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New data shows Denver’s inflation rising above national average
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New data shows Denver’s inflation rising above national average

By Derek Draplin | The Center Square (The Center Square) – Inflation in the Denver metro area has outpaced the national average in recent months, according to new data. In February and March, prices in the area were up 0.22%, compared to 0.17% nationally, recent Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows. “This has inverted the annual trend of national price growth outpacing Colorado,” the Common Sense Institute, a free-enterprise think tank, said in an analysis of the data. Over the last 12 months, prices went up 1.9% in Denver while nationally prices increased 2.4%. In February and March, costs went up for education and communications (5.34%), medical care (0.94%) and  housing (0.53%). Costs went down for recreation (-1.3%), transportation (-.1%) and food (-.1%).  ...
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Democrat-only backed bill addressing ‘junk fees’ heads to governor’s desk
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Democrat-only backed bill addressing ‘junk fees’ heads to governor’s desk

By Elyse Apel | The Center Square (The Center Square) – A bill addressing so-called “junk fees” is headed to Gov. Jared Polis’ desk for his signature after successfully passing both the state House and Senate. No Republicans voted to support the legislation, which received unanimous approval from Democrats. House Bill 1090, titled “Protections Against Deceptive Pricing Practices,” requires sellers to clearly disclose the total price of goods and services, and restricts which fees landlords may charge. It is part of a broader package of bills from Democrats, all looking to address the state’s housing prices. Rep. Emily Sirota, D-Denver, sponsored the bill in the House. She argued that it is an important step to end “deceptive junk fees” that add hidden costs. “...
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Colorado housing ‘crisis’ grows, advocates push for more money
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Colorado housing ‘crisis’ grows, advocates push for more money

By Elyse Apel | The Center Square Housing costs make Colorado one of the nation's most expensive states. This is according to a recent report from the National Low Income Housing Coalition, which listed Colorado as the sixth least affordable state in the country. The report focused on low-income housing and affordable homes, finding that 79% of extremely low-income renters in Colorado have a “severe cost burden” when it comes to finding housing. Extremely low-income renter households are defined as those with incomes at or below the poverty level or 30% of their area median income, whichever is greater. In Denver, that is approximately $27,400 per year. “While Coloradans of nearly all income levels are experiencing difficulties with access to affordable housing, the cir...
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Attorneys general announce final plan to end Google’s search engine monopoly
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Attorneys general announce final plan to end Google’s search engine monopoly

By Elyse Apel  | The Center Square Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser announced a coalition of 38 attorneys general and the Department of Justice have proposed a final package of remedies to end Google’s monopoly over internet search engines. The remedies would include requiring Google to divest Chrome, as well as potentially other assets like Android if the initial remedies fail “to address the marketplace harms or if Google undermined the effectiveness of the decree.” “For years, the Google browser has been the dominant gateway for users to search the internet,” said Weiser, who led the coalition that included states such as Arizona, Nevada, Oregon and Washington as well as the District of Columbia and one territory, Puerto Rico. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE ...
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Colorado Democrats lead federal bill to revitalize Colorado public lands
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Colorado Democrats lead federal bill to revitalize Colorado public lands

By Elyse Apel | The Center Square Three U.S. congressmen from Colorado have reintroduced the Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy Act, which combines four previously introduced Colorado public land bills into one piece of legislation. Over a decade in the making, supporters of the CORE Act say it will protect public lands, safeguard outdoor recreation and boost the state’s economy. “The CORE Act is a model for how legislation should be done,” said U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper, D-Colorado. “Ranchers, hunters, hikers and local officials all came together to protect our most sacred lands and invest in our outdoor recreation.” READ THE FULL STORY AT THE CENTER SQUARE
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Report: 20% surcharge on Denver restaurant bills could cost economy $718 million
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Report: 20% surcharge on Denver restaurant bills could cost economy $718 million

By Derek Draplin | The Center Square An idea to implement a 20% service charge on Denver restaurant bills, floated last week by Mayor Mike Johnston, could cost the city’s economy $718 million over the next five years, according to a policy think tank. Johnston made the suggestion during an interview on the "City Cast Denver" podcast Wednesday while discussing struggling restaurants in the city. “One idea we’ve been floating to restaurants is the idea of a service charge,” he said. “If you do a service charge of 20%, you can gather that, and you can spread it equally across all the employees. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE CENTER SQUARE
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Gun advocates call proposed legislation a ‘massive infringement’
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Gun advocates call proposed legislation a ‘massive infringement’

By Elyse Apel | The Center Square As the Colorado General Assembly moves forward with multiple bills further restricting firearm access in the state, gun advocates are pushing back. The Colorado State Shooting Association, the official state association of the National Rifle Association, spoke with The Center Square in an exclusive interview, highlighting some of its key concerns with the trends in Colorado. “A lot of this legislation just comes after the very lowest crime segments of the population and the people who handle firearms and ammunition the most responsibly,” said Huey Laugesen, executive director of the Colorado State Shooting Association. “I think that a lot of responsible and law-abiding gun owners in Colorado are really starting to feel like this legislature j...
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UK Prime Minister discusses Russia-Ukraine peace deal in White House visit
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UK Prime Minister discusses Russia-Ukraine peace deal in White House visit

By Morgan Sweeney | The Center Square U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited the White House Thursday to further discuss the U.S. and Europe’s role in brokering peace between Russia and Ukraine. Starmer thanked President Donald Trump for the actions he’s taken so far to prepare the way for a peace deal between the two countries, and said the U.K. wants to partner with the U.S. to make it a lasting negotiation. “Thank you for changing the conversation to bring about the possibility that now we can have a peace deal,” Starmer told Trump. “We want to work with you to make sure that peace deal is enduring, that it lasts, but it’s a deal that goes down as a historic deal that nobody breaches, and we’ll work with you to make sure that absolutely happens.” READ THE FULL STORY AT THE...
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Colorado moves forward with expansion of K-12 Black history education
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Colorado moves forward with expansion of K-12 Black history education

By Elyse Apel | The Center Square Colorado is looking to expand its requirements for teaching Black history in the state's public elementary and secondary schools, including charter schools. Last week, House Bill 25-1149 passed its first hurdle of the Colorado General Assembly by advancing from the House Education Committee to the House Appropriations Committee. The bill, titled “Comprehensive Black History and Culture Education in K-12,” will require the Colorado Board of Education to adopt standards “related to Black historical and cultural studies.” READ THE FULL STORY AT THE CENTER SQUARE
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King Soopers calls for union, representing 10,000 striking workers, to return to bargaining table
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King Soopers calls for union, representing 10,000 striking workers, to return to bargaining table

By Elyse Apel | The Center Square The workers strike at King Soopers continues as the company calls for the union to negotiate a deal. The Colorado-based grocery store is one of the largest employers in the state. Since the strike began on Feb. 6, union members at more than 70 stores, many of them in the Denver area, have joined. More workers from Colorado Springs could also be poised to join the strike in the coming days, following a contract expiration. The United Food and Commercial Workers Local Union No. 7 initiated the two-week strike of more than 10,000 unionized workers, alleging unfair labor practices. According to the union, 96% of its members voted to strike. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE CENTER SQUARE
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