EVIL HOA's Any Advice?

[pissedoffgokart]

My wife and I moved to Aurora, Co a year ago and bought a 2 bedroom condo. The HOA fee was listed at about 50 bucks higher a month than any other comparable complex in the area, but at the time we thought it was because they were doing some reworking of the exterior. We received a letter last week (well everyone in the complex did) stating that they were going to "have to" raise our HOA fees by another $30 a month. They claim this is due to a 30% increase in insurance, and because they need more money for painting and landscaping 4 buildings a year, a new truck for plowing snow, future new roofing, and a fencing replacement. Can insurance rates increase 30% within a year? Aren't all of the above reasons why we pay an HOA fee in the first place? I could understand the high fee if we were the premier condo complex in the area but we are not, not even close. Other complexes built in about the same year are still paying much less a month in HOA fees and their buidings and grounds look far better than ours. What can the owners do to stop this obvious mismanagement of our HOA fees?

[ShotInTheDark]

my sewer rate where I live increased 46% in one year so yes they can.