Gov. Jared Polis’ 2025 budget proposal includes $640 million in cuts

Gov. Jared Polis’ 2025 budget proposal includes 0 million in cuts

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis is proposing a year of “belt-tightening” to make up for softening inflation and higher Medicaid costs. He presented his budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year on Friday afternoon. It doesn’t account for Tuesday’s elections, which include some potentially costly measures on the state ballot. The next legislature, which is also … Read more

Immigration drives votes for Donald Trump, Kamala Harris in election

Immigration drives votes for Donald Trump, Kamala Harris in election

Cynthia Hawkins and Bill Christopher both depict themselves as moderates whose vote preferences this year are being steered, at least in part, by worries over immigration. But it’s not driving their votes the same way. Instead, their shared concerns about the sheer number of new arrivals to the country in recent years, along with the … Read more

Lauren Boebert, Trisha Calvarese run for Congress on Eastern Plains

Lauren Boebert, Trisha Calvarese run for Congress on Eastern Plains

In a typical election year, Colorado’s 4th Congressional District would be all but written off. The Eastern Plains district, on paper, is the most Republican-leaning in the state. In 2022, U.S. Rep. Ken Buck won reelection by nearly 24 percentage points, about in line with the advantage Republicans should expect given the 4th’s partisan makeup. … Read more

Colorado legislature campaign finance reports show priority races

Colorado legislature campaign finance reports show priority races

Outside committees have spent more than $1.2 million on a handful of Colorado legislative races already this election cycle, highlighting the electoral fights that could determine how much power the majority Democrats will have in the Capitol for the next two years. The spending, most of it by party-aligned independent expenditure committees, largely targets nine … Read more

Denver’s MyFriendBen site gives info on preschool aid, discounts, help

Denver’s MyFriendBen site gives info on preschool aid, discounts, help

Denverites can now find out which city benefits, discounts and programs they qualify for through a new web portal, Mayor Mike Johnston said Wednesday. The new service, called MyFriendBen, uses residents’ basic biographical information to scan more than 50 public benefits and tell users which ones they may qualify for in only a few minutes. … Read more

Colorado economic forecasts show TABOR refunds impacted by tax credits

Colorado economic forecasts show TABOR refunds impacted by tax credits

Expect Colorado’s upcoming state tax refund to be the last big one for a while. Forecasts by legislative economists released on Thursday predict a softening of economic conditions, tighter budget forecasts and recent changes to state law. Together, those are expected to decrease state refunds due under Colorado’s Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, or TABOR, from … Read more

Colorado Republican Party, Dave Williams leadership fight gets trial date in court

Colorado Republican Party, Dave Williams leadership fight gets trial date in court

The Colorado Republican Party’s ongoing leadership dispute could finally conclude in a three-day trial set for mid-October. In August, long-simmering tensions in the state GOP reached a boil when competing factions organized dueling votes on whether to oust Dave Williams from leadership. One faction voted overwhelming to remove Williams and replace him with former Olympian … Read more

Colorado joins IRS Direct File for free federal income tax filing

Colorado joins IRS Direct File for free federal income tax filing

Coloradans will soon be able to file their federal income taxes directly online for free under a program created by the Inflation Reduction Act. Beginning with tax year 2025 — filing for which happens in early 2026 — Coloradans will be able to use the IRS’ free Direct File program to submit their state and … Read more

Colorado governor signs law expanding greenhouse tax exemptions

Colorado governor signs law expanding greenhouse tax exemptions

Greenhouse farmers will be able to write off their agricultural equipment from their personal property taxes permanently under a law signed Friday by Gov. Jared Polis. Passed as House Bill 1003 during the legislature’s special session last month, the law extends in perpetuity an exemption that was set to expire in tax year 2027. Personal … Read more

Colorado Senate passes property tax deal, sends to Gov. Jared Polis

Colorado Senate passes property tax deal, sends to Gov. Jared Polis

The Colorado Senate gaveled in Thursday morning and quickly gave final approval to a much-heralded property tax deal, ending a special session aimed at stopping a pair of ballot initiatives that would enact deeper cuts. The legislation now goes to Gov. Jared Polis for his signature — and is expected to prompt the conservative and … Read more