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Democrats reject audit of Colorado Secretary of State’s password breach
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Democrats reject audit of Colorado Secretary of State’s password breach

By Marianne Goodland | Colorado Politics Just hours after a third party investigation found the Secretary of State's Office "unintentionally" violated policy in posting a spreadsheet with election equipment passwords, Democrats on the Colorado General Assembly's Legislative Audit Committee rejected calls for an audit of that breach. The committee is evenly between Democrats and Republicans; hence, the potential for a tie vote. And the panel killed the proposal along party lines, with Democrats balking at the request and Republicans supporting it. The committee voted, 4-4, dooming the audit request.   READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS
Colorado Democrats to hold vacancy elections to fill two Senate seats
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Colorado Democrats to hold vacancy elections to fill two Senate seats

By Marianne Goodland | Colorado Politics With the state's new legislative session slated to get under way on Jan. 8, Democrats currently have to vacancy seats to fill in Senate Districts 29 and 31. Respective vacancy committees have scheduled elections to be held in early January. Denver Democrats on Monday announced they will hold a vacancy election on Tuesday, Jan. 7 to choose a replacement for Sen. Chris Hansen, D-Denver. Hansen announced he would resign his Senate District 31 seat, effective Jan. 9, the day after the start of the 2025 General Assembly. He's taken a job as CEO of La Plata Electric in Durango. READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS
Castle Rock passes measure supporting Trump’s deportation plan
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Castle Rock passes measure supporting Trump’s deportation plan

By Noah Festenstein | Denver Gazette via Colorado Politics Denver Mayor Mike Johnston’s response to the president-elect’s illegal immigration deportation strategy has prompted one Colorado town to push back — again. Since Johnston took office in July 2023, Denver has welcomed nearly 43,000 immigrants, most whom illegally crossed the southern border, into Colorado’s most populous city. Johnston, a Democrat, recently made national headlines when he told local news blog Denverite the city’s police and “50,000 Denverites” would not comply with President-elect Donald Trump’s plans to deport thousands of immigrants currently residing illegally in the Mile High City. Denver’s mayor even suggested he’d go to jail if necessary.  READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS...
Proposed ‘blanket ban’ on flavored tobacco could cost the city of Denver millions
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Proposed ‘blanket ban’ on flavored tobacco could cost the city of Denver millions

By Deborah Grigsby | Denver Gazette via Colorado Politics A bill prohibiting the sale of flavored tobacco products within the City and County of Denver got the nod of approval from the city’s Safety, Housing, Education and Homelessness Committee on Wednesday. The vote was 6 - 1, with Councilmember Kevin Flynn casting the lone dissenting vote. The next stop will be City Council for a final vote as early as Dec. 16, to pass the ordinance by the end of the year, according to District 9 Councilmember Darrell Watson, one of the bill’s sponsors. READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS
Colorado lawmakers debate when, how to fund $350M voter-approved public safety mandate
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Colorado lawmakers debate when, how to fund $350M voter-approved public safety mandate

By Marianne Goodland | Colorado Politics Colorado lawmakers are scrambling to figure out exactly how to carry out voters' approval of a ballot measure that directs the General Assembly to put $350 million into a fund to help recruit, train, and retain local law enforcement. The measure did not specify a timeline for when the money must be allocated or whether it's a yearly allocation. Lawmakers are grappling with those questions as the state's budget crafters are seeking money anywhere, given that the state faces a $1 billion shortfall. READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS
Denver auditor: City’s college scholarship program failed to implement almost all recommendations
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Denver auditor: City’s college scholarship program failed to implement almost all recommendations

By Deborah Grigsby | Denver Gazette via Colorado Politics More than a year after Denver auditors raised concerns about oversight, data management, and quality assurance with the city’s tax-funded college affordability program, a follow-up audit found that the Office of Children’s Affairs has failed to implement the bulk of recommended changes made in the original report. Of the original eight recommendations, auditors noted that Children's Affairs, which oversees the Prosperity Denver Fund program, had only partially implemented two but had not taken steps to address the risks the other six sought to resolve. Back in 2018, Denver voters approved a ballot measure known as Prosperity Denver, which called for a 0.08% sales tax — less than one cent on $10 — and would be distributed in...
Gov. Polis, Sen. Bennet and Rep. Crow slam sweeping Hunter Biden pardon as ‘mistake’
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Gov. Polis, Sen. Bennet and Rep. Crow slam sweeping Hunter Biden pardon as ‘mistake’

By Ernest Luning | Colorado Politics Leading Colorado Democrats criticized President Joe Biden's pardon of his son for federal crimes, calling the move a "mistake" that weakens Americans' faith in the justice system. Contradicting his own earlier pledges that he wouldn't pardon his son, the Democratic president issued a sweeping pardon for Hunter Biden late Sunday, characterizing the latter's federal prosecution on charges of tax evasion and falsifying a firearms purchase form as politically motivated. "While as a father I certainly understand President @JoeBiden’s natural desire to help his son by pardoning him, I am disappointed that he put his family ahead of the country," Gov. Jared Polis tweeted Sunday night. READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS
Colorado bill would eliminate second required election for unionization
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Colorado bill would eliminate second required election for unionization

By Marissa Ventrelli  | Colorado Politics A proposed bill that would significantly change Colorado's Labor Peace Act, which details the process for unionization and collective bargaining in the state, has drawn criticism from the business community. Labor organizations argue that it's necessary to balance the power between workers and employers. The Labor Peace Act, signed into law in 1943, sets Colorado apart from other states in that it requires two elections to have the option to establish a union security agreement. The first election must receive a simple majority to proceed to the second election, which requires a 75% "yes" vote. The proposed bill, expected to be introduced during the 2025 legislative session, would eliminate the second election requirement. READ THE FU...
Colorado judges cannot serve as temporary election workers, ethics panel says
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Colorado judges cannot serve as temporary election workers, ethics panel says

By Michael Karlik | Colorado Politics The Colorado Supreme Court's ethics panel advised members of the judiciary last month that they cannot serve as temporary election workers. The Colorado Judicial Ethics Advisory Board, which consists of judges, lawyers and a non-attorney, cited two reasons why appointed judges should refrain from serving as elections judges. First, with the exception of nonpartisan elections, temporary workers would have to publicly disclose their political affiliation at the outset. Second, the Code of Judicial Conduct limits the types of appointments state judges can take. "The judicial ethics committees of other jurisdictions have also determined that judges may not accept appointments or serve as election judges because the position is not one that concern...
Colorado Springs City Council approves $941M budget for 2025, dipping into reserves to balance
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Colorado Springs City Council approves $941M budget for 2025, dipping into reserves to balance

By Brennen Kauffman | The Gazette Colorado Springs City Council gave the final approval Tuesday for the city's 2025 budget. The final budget covers $941 million in city expenses and revenue next year, including $438 million in spending for the city's general fund. Colorado Springs' budget has increased from the $900 million budget passed for 2024 but is still down from the billion dollar budget the city had in 2023. The new budget continues some of the reductions the city enacted last year to deal with financial crunches, including limiting new department spending and keeping several unfilled positions open. To balance the budget, the city will end up pulling $3.9 million from its reserves. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE GAZETTE

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