A cluster of health-conscious communities, mostly in the Colorado mountains, passed measures Tuesday that took aim at the youth vaping epidemic. Eight cities and counties asked voters to increase taxes on tobacco, including electronic cigarettes and vaping products. And the proposed taxes were hefty — $3 to $4 per pack of cigarettes and 40% on […]
Election 2019
Posted inEducation, News, Politics and Government
An end to Denver’s school reform era? Teachers union-backed school board candidates win big
The Denver school board is on the verge of a historic shift, with two candidates backed by the teachers union scoring decisive wins and a third holding a narrow lead. This marks the first time in a decade that candidates supported by proponents of education reform won’t have the majority on the Denver school board. […]
Posted inBusiness, Education, Politics and Government, Transportation
The next fiscal fight in Colorado starts now: A bid to repeal TABOR and one to raise taxes on top earners
Colorado voters rejected a bid to remove the spending caps in the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights — but the fiscal fight is only expected to get more intense in the next year. One interest group is considering a repeal of the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights and another is testing ideas for a graduated tax system […]
Posted inBusiness, News, Politics and Government
Proposition DD too close to call: Future of Colorado sports betting, water project funding hangs in balance
In a nail-biter of a race, the legalization of Colorado sports betting — and the millions it would generate for water projects — appeared too close to call late Tuesday. By 10 p.m., with perhaps tens of thousands of ballots left to count, the margin between yes and no on Proposition DD was less than […]
Posted inCrime and Courts, News, Politics and Government
Here’s a roundup of the most important 2019 local election results in Colorado
Coloradans decided on two major statewide ballot measures on Tuesday, but they also made key choices in a number of local races that will shape the state for years to come. From the Aurora mayoral contest to a big Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights question in Jefferson County and the future of oil and gas drilling […]
Posted inNews, Politics and Government
TABOR stands strong in Colorado as Proposition CC fails and voters refuse to allow more state spending
The only-in-the-nation fiscal handcuffs on Colorado’s budget will remain in place after voters Tuesday rejected a move by Democrats to repeal the spending limits in the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights. Preliminary election returns showed Proposition CC losing by a solid margin, trailing 56% to 44% with an estimated three-quarters of the vote counted. If the […]
Posted inEnvironment, Outdoors, Politics and Government
Colorado may legalize sports betting with Prop. DD. But a different gambling expansion didn’t make it.
In an overwhelming bipartisan vote, the General Assembly agreed to put a question before voters Tuesday to legalize sports betting. But in a little-noticed vote in this year’s legislative session, top Colorado lawmakers rejected a different request to expand state-sanctioned gambling. Colorado Voter Guide 2019: What you need to know about propositions CC and DD […]
Posted inEducation, Politics and Government, Transportation
Meet the million-dollar man behind Proposition CC on Colorado’s 2019 ballot
Dan Ritchie made a prophetic declaration four and a half years ago. In a conference room filled with Colorado policy leaders, the former University of Denver chancellor moderated a discussion with experts who lamented the state’s dismal rankings for spending on education, colleges and transportation. But no one had an easy solution. Out of nowhere, […]
Posted inEducation, News, Politics and Government
On eve of Colorado school board elections, youth coalition renews push to lower voting age
Asked how they feel about Denver’s pending school board election, some student activists use words like “hopeless” and “frustrated.” “It’s a decision that is made for you, and you want to have a voice in it, but you can’t,” said Madison Ordonez Erives, a senior at Denver’s East High School and a member of the Student […]
Posted inNews, Politics and Government
Coloradans for Prosperity is sending people voter “report cards.” Here’s who the group is and what they want.
Coloradans for Prosperity, a deep-pocketed group working to pass Proposition CC on November’s ballot, has been sending people a voter “report card” in an effort to boost turnout. The report cards grade recipients on their recent voting record compared to their neighbors, urging them to cast their ballots. Some voters have been frustrated by the […]