Gov. Jared Polis wants to spend hundreds of millions of dollars next fiscal year to ease the financial burden of government fees on businesses, reduce homelessness and combat rising crime. The Democrat, who is heading into the final year of his first term and preparing for reelection in 2022, unveiled the wish list Monday as […]
budget
Posted inNews, Politics and Government
Amendment 78: Colorado voters will decide if lawmakers should have more oversight of state spending
A measure on Colorado’s November ballot asks voters to change the way the state approves spending money from the federal government, legal settlements and other non-state sources. Amendment 78 would require the Colorado General Assembly to determine how the state uses what it defines as “custodial money,” funding the state receives from outside sources for […]
Posted inBusiness, Growth, News, Politics and Government
Colorado’s economic recovery remains strong, but delta variant and supply chain issues are holding it back
Colorado’s economic recovery from the coronavirus crisis remains strong, though there have been recent speed bumps caused by the spread of the more contagious delta variant, and supply chain and labor shortage issues. “We’re seeing some increasing headwinds,” Elizabeth Ramey, principal economist for Colorado’s nonpartisan Legislative Council, told state lawmakers on Tuesday. But, Ramey said, […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: Colorado’s investment in more equitable higher-ed funding is a necessary start
Those responsible for managing Colorado’s state budget over the past year – in the Governor’s Office and the legislature – haven’t had it easy. It has been a roller coaster ride, and next year will be challenging too. While the latest federal stimulus provides needed assistance and the COVID-19 vaccination drive is gaining speed, running […]
Posted inBusiness, COVID, News, Politics and Government
Colorado governor’s new budget plan includes $1.3 billion stimulus to kick-start state economy
Gov. Jared Polis is proposing a $1.3 billion stimulus package that he says will jump-start the Colorado economy — but it’s not clear the money exists to cover the cost. The stimulus package is a key part of the $31 billion budget proposal the Democrat issued Monday and it includes the previously announced $375 checks […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: We can heal the coronavirus’ economic wounds with Initiative 271
The COVID-19 global pandemic has spread across the country, and Colorado has not been spared. Over 38,000 coronavirus cases have been reported in our state, with over 1,700 deaths, and no end in sight. We aren’t just facing an unprecedented health crisis – for many, especially families with low incomes, the economic impact has been just […]
Posted inBusiness, COVID, Education, Health, News, Politics and Government
10 major issues being decided in the final hours of Colorado’s 2020 legislative session
Spirited debates about tax increases and school-required vaccinations, and policies to end police brutality have dominated the final days of Colorado’s coronavirus legislative session, expected to soon reach its last gavel. But lawmakers also decided on dozens of other proposals that will affect everything from their own salaries to whether Coloradans can keep ordering to-go […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: An open letter to Colorado lawmakers from Colorado Concern
Dear Legislative Leaders, This session has been far from typical. The Colorado of January is all but unrecognizable today and your willingness to remain engaged, and work for the betterment of our state, is greatly appreciated. Many priorities have needed to be set aside because we no longer have the money to fund them or […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: Coronavirus cast a light, but injustice was already here
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines gaslighting as an “attempt to make (someone) believe that he or she is going insane (as by subjecting that person to a series of experiences that have no rational explanation).” Sound familiar? As a political tactic, gaslighting has never been so uniformly and brazenly embraced than by Donald Trump and his […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: Colorado needs emergency tax reform to avoid irreparable harm
I get the great privilege to be an English language arts and computer science teacher in our beautiful Four Corners area. I love where I live, with its beautiful mesas, mountain vistas and an endless playground of woods and rivers. But more importantly, I love my students, who (despite coming from a deeply impoverished area) […]