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Despite going over budget last year, school lunches will still be free for Coloradans in 2024
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Approved, Chalkbeat Colorado, State

Despite going over budget last year, school lunches will still be free for Coloradans in 2024

By Yesenia Robles | Chalkbeat Colorado Colorado is still offering free school meals this school year, even though the program has ended up costing more than state officials predicted. While an advisory group tries to come up with long-term solutions that may mean changes in future school years, state lawmakers decided to continue funding the program in the short term, so the program won’t change for this school year. READ THE FULL STORY AT CHALKBEAT COLORADO
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Making quick work of special session assignment, property tax bills clear first hurdles
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Approved, kdvr.com, State

Making quick work of special session assignment, property tax bills clear first hurdles

By Gabrielle Franklin | Fox 31 News The agreement between Colorado property tax initiative supporters, the governor and a group of lawmakers passed its first committee on Monday afternoon. Another measure seeking to gain voter approval to put property tax measures on the ballot also advanced out of committee. Both measures passed with a vote of 8-3. The House Appropriations Committee worked on the marquee negotiated agreement. While leaders on both sides of the aisle made clear they were ready to get to work on property taxes, their members made it known they had concerns about the pre-negotiated deal on the table. READ THE FULL STORY AT FOX 31 NEWS
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Colorado’s fee-based enterprises skirt TABOR, increase revenue by 3,000%
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Approved, denvergazette.com, State

Colorado’s fee-based enterprises skirt TABOR, increase revenue by 3,000%

By Scott Weiser | Denver Gazette In 1992 voters enacted the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights to constrain the growth of government by requiring voter approval for tax increases. Since then, the state government has built a new structure to avoid that requirement. The creation of TABOR-exempt state-owned “enterprises” has allowed government to increase fees from 46% of total state spending in 1996 to 71% of state spending in 2023 without requiring approval from taxpayers, according to a new report released by the Common Sense Institute, a non-partisan research organization “dedicated to the protection and promotion of Colorado’s economy.” “Fees are a rapidly growing and significant cost for Coloradans,” said Kelly Caufield, Executive Director of the Common Sense Institute. “At the end of ...
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On opening day of special session, lawmakers kill most bills, advance tax cut, constitutional change
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Approved, State, The Sum & Substance

On opening day of special session, lawmakers kill most bills, advance tax cut, constitutional change

By Ed Sealover | The Sum & Substance Colorado legislators winnowed 13 property-tax bills down to just four during the first day of a special session Monday, but put a bill at the center of a governor-negotiated deal on a collision course with a constitutional amendment that could upend that deal. In the most anticipated hearing of the day, the House Appropriations Committee approved a measure that would expand property-tax breaks passed at the end of the regular session in May and cap annual growth of property-tax revenue for schools and local governments. Passage of House Bill 1001 also would get Advance Colorado and Colorado Concern to pull from the November ballot a pair of more far-reaching property-tax-cut proposals that education and government leaders fear would result in ...
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Retired brand commissioner, Chris Whitney, honored for his service to industry
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Approved, State, thefencepost.com

Retired brand commissioner, Chris Whitney, honored for his service to industry

By Rachel Gabel   | The Fence Post Recently retired Colorado Brand Commissioner Chris Whitney was honored for his service to the state’s livestock industry by the Colorado Livestock Association at their recent meeting in Black Hawk. In a statement, CLA said Whitney has exemplified a profound understanding of the intricate balance between producers, sustainability, good business practices and animal stewardship. Whitney jokes that how he became the commissioner is a bit of a mystery to him. He grew up on the Walking Horse Ranch in Ridgway, Colo., a Western Slope Hereford operation but after graduation, found himself in Vietnam in the Air Force. “I’ve been so lucky in my life, it’s just disgusting,” he said. “When I was in college, I took undergraduate and graduate degrees in Russia...
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‘Their property taxes have gone up exponentially’: Rose Pugliese addresses Mighty 19 in opening of special session
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Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

