Tax increases - put in place as a result of recent legislative action nixing certain exemptions - begin taking effect next week. Voters can't exercise their constitutional right to a referendum on the bills as they're deemed necessary for public health and safety. Taxes are good for you...
State Sen. Kevin Lundberg, R-Berthoud, has a plan to roll back portions of last year's "FASTER" vehicle registration fee hike. Can he rally enough support from across the aisle to pass his bill?
At least five people, up from three last week, are vying for the Colorado House seat that Republican Don Marostica vacated when he was named the state’s top economic-development officer.
The Denver Post reported recently that resumes had poured in for the vacant assistant press secretary position for Colorado Senate Democrat caucus. A highly-placed mole at the state capitol has relayed to us a transcript of one of the interviews.
The scene: A lazy Tuesday afternoon, where State Senate President Brandon Shaffer reads through some resumes, feet on his desk.
A legislative inquiry into the operations of Pinnacol Assurance, the state’s largest provider of workers compensation insurance, could be a launching point for changes to the laws governing health coverage for injured workers.
Republican state Rep. Don Marostica announced Thursday he will resign his position to accept an appointment from Gov. Bill Ritter, a Democrat, to head the state's Office of Economic Development and International Trade. Party leaders now prepare to appoint what will be the eighth member of the General Assembly seated by a vacancy committee.
FTS managing editor Brad Jones visits with 1310 KFKA talk show host Amy Oliver. A recent Face The State analysis of state government budget projections shows the Ritter administration was slow to adjust its revenue estimates as the recession worsened. Also, the GOP field lining up to challenge the incumbent Governor grew to three with the weekend addition of state Sen. Josh Penry.
FTS managing editor Brad Jones and staff writer Kate Melvin wrap up the week in Colorado news. A CU student has a bold idea for a new topless coffee shop, but it won't be on campus. Grand Junction skirts electioneering laws for a second year in a row, and state Sen. Jim Isgar's departure to the Obama administration reopens debate over legislative vacancies.
Face The State visits with 600 KCOL morning show hosts Keith and Gail to talk about state politics and preview the FTS Weekend Edition. County clerks are busy fielding complaints about increased vehicle registration fees, but there's little they can do to help ease the pain. Gov. Bill Ritter has said he'll push for late fee relief, but that won't happen until 2010. In the meantime, lawmakers are working to plot the future of Colorado's budget, but consensus is unlikely.
The Colorado legislature spent much of the winter and spring wrangling over money, and this summer that debate moves to a new forum – with some new voices.
FTS managing editor Brad Jones visits with 1100 KNZZ weekend host Rick Wagner to discuss state politics. Top of the list: Is Gov. Bill Ritter prepared to make the tough decisions about the state budget deficit? And is the Joint Budget Committee the best venue to ratify his decisions?
The funeral of Michael Jackson is scheduled for July 7, and millions of mourners are trying to cope.
What does this have to do with political news? Well, I couldn’t thing of anything else to write about. Besides, in 2002, the King of Pop sang at a Democratic National Committee fundraiser.
So, in light of MJ’s fondness for democrats, we thought it would be appropriate to honor him with a Colorado Democratic slant on some his more popular hits. (For best effect, snap your fingers while singing.)
FTS managing editor Brad Jones and 1310 KFKA talk show host Amy Oliver discuss statehouse Democrats' recent "team-building" retreat, the topic of a recent Andrew Ripemoff humor column. Also, with just-released news the state is $250 million in the hole for the budget year ending next week, will lawmakers be back to work this summer to patch the hole?
FTS managing editor Brad Jones visits with 1100 KNZZ weekend host Rick Wagner to discuss whether legislators will be called back (or call themselves back) for a special session after updated tax numbers are released Monday. If they do go back into session, what would be cut, and how?
Statehouse Democrats recently repaid $4,300 to the state for a "team building" retreat paid for with public money after it was revealed Republicans weren't invited. FTS humor columnist Andrew Ripemoff takes a look inside the exclusive event.
SENATE PRESIDENT BRANDON SHAFFER: Good morning everyone, and welcome to the retreat. Before we get started, are there any questions?
REP. JOEL JUDD: Yeah, are they going to bring out anymore glazed donuts? Someone took the last one.
When lawmakers finished this year's legislative session May 6, discussions immediately began on whether the General Assembly would be called back into session to deal with worsening revenue, forcing deeper state budget cuts. Updated financial forecasts are due on Monday and lawmakers are expecting to hear shortly thereafter if they will called back to work this summer.
Monday, the AP reported that former Colorado state Senate President Peter Groffpaid his staff $30,000 in bonuses before he left office, despite a statewide hiring freeze and a budget crisis that could mean furloughs for thousands of other workers.
At the end of the legislative session, Groff left the Colorado Senate for a position in the Obama administration as director of the Faith-Based and Community Initiatives Center. He is an outspoken supporter of school choice, an opponent of the business personal property tax and a respected leader by Democrats and Republicans alike. It is hard to say anything bad about him.
Gov. Bill Ritter will sign legislation to place the state's checkbook online, though he'll do so without the same public ceremony that marked the signing of an executive order intended to head off the very legislation he'll now enact into law.
FTS staff writer Rachel Boxer has the latest capitol gossip: State Democrats' policy priorities have prompted a capitol intern to switch parties; plus, former U.S. Rep. Scott McInnis finally makes clear his intention to run for Colorado Governor.
FTS managing editor Brad Jones and staff writer Kate Melvin take a look at the week that was in Colorado News. Is public nudity a First Amendment right? Should CU force freshmen to join the school's alumni association? And who cares if state Sen. Shawn Mitchell gives out his capitol security code when capitol security is laughable?
DENVER – Longtime lobbyist Patrick Steadman won a vacancy election Wednesday night to succeed Sen. Jennifer Veiga, who recently resigned her Denver seat to move to Australia. Steadman was selected after three rounds of balloting exposed the divided district’s split between Denver and Adams counties.
While Democrats hailed the latest legislative session as a success, at least one party worker is defecting after disagreeing with some of her party's actions under the Capitol dome.
DENVER – At least nine people will vie Wednesday night in a Democratic party vacancy committee election to succeed Jennifer Veiga in the state Senate representing District 31. The district includes south and central Denver, including downtown, as well as portions of Arvada and Westmister.
