Rocky Mountain Voice

Tag: Local Government

Denver Airport Nuclear Plans Hit Pause Amid Local Concerns
Local, Approved, Denverite

Denver Airport Nuclear Plans Hit Pause Amid Local Concerns

By Paolo Zialcita | Denverite Less than a week after city leaders announced they would study the possibility of building a small modular nuclear reactor at Denver International Airport, those plans have been delayed following pushback from a member of Denver City Council. Councilmember Stacie Gilmore represents District 11, which includes the airport. Gilmore said she had not been consulted before Mayor Mike Johnston and airport leadership announced the plans for a feasibility study of nuclear power. “There had been no conversation with myself, the council office, none of the [registered neighborhood organizations], no one in the community about even the idea of a feasibility study, and nothing said about the natural resources that might be affected by that feasibility study,” Gil...
Garbo: Colorado Democrats set the house on fire, then send you the insurance bill
Rocky Mountain Voice, Approved, Commentary, State, Top Stories

Garbo: Colorado Democrats set the house on fire, then send you the insurance bill

By C. J. Garbo | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice If you’re a Colorado homeowner staring down another massive insurance premium hike - welcome to the consequences of single-party rule. For over a decade, Democrats have run this state. For the last four years, they’ve enjoyed unchecked supermajorities. And yet, while your coverage hasn’t improved, your bill has exploded. In just two years, my own homeowners insurance jumped 190%: - 2023–24: $3,029 - 2024–25: $5,230 (+72.66%) - 2025–26: $8,768 (+67.65%) I’ve filed zero claims. My house hasn’t changed. But the policies passed under Democratic control have made everything worse. This is what happens when public policy is written by unskilled, untalented, uninformed people who face no meaningful opposition or accountabil...
Monument skips bids to fast-track emergency water well repair
The Gazette, Approved, Local

Monument skips bids to fast-track emergency water well repair

BY SAVANNAH ELLER | THE DENVER GAZETTE Monument has bypassed its usual bidding process to complete emergency repairs on a well important to the town's water availability.  "We're living on borrowed time, potentially," said Jonathan Rigaud, Monument water manager.  Well 7 has been out of commission since July 9, when it unexpectedly shut down. After an investigation, the town discovered that wiring issues were to blame.  Wells are the main source of water for a portion of Monument residents west of Interstate 25, where the town's water enterprise is the main provider. The town has 13 wells, three of which went online in November. The other side of Monument is supplied by other water districts.  The well needs to be repaired to maintain the town's water ...
DOJ cracks down on noncitizen voter rolls under Trump’s election integrity order
Fox News, Approved, National

DOJ cracks down on noncitizen voter rolls under Trump’s election integrity order

By Ashley Oliver , David Spunt | Fox News Civil Rights Division seeks voter registration data with emphasis on identifying noncitizens on rolls Attorney General Pam Bondi has directed Department of Justice (DOJ) officials to probe election practices throughout the country as part of the Trump administration's efforts to crack down on federal election laws. The DOJ's Civil Rights Division is largely leading the effort, which has involved seeking information from states about their election practices and voter registration lists, sometimes known as "voter rolls," and placing an emphasis on identifying any noncitizens on them.  "Election integrity starts with clean voter rolls. That's the foundation for secure elections," a DOJ source told Fox News. "There's been a culture of...
Grand Junction says no to climate strings: City declines Urban Trails grant
The Business Times, Approved, Local

Grand Junction says no to climate strings: City declines Urban Trails grant

By Brandon Leuallen | The Business Times Despite support from the Urban Trails Committee, the City of Grand Junction confirmed it is not pursuing a state-run climate grant that could have required new local policies, including a potential “vehicle climate fee.” At its July 9 meeting, the Urban Trails Committee, chaired by City of Grand Junction Mobility Coordinator Henry Brown, listed “support for Local IMPACT Accelerators grant” as its No. 1 action item. The grant is funded through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) program and administered by the Colorado Energy Office. The grant encourages local governments to adopt “transformative” policies that go beyond current state standards in areas such as transportation, building codes, l...
Daniel: The state’s mandates, your money—and why counties are saying “Enough”
Top Stories, Approved, Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

Daniel: The state’s mandates, your money—and why counties are saying “Enough”

By Bobbie Daniel | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Imagine walking into a restaurant, and before you even look at the menu, someone else orders for the whole table. They choose the most expensive items, add dessert, and go for top-shelf drinks—and when the check comes, they quietly slide it over to you.  That, in a nutshell, is what the State of Colorado is doing to counties.  Every year, new laws and regulations roll out of the Capitol with noble names and lofty goals. But when it comes time to pay for them, the state shrugs and walks away—leaving counties, and local taxpayers, to foot the bill. It’s called an unfunded mandate, and it’s become one of the biggest threats to responsible government in Colorado.  In Mesa County, we’ve always believed in balan...
Boebert Delivers Big for Small Colorado Towns with ZIP Code Bill
State, Approved, CBS News

Boebert Delivers Big for Small Colorado Towns with ZIP Code Bill

By Austen Erblat | CBS News A bill that aims to help smaller cities and towns collect more local revenue has passed out of the U.S. House of Representatives and could soon go to the president's desk to be signed into law. The legislation, sponsored by U.S. Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert, whose district includes a large swath of Northern Colorado and the Eastern Plains, would create unique ZIP codes for 15 communities across the state, as well as dozens more in other states. All eight members of Colorado's Congressional delegation -- four Democrats and four Republicans -- all voted in favor of the bill. Colorado's Democrats joined 71 others in Congress to bring the final vote on the bill to 278-121, with 31 members of Congress not voting on the bill. One town that could benefit ...
Bailey: Violent crime up 30% in Colorado, 28% in the Springs—why?
denvergazette.com, Approved, State

Bailey: Violent crime up 30% in Colorado, 28% in the Springs—why?

By Tatiana Bailey | Commentary, Denver Gazette There’s been a lot of attention in the media regarding rising crime within Colorado Springs. As someone who works closely with public data, I always try to avoid sensationalism and instead ask: What’s driving this, and how do we compare to the U.S. and other cities? When you look at U.S. trends overall and specific comparison cities, there are, indeed, some alarming trends. Crime rates in the U.S. between 2018 and 2024 are virtually identical. However, the state of Colorado and the city of Colorado Springs have both seen double-digit increases in the rate of violent crimes per 100,000 population. Both our state and region’s violent crime rate have increased by roughly 30% while the U.S. rate is relatively steady increasing 2...