Rocky Mountain Voice

Tag: State government

Firearms merchants, tax credit for college, water conservation, wolverines  among new laws set to begin Aug. 7
Approved, coloradopolitics.com, State

Firearms merchants, tax credit for college, water conservation, wolverines among new laws set to begin Aug. 7

By Deborah Grigsby  | Colorado Politics More than 200 new Colorado laws will take effect on Aug. 7.  Colorado Politics takes a quick rundown of some of the more interesting and significant pieces of legislation signed into law by Gov. Jared Polis and set to hit the books in just a few days HERE. READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS
Hillman: ‘The Colorado Song’ recalls a better time and place
Approved, Commentary, Mark Hillman, State

Hillman: ‘The Colorado Song’ recalls a better time and place

By Mark Hillman | Commentary, MarkHillman.com             On this Colorado Day, I remember the 1970s when our local radio station would open its morning show by playing The Colorado Song: “If I had a wagon, I would go to Colorado,” praising a state known for “Rocky Mountain peaks, climbing up to the sky” and inhabited by “folks who are rugged and bold!”             One verse describes what was quintessential Colorado: “A uniting spiring they will find at the great Continental Divide.”             It’s a fun song, and I’ve taught it to my kids.  But, I get a little choked up because it describes a Colorado whi...
States scramble to close legal loopholes squatters use to take homes from owners
Approved, National, The Washington Times

States scramble to close legal loopholes squatters use to take homes from owners

By Matt Delaney | The Washington Times Lawmakers in states across the country are belatedly moving to restore the property rights of owners who have been forced into lengthy and often costly court battles to reclaim their houses from squatters exploiting pandemic-era tenant protections to take over empty houses. Savvy scammers invoke squatter’s rights by entering unoccupied homes and falsifying residency documents. The process can suck rightful homeowners into a monthslong eviction battle while the squatters sell off appliances and turn houses into drug dens, leaving landlords with thousands of dollars in repairs and lost rent once all is said and done. The formula for stealing a house is so foolproof that one illegal immigrant became famous on social media by sharing his step-by-...
Likely voters hold pessimistic view toward state’s future, government in poll entering election year
Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

Likely voters hold pessimistic view toward state’s future, government in poll entering election year

By BRIAN PORTER | The Rocky Mountain Voice A large swath of voters may be concerned with the direction of the state and with items ranging from tax burden to cost of living and education, painting a pessimistic picture in an election year, a poll conducted in late 2023 finds. The Colorado Polling Institute survey finds 43.1% of likely voters believe the state to be on the wrong track, with 67% of Republicans and 45% of unaffiliated voters holding that view. Half of those who have resided in the state for at least 20 years believe Colorado is on the wrong track. Only 50.4% of likely voters surveyed believe the state is on the right track. The poll was taken among 621 voters with a margin of error of 3.8%. About one-fourth of those surveyed believe state and local taxes are about...
Under Prop. 123, Colorado has allocated millions in funds this year to governments and housing organizations
Approved, State, The Colorado Sun

Under Prop. 123, Colorado has allocated millions in funds this year to governments and housing organizations

By Tatiana Flowers | Colorado Sun State leaders have already distributed millions of dollars this year to dozens of local governments and housing organizations that have pledged to build affordable units across Colorado in the coming years. The state departments of local affairs and economic development and the Colorado Housing Finance Authority, for example, have awarded nearly $80 million to local governments and housing organizations that plan to build affordable units using funds solely from Proposition 123. Voters approved the ballot measure in November 2022 and it requires participating local governments to plan to build at least 3% more affordable housing every year for the next three years.  READ THE FULL STORY AT THE COLORADO SUN