Lack of funding has hindered efforts of the Falcon Incorporation Committee to get information to local residents and businesses. Thomas Cline said, although the FIC has asked several groups for donations, they haven’t been successful.”It’s kind of the situation of which comes first, the chicken or the egg,” Cline said. He said there has been interest in incorporation, but people are weary to donate until they receive more information about the incorporation process. Getting information to the public without funding to print and distribute materials is difficult, Cline said, because the FIC has no budget to produce these materials.”It’s a tough situation,” he said.Within the next few weeks, Cline said he would like the FIC to determine the amount of interest in the incorporation effort, address issues that are important to the community and begin to distribute information regarding the incorporation process.Jean Woolsey, FIC committee member, said it is important to get information to the public because Falcon residents would have to vote on several issues in order to incorporate. “The first thing that would be voted on is the incorporation,” she said.The election of Falcon City Council members, the city of Falcon Charter and Constitution, a 1.6 percent tax increase and “home rule” charter are additional issues that would be put to a vote.”‘Home rule’ is how the town is set up,” Woolsey said.Kathryn Young, a Colorado Springs city clerk, said “home rule” determines the structure of the government, such as the city council, mayor and constitution, as well as guidelines for the community.Young said the “home rule” charter dictates how the government operates.”The laws established by a city can be more stringent than state laws, but cannot be less stringent,” she said. For example, a city can choose to hold elections in April instead of November.”It’s a way for a city to develop its own identity,” Young said.
