Posted inNews, Politics and Government

Republicans say Colorado is hurtling toward a possible budget deficit as a dozen new state offices are created

At least a dozen new offices have been added to Colorado’s state government over the past three years, stoking Republican fears of runaway growth as the state hurtles toward a possible budget deficit.  The added offices, with ambitious goals like preventing gun violence and saving people money on health care, are a sign of ballooning […]

Posted inColoradans, Health, Politics and Government

Colorado lawmakers want to spell it out: It’s perfectly legal for kids to play outside or walk to school alone

Brinley Sheffield and her mom had run the route several times together and tracked the mileage — two trips around their neighborhood block made a mile.  So when the 7-year-old who wanted to become a faster runner set off on her first solo run, her parents had no concern that she would get lost. Besides, […]

Posted inElection 2020, Politics and Government

Democrats dominate campaign fundraising and spend big to build majority in the Colorado legislature

Democrats are outspending Republicans in state legislative races, and super PACs are pouring in $10 million, as the majority party looks poised to make gains in both chambers. A few of the competitive races are exceeding the $1 million mark with the most expensive contest — a state Senate seat in Adams County — topping […]

Posted inEducation, Politics and Government

The Democratic agenda came with a big price tag. Now Colorado budget writers worry about paying the bill.

To pass their expansive legislative agenda, the new Democratic majority at the Colorado Capitol spent big this year. Real big. And now even Democratic budget writers are worried about how to make ends meet. “There were a lot of bills passed last (session) that have continued spending … and some of those were very large,” […]

Posted inEducation, Growth, Politics and Government, Transportation

Now we know how much money is at stake on the 2019 ballot with Proposition CC and TABOR refunds in Colorado

On the November ballot, Colorado voters will decide a question potentially worth as much as $1.7 billion. Proposition CC asks voters for permission to end the cap on state tax revenue outlined in the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights. If the answer is yes, the state plans to spend the money on schools, higher education and […]

Posted inEducation, News, Politics and Government

Gov. Polis’ full-day kindergarten program could bust its budget by $40 million in first year, state survey predicts

School administrators anticipate near-universal attendance in free, full-day kindergarten this fall, a state survey found, which would blow a $40 million hole in the budget Colorado lawmakers set for the first year of the new program. In the last school year, 36 of the Colorado’s 178 school districts had students enrolled in half-day kindergarten programs, […]

Posted inBusiness, Crime and Courts, Education, Energy, Health, Politics and Government, Transportation

What the $30.5 billion Colorado state budget means for you — yes, you

The $30.5 billion state-budget package introduced Monday offers a little something for most everyone in Colorado. The state would pay for full-day kindergarten, relieving local school districts and parents of the cost. The price tag for tuition would remain flat, except at one university. All state employees would receive at least a 3 percent raise, […]

Posted inColoradans, News, Politics and Government

With more child welfare caseworkers than ever, Colorado lawmakers want to know why some outcomes are getting worse

The bipartisan committee that writes Colorado’s budget wants an audit of every county child welfare department in the state, a rare request that came as lawmakers blasted the system for poor outcomes. What riled legislators was a $6.1 million budget request to add 100 more caseworkers across Colorado, the fifth phase of a multi-year plan […]