One of the most closely watched Colorado statehouse primaries this year remained too close to call Wednesday with the two Democratic candidates vying to represent central Denver’s House District 6 separated by fewer than 500 votes. Elisabeth Epps, a criminal justice activist, was leading Katie March, a former legislative aide, on Wednesday evening in a […]
Colin Larson
Posted inNews
Colorado’s high-stakes property tax battle ends dramatically as opposing sides agree to embrace $700M reduction
Colorado’s property tax arms race ended Friday morning after conservative and liberal groups moved to withdraw the ballot measures they were pursuing for the November ballot that would have dramatically altered the tax code. Democratic leaders in the legislature, meanwhile, vowed not to pursue an opposing ballot initiative that would have prevented property tax changes […]
Posted inEconomy, Housing, News, Politics and Government
Property tax arms race involving Colorado power players grips Capitol as fragile deal starts to deteriorate
A property tax arms race involving some of the state’s most powerful people is unfolding behind the scenes at the Colorado Capitol in the final days of the 2022 lawmaking term, jeopardizing a fragile deal unveiled this week. The deal, backed by the governor and negotiated over several weeks, would reduce projected property tax increases […]
Posted inNews, Politics and Government
Colorado lawmakers want to tweak how at-risk students are counted amid broader school-funding overhaul
State lawmakers are looking to tweak how Colorado distributes money to help school districts support their neediest students, fearing that the current definition of “at-risk,” a measure used to determine funding, is no longer accurate. Tens of millions of dollars could be on the line. The state uses free and reduced-price lunch sign-ups to help […]
Posted inBusiness, Economy, News, Politics and Government
Colorado auditor finds $73 million in “likely fraudulent” unemployment payments, including to dead people
Colorado may have paid $73 million in fraudulent unemployment benefits, with payments made to dead people, inmates and underage applicants, a state audit found, more than double the $30 million state labor officials had previously confirmed was improperly paid. “Despite the numerous steps that the department has taken to prevent and detect fraud, our audit […]
Posted inNews, Politics and Government
8 takeaways from Colorado’s new congressional map
Some folks are loving the new, eight-district congressional map approved by Colorado’s Independent Congressional Redistricting Commission in an 11-1 vote late Tuesday. Others, not so much. But it’s been clear from the start of the process that not everyone would be happy with how a new map would end up. The proposal must be approved […]
Posted inNews, Politics and Government
Despite partisan rhetoric at the Colorado Capitol, just 4.4% of bills this year passed along purely party lines
A record 504 bills introduced in the Colorado legislature became law this year, and 94% of them had at least one Republican vote. And half of the 39 Republicans in the state House and Senate voted for 58% of those bills, according to a Colorado Sun analysis. That’s despite a third year of Democratic rule […]
Posted inSun Investigation
Colorado may toughen probes into institutional child abuse claims following Colorado Sun/9News investigation
A state child welfare committee will consider changing the way allegations of institutional abuse are investigated at residential centers for troubled kids, following news reports about a chronic runaway problem that resulted in two deaths. Two state lawmakers, meanwhile, are vowing to strengthen mental health treatment for children and compel the state child welfare division […]
Posted inEducation, News, Politics and Government
A job or a civic duty? Colorado weighs paying school board members
More than 60% of students in the Roaring Fork School District are Hispanic, but when Jasmin Ramirez was elected in 2019, she and fellow board member Natalie Torres became the first Latinas to serve on the school board. Like all Colorado school board seats, it’s a volunteer position that comes with no pay. That sacrifice […]
Posted inNews, Politics and Government
Just four Colorado cities use ranked-choice voting. Democratic lawmakers want to make it easier for others to adopt.
It’s a relatively rare way to vote in the United States, but a group of Democratic state lawmakers want to make it easier to use ranked-choice voting to elect leaders in Colorado cities. Here’s how it works: instead of casting a vote for a single candidate, voters rank candidates in order of their preference. The […]