Lawmakers hurl brickbats over tax proposal on Nov. ballot

Democrats and Republicans exchanged fire on style and substance of Proposition 103.

Tiered power rates back in the hot seat

Says a legislative critic: “Micromanaging electric bills is not the way to address conservation issues.”

Guv seeks added drought assistance

Gov. John Hickenlooper sent a letter today to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack requesting drought assistance for two Elbert and Douglas counties. A previous letter was sent in July seeking drought assistance for Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla, Rio Grande, and Saguache counties.
Hickenlooper said the drought plaguing southern portions of the state, has now crept northward.
“Colorado has [...]

All Saints Day falls on not-so-holy Election Day this year in Colorado

Thanks to a curious quirk in the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, only the Centennial State will be holding a statewide election this Nov. 1.

GOP’s Roberts to serve on NCSL committee

The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), a bipartisan organization serving legislators and their staffers, today announced the selection of Sen. Ellen Roberts, R-Durango as a member of its executive committee.
The Executive Committee is the governing body of NCSL and has 63 members. The Committee supervises the affairs of the Conference, its committees, and finances, [...]

Hick’s energy picks raise hopes on both sides of fence

Industry, environmentalists are waiting and watching the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission since its reshuffling by governor.

Despite uproar, open-meetings ruling made perfect sense

It would be wrong to encourage more judicial activism just because it might help the court reach a conclusion we’d like for a change.

Move to toss TABOR suit draws hoorays, no-ways

“This thing’s going to end up being presented to the Supreme Court before all is said and done.”

More transparency on tap at state government

“As people expect more online, they expect more from their government. People want to know how those dollars are being spent.”

GOP legislative leaders applaud court ruling

The GOP’s House Majority Leader Amy Stephens of Monument, and Senate Assistant Minority Leader Bill Cadman of Colorado Springs, both responded to today’s 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling. The ruling said the individual mandate portion of federal health care law is unconstitutional.
Stephens, in a prepared statement, said the ruling is a step in the [...]