By LA CUCARACHA
With a May 1 deadline looming over their heads, the group attempting to recall Pueblo Mayor Heather Graham is scrambling to obtain enough signatures to get the recall on the November ballot.
According to Jason Ford, he and his supporters have gathered roughly half the 6,200 signatures needed. “It’s going to be close.” he predicted.
On April 10, Ford said the United People of Pueblo Committee has been officially recognized as a political action committee and are able to accept donations.
Many of the signatures have been obtained outside the South Side Kings Soopers store. Ford said people are very angry with the mayor’s wanting to impose a 3.5 percent sales tax on groceries sold in Pueblo.
Other issues that have petition signers upset are the City’s funding cuts for many nonprofit organizations; destruction of the camps where families without homes have been living in recent years; the aborted plan to a historic building to enlarge the tennis facilities at City Park; and the lack of transparency in the sale and purchase of the Professional Bull Ridrs Association’s building on the Riverwalk.
The recall has stirred up a lively debate on FaceBook where supporters of the recall clash daily with Mayor Graham’s supporters.
In an attempt to keep the community informed about the recall efforts, Ford said he has created a FB page called “Recall Mayor hHeather Graham.” By mid-March, the FB page had over 63,000 views. If one has the time, the page is filled with everything from analysis of the city’s budget to comments from former Mayor Nick Gradisar to supporters from both camps firing accusations and allegations back and forth.
One public service the FB site offers people who want to sign the petition are the times and places they will be collecting signatures in the coming week. Ford’s FB page says the team will be collecting signatures at the South Side Kings Soopers from 5:30 – 7:30 pm on Monday, April14; 1-3 pm on April 15; 5-7 pm on April 16; and 5 – 7 p.m. on April 17.
The United People of Pueblo Committee may be reached at 719-299-1351.
