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Daniel: Colorado’s political ruling class has turned common sense upside down
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Rocky Mountain Voice, Approved, Commentary, State, Top Stories

Daniel: Colorado’s political ruling class has turned common sense upside down

By Bobbie Daniel | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice There was a time when Colorado ran on common sense. We valued hard work, local control, and the idea that if you played by the rules, you’d get a fair shake. But somewhere along the way, the folks running this state traded those values for political theater and personal ambition. Today, agriculture, coal mining, oil and gas, small businesses, and law enforcement — the very things that help keep our state running — are treated like the enemy. The latest example proves just how upside‑down things have gotten: the Attorney General of Colorado is suing a Mesa County deputy… for doing his job. Now, I don’t know about you, but where I come from, you don’t punish the people who keep you safe. Yet here we are — living in a state wh...
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“We absolutely back the badge”: Mesa County defends deputy in federal suit
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Rocky Mountain Voice, Approved, Local, Top Stories

“We absolutely back the badge”: Mesa County defends deputy in federal suit

By Jen Schumann | Rocky Mountain Voice Mesa County is taking Colorado’s top political figures to court. On Tuesday, commissioners unanimously voted to authorize a federal lawsuit against Governor Jared Polis and Attorney General Phil Weiser over what they called “politically motivated litigation” targeting local law enforcement under a controversial new state law. The board’s action followed a detailed legal presentation from County Attorney Todd Starr and remarks from all three commissioners defending Sheriff Todd Rowell and other named deputies. “This action is necessary to protect the constitutional rights of our employees at the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office,” Starr said. “They’re  facing imminent threats of civil liability and penalties.” At issue is Senate Bill 276, which ...
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Gaines: Is CDPHE’s harm reduction program normalizing meth and crack on the taxpayer’s dime?
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Colorado Accountability Project, Approved, Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories

Gaines: Is CDPHE’s harm reduction program normalizing meth and crack on the taxpayer’s dime?

By Cory Gaines | Commentary, Colorado Accountability Project CDPHE's harm reduction via Colorado Health Network, Inc. The Colorado Politics article linked first below is about a meth flyer that was circulating in Denver and causing some heartburn. It's a flyer which offers tips on how to smoke not only meth but also crack cocaine. The flyer was produced and distributed by Access Point Denver.Quoting the article:"Operated by Colorado Health Network, Access Point Denver is a harm reduction program offering services such as drug checking, overdose prevention and sterile needle exchanges to reduce the transmission of diseases among drug users. In June, the Denver City Council unanimously approved a 24-month contract extension worth more than $3 million that funds Access Point Denver’...
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Colorado Sued for for Taxing Overtime Pay Exempted by Trump
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State, Approved, Westword

Colorado Sued for for Taxing Overtime Pay Exempted by Trump

By Michael Roberts | Westword The lawsuit challenges a recently passed Colorado law that will continue taxing overtime pay at the state level. As President Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act temporarily cuts federal taxes on overtime pay, some Colorado Republicans are seeking to force the state to follow suit. The conservative advocacy group Advance Colorado filed a lawsuit on Thursday, July 24, challenging a new law that will continue taxing overtime pay at the state level, regardless of federal changes. The lawsuit was filed in Denver District Court against Governor Jared Polis and the head of Colorado’s tax agency. Other plaintiffs attached to the suit include Republican State Senator Barbara Kirkmeyer and Fremont County Commissioner Kevin Grantham. The lawsuit target...
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Colorado Delegation Unites to Demand $140M Water Funds Release
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State, Approved, The Colorado Sun

Colorado Delegation Unites to Demand $140M Water Funds Release

By Shannon Mullane | The Colorado Sun The state’s congressional delegation sent a bipartisan letter to federal agencies, calling on them to fund Colorado River drought-response projects. Colorado’s entire congressional delegation, Republicans and Democrats alike, is calling for the release of $140 million in frozen funds for Colorado River water projects. In January, the last days of the Biden administration, the Bureau of Reclamation awarded funding for 17 projects as part of the federal drought-response effort in the overstressed Colorado River Basin. Three days later, President Donald Trump issued sweeping executive orders that aimed to reshape federal spending priorities to match his administration’s policies. The Colorado projects were caught in the maelstrom. Co...
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TABOR Undermined as Almost Half of Colorado Budget Now Exempt
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State, Approved, coloradopolitics.com

TABOR Undermined as Almost Half of Colorado Budget Now Exempt

By Hannah Metzger | Colorado Politics State spending that is exempt from Colorado's Taxpayer's Bill of Rights has increased by nearly 30% over the past 30 years, according to a report by the public policy think tank Common Sense Institute.  While TABOR places a limit on how much revenue the state can retain each fiscal year, certain sources — such as voter-approved changes, federal funds, and state enterprises — are exempt. According to the Bell Policy Center, enterprise funds are state-owned "businesses" that provide goods or services in exchange for revenue. Examples include the state lottery and the Colorado Healthcare Affordability and Sustainability Enterprise (CHASE). According to the Common Sense Institute report, 46% of total state spending — ab...
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Feds Approve Colorado Ban on Buying Soda with Food Stamps
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State, Approved, kdvr.com

Feds Approve Colorado Ban on Buying Soda with Food Stamps

By Dara Bitler | KDVR FOX31 DENVER (KDVR) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture has allowed Colorado to exempt sugary beverages and soda from being purchased with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program funds. The announcement was made on Monday, following the state’s submission of the waiver request on May 13. The waiver will take effect in 2026, according to a release from the USDA. The SNAP waiver is designed to bring a focus on healthy eating, according to Colorado Governor Jared Polis. The waiver changes what foods can be purchased through SNAP. Beneficiaries can still purchase milk-based drinks and 100% juice drinks with their SNAP benefits, but sweetened beverages, such as soft drinks with sugar or artificial sweeteners, will be excluded. The waiver specifically exclud...
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