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Polis Orders $252 Million in Cuts After Years of Overspending Strain State Finances
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State, Approved, The Gazette

Polis Orders $252 Million in Cuts After Years of Overspending Strain State Finances

By Marianne Goodland | The Gazette Lawmakers balk at some cuts, particularly reductions to health care provider rates. Gov. Jared Polis on Thursday signed an executive order, initiating the process to cut $252.5 million in cash and general funds from this year's budget, with the most significant impact on the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, which administers Medicaid. Polis also signed into law a measure from the recently concluded special session that requires him to meet with the Joint Budget Committee to review the spending reduction plan.  That meeting was often tense, with the legislators who craft the state budget indicating they aren't going along with some of his cuts, particularly for Medicaid providers. Policymakers said the actions taken durin...
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Colorado’s wolf experiment proves costly mistake for rural communities
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NRA Hunters’ Leadership Forum, Approved, Commentary, State

Colorado’s wolf experiment proves costly mistake for rural communities

By Mark Chesnut | Commentary, NRA Hunters’ Leadership Forum The dismal saga that has resulted from the introduction of gray wolves into the mountains of Colorado proves one thing: Wildlife management is best left to trained experts in the field. As some background, after voters narrowly approved the introduction of wolves on a ballot initiative in 2020, 10 wolves from Oregon were released in Grand and Summit counties in the northern area of the state. In January 2025, a second group of 15 wolves from British Columbia was released in Eagle and Pitkin counties. The National Rifle Association and other hunting and wildlife conservation organizations warned that there could be unintended consequences, but since voters approved the ballot initiative, state wildlife managers were forced to...
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Trump and Polis order flags to half-staff until Sunday following Minneapolis Catholic church shooting
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Fox31, Approved, State

Trump and Polis order flags to half-staff until Sunday following Minneapolis Catholic church shooting

By Heather Willard | Fox 31 DENVER (KDVR) — President Donald Trump and Governor Jared Polis ordered flags to be flown at half-staff beginning Wednesday through sunset on Sunday. The act is meant as a mark of respect for the lives lost and injuries incurred after a shooter reportedly opened fire through the window of a Catholic church in Minneapolis, striking children celebrating Mass during the first week of class. A shooting at a Minneapolis Catholic school kills 2 children, injures 17 people Two children, ages 8 and 10, were killed and 17 people, including 14 children, were wounded in an act of violence the police chief called “absolutely incomprehensible.” All Colorado and U.S. flags will fly at half-staff until sunset Sunday, August 31, 2025, to honor the victims ...
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From silence to the mic: Why young conservatives say CSU’s TPUSA event matters
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Rocky Mountain Voice, Approved, State, Top Stories

From silence to the mic: Why young conservatives say CSU’s TPUSA event matters

By Jen Schumann | Rocky Mountain Voice Turning Point USA is bringing Charlie Kirk and the American Comeback Tour to Colorado State University (CSU) on Sept. 18. The chapter will host two events that day—a midday “Prove Me Wrong” debate session and an evening program at the Lory Student Center Ballrooms. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., with priority seating for CSU students, though community members are also welcome. Registration is required and first come, first served. https://twitter.com/vlynstam/status/1960774930544669136 Vega Stamatien, now a TPUSA College Rockies field representative after serving as chapter president at the University of Northern Colorado, said the event is about bringing students together for honest conversation. “It’s no secret that we need more civil discourse...
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Colorado Student Attendance Declines as Chronic Absences Rise Again
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State, Approved, The Gazette

Colorado Student Attendance Declines as Chronic Absences Rise Again

By Eric Young | The Gazette Colorado is heading in the wrong direction for absenteeism and student attendance, according to data released Wednesday by the state Department of Education. The daily attendance and chronic absenteeism report for the 2024-25 school year showed slight declines in the former and increases in the latter. More than one in four Colorado students were chronically absent, according to the report. The average daily attendance rate was 91.4%, a 0.1% decrease from the year before. Chronic absenteeism statewide was 28.4% compared to 27.7% in 2023-24. The news comes after the state experienced improvements over the last two school years. But over 244,600 students were chronically absent in 2024-25, the third-highest rate since the state began collecting data...
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Colorado Lawmakers Hand Polis Authority for $300 Million in Spending Cuts
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State, Approved, DENVER7

Colorado Lawmakers Hand Polis Authority for $300 Million in Spending Cuts

By Brandon Richard | Denver7 The governor could make up to $300 million in spending cuts as part of the Democrats' plan to fix the budget gap. DENVER — Colorado’s special session is over, but there’s still more work to do to address the state’s $783 million budget gap. Most of that work will fall to Governor Jared Polis. Colorado’s Democratic legislative leaders have a three-part plan to address the budget gap. They took care of one part of that plan during their six-day special session when they cut several corporate tax breaks. "I'm grateful my colleagues didn't shy away from this challenge,” said Senate President James Coleman, D-Denver. “We faced it head-on. We rolled up our sleeves. We acted like the adults in the room." But they’re leaving the other two parts of...
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The special session leaves Polis with a $783M deficit — here’s how he can fix it without new taxes
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Rocky Mountain Voice, Approved, Commentary, State, Top Stories

The special session leaves Polis with a $783M deficit — here’s how he can fix it without new taxes

By Russ Minary | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Governor Polis recently called—and lawmakers have now concluded—a special session aimed at addressing the estimated State budget deficit of $1.2 to 1.6 BILLION. That means that every man, woman and child in CO has to pay $208 more this year. That’s in addition to all of the other current local, county, state, sales and special district taxes they are already paying. But kids don’t pay taxes; adults do. I think CO taxpayers and citizens already pay enough in taxes. While lawmakers passed roughly $300 million in tax changes during the session, the ball is now in Gov. Polis’ court. He has been given authority to sign the bills and make deep spending cuts, up to $300 million, to close the remaining $783 million gap. Rather than a...
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Colorado absorbed 43,000 illegal immigrants in 2 years as taxpayers foot the bill
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Breitbart, Approved, State

Colorado absorbed 43,000 illegal immigrants in 2 years as taxpayers foot the bill

By Warner Todd Huston | Breitbart Colorado gained 43,000 illegal aliens in just two years, a report revealed. The estimated number of illegal aliens living in Colorado jumped from 160,000 in 2021 to more than 200,000 by 2023, according to the latest report by Pew Research Center. The largest number of those illegals ended up in and around Denver, the paper reported. The number has jumped even more in the years covered by the Pew report, according to the Denver News Gazette. The paper noted that city officials pegged the number of illegals entering Denver at 43,000, of which about 20,000 have remained living in the city. The Gazette also claimed that the influx of illegals has cost the taxpayers of the city of Denver at least $100 million. The D...
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Colorado’s Shift Left Sparks Growing Resentment in Neighboring States
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State, Approved, Commentary, Fleeting West

Colorado’s Shift Left Sparks Growing Resentment in Neighboring States

By Wes Flynn | Commentary, Fleeting West (Substack) Coloradans were once known for being friendly, modest, and considerate. That reputation has fundamentally shifted thanks to the last three million people who arrived and steamrolled the place. I remember a time when meeting people and telling them that I'm from Colorado was met with intrigue and positive reception. Prior to the last 20 years or so, Coloradans were recognized as being friendly, modest, and maybe a little idiosyncratic due to our orientation to the outdoors and not paying much mind to the domestic space. Our roads were friendly and safe, our cities were quiet and friendly, and like most westerners, we really just wanted to go our own way and do our own thing and stay off the radar. But that reputation has fundament...
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Cost of Colorado dam project doubles to $2.7 billion as towns fear the price
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The Colorado Sun, Approved, State

Cost of Colorado dam project doubles to $2.7 billion as towns fear the price

By Michael Booth | The Colorado Sun Northern Water has halted multiple contract bids while it scales back designs to hold together a coalition of water agencies Northern Water has halted some design and construction contracts and is cutting back its multibillion-dollar, two-dam supply project after its biggest customer said it was pulling out, officials said, as they detailed how the budget for their decades-long ambition suddenly jumped to $2.69 billion from $2 billion.  Four design-and-build contracts for the Northern Integrated Supply Project, meant to serve growth in 15 communities and water agencies, were pulled from the bidding process for at least three to four months while engineers consider how costs could be cut, Northern Water General Manager Brad Wind said in...
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