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Democrats target TABOR as budget crisis exposes reckless spending
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Democrats target TABOR as budget crisis exposes reckless spending

By Rocky Mountain Voice Staff As Colorado faces a $1.2 billion budget deficit, state lawmakers are once again debating the role of the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR) in shaping the state’s financial future. With deep cuts expected for education, health care and social services, some Democratic legislators are raising concerns over TABOR’s limits on government spending. Yet Republicans argue that the deficit is a result of overspending rather than shortfalls in revenue. Passed by voters in 1992, TABOR restricts government spending growth to population increases, plus inflation, and requires that any surplus revenue be refunded to taxpayers.  Supporters argue that these restrictions prevent excessive government expansion, while critics say the formula is too rigid, making it...
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Colorado moves toward a nuclear future as energy demands skyrocket
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Colorado moves toward a nuclear future as energy demands skyrocket

By Rocky Mountain Voice Staff Colorado is at an energy crossroads, and House Bill 25-1040 is now sitting on Governor Jared Polis' desk, awaiting his decision. The bill, which recognizes nuclear energy as part of the state's clean energy portfolio, has gained rare bipartisan support—but the real question is whether Polis will cave to radical environmentalists or side with the majority of Coloradans who support nuclear energy. With the Craig Station Power Plant set to close and electricity demand expected to double by 2050, leaders across the state are finally acknowledging what conservatives have long championed: nuclear energy is the most efficient, clean and sustainable path forward. But will Polis let that happen? Despite past resistance, HB 1040 passed with support from both si...
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Hate or free speech? CMU students react to local Turning Point USA polls
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Hate or free speech? CMU students react to local Turning Point USA polls

By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice Few things stir debate on college campuses like politics—and at CMU, a student group’s whiteboard polls have done just that. Turning Point USA’s Colorado Mesa University chapter (TPUSA CMU) has sparked discussion after posting a series of provocative whiteboard poll questions in the university’s cafeteria.  Some students view the questions as open discussion starters, while others see them as hate speech meant to provoke. “Some of the questions pertaining to immigrants and other situations going on, you have to understand a lot of people are going through this personally,” CMU student Welam Agamba told KKCO 11 News. Founded by Charlie Kirk in 2012, TPUSA is known for challenging anti-American perspectives on colle...
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Garbo: Biden’s autopen scandal—who was really running the country?
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Garbo: Biden’s autopen scandal—who was really running the country?

By C. J. Garbo | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice The recent revelation that an autopen was used to affix President Joe Biden's signature on numerous executive orders, pardons, and other documents of national consequence is a scandal of seismic proportions. If proven true, this practice strikes at the very heart of the legitimacy of executive authority and raises grave constitutional concerns that demand immediate and thorough investigation. The use of a machine-generated signature to execute the powers vested solely in the President of the United States by the Constitution is not merely a matter of procedural convenience - it is a fundamental betrayal of the American people and the democratic principles upon which this nation was founded. The Constitution's framers were ...
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Walcher: Squirrels Killed by the Forest Service, or the Courts?
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Walcher: Squirrels Killed by the Forest Service, or the Courts?

By Greg Walcher | Guest Commentary, GregWalcher.com In 2017 the Arizona Game and Fish Department estimated that there were only 252 Mount Graham red squirrels left. They only inhabited a few hundred acres in the 10,000-foot Pinaleño Mountains, not equipped to survive the heat of the surrounding deserts. Then, a lightning strike started a 48,000-acre fire in that section of the Coronado National Forest, incinerating all but 35 of the Mount Graham squirrels in existence. Federal and state wildlife officials thought the species faced likely extinction. It is a more common story than you might think. The Journal Science published a study in 2020 called “Fire and biodiversity in the Anthropocene,” analyzing the danger of wildfires to threatened and endangered species. Across nine taxonomi...
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Meckstroth: A Well Informed Citizenry…
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Meckstroth: A Well Informed Citizenry…

By Rick Meckstroth, Rural Custer County Citizen | Guest Commentary, Sangre de Cristo Sentinel Thomas Jefferson has a very famous quote: “A well informed citizenry is the best defense against tyranny.” At a conference this past weekend, I saw a great example of how well (or poorly) informed we are that came from a recent study conducted by the The Institute for Citizens and Scholars (formerly Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation.) According to the report, only 39 percent of Americans can pass a multiple choice test with questions taken from the U.S. Citizenship Test (the passing score is 60% correct). Less than a quarter (24%), knew why the colonists fought the British and  2 percent thought we fought World War II over climate change. If one looks deeper into the numb...
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Devotional: Adoption, the inheritance stored in God’s eternal trust fund
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Devotional: Adoption, the inheritance stored in God’s eternal trust fund

By Drake Hunter | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Imagine this: God’s promises are like a special trust fund—a wonderful gift from a loving Parent. This trust fund isn’t about what we do or how much we achieve; it’s all about His endless grace.  Think of it as our eternal inheritance, a beautiful treasure we receive when we become part of God’s family through faith in Jesus Christ.  Here’s the comforting part: to really enjoy everything God has to offer, we just need to learn how to tap into this divine trust fund. When we do, He can bless us with even more treasures, filling up the heavenly bank account we’re building for eternity! Romans 8:15 says, “The Spirit you received does not make you slaves so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brou...
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Is Tina Peters’ life at risk in jail? Attorneys sound the alarm on her health decline
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Is Tina Peters’ life at risk in jail? Attorneys sound the alarm on her health decline

By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice Former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters’ time in Larimer County Jail is taking a toll, according to her legal team and supporters. They say she’s experiencing memory loss, declining health and mistreatment—claims that have only fueled concerns about her condition. With growing pressure on Governor Jared Polis to grant a pardon, Peters’ case is becoming a test of justice, fairness and political influence in Colorado. Attorney John Case, who has been visiting Peters regularly, described noticeable changes in her health since she was taken into custody. "I visit Tina approximately weekly, the most recent visit was Sunday, March 16. I notice that Tina has difficulty with memory and word finding, compared to her cognitive abil...
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HB25-1211: A developer giveaway disguised as water conservation?
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HB25-1211: A developer giveaway disguised as water conservation?

By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice Framed as a water conservation bill, HB25-1211 passed the Colorado House on March 17, with unanimous Republican opposition and four Democrats voting against it. Despite its stated goal of ensuring fairness in water tap fees, critics argue the bill primarily benefits developers over homeowners, forcing local water districts to subsidize high-density developments while shifting costs to existing ratepayers.​ Democrat Reps. Rebecca Stewart and Sheila Lieder, sponsors of the bill, argue it is necessary to prevent water districts from using tap fees to discourage development.  “The bill makes sure that special districts aren’t using the levying of tap fees in order to influence land use, discourage more water-efficient...
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Tristan: Is Trump administration’s DOGE cutting waste or slashing jobs?
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Tristan: Is Trump administration’s DOGE cutting waste or slashing jobs?

By George Tristan | Guest Columnist, Rocky Mountain Voice In November 2002, I was informed I would be terminated from a well-paying position at Hewlett-Packard. The HP layoffs (approximately 30,000 employees) were prompted by volatile industry turmoil (Dotcom bust) and a merger with Compaq. The 10 years of employment at HP were some of the very best of my career. HP, at that time, was the darling of the Silicon Valley empire, as the Palo Alto garage where Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard started the fledgling company is a California landmark and considered by many the birthplace of the high-tech industry.  This dramatic upheaval in the telecommunications industry resulted in a labor market flooded with unemployed IT professionals. With few options, I accepted a management position ...
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