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Colorado Senate Advances Bill to Ease Landfill Regulation Burden
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Complete Colorado, Approved, State

Colorado Senate Advances Bill to Ease Landfill Regulation Burden

By Sherrie Peif | Complete Colorado DENVER – A bipartisan bill to backfill county governments for an unfunded methane emissions mandate is counting on money from existing state grant programs, which, according to Sen. Byron Pelton, is necessary to ensure Colorado counties don’t go bankrupt from the environmental rules put in place by unelected boards appointed by Gov. Jared Polis. Senate Bill 26-101, Local Government Landfill Methane Emission Reduction Regulations, will allow counties to use money from the community impact cash fund, air quality enterprise cash fund, and local government mineral impact fund “for the purpose of complying with landfill methane emission reduction requirements adopted by the air quality control commission, a division of the department of public h...
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Polis loses ground with Democrat base as cost-of-living fears rise
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Colorado Politics, Approved, State

Polis loses ground with Democrat base as cost-of-living fears rise

By Marissa Ventrelli | Colorado Politics Gov. Jared Polis is losing steam among members of his party, particularly progressive Democrats, according to a recent poll. Other statewide Democrats also saw their favorability ratings drop, though relatively stable compared to the governor’s numbers, the poll conducted by the Colorado Polling Institute in late March said. Forty-four percent of respondents said they view Polis favorably, down seven percentage points from last March. Nearly 50% of respondents said they had a negative view of the governor, whose final term ends this year. Polis’ favorability was strong within the Democratic Party last year, with 84% of members saying they viewed him favorably. That number has dropped to 72%, while Polis’ approval among Democrats...
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Colorado’s Rise In Independent Voters Reflects Growing Party Discontent
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The Colorado Sun, Approved, State

Colorado’s Rise In Independent Voters Reflects Growing Party Discontent

By Jesse Paul | The Colorado Sun The results of a new poll erode the assumption that the growing share of unaffiliated voters in the state in recent years — who as of Dec. 1 made up half of active, registered voters — has been caused by automatic voter registration. The vast majority of unaffiliated voters in Colorado say they intentionally registered that way, according to findings from a new poll, eroding the assumption that the growing share of unaffiliated voters in the state in recent years has been caused by automatic voter registration.  Under a 2019 law, people are automatically registered to vote when they have an interaction with the Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles. They’re registered as unaffiliated unless and until they a...
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Colorado Affordable Housing Law Could Cut Off Funding to Most Cities Without Urgent Fix
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The Colorado Sun, Approved, State

Colorado Affordable Housing Law Could Cut Off Funding to Most Cities Without Urgent Fix

By Brian Eason | The Colorado Sun The problem stems from a provision in Proposition 123 that was supposed to hold local governments accountable for increasing the supply of affordable housing. The vast majority of local governments in Colorado could be barred from receiving affordable housing funding through Proposition 123 for the next three years unless the state legislature steps in to prevent it. The problem stems from a provision in the 2022 ballot measure that was designed to hold local governments accountable for increasing the supply of affordable housing. To remain eligible for the $350 million a year that the measure generates, cities and counties must show that they’re increasing their local supply of affordable housing by 3% a year. But h...
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Frozen in place: How a 1997 tax law may be trapping Colorado’s senior homeowners
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Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories

Frozen in place: How a 1997 tax law may be trapping Colorado’s senior homeowners

By Shaina Cole | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice A Centennial resident wrote to RMV earlier this year with a frustration he suspects many of his neighbors share — one shaped by decades spent in the same home. He has watched its value climb far beyond anything he imagined when he bought it. And now, as he weighs whether to downsize, he finds himself facing a tax bill on that appreciation — one shaped by a federal law whose core thresholds haven’t been updated in nearly 30 years. "This realized gain could be used for moving into a more manageable home, pay for necessary home care if needed, help pay for insurance, medical, dental, medicine expenses and keep their quality of life," he wrote. His concern is not an isolated one. It reflects a structural problem — one incr...
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When “Protecting Seniors” Meets Fiscal Reality: A Self-Inflicted Crisis
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Rocky Mountain Voice, Commentary, State, Top Stories

When “Protecting Seniors” Meets Fiscal Reality: A Self-Inflicted Crisis

By Rep. Ken DeGraaf | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Any legislator who has opened their inbox lately has seen the urgent appeals: AARP warning that Colorado’s Senior Homestead Property Tax Exemption is under threat. The message is emotionally compelling—and fundamentally correct. Eliminating or weakening the exemption would amount to a tax increase on seniors, many of whom live on fixed incomes after decades of contributing to their communities. But what those emails don’t say is just as important as what they do. Because the current threat to the exemption did not emerge in a vacuum. It is the predictable result of a broader shift in Colorado’s fiscal philosophy—one that AARP itself has helped advance. A Record of Priorities—And Who Gets Left Behind If the curr...
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Colorado Drought Pushes Water Districts Toward Higher Rates
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DENVER7, Approved, State

Colorado Drought Pushes Water Districts Toward Higher Rates

By Dan Grossman | Denver7 Denver Water and Aurora will determine drought restrictions and corresponding rate hikes next month. DENVER — Colorado’s drought has intensified dramatically this year, and Front Range water districts warning that rate hikes may soon follow. More than 90% of Colorado is under some level of drought, which is up from 62% at this point last year, according to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor. Perhaps most alarming is that 95% of Eagle County is in a drought, up from 0% at this time last year. Drought MonitorThis map shows Summit County — in bold above — which is currently experiencing a drought of D3 or higher across the entire area. D3 is extreme drought. About 15% of the county is under D4, or exceptional drought. The drought...
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Colorado Lawmakers Debate Future Of Utilities Commission And Energy Policy
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Pueblo Today, Approved, State

Colorado Lawmakers Debate Future Of Utilities Commission And Energy Policy

By Pueblo Today Staff | Pueblo Today Decision could impact clean air, water, and energy costs for residents. Colorado lawmakers are considering whether to reauthorize the state's Public Utilities Commission, which regulates energy, water, and other utilities. Advocates argue the commission plays a crucial role in promoting clean energy and protecting vulnerable communities from pollution, but past decisions have also favored the interests of investor-owned utilities over the public. Why it matters The Public Utilities Commission's decisions have a direct impact on air quality, water quality, and energy costs for Colorado residents, especially in communities like Pueblo and Commerce City that already face higher levels of pollution and health issues. Reauthorizin...
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Lakewood Voters To Decide Fate Of Controversial Zoning Changes
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CBS Colorado, Approved, Local

Lakewood Voters To Decide Fate Of Controversial Zoning Changes

By Karen Morfitt | CBS Colorado Voters in one city near Denver can expect to start seeing ballots in the mail beginning Monday. On April 7, voters will decide whether to keep or repeal recent rezoning changes approved by the Lakewood City Council. A debate over those zoning changes has played out over several months and will now head to voters. Cathy Kentner, an organizer with Lakewood for All, said she initially doubted the petition effort would succeed. "I am very honest in saying, when I was asked my opinion, I said I didn't think it was possible," Kenter said. READ THE FULL ARTICLE AT CBS COLORADO
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Governed by ideology: Colorado’s silent revolution against top-down overreach
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Rocky Mountain Voice, Commentary, State, Top Stories

Governed by ideology: Colorado’s silent revolution against top-down overreach

By Laureen Boll | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Since late December 2025, we've all been witness to the Iranian people rising in extraordinary defiance against an oppressive regime. Sparked initially by economic collapse but quickly evolving into broad demands for freedom and an end to clerical rule, these nationwide protests have seen millions take to the streets in what many describe as the most intense challenge to the Islamic Republic since the 1979 revolution. The regime's response has been savage: security forces unleashed massacres, particularly in early January 2026, with credible estimates from human rights groups putting the death toll in the tens of thousands. Iranians have made the ultimate sacrifice in this fight against a religious ideology that no longer aligns with...
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