Veterans got a boost Tuesday as Gov. Bill Ritter signed five GOP bills that will improve services for current and retired members of the armed forces and their families.
By allegedly abusing Senate rules, Democrats undermined a Republican motion that could have effectively killed a controversial bill Wednesday.
Colorado's Democrat-led state Senate passed this year’s contentious $18.9 billion budget bill Monday afternoon, seizing $500 million from Pinnacol Assurance, the state’s largest provider of workers compensation insurance. While Democrats defended the move, saying it was necessary to fund higher education, they also declined to pass at least 22 alternative cuts introduced by Republicans.
Thursday, representatives of Colorado's oil and gas industry, joined by hundreds of energy-sector workers, rallied across the street from the state capitol in opposition to new, stricter rules governing oil and gas production. On the opposite side of the capitol, Gov. Bill Ritter touted his "new energy economy." FTS takes a closer look at the controversy over the state's new drilling regulations.
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Michael Bennet has been sworn in to represent Colorado in the U.S. Senate. His pick came as a shock to many, but the impact of Gov. Bill Ritter's selection is still making waves in Colorado politics. Now Colorado Republicans are pushing to put the crucial, albeit rare, decision to fill a Senate vacancy to a public vote. They are right.
State Rep. Amy Stephens, R-Colorado Springs, with Sen. Mike Kopp, R-Littleton, introduced legislation this session to outlaw cash payments in exchange for removing an initiative from the state ballot. Liberals killed the measure, and FTS catches up with Rep. Stephens after the vote.
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The House State Affairs Committee killed a bill Tuesday that would have made it illegal to remove a ballot initiative in exchange for compensation of any kind.
FTS staff writer Rachel Boxer has the latest on a recent push to place state spending records online. The idea was originally intorduced by a pair of Republican state lawmakers, and Gov. Bill Ritter, a Democrat, announced this week he'll be implementing the plan without a change in law.
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An audio montage of Colorado political leaders on the state budget, transportation funding and the state's new oil and gas regulations.
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Before Gov. Bill Ritter delivered his State of the State speech Thursday morning, Face The State reported he was going to throw his support behind a Republican plan to put the state's checkbook online. Hours later, it's clear he plans to bring Democrats on board with the idea first proposed by two Republican lawmakers.
Rep. Amy Stephens, R-Colorado Springs, and Sen. Mike Kopp, R-Littleton, present the Republican response to Gov. Bill Ritter's State of the State address. Watch or listen to the response here, with a transcript below the fold.
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As first reported by Face The State this morning, Gov. Bill Ritter is expected to announce this morning an initiative to place the state's checkbook online, in effect adopting a legislative effort championed by Sen. Mike Kopp and Rep. Don Marostica. But will Ritter's plan for transparency be as strong as they had proposed? FTS staff writer Rachel Boxer breaks the news on 1310 KFKA's Amy Oliver show.
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With the 2009 legislative session jumping into full swing, Gov. Bill Ritter is scheduled to deliver his State of the State speech today where it is expected he will introduce his plan for a more transparent government by proposing to make the state budget available online. The plan is just the latest in a string of instances where the Democrat has utilized Republican ideas to suggest changes to state law.
Sen. Mike Kopp is promoting a proposal to rescind an outdated business tax, a move that would pump millions into struggling Colorado businesses. Also, how will legislators patch a $600 million hole in the state budget?
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Eight months after a leading Senate Democrat ignored warnings of a recession and supported more state spending based on "excellent" budget projections, new forecasts are expected to show dramatic funding shortfalls.
Leading Republican lawmakers kicked off a statewide “Save, Don’t Spend!” themed road trip Thursday morning, spreading a message of fiscal responsibility and transparency.
You'd think it would be illegal to accept money in exchange for removing your initiative from the ballot. Turns out, everybody has their price.
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At a Monday morning gathering at the state Capitol, Republican lawmakers offered their plan for fixing the economy and admonished Gov. Bill Ritter and his Democrat allies for their lack of leadership.
As Election Day approaches the Capitol rumor mill is churning at twice its normal rate, and we are working overtime just to keep up.
The biggest topics of speculation: Who will be Colorado’s next Secretary of State? Who will take over for term-limited leadership in the General Assembly? And most exciting, of course, the secret political dealings behind this year’s ballot initiatives.
Colorado’s political activists come in all shapes and sizes, and so do their budgets. Millionaire Democrats Tim Gill and Pat Stryker regularly see their political tactics grace the front pages, and they have become famous for pumping unprecedented cash into state legislative races. But there is another kind of activist in Colorado attempting to turn the political wheels. He operates on a shoestring budget, and his fellow Republicans have called his methodology controversial, uncompromising and on a bad day, damaging to conservative causes.
