The Board of County Commissioners (BoCC), an administrative and policy-making body, has only such powers and authority as are granted by the General Assembly of the Colorado State Legislature.

County government is a political subdivision of state government, created to carry out the will of the state. The County is not an independent governmental entity existing by reason of any sovereign authority. As a political subdivision, the county and its board of commissioners possess only such implied powers as are necessary to carry out expressed powers (Colorado Constitution, Article XIV, Section 6).

Colorado counties with a population of 70,000 or more may have a three or five-member board of commissioners. In 1976 the voters of El Paso County chose to have a board of five commissioners, each elected to represent a district. The districts are equal in population, and the boundaries are established by the board every two years.

The Board of County Commissioners holds Public Hearings and Meetings on a regular basis. All such meetings are subject to state open meeting laws, the Colorado Sunshine Act of 1972, and the Colorado Open Records Act. The Commissioners update their Rules, Procedure, and Ethics Standards annually. The Board’s regular published hearings are held on Tuesdays (except legal holidays) beginning at 9 a.m. in the Auditorium of Centennial Hall at 200 South Cascade Avenue, Colorado Springs.

Board of County Commissioners

Contact:

(719) 520-7276 Telephone

Meetings:

Board of El Paso County Commissioners regular meetings are scheduled weekly at 9 a.m. on Tuesdays

Live Stream the Meetings

View Meeting Agendas

Location:

Centennial Hall

200 South Cascade Avenue, Suite 100

Colorado Springs, CO 80903

Portrait Photo Image of Commissioner Cami Bremer

Cami Bremer

District 5

Chair

Portrait of Carrie Geitner

Carrie Geitner

District 2

Vice Chair

Portrait Photo Image of Commissioner Holly Williams

Holly Williams

District 1
Portrait Photo Image of Commissioner Stan VanderWerf

Stan VanderWerf

District 3
Portrait Photo Image of Commissioner Longinos Gonzalez Jr

Longinos Gonzalez, Jr.

District 4

A Letter to Governor Polis

Governor Polis,

We thank you for your recent letter acknowledging how difficult it has become for families to make ends meet in Colorado, and for inserting the state into local matters. El Paso County Commissioners remained focused on providing exceptional services to our constituents. Out-of-control government spending and the resulting inflation have contributed to historic property assessment increases. With the same inflation driving up groceries, gas, and other necessities, we have continually asked our state legislature to help keep rising costs at bay by not passing any more expensive, unfunded mandates, not adding more burdensome regulations that drive up the cost of goods and services, and of course by halting the ever-growing, staggering number of fees enacted by the legislature in the last few years. Sadly, you have continued to sign laws that did precisely those things.

Voters were told that if they repealed the Gallagher cap on property taxes, a better plan would be put in place. Unfortunately, that has not happened. Voters saw right through the Prop HH scheme, seeing it for the TABOR raid and dishonest ploy that it was, and rejected it. Even after the special session where the majority party ignored the will of the voters and passed a repackaged version of HH, as Representative Epps acknowledged on the House floor, we know that Coloradans are still looking for meaningful relief from the steep increases, the relief they did not get at the hands of our Democrat-run legislature.

Fortunately for El Paso County residents, their county commissioners still abide by our local TABOR cap, specifically in place to keep government budgets from growing too quickly and to protect residents from bloat and waste. As such, El Paso County has been planning to reduce our mills for months, resulting in approximately a 20% decrease to provide relief for our residents. El Paso County already had a solution to keep taxes low for our residents long before Prop HH, and long before the failed special session. Perhaps you were unaware of how TABOR is helping El Paso County residents because you haven’t had the chance to dive into how local governments really operate, or it could be that your letter was more of a political move to distract from the several failures on this issue.

Regardless of the catalyst, we would like to renew our ask that you and your teammates in the legislature stop trying to pass down unfunded mandates to local governments. Not only does state statute specifically and rightly reject unfunded mandates, but it is also frustrating that you continue to sign bills into law that attempt to force local governments to spend more to fund a fringe agenda while asking us publicly to find a way to spend less.

In short, please stop saying one thing to the public while doing the opposite. We also renew our request to stop creating burdensome and expensive regulations and stop increasing fees so that Coloradans can get relief from the high cost of living in Colorado.

Yes, as you stated, we can make a difference in our state when we work together. However, that means engaging in meaningful stakeholder discussions with El Paso County, who is a leader in providing exceptional cost-effective services while respecting TABOR and the will of the voters.

Sincerely,

El Paso Board of County Commissioners

Helpful Links

We are open, honest, and respectful in our work and communication. We build trust by transparently publishing data and analytics on our finances, the condition of our infrastructure, and our progress toward our strategic objectives.

County Commissioners Agenda & Minutes

Board of County Commissioners meeting information, agendas and live streaming.

Recognitions

This page offers you a fantastic opportunity to receive recognition from the Board of County Commissioners.

Government Affairs

See what Boards and Commissions each Commissioner is responsible for

Districts Map

See which commission district you live in and learn what areas each Commission represents

Strategic Plan

See the county’s vision and strategic direction to be best serve the residents of El Paso County

Volunteer Boards & Commissions

Learn about the various functions of county government and give back to the community by volunteering your experience, talents, and time.

Rural Living & Code of the West

Moving to a rural area in El Paso County? Learn about the risks and be prepared to enjoy authentic Western living

Clerk to the Board

This is your contact for BoCC meetings, agendas, and records; as well as liquor and medical marijuana licenses

OUR VISION

El Paso County will be a trusted regional leader known for excellence in county service delivery.

OUR PURPOSE

We provide essential public services to the Pikes Peak Region in support of our residents, businesses, and communities, enhancing the freedom for all to thrive.