Rocky Mountain Voice

Tag: Denver

Denver explores plans for new Broncos stadium as city grows
Fox31, Approved, Local

Denver explores plans for new Broncos stadium as city grows

By: Shaul Turner | FOX31 DENVER (KDVR) — While the Broncos stadium proposal announced Tuesday will likely boost Denver’s chances of hosting a Super Bowl and other events, economic experts say the greater benefit will be a boost to Denver’s economy. Empower Field at Mile High stadium opened in 2001 at a cost of more than $400 million. The new multi-billion-dollar stadium will be located about a mile south of that location. Construction is expected to be completed by 2031. “It’s an area that was waiting to be redeveloped,” Dr. Andrew Goetz of the University of Denver told FOX31. The 58-acre abandoned railyard is slated to host a state-of-the-art football stadium with a retractable roof. The project is privately funded by the Walton-Penner ownership group. The city will create ...
Denver’s flavored tobacco ban raises questions of freedom vs control
Westword, Approved, Commentary, Local

Denver’s flavored tobacco ban raises questions of freedom vs control

By Westword Readers | Commentary, Westword Reader: Banning Flavored Tobacco Won't Make It Disappear Late last year, Denver City Council voted to ban flavored tobacco products. Now voters will get the chance to overturn that. Late last year, Denver became the latest Colorado city to pass a ban on flavored tobacco products; it's slated to take effect on January 1, 2026. But before then, the electorate will get its say on this issue. Even before Mayor Mike Johnston signed the Denver City Council-approved proposal, a coalition of smoke and vape shop owners was putting together a campaign to overturn the ban, gathering more than 17,000 signatures to successfully put a repeal in front of voters this November. Will it pass? Readers aren't blowing smoke in their comme...
Minimum wage hikes sound compassionate but close the door on opportunity
Rasmussen Reports, Approved, Commentary, National

Minimum wage hikes sound compassionate but close the door on opportunity

By Brian Joondeph | Commentary, Rasmussen Reports A new Rasmussen Reports survey reveals that 40% of Americans now believe the minimum wage should be at least $15 an hour, up from 36% a year ago. That’s a strong sentiment. After all, who doesn’t want working Americans to earn more? But compassion and sound economics are two very different things. In fact, the optimal minimum wage from an economic perspective is zero. This isn't an insult to workers but a recognition that government cannot create prosperity by decree, despite campaign promises. When wages are set by law instead of supply and demand, the first casualties are often those who need an entry point, such as teenagers, part-time workers, and adults looking for a second job to supplement their income. Contrary to...
Police could see pay hikes as Denver cuts other city jobs
Fox31, Approved, Local

Police could see pay hikes as Denver cuts other city jobs

By Jared Dean | Fox 31 DENVER (KDVR) — About $200 million: That is how much money the city of Denver needed to make up for in the 2026 budget before widespread layoffs last month. “It already feels like the stuff that’s important isn’t getting funded. So, that makes me wonder, yeah, what stuff is getting shafted,” Denver resident Christian Greene said. An announcement last month came down from the mayor’s office that 928 would be eliminated. Of those, 171 came from layoffs, and the others were vacant positions. The city made about $100 million in cuts to its budget for next year. But a tentative deal between the city and leaders and the Denver Police Protective Association to increase police pay for the next three years is one step closer to being finalized. The cit...
Denver Highlighted as One of 10 U.S. Cities With Highest Crime Rates
National, Approved, kdvr.com

Denver Highlighted as One of 10 U.S. Cities With Highest Crime Rates

By Ashleigh Fields | KDVR Fox 31 (The Hill) — President Donald Trump has threatened to send National Guard troops into more American cities after deploying soldiers in Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles this year. He’s highlighted Baltimore and Chicago as cities in particular need of help fighting crime, though this week he appeared to back off his threat to unilaterally deploy the National Guard into cities uninvited. Baltimore has the third-highest rate of violent crime, while Chicago ranks 29th among cities with at least 500,000 residents, according to the latest FBI data. Trump’s focus on cities in blue states — those led by Democratic governors — with Black mayors has drawn criticism from Democrats, who have pointed out that some cities in red states have higher crime ...
Denver’s first citywide furlough day: Here’s what’s open and closed
kdvr.com, Approved, Local

Denver’s first citywide furlough day: Here’s what’s open and closed

By Heather Willard | Fox31 DENVER (KDVR) — The city of Denver’s budget hole will impact residents on Friday during the first of two citywide furlough days. The city will close its libraries, recreation centers, courts and the majority of its offices on both Friday and Monday. Monday’s closures are due to the Labor Day holiday, while Friday’s are due to the citywide furlough day spurred by the city’s budget, which faced a $200 million gap. The furlough days come after the city and county laid off 169 employees and cut another 665 unfilled positions, while also implementing tiered furlough day schedules based on pay grade. A second citywide furlough day is scheduled for Nov. 28 — Black Friday. These Denver offices will be open Aug. 29, Sept. 1 The Denver Animal ...
Colorado absorbed 43,000 illegal immigrants in 2 years as taxpayers foot the bill
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...
City of Denver Moves to Block Trump Lawsuit on Immigration Cooperation
Local, Approved, The Denver Gazette

City of Denver Moves to Block Trump Lawsuit on Immigration Cooperation

By Julia Fennell | The Denver Gazette Denver is seeking to dismiss a lawsuit filed by the Trump administration over the city's "sanctuary" policies. The motion, filed on Monday in a U.S. district court, insisted that the laws of both Colorado and Denver do not impede federal immigration enforcement and that “the federal government has no right or ability to compel local municipalities to help it achieve its political objectives.” “We’re not sure if they don’t understand the laws or just don’t want to follow them, but Denver has never violated federal statute,” Denver Mayor Mike Johnston said in a statement. “We’re not changing our laws, we’re not changing our values, and we’re not backing down from this meritless lawsuit. The federal government will not be successful in ...
Denver’s $950 million bond: Taxpayers deserve full accountability before another blank check
Westword, Approved, Commentary, Local

Denver’s $950 million bond: Taxpayers deserve full accountability before another blank check

By Erik Clarke | Commentary, Westword "Denver residents want to support good projects that improve our daily life and solve real problems. Taxpayers also want to know that their money is being managed responsibly." In 2017, Denver voters approved the $937 million Elevate Denver Bond Program to improve civic infrastructure across the city. Eight years later, while some projects have made meaningful progress, many remain delayed, over budget or not yet started. Now, the city is preparing to ask voters to approve another nearly billion dollars through the proposed Vibrant Denver package. Before we’re asked to vote this November, we deserve more than summaries and categories. We deserve transparency. We deserve details. As of today, there is no public cost breakdown ...