Republicans in the Colorado legislature have been mostly playing defense over the past three years. But that posture is changing in 2022, an election year that will determine whether conservatives will remain relegated to the sidelines of Colorado politics. This year, Republicans are going on the offensive. Republicans see the 2022 legislative session that began […]
Daniel Ducassi
Daniel Ducassi is a former Colorado Sun staff writer.
Posted inEducation, News, Politics and Government
Colorado’s teacher shortage highlights need for more school funding, union boss says
Colorado will continue to face a critical teacher shortage unless state leaders make good on their constitutional obligation to increase education funding, the head of Colorado’s largest teacher union says. “We’re at a crisis point that requires bold action by our legislature,” Colorado Education Association President Amie Baca-Oehlert told The Colorado Sun in an interview […]
Posted inHousing, News, Politics and Government
A 401(k) for homeownership? Colorado housing leaders offer up solutions to affordability problem.
A 401(k)-type savings program for homeownership, more funding for federal housing support and a national incentive program modeled after a Colorado policy are among the proposals by a group focused on easing the state’s housing crisis. The “Housing Affordability Strategy Group,” convened by Colorado’s U.S. Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, both Democrats, has been […]
Posted inCrime and Courts, Economy, Education, Health, News, Politics and Government
What will be debated at the Colorado Capitol when the legislature returns next week
Gov. Jared Polis wants Colorado to become one of the top 10 safest states in the U.S. within five years, he said Thursday night during a virtual Colorado Sun event ahead of the 2022 legislative session, which begins next week on Jan. 12. “It’ll take a lot of work to get there,” he said. Polis, […]
Posted inBusiness, Economy, News, Politics and Government
Colorado’s taxable home values could skyrocket in 2023
The taxable value of Colorado homes is expected to rise dramatically in 2023, according to the most recent forecast by the General Assembly’s economists – and not just in the white hot Front Range and mountain resort real estate markets. As families flee high housing prices in those areas, they’re pushing up prices on Denver’s […]
Posted inEducation, Health, News, Politics and Government
Contractors walked out, used foul language as Colorado’s school COVID testing struggled, emails reveal
In the first weeks of Colorado’s COVID-19 school testing program, a team hired to perform testing showed up late to their assignment at an elementary school in Montezuma County. When they arrived, they couldn’t get their technology to work, refused to perform work their company was responsible for under its deal with the state and […]
Posted inBusiness, Economy, News, Politics and Government
Colorado’s fiscal outlook keeps getting better, with even larger TABOR refunds on the horizon
Economists are more optimistic about Colorado’s tax revenue future than they were three months ago, even though labor and inflation strains continue and amid uncertainty caused by COVID-19. The headwinds have so far not been “strong enough to slow the impressive growth,” said Meredith Moon, the deputy director of the Governor’s Office of State Planning […]
Posted inNews, Politics and Government
Is Colorado’s government headed toward a fiscal cliff? Democrats say yes, Republicans say no.
Colorado’s coffers are flush with cash right now — so much so that taxpayers are getting refunds. But Democrats see trouble on the horizon. They’re not worried so much about a downturn, but the potential for spending on critical services like education and health care to run up against constitutional limits on how much tax […]
Posted inHealth, News, Politics and Government
Colorado health chief’s testimony in whistleblower lawsuit against CDPHE wasn’t credible, judge says
A Denver District judge is allowing a whistleblower lawsuit against the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to move forward in a ruling that cast doubt on testimony from the agency’s leader. In a ruling last week, Judge Shelley Gilman denied the state’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit brought by a former high-level employee, […]
Posted inNews, Politics and Government
Colorado state workers to get pay raises for the next three years
Colorado’s roughly 30,000 state workers are slated to get pay raises in each of the next three years under a labor agreement signed Thursday morning by Gov. Jared Polis and the union representing state employees Polis said the benefits guaranteed in the agreement with Colorado WINS will help “ensure that we can attract great people […]