A coalition pushing to overhaul Colorado’s tax system will not pursue a complete repeal of the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights this year, opting instead for a ballot measure in November that would generate billions in new money with higher taxes on the wealthy. The new initiative — which is expected to receive final legal approval […]
Amendment 73
Posted inEducation, News, Politics and Government
The takeaway from Amendment 73’s defeat: Voters won’t throw money into a broken school finance system
Voters rejected a 10-digit ask for new money for education this week, the third failed attempt at raising taxes for schools in the past eight years. Amendment 73 — which would have raised $1.6 billion for schools on top of the $11.7 billion they get now — went down 45 percent to 55 percent in […]
Posted in2018 Voter Guide, News, Politics and Government
Jared Polis vs. Walker Stapleton: Where Colorado’s governor candidates stand on the issues
The Colorado governor’s race is often cast as a competition of opposites, and it’s most evident when you break it down by the issues. Democrat Jared Polis and Republican Walker Stapleton are offering different visions for the state’s future, in particular on issues related to the environment, energy, health care and marijuana. Polis, a five-term […]
Posted inEducation, News, Politics and Government
Top Democrats absent as teachers push ballot measure to boost school funding
The largest teacher organization in the state endorsed Jared Polis in the governor’s race. But the Democratic candidate won’t endorse the teacher-backed ballot measure to boost school funding. The juxtaposition frustrates teachers, a key Democratic voting bloc, and characterizes the political struggle education advocates face in the campaign to pass Amendment 73 in Colorado. The […]
Posted inEducation, Growth, News, Politics and Government
Colorado is near the bottom of states in school funding. That’s why there are nearly 40 bond and mill levy override questions on ballots this fall.
Robert Framel is the superintendent of Kit Carson schools, plus the trigonometry teacher, and the precalculus teacher, and the sixth-grade math teacher. He picked up the math classes after he couldn’t find a qualified teacher willing to move to the eastern Colorado town of 400 people and work for a school system that offers a […]
Posted in2018 Voter Guide, Education, News, Politics and Government
Colorado’s school finance system is broken. Is Amendment 73 the answer?
On its face, the question Colorado voters will be confronted with this November is a simple one: Should taxes go up to inject more money into the state’s schools? They’ll have the chance to weigh in through a $1.6 billion statewide tax hike, and through a host of local measures. They’ll also have choices between […]