Councilor proposes $50,000 pilot to help small businesses repair vandalized windows; debate over scope and funding

Councilor Sam Martinez proposed a $50,000 pilot program on Sept. 15 to reimburse small businesses for glass and door repairs after vandalism, asking Pueblo staff to draft an ordinance and use ARPA interest funds to pay reimbursements. Martinez described a 10% increase in vandalism and said the pilot would reimburse up to $1,000 in out-of-pocket expenses per business per year.

Martinez told council that police data showed vandalism reports rose from 1,288 in 2024 to 1,418 through Sept. 10, 2025, and urged a quick-response pilot aimed at reducing boarded storefronts and blight. He used a recent repair at Nyx Dairy Cream — a $302 window repair, he said — as an example of the kind of small expense the grant could cover.

Program design proposed: Martinez proposed that businesses be eligible if in good standing with the Colorado Secretary of State and the city (business license and current sales tax) and if they file a police report and submit repair receipts for reimbursement. The mayor’s office would coordinate applications and the finance department would issue reimbursements. Martinez said his intent was a pilot, at a $1,000 cap per business per year, and that he had asked city attorney Gifford to draft an ordinance to create an account and appropriate funds from the ARPA interest fund (which he said had a balance of $617,681.09).

Council discussion: Councilors raised concerns about whether $1,000 would be adequate. Councilor Tina described local incidents with replacement costs of $5,000 and higher; another councilor said some businesses reported $10,000 in glass damage. Several council members suggested the city coordinate with insurers and limit reimbursements to a business’s deductible so the program stretches farther. Councilor Boston and others called the pilot a useful lifeline for small mom-and-pop businesses.

Police department comments: The police chief described ongoing enforcement efforts while explaining staffing and call-load constraints. The chief said part 1 crimes were down in most categories (he reported an 8% decrease in total part 1 crime so far this year and cited declines in homicides, burglaries and armed robberies), while property-damage and other part 2 reports have increased; he cited high call volumes and staff shortages as factors limiting proactive coverage. He and councilors debated whether funding should come from ARPA interest funds or from police budget lines; councilors also discussed whether to include automobile glass.

Next steps and limitations: Martinez told the council he had asked the city attorney to draft an ordinance to establish the account and appropriate the funds; no appropriation or final ordinance was approved at the meeting. Council members asked for refinements, including whether reimbursements should be limited to insurance deductibles, whether automobiles should be included, and if the $1,000 cap should be raised. Martinez characterized the plan as an initial pilot and said metrics (number of reimbursements, sales-tax monitoring, police reports, business feedback) would be used to evaluate effectiveness.

Ending: The council expressed support for helping small businesses but signaled further discussion is needed on funding source, caps and administration before any final appropriation.