely gone to homeless people. In 2017, nearly 60 percent of all trespassing citations went to people experiencing homelessness, an increase from about 54 percent in 2014.
Colorado lawmakers narrowly passed an ambitious plan to rescue the state pension fund from the fiscal brink just minutes before the 2018 legislative session gaveled to a close at midnight May 9. After daylong negotiations, Gov. John Hickenlooper lobbied fellow Democrats to pass the bill at a moment when their support appeared to be wavering. Opposition from the state’s largest teachers union threatened to unravel the deal reached with Senate Republicans. “We have to think long term about the 585,000 people who are benefiting from this,’’ House Majority Leader KC Becker, a Boulder Democrat and one of the bill sponsors, told her caucus before the vote. “If we fail to act in a responsible way and we jeopardize anything about this retirement system, it is on our backs, and it is on our conscience.’’ The pension fund provides retirement benefits to state workers, teachers and a number of other public employees across the state — around 1 in 10 Coloradans, in total — and has huge ramifications for taxpayer spending and public services across the state. The pension sports some of the largest debts of any pension in the country, owing retirees $32 billion to $50 billion in unfunded benefits. The bill now heads to the governor’s desk. It calls for cuts to retirement benefits, and requires public employees and taxpayer-funded government agencies to contribute more of each paycheck into the retirement fund. The state will contribute $225 million annually to help pay off the system’s unfunded debt. The bill increases employee contributions by 2 percentage points. That’s more than House Democrats and public sector unions had wanted, but less than the GOP-led state Senate had previously approved.
SEE HOMELESS, P7
SEE PENSION, P7
Terese Howard walks in Denver on a freezing night in December 2016 to check in on people camping in the blizzard. KEVIN J. BEATY/DENVERITE
Trespassing citations rise for homeless Advocates say enforcement of the laws ‘pushing away unwanted people’ BY ANDREW KENNEY AKENNEY@DENVERITE.COM
Denver’s police officers are rarely arresting homeless people under the city’s “camping ban” — but the city is increasingly using another law that forces people to move along, according to a new report from the University of Denver.
In 2013, police reported that they had issued 1,349 citations for trespassing to people experiencing homelessness. By 2017, that figure had grown to 1,765. The numbers show that police are enforcing trespassing laws more often in order to push away unwanted people, according to Ray Lyall, a member of Denver Homeless Out Loud. “That’s an easier ticket to give. They just pass around trespass tickets,” he told Denverite. But city staff say that police officers have little choice in the matter, and they pointed out that arrests under other homelessrelated laws have stayed largely stable.
THE BOTTOM LINE PERIODICAL
“This is the first time in two or three years that I’m not standing up here talking about a quarterback debate.” Emmanuel Sanders | Broncos wide receiver | Page 11 INSIDE
VOICES: PAGE 6 | LIFE: PAGE 8 | CALENDAR: PAGE 4 | SPORTS: PAGE 11 VOLUME 91 | ISSUE 28