CHILD TAX CREDIT DISCUSSION



I met with the leadership team of Another Life Foundation to discuss how quick and easy it is to apply for benefits like the Child Tax Credit. Another Life Foundation is a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance ("VITA") nonprofit that helps people with disabilities, low income earners, and households experiencing financial hardship navigate the tax system. The child tax credit is historic and quick and easy to make sure you get the benefits. The cost of child care is too high and this will help families save money and put money toward other things like a vacation or a night out. Eligible Colorado families will automatically receive up to $3,600 per child per year. Child Tax Credit payments will be distributed monthly, with families automatically receiving up to $250 per month for each child aged six to 17, and up to $300 per month for each child below six. These monthly payments will continue until December, and families or individuals can claim the other half of their Child Tax Credit when filing taxes in early 2022.

LOYAL COFFEE

Another successful example of the employee-ownership model in action is Loyal Coffee, a barista-owned coffee shop I visited in Colorado Springs. Loyal Coffee roasts their coffee at “The Clubhouse”, located inside the Ivywild School on the south side of downtown Colorado Springs. The iconic  original location in the Springs is currently owned by six baristas and is exploring additional opportunities for employee ownership as the franchise expands. This is where their team passionately works to hand-select  brews that are both exciting and approachable for all coffee drinkers.

CSU PUEBLO SOLAR ARRAY



I toured the newly completed 23-acre solar array grounds on the north end of CSU Pueblo’s campus. The solar project was launched as a 25-year power purchase agreement with Johnson Controls, an international HVAC company, and allows CSU Pueblo to become a leader in the crossroad between higher education, sustainability and energy consumption. This historic milestone marked the official point that all academic buildings needed to shift to being fully solar powered, making them the first campus in Colorado to reach net zero in their renewable efficiencies.

SOLAR ROAST COFFEE



I had another opportunity to see the tremendous benefits solar energy offers communities at Solar Roast Coffee, a small business in Pueblo that harnesses the power of the sun to roast their coffee and is the world's only commercial solar-powered coffee roaster. Founders Mike Harkop and David Harkop, developed their solar powered coffee roaster using their parent’s old satellite dish, one hundred plastic mirrors and a broccoli strainer, which was aptly named Helios after the Greek God of the Sun. Solar Roasts has been up and running in Pueblo, CO since 2007 and is dedicated to using 100% organic and fair trade beans and was recently certified by the USDA as 100% organic. The innovative efforts of Solar Roast Coffee parallel my administration's priorities as we set our sights on achieving 100% renewable energy by 2040.

FOX WEST THEATER



I toured the historic Fox West Theater, under renovation by the City of Trinidad with support provided in part by History Colorado and in partnership with Dana Crawford and Urban Neighborhoods, Inc. of Denver, Colorado. While there, I announced their receipt of a Community Revitalization Grant of $3,450,000 from Colorado Creative Industries. The Fox West Theatre stands at the entry point to the historic district in downtown Trinidad. The building has been vacant since 2013 and now sits in a state of disrepair. Reactivating the retail spaces and rehabilitating the storefront  façade and building exterior will beautify the street and allow the Theatre to serve once again as the  crown jewel of the historic district. A revitalized Fox West Theatre will provide a cultural anchor and community hub that will leverage, protect, and grow that investment.