‘Their property taxes have gone up exponentially’: Rose Pugliese addresses Mighty 19 in opening of special session

By BRIAN PORTER | Rocky Mountain Voice When the second regular session of Colorado's 74th General Assembly closed earlier this year, lawmakers believed they had reached consensus on a property tax plan. Senate Bill 24-233, led by Republican prime sponsors Rep. Lisa Frizell and Sen. Barb Kirkmeyer, cleared the House with about two-thirds of Republicans supporting the bill and just two Republicans in the Senate opposed. Then a pair of citizen initiatives on the subject earned enough support to reach the fall ballot and lead Gov. Jared Polis to call a special session on property tax. That special session opened Monday, with many on the political right opposed to the deal that allowed for the special session to be called. "We did good work [with SB 24-233]," said House Minority Lea...
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First bills of special session released by sponsors, including five by Republicans
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Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

First bills of special session released by sponsors, including five by Republicans

By BRIAN PORTER | Rocky Mountain Voice Nine bills in the Colorado House and two more in the Colorado Senate are set to be introduced in the special session of the 74th General Assembly, along with others which have not been pre-released. The special session, called by Gov. Jared Polis, opened at 10 a.m. Monday. The special session has a singular purpose to address property tax in an effort for lawmakers to avoid citizen-led Prop. 108 and Constitutional Amendment 50 from reaching the ballot. Following is a glance at the Republican bills set to be introduced: Senate Bill 24B-0009, by Republican Sens. Mark Baisley and Kevin Van Winkle, would require the property tax levy of a special taxing district to be calculated by dividing the actual value of the property by the total actual ...
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Whooping cough cases have tripled in Colorado since 2023, according to CDC
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Approved, CBS Colorado, State

Whooping cough cases have tripled in Colorado since 2023, according to CDC

By Justin Adams | CBS Colorado Whooping cough cases in Colorado have tripled, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.' As of Aug. 3, Colorado has had 333 confirmed cases of the respiratory disease that is also known as pertussis. At this time last year, Colorado had only seen 90 cases. "It's one of the ones that can easily spread and spread rapidly," said Joyce Bertram, School Director at Bethany Busy Bee Early Learning Center. Whooping cough is one of the most dangerous, preventable respiratory diseases. It's also a highly contagious bacterial disease that spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. This is one reason why Bertram takes extra precautions around the infants she watches. READ THE FULL STORY AT CBS COLORADO
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Should Colorado’s constitution protect school choice? Voters will decide in November.
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Approved, State, The Colorado Sun

Should Colorado’s constitution protect school choice? Voters will decide in November.

By Erica Breunlin | The Colorado Sun Colorado voters will decide whether they want to protect the right to school choice in the state constitution in November after a measure with that goal qualified for the ballot Friday. Put forth by conservative political nonprofit Advance Colorado Action, Initiative 138 sets out to reinforce parents’ ability to send their children to any public school, charter school, private school or homeschooling program they want. But some education advocates and policy experts see it as a stepping stone toward a state voucher program in disguise. Voucher programs give parents public dollars to enroll their kids in private schools, including those with a religious affiliation. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE COLORADO SUN
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Concerns grow over expanded property-tax proposal
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Approved, State, The Sum & Substance

Concerns grow over expanded property-tax proposal

By Ed Sealover | The Sum & Substance A new version of the tax-cut bill at the heart of the special legislative session seeks to further limit property-tax revenue growth — a provision producing angst around what proponents are touting as a compromise solution that could head off a costly ballot battle. Colorado legislators will gavel into session again at 10 a.m. Monday at the request of Gov. Jared Polis to consider a brokered deal designed to stop two property-tax-cut initiatives that could cut billions of dollars in state and local funding from going to the ballot. Instead, the Democratic governor is asking legislators to pass a bipartisan bill that will expand a recently passed $1.3 billion property-tax cut to roughly $1.6 billion and will, if signed into law, commit proponent...
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