Tracking what's destroying Colorado
A curated collection of bills, news, and resources about Colorado politics and policy
A curated collection of bills, news, and resources about Colorado politics and policy
Colorado political news, elections, state legislature, and government updates.
119 articles tagged with "Politics"
An X thread from @ColoradoDoctors (shared by @MorrellMDmph) details “The Big Four”—Tim Gill, Pat Stryker, Jared Polis, and Rutt Bridges—who poured tens of millions into flipping solidly Republican Colorado blue in 2004 through the so-called “Blueprint.” Once in power, their foundations funneled hundreds of millions more into NGOs, international networks, and activist groups to fast-track transgender policies, gender-identity ideology in schools, and “gender medicine” for minors. The post argues this wasn’t organic grassroots momentum but top-down astroturfing by a handful of billionaires, turning a red state into a national lab for policies like easy birth-certificate gender changes and workplace “misgendering” penalties.
Hundreds of Colorado business leaders are now pleading for relief as nearly 100 companies have packed up and left the state. Just two decades ago Colorado was solidly red, economically thriving, and being hailed by liberals as “the next Silicon Valley.” Today it’s bleeding jobs and businesses after shifting hard left.
The Colorado Chamber Foundation just dropped a damning relocation tracker showing that since 2019, 98 companies have either left the state or chosen to expand somewhere else. That’s over 13,600 jobs gone — with 27 companies bailing in just the past year alone. The eye-popping map shows the flood heading to low-tax, pro-growth states like Texas (21 companies, including Leprino Foods and its 600 jobs), Florida, Arizona, and beyond.
The Adams County GOP is sounding the alarm on Colorado House Bill 26-1327 (“Medicaid Madness”). The legislation would impose a $2,300 per-employee fine on the state’s largest employers for every worker enrolled in Medicaid. Democrats claim it recoups subsidies, but critics say it’s a desperate attempt to fix a massive Medicaid deficit created by years of runaway spending — especially on services for illegal immigrants — rather than reforming the program or cutting waste. The bill is being slammed as anti-business, anti-job, and a direct threat to entry-level and part-time positions.
A Denver Post report (highlighted by the Adams County GOP) exposes how Colorado home insurance premiums have exploded faster than anywhere in the U.S. under Democratic leadership. Average costs have doubled since 2020 and are on track to top $4,000 per year in 2026—now higher than California’s $2,455. Families are ditching vacations, delaying car buys, and facing quotes as high as $11,000. The post pins the blame on a toxic mix of skyrocketing property taxes, soft-on-crime policies that let roofing fraud and “storm chasers” run wild, open-border spending that prioritizes non-citizens over taxpayers, and the same failed big-government playbook that ruined California. It calls Colorado a “high-risk zone” on par with Florida and urges voters to hold Democrats accountable or watch the Centennial State become unaffordable for working families.
Colorado HB26-1309 redefines “coercive control” as domestic violence in custody and separation cases. The broad new language includes patterns of “regulating everyday behavior,” limiting “liberty or freedom,” or interfering with a child’s “bodily integrity” and “sense of self.” Critics say this turns routine parenting—tracking a kid’s phone for safety, grounding them from toxic friends, taking away devices, refusing middle-school birth control, discouraging abortion, or telling a child they’re too young for irreversible gender procedures—into potential “abuse.” If a court finds “domestic violence” by a mere preponderance of the evidence, there’s a presumption against that parent receiving custody or decision-making rights. The bill passed the House Judiciary Committee yesterday on a party-line vote.
Since legalizing recreational marijuana, Colorado has raked in a staggering $3.1 billion in taxes. Yet only a tiny fraction has actually reached classrooms. The vast majority has been siphoned off to other government priorities, leaving parents and educators wondering what happened to the “schools first” promise that sold the ballot initiative to voters in the first place.
A bombshell audit of Denver's Mayor's Homelessness Initiative (2023-2025) shows the program actually burned through $178 million in taxpayer dollars — but the mayor’s office only reported $158 million to City Council. That’s a $20 million gap with zero centralized tracking. Agencies just self-reported whatever they felt like counting as “program expenses.” Denver’s own auditor called it flat-out irresponsible for a nearly $200 million effort that’s supposed to fix homelessness.
Colorado lawmakers want to make grabbing a napkin, straw, or hot sauce packet at your local fast-food joint a government-approved event. SB26-146 forces restaurants and delivery apps to stop handing out single-use items by default starting in 2027. Customers must ask or confirm they want them—or the business gets hit with fines. It's sold as "plastic pollution reduction," but critics call it peak government overreach that ignores real problems while harassing small businesses and everyday customers.
In a post from @FreeStateColor1, HB26-1327 just cleared Colorado’s House Health Committee on an 8-5 party-line vote. The bill slaps large employers with an arbitrary ~$2,300 tax/fee per employee (admitted by a sponsor to be based on “feelings,” not economics). The poster warns it will hammer big-box retailers, force price hikes, trigger layoffs, and drive companies out of the state. It includes video testimony from the Colorado Retail Council and Colorado Chamber detailing the damage, plus a full list of the Democrat “yes” votes versus the Republican “no” votes. The original thread also called out Rep. Feret for openly admitting the tax amount was pulled out of thin air.
Colorado AG Phil Weiser (running for governor) proudly tweets his endorsement from gun-control activists and brags about his “plan” for public safety. @schotts claps back hard: “Hi Phil. Which of the 30+ gun laws implemented in Colorado over the last 13 years is effective?” He drops the receipts — in 2012 Colorado’s murder rate was below the national average; today it’s the 2nd most dangerous state in America. Attached charts prove it: Colorado saw the #1 worst violent crime spike in the entire U.S. (+58.7% from 2017–2023 while the nation dropped 8%), with murder rates up 72%, aggravated assault up 124%, and a laundry list of #1 or #2 national rankings in car theft, bank robbery, rape, and more — all under Democrat control.
Colorado leaders just announced a shiny new task force to investigate the puzzling trend of businesses packing up and moving to lower-tax, lower-regulation states. The sarcastic post from @TheRMOyster (complete with a hilarious cartoon of a U-Haul speeding past a "LEAVING COLORFUL COLORADO" sign) perfectly captures the irony: instead of fixing the obvious problems driving companies away, the state is spending more taxpayer money to form yet another committee. Replies from locals nail it — high taxes, crushing regulations, homelessness, and heavy-handed governance are the real culprits, not some unsolvable enigma.
A bombshell non-partisan state audit just exposed Colorado’s Department of Labor and Employment (run by Democrats) for “Material Weakness” — the most severe red flag in government accounting. The agency botched the books by billions: $1.5 billion overestimated in payments, $2.5 billion in expenses understated, $1.6 billion in revenue understated, and $800 million in bad debt completely ignored. Their excuse? “We’ll fix it… by 2027.” Democrats have known about these failures since 2023 and still refuse basic fixes. Taxpayers are footing the bill for this clown show.
In the ongoing federal lawsuit U.S. v. Griswold, Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold is refusing to turn over raw voter-roll data to the Department of Justice — the exact same data she’s been shipping for over a decade to ERIC, a third-party “voter verification” nonprofit founded with George Soros/Open Society money and used by Colorado and 24 other blue-leaning states. While Griswold claims sharing with the DOJ would “undermine elections,” she has no problem feeding sensitive citizen information straight into a Soros-linked black box that critics say quietly pads rolls with ghosts. The post warns that without a DOJ victory (led in part by Harmeet Dhillon), Colorado’s elections are little more than a Soros-controlled puppet show.
The X post from @FreeStateColor1 announces the passage of Colorado Senate Bill 26-043 in the state Senate on March 2, 2026, with a 19-16 vote along party lines. The bill, titled "Record Keeping & Regulation of Sale of Firearm Barrel," mandates that firearm barrels can only be sold or transferred in person by federally licensed dealers, prohibits non-dealers from possessing barrels with intent to sell, requires buyers to be at least 18 and eligible under firearm laws, and obligates dealers to maintain records for five years. Sponsored by Democrats, it aims to regulate firearm components like barrels similarly to complete guns, with violations treated as misdemeanors. The post labels it "bad news" and includes a video of the vote count, highlighting Democratic support for the measure, which now heads to the House.
The X post by @JustJenRX highlights a video of Colorado State Representative Brandi Bradley passionately arguing for HB25-1073, a bill aimed at imposing mandatory prison sentences for those convicted of sexually assaulting children under 15, eliminating probation options. Bradley cites alarming statistics: 70% of child sex offenders in Colorado receive probation without jail time, 73% of those imprisoned are paroled after an average of just 8 years, and no offender has been sentenced to more than 25 years. The bill failed in the House Judiciary Committee on a party-line vote, with 6 out of 7 Democrats voting to postpone it indefinitely (effectively killing it), while all 4 Republicans and 1 Democrat opposed the postponement. The post accuses all Democrats of voting against child protection, urging Coloradans to wake up to the lenient sentencing that leaves victims with lifelong trauma.
Colorado House Bill 26-1082, the "Children Are Not for Sale Act," sponsored by Republican Rep. Scott Bottoms