coloradopolitics.com

Hiring freeze, service reductions among proposed $45M cuts to Denver’s budget to pay for illegals

17Apr

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coloradopolitics.com, Local

Hiring freeze, service reductions among proposed $45M cuts to Denver’s budget to pay for illegals

By Alex Edwards | Colorado Politics A panel of councilmembers has unanimously advanced Denver Mayor Mike Johnston's proposed $45 million in budget cuts — dollars the administration intends to use to pay for its response to the city's illegal immigration crisis. The proposed budget cuts' next stop is the full City Council. The budget cuts include a hiring freeze and service reductions. Early in the crisis, Denver officials decided the city would assume the responsibility to temporarily house, feed and transport arriving immigrants. That response is expected to cost a total of $90 million this year. At last count, the city has helped almost 41,000 immigrants. READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS

Bill banning so-called ‘assault weapons’ passed in House, headed to Senate

15Apr

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coloradopolitics.com, State

Bill banning so-called ‘assault weapons’ passed in House, headed to Senate

By Marianne Goodland | Colorado Politics The proposal to ban so-called "assault weapons" is now on its way to the Colorado Senate after House legislators passed the measure during a rare legislation session on Sunday. The measure is expected to be assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee. A majority of Democrats approved House Bill 1292 on a 35-27 vote, with nine Democrats voting against. The vote followed a debate of more than three hours. READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS

Colorado Wetlands: Lawmakers clash as they seek state protections

14Apr

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coloradopolitics.com, State

Colorado Wetlands: Lawmakers clash as they seek state protections

By Marianne Goodland | Colorado Politics How Colorado protects wetlands depends on two perspectives: Is it a water quality issue or a land management issue? Even assuming it's a little of both, either answer leads to different approaches, each to be overseen by a different agency. And either path offers implications for construction, permitting and management of habitats. This month, lawmakers looked at the dueling approaches contained in two measures seeking to implement a way for the state to manage "dredge and fill discharge" permits tied to a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that redefined how a body of water can be protected under the Environmental Protection Agency's "Waters of the United States" rule. READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS

Ballot measure in Colorado would bar ‘placeholders’ from immediately seeking office

13Apr

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coloradopolitics.com, State

Ballot measure in Colorado would bar ‘placeholders’ from immediately seeking office

By Marianne Goodland | The Gazette A state legislator in Colorado is pushing a resolution to go to the ballot that would bar an individual who is appointed to a legislative seat via the vacancy process from running for that position in the next election. Assuming the measure gets on the ballot and voters approve it, the effect would be to prohibit somebody who secures the vacancy appointment after a vote of party insiders from seeking that legislative seat for the next term, effectively making that person a "placeholder." State Rep. Bob Marshall, D-Highlands Ranch said his resolution would tackle the perception of a small group of insiders picking policymakers that decide major issues for the entire state. READ THE FU...

Ban of so-called ‘assault weapons’ receives initial OK from Colorado Democrats

13Apr

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coloradopolitics.com, State

Ban of so-called ‘assault weapons’ receives initial OK from Colorado Democrats

By Marianne Goodland | Colorado Politics House Democrats on Friday advanced a proposal to ban a long list of "assault" weapons in Colorado following a debate that lasted several hours. The measure still needs the full vote of the House, which could happen Sunday. Its fate in the Senate remains uncertain. Sponsored by Reps. Tim Hernandez and Elisabeth Epps, House Bill 1292 would prohibit 13 types of "assault" weapons, along with adding a definition of "assault weapons" into state law. Supporters argued that the so-called "assault weapons" have no place in society, and that Colorado cannot wait for Congress to enact a federal ban. Critics countered that the bill would ban most guns in Colorado — and it is, therefore, unconstitutional. READ THE FUL...

Denver City Council approves $3.1M to convert hotel rooms into supportive housing

12Apr

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coloradopolitics.com, Local

Denver City Council approves $3.1M to convert hotel rooms into supportive housing

By Alex Edwards | Colorado Politics The Denver City Council unanimously approved a funding agreement worth $3.1 million to assist the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless with rehabilitating 107 hotel rooms into studio apartments. The rooms being rehabilitated sit within the former Clarion Hotel at 200 W. 48th Ave. The Colorado Coalition for the Homeless will add services geared towards assisting homeless people and those at risk of becoming homeless. Once completed, the property will be known as Renewal Village. The Clarion Hotel is the third hotel the city has converted to a shelter as part of an ongoing strategy to address homelessness in Denver. The city's Department of Housing Stability (HOST) has worked to convert other hotels, located at 3737 Quebec St. and 3500 Park A...

Democrats Trisha Calvarese, John Padora land spots on 4th CD primary ballot at party assembly

12Apr

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coloradopolitics.com, State

Democrats Trisha Calvarese, John Padora land spots on 4th CD primary ballot at party assembly

By Ernest Luning | Colorado Politics Democratic delegates sent Trisha Calvarese and John Padora to Colorado's 4th Congressional District primary ballot Thursday night at an online assembly. They join Ike McCorkle, a Marine veteran and two-time previous nominee for the seat, who qualified for the primary earlier this week by petition. Covering Douglas County, parts of Larimer and Weld counties and the Eastern Plains, the 4th CD was formerly represented by Ken Buck, a five-term Republican who resigned from Congress last month. It's Colorado's most solidly Republican congressional district. The June 25 primary election will appear on the same ballot as a special election to fill the six months remaining in Buck's term. READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITIC...

Poll finds illegal immigration top issue for Colorado voters

9Apr

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coloradopolitics.com, State

Poll finds illegal immigration top issue for Colorado voters

Nicole C. Brambila | Colorado Politics A new statewide poll shows illegal immigration emerging as the paramount issue for Colorado voters, with roughly two-in-three viewing the unprecedented influx as a major problem. Conducted by the Colorado Polling Institute, the survey posed an open-ended question to 632 likely voters, asking — among other things — what they believed were the most important issues facing the state. The take away? Illegal immigration was the primary concern with 14% of respondents replying that border surges were the top issue lawmakers should address. READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS

New Douglas County ordinance prohibits unscheduled immigrant bus drop-offs

8Apr

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coloradopolitics.com, Local

New Douglas County ordinance prohibits unscheduled immigrant bus drop-offs

By Nicole C. Brambila | Colorado Politics Douglas County commissioners unanimously voted to approve an ordinance this week that takes aim at Colorado’s “sanctuary” laws by prohibiting commercial vehicles from making unscheduled stops in unincorporated Douglas County to drop off immigrants. The new ordinance simultaneously targets so-called “sanctuary” cities and efforts lawmakers around the country have made to offload immigrants elsewhere. This includes political stunts targeting Democrats — as seen with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s busing campaign — or an onward travel strategy employed by Denver Mayor Mike Johnston and others that transports immigrants onto their final destination. Commercial drivers who violate the new ordinance could face a fine of up to $1,000 per passenger, in ...

Colorado GOP ejects reporter from its state assembly, calling news outlet’s coverage ‘very unfair’

7Apr

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coloradopolitics.com, State

Colorado GOP ejects reporter from its state assembly, calling news outlet’s coverage ‘very unfair’

By Ernest Luning | Colorado Politics The Colorado Republican Party on Saturday had law enforcement remove a reporter for the Colorado Sun from the GOP's state assembly in Pueblo because the party's chairman believes the outlet's reporting has been "very unfair." A Pueblo County sheriff's deputy escorted Sandra Fish, a long-time political and data reporter for the nonprofit news organization, from the Southwest Motors Events Center on the state fairgrounds, where thousands of Republican delegates from throughout the state convened to conduct party business. Fish, who has reported on both major parties' political assemblies for years, left the building when requested. READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADO POLITICS