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Government knows best? Colorado homeschool advocates say families should decide
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Christian Home Educators of Colorado, Approved, Commentary, State

Government knows best? Colorado homeschool advocates say families should decide

By Colleen Enos | Commentary, Christian Home Educators of Colorado In the 1950s, there was a popular television show that aired for many years called Father Knows Best. It was a wholesome program about a typical American family in the Midwest. Today, if we created a show about the state of Colorado, it would be called “Government Knows Best.” This is because our state government has never met an area of life that they don’t want to regulate or control. Education is one of those areas that is funded and controlled by our state. This also extends to part-time homeschool enrichment funding, which has become more popular to use due to the growing number of publicly provided and publicly funded programs across our state. Alarmed at the number of families taking advantage of these programs...
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A win for taxpayers: Colorado Senate committee kills employer fee bill
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Colorado Accountability Project, Approved, Commentary, State

A win for taxpayers: Colorado Senate committee kills employer fee bill

By Cory Gaines | Commentary, Colorado Accountability Project Per the Sum and Substance article linked first below, HB26-1327 (linked second) made it out of the House but died in committee in the Senate. Quoting: “Senate Finance Committee members voted down HB 1327 by a 7-2 margin on Thursday, with four Democrats joining the committee’s three Republicans in opposing it. Sen. Cathy Kipp, D-Fort Collins, said she was for the idea before groups like CCLP convinced her of its faults, and Sen. Adrienne Benavidez, D-Adams County, joined with several Republicans in arguing that it would violate TABOR.” However it needed to be, I’m glad it didn’t pass. A look at the bill helps explain why in part. The bill would have been yet another enterprise run by yet another unelected boar...
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Dillon Vakoff died protecting a family. His mother and his fellow officer won’t let Colorado forget why.
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Rocky Mountain Voice, Commentary, State, Top Stories

Dillon Vakoff died protecting a family. His mother and his fellow officer won’t let Colorado forget why.

By Gabe Evans and Lisa Vakoff | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice In 2025, 115 police officers in the United States paid the ultimate price. Officers who survive their careers carry lifelong scars and health complications. The average American experiences their first heart attack at the average age of 65. Police officers get their first heart attack at age 46. Stress, lack of sleep, and violent criminals are just a few of the hazards that cops face every day.  To honor their service, in 1962, Congress and President John F. Kennedy proclaimed May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the calendar week during which it occurs as Police Week. It is a time to honor the brave men and women in law enforcement who put on the badge and willingly step into danger to protect our c...
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Three GOP candidates take aim at Colorado’s open primary law—and bring the math
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Rocky Mountain Voice, Commentary, State, Top Stories

Three GOP candidates take aim at Colorado’s open primary law—and bring the math

By Candice Strutzreim | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Republican candidates Ron Hanks (CD-3), David Willson (attorney general) and Scott Bottoms (governor) have filed a lawsuit to challenge the constitutionality of CRS 1-7-201. Also known as the Open Primary statute, the law was created through Proposition 108 in 2016. The hearing will be held in Denver District Court this Thursday at 1:30 pm, one day before primary ballots are scheduled to be sent to overseas and military voters for the June 30 election. How is this lawsuit any different than all the other challenges to “Prop 108” that have been previously brought before the courts? Counsel for the plaintiffs, Gary D. Fielder, intends to prove that Governor Jared Polis and Secretary of State Jena Griswold are promulg...
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There’s a Vacancy on Colorado’s Transportation Investment Board. You Should Apply.
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Colorado Accountability Project, Approved, Commentary, State

There’s a Vacancy on Colorado’s Transportation Investment Board. You Should Apply.

By Cory Gaines | Commentary, Colorado Accountability Project A reader sent in a tip about an upcoming vacancy at CTIO. Before getting more on that, let’s back up and talk about what CTIO is. The first link below is to their “About” page, but in brief they’re one of the copious number of enterprises (government “businesses”) that do so much of Colorado’s work. Quoting their page: “The Funding Advancement for Surface Transportation and Economic Recovery Act (Part 8 of Article 4, Title 43, Colorado Revised Statutes), otherwise known as FASTER, created the Colorado High Performance Transportation Enterprise (HPTE), now doing business as the Colorado Transportation Investment Office (CTIO), in 2009 as an independent, government-owned business within CDOT. CTIO has the legal re...
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“Your Transaction Cannot Be Completed At This Time.”
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Rocky Mountain Voice, Commentary, State, Top Stories

“Your Transaction Cannot Be Completed At This Time.”

By Maria Orms | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice That’s what my banking portal told me when I tried to send $1,500 through Zelle for a personal transaction. I was below my daily limit. Everything was correct. And yet, my money was blocked. When I called customer service, the interrogation began. The agent asked who I was sending the money to. I said I did not have to disclose that. He insisted Zelle was blocking the payment and could not lift the block unless I answered. After repeated prodding, I reluctantly said it was a personal friend. Next came the question of the purpose of the transaction. Again, I refused. He cited fraud prevention. I confirmed the payment was legitimate, but the questioning continued: “Is this for a loan, an investment, a product, or what?” I fi...
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Colorado commentator calls on Senate president to address Sullivan’s treatment of citizen witnesses
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Colorado Accountability Project, Approved, Commentary, State

Colorado commentator calls on Senate president to address Sullivan’s treatment of citizen witnesses

By Cory Gaines | Commentary, Colorado Accountability Project The Free State Colorado video I link to first below was infuriating to me. In it, host Brandon Wark details Senator Tom Sullivan’s berating of a witness who came to testify on a bill before a committee where Sullivan is chair. Not okay. I don’t care what the bill is. I don’t care what any one person’s or organization’s stance on it is. This is impolite, bullying behavior and it’s not okay. Nor is it, and this is why I find it infuriating, the first time I’ve seen Sullivan do this in public. The second link below is to an earlier newsletter about a time a ways back where, shockingly, Senator Sullivan berated some citizens who came in to speak about a gun bill, essentially lobbing the accusation at them that they ...
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Colorado’s Fair Map Fight: What’s Happening and Why It Matters
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Rocky Mountain Voice, Commentary, State, Top Stories

Colorado’s Fair Map Fight: What’s Happening and Why It Matters

By Robyn Carnes | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice A nonpartisan overview of the competing redistricting initiatives on Colorado’s 2026 ballot — and what’s at stake for every voter. A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR As a former elected official and candidate, I’ve experienced Colorado’s election system from the inside. I’ve seen how much trust in that system matters — not just for candidates, but for the communities we serve. I’m doing this because I believe in fair process, strong institutions, and trust in elections. This isn’t about parties — it’s about process. The Big Picture In 2018, 71% of Coloradans voted to take map-drawing power away from politicians and give it to an independent constitutional commission. It worked. In 2021, the commission drew a balanced map ...
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Investigative Report Raises Questions About Soros Influence In Biden Administration
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DataRepublican, Approved, Commentary, National

Investigative Report Raises Questions About Soros Influence In Biden Administration

By DataRepublican | Commentary, DataRepublican Substack On January 30, 2017 — ten days into the Trump presidency — Rosa Brooks published an article in Foreign Policy titled “3 Ways to Get Rid of President Trump Before 2020.” She outlined four scenarios for removing the new president from office: impeachment, the 25th Amendment, cabinet revolt, and a military coup. Of the last option, Brooks wrote that it was “a possibility that until recently I would have said was unthinkable in the United States of America.” Brooks was a former Counselor to the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy at the Pentagon, where she reported to Michele Flournoy from 2009 to 2011. Before that, she served as Special Counsel to the President at the Open Soci...
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New Federal Tax Credit Could Expand Colorado School Choice Options
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The Colorado Sun, Approved, Commentary, State

New Federal Tax Credit Could Expand Colorado School Choice Options

By Brenda Dickhoner | Commentary, The Colorado Sun State lawmakers made the right move to postpone legislation that would have created barriers for the program. Colorado lawmakers have been working to close a budget gap of more than $1.5 billion, and programs that students and families rely on are under pressure. At the same time, a new federal tax credit gives Colorado a chance to bring substantial philanthropic dollars into education without drawing from the state’s general fund. The Education Freedom Tax Credit allows taxpayers to receive a federal tax credit of up to $1,700 annually for charitable contributions to scholarship-granting organizations that support K-12 students. Essentially, the program encourages private giving to step in where public fun...
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