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Tag: Jared Polis

Could Polis really align with Trump on anything? He might on cutting from BLM wild horse management budget
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Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

Could Polis really align with Trump on anything? He might on cutting from BLM wild horse management budget

By Lindy Browning | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice In a shocking and unexpected post on Twitter/X, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis posted that he wants the Trump administration to give at least half the funding that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) uses to manage Colorado wild horses to Colorado. The post came from his personal page, not his official governor's page. Polis wrote, “…the BLM spends $187.8 million dollars a year on the Wild Horse Program, including $8.5 million on the 'inhumane horse roundups', and over $100 million caring for the 60,000 horses in holding facilities. Giv[ing] half that amount to the states with wild horses (like CO) with guardrails for horse treatment, we will efficiently manage the population through birth control, eliminating the need for c...
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Gov. Polis proposes shielding funding for major water programs as state’s $1 billion deficit looms
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Approved, State, The Colorado Sun

Gov. Polis proposes shielding funding for major water programs as state’s $1 billion deficit looms

By Jerd Smith | The Colorado Sun Colorado’s largest water agency may be shielded from significant funding cuts as the state addresses its financial woes, under the 2025-26  budget proposed by Gov. Jared Polis. The Colorado Water Conservation Board would see a $6.9 million increase in the next fiscal year, which begins July 1, rising from $98.1 million in revenue this year to $105.1 million, according to the governor’s office. But in 2026, funding would drop to $97.6 million due to a decline in severance tax revenue, which is derived in part from oil and gas production and is a key part of the CWCB’s funding. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE COLORADO SUN
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Potential gubernatorial candidates suggest new approaches to transportation
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Approved, State, The Sum & Substance

Potential gubernatorial candidates suggest new approaches to transportation

By Ed Sealover | The Sum & Substance Two of Colorado’s leading potential gubernatorial candidates suggested Wednesday that the state should focus more attention on maintaining and upgrading highway infrastructure, signaling a potential shift could be coming in transportation policy. Democratic Attorney General Phil Weiser and Republican state Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, who are both rumored to be eying runs to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Jared Polis in 2026, spoke at a Move Colorado event on what’s next for transportation in the state. Democratic U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse sent a video to the event because Congress remains in session, while Democratic Secretary of State Jena Griswold, a fourth rumored candidate, had to miss the event because of a pressing issue, organizers said. ...
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Drive less, bike more? Polis’ transportation vision faces public backlash in one city
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Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

Drive less, bike more? Polis’ transportation vision faces public backlash in one city

By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice Gov. Jared Polis' Administration plans to build 3,540 miles of new bicycle lanes, an 81% increase from the current reality. This goal is one of many outlined in his Administration’s “Colorado Transportation Vision 2035.” The plan is aimed to play a role in helping meet the state’s climate goals. An underlying agenda, or one sub-goal, is explicitly stated in the plan: “Doubling Colorado’s non-auto mode share from today’s level of 9.6% to 19.2% by 2035.” But what does this administrative jargon mean exactly? No speculation is needed. The answer is provided in the plan. “This means that the percentage of trips where people choose to take transit, walk, bike or roll (instead of driving alone) would slightly more than doubl...
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Polis proposes conversion of Pinnacol in controversial measure to balance budget
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Approved, State, The Sum & Substance

Polis proposes conversion of Pinnacol in controversial measure to balance budget

By Ed Sealover | The Sum & Substance Gov. Jared Polis’ pitch to convert Pinnacol Assurance into an independent company is being driven not just by money it could generate for the state budget but by the belief that failing to loosen the company’s operational restrictions could jeopardize its sustainability. The Democratic governor sat for an interrogation before the powerful Joint Budget Committee on Wednesday about his plans to address a nearly $1 billion budget shortfall, including $638 million in expense cuts and revenue additions he has proposed. Among the most prominent and controversial of those suggestions is a proposal to allow the state-chartered workers’ compensation insurer of last resort to act as a private company, which could add $100 million to next year’s budget a...
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Gov. Polis submits state budget suggesting millions go to education, safety
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Approved, kdvr.com, State

Gov. Polis submits state budget suggesting millions go to education, safety

By Maddie Rhodes | Fox 31 News Colorado Gov. Jared Polis submitted the proposed state budget for 2025 to 2026, which suggests putting millions into education and safety. Every year, the governor, elected officials and state agencies submit annual budget requests to the legislature to fund specific state services. This can include health care, human services, education and Colorado roads. In April, Polis signed the 2024-25 state budget with measures that fully funded Colorado schools, created investments into public safety and created new housing. Now, the next state budget is on its way to be determined. READ THE FULL STORY AT FOX 31 NEWS
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Schumann: Polis position as ‘protector of democracy’ at odds with his actions as governor
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Approved, Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

Schumann: Polis position as ‘protector of democracy’ at odds with his actions as governor

By Jen Schumann | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Colorado Gov. Jared Polis has positioned himself as a defender of state autonomy. He launched the Governors Safeguarding Democracy (GSD) Coalition with Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker. The coalition aims to fight federal overreach under a second Trump administration. Polis seeks to be seen as a champion of democracy.  "In this moment, protecting democracy has never been more relevant or important, and doing so demands strong leadership at the state level," Polis said in his press release announcing the coalition. A closer look at Polis's tenure reveals a different story. He has used his authority as governor to enforce contentious policies. Critics say these policies mirror the federal overreach he opposes. With rising crime a...
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Colorado Governor silent on whether he’ll use far-left smear factory to cancel conservatives after flag squabble
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Approved, State, The Daily Signal

Colorado Governor silent on whether he’ll use far-left smear factory to cancel conservatives after flag squabble

By Tyler O'Neil | Daily Signal Colorado’s Democratic governor, Jared Polis, did not respond to concerns that his administration would rely on the Southern Poverty Law Center to exclude conservatives from a state flag program after his office apologized for honoring a gay organization the SPLC brands a “hate group.” Polis’ signature appeared on a document celebrating the Colorado chapter of Gays Against Groomers, a group of lesbian, gay, and bisexual people who oppose experimental transgender medical procedures on children. The SPLC—which vehemently supports transgender interventions for children and labels mainstream conservative and Christian organizations “hate groups,” placing them on a map along with chapters of the Ku Klux Klan—branded Gays Against Groomers an “anti-LGBTQ ...
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Gov. Polis for Harris: She just had hard time thinking of differences from Biden ‘on the spot’
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Approved, Breitbart, National

Gov. Polis for Harris: She just had hard time thinking of differences from Biden ‘on the spot’

By Ian Hanchett | Breitbart On Friday’s broadcast of CNN’s “The Source,” Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D), who is also a Harris-Walz Surrogate, said that 2024 Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris “is a totally different person” from President Joe Biden, but she didn’t mention what she would have done differently because “it’s hard to think of things on the spot.” Host Kaitlan Collins asked, “When she was asked the other day if there was anything that she would have done differently from Biden, she said not a thing that would come to mind. Do you think, on immigration, she should have said, yes, that she would have handled things differently had she been president?” Polis responded, “Well, look, this is a totally different person. So, I’m excited by Kamala Ha...
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Gov. Polis, leading Democrat lawmakers plan to grandstand Trump’s MAGA rally
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Approved, CBS Colorado, State

Gov. Polis, leading Democrat lawmakers plan to grandstand Trump’s MAGA rally

By Jesse Sarles | CBS Colorado Friday will be a busy day in Colorado politics as former President Donald Trump is set to visit the state and hold a campaign rally in Aurora in the early afternoon.  In response, Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential campaign announced Wednesday that several Democratic leaders will hold a news conference in Aurora a few hours before the former president's rally, and will "hold Trump accountable for spreading misinformation about the Aurora community." A statement from the Harris campaign said Colorado elected officials including Gov. Jared Polis, Sen. John Hickenlooper and Reps. Jason Crow and Diana DeGuette, who represent the state's 6th and 1st congressional districts, will appear at the event. READ THE FULL STORY AT CBS COL...
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