Tribune TRI LAKES 1.9.13
Tri-Lakes
January 9, 2013
Free
A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourtrilakesnews.com
Tri-Lakes Region, Monument, Gleneagle, Black Forest and Northern El Paso County • Volume 10, Issue 2
New Year, new rules The minimum wage increased by 14 cents for Colorado By Lisa Collacott
lcollacott@ourcoloradonews.com
Children feed carrots to Nugget and Chism after learning all about the burros during Winter Break with the Burros on Dec. 28. Photos by Lisa Collacott
Spending winter break with a burro Kids learned all about the mining museum’s resident burros By Lisa Collacott
lcollacott@ourcoloradonews. com
D
uring winter break children at some point or another get cabin fever and spending an hour or two at the Western Museum of Mining and Industry is always a nice break. On Dec. 28 children went to the museum to learn all about the resident burros and meet the newest member to the museum during Winter Break with the Burros. Despite the 19 degree temperatures plenty of kids came out to the museum where they learned all about the burros from the wranglers. They learned that each burro weighs approximately 500-600 pounds and they can carry 25
Jan. 1 marked a new year but it also marked an increase in minimum wage for Colorado and several other states. Workers making minimum wage will see an increase of 14 cents an hour to $7.78. Those who receive tips in addition to their hourly wage will see an increase to $4.76 an hour. The increase is all part of a state constitutional amendment that was approved in 2006 by voters. The amendment states that the wage increase will be raised to keep up with inflation. Other states are also seeing an increase in minimum wage and include Arizona, Florida, Missouri, Montana, Vermont, Washington, Rhode Island, Oregon and Ohio. The federal minimum wage increase remains unchanged at $7.25 an hour. Some workers may be seeing a wage increase and because the fiscal cliff was narrowly avoided most Americans won’t have to pay higher income tax rates. However everyone who receives a paycheck will still pay more in federal taxes. There is a two percent increase on the social security payroll tax. The payroll tax will be raised back to 6.2 percent after having been temporarily reduced in 2011 to 4.2 percent to help stimulate the economy. The payroll tax was not part of the deal Congress passed. According to data from the Tax Policy Center, run by the Urban Institute and Brookings Institution, a person making $50,000 - $75,000 will pay $822 more in the payroll tax increase. Those who make more than $450,000 will see an income tax rate increase of 39.6 percent. There will also be a tax increase on estate tax and capital gains and dividends.
Local taxes
El Paso County residents will also see a tax increase but not out of their paychecks. Voters passed a public safety tax in November. As of Jan. 1 citizens will now pay twentythree hundredths ($0.0023) of one cent per Wranglers Tricia Pillar, right, and Heather Pillar explain all about the burros to children and their families as they spend an hour during dollar on items they purchase. winter break with the burros. Families went into the mining museum for some hot chocolate after being out in the cold. The sales tax excludes grocery items and prescriptions. The sales tax will help fund percent of their body weight. hears in a circle. They also had the newest burro, Chism. Chism critical needs of the sheriff’s office. The kids found out where the opportunity to feed the bur- arrived at the museum on Nov. 7 Voters also approved the extension of the the burros sleep, how to care for ros. and will be a companion to long- sales and use tax for the Pikes Peak Rural their hooves and that a burro Children were introduced to time resident burro Nugget. Transportation Authority capital program. Burros have called the muThe current tax sunsets on Dec. 31, 2014 seum home since 1970. and the extension will begin Jan. 1, 2015 and After learning all about the sunset in 2024. burros families enjoyed hot Voters will continue to pay the 0.55 perchocolate inside the warm mu- cent (fifty-five one hundredths of one penny seum. per dollar).
Left, Brad Poulson, the Western Museum of Mining and Industry’s program and communications coordinator, asks Nugget what two plus two is. The burro answers by picking up his leg and tapping the ground four times with his hoof. Children learned all about the burros during Winter Break with the Burros on Dec. 28.
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Most Americans won’t see an increase on their federal withholding but everyone will see a two percent increase on the Social Security payroll tax. For those making minimum wage there will be an increase in Colorado and several other states. File photo