Leading Colorado Democrats and the state’s oil and gas industry announced a preemptive armistice Monday — one that seeks to defuse the latest round of dueling ballot initiatives and legislation aimed at the industry and its environmental impacts. The proposals, described to reporters by Gov. Jared Polis and legislative leadership, include imposing a new per-barrel … Read more
At this time last year, Colorado lawmakers were preparing to gut Gov. Jared Polis’ massive and marquee land-use bill that would have reshaped zoning across the state, spurring a stalemate that preceded the proposal’s death. Now, after reviving most of that proposal in smaller pieces as part of a new strategy, reform supporters see a … Read more
Colorado’s new voter-approved universal free school meals program is already tens of millions of dollars short, jeopardizing some of the auxiliary programs tied to the ballot measure as lawmakers scramble to keep the initiative solvent and meals paid for. The state faces a combined shortfall of about $50 million to pay for students’ food under … Read more
Front Range residents who drive old cars that cannot pass Colorado’s emissions inspections could receive financial help for repairs if a bill before the state legislature is approved. The bill, SB24-095, would provide an $850 voucher that could be redeemed at qualified mechanics if a resident’s car or pickup truck could not pass the emissions … Read more
Colorado lawmakers were solidifying their plans for land use reform this year just as a tale seemingly as old as zoning codes themselves — and as predictable as alpenglow — unfolded in Fort Collins. Local leaders passed a sweeping measure allowing higher-density development in more parts of town, the cornerstone of the city’s housing strategy. … Read more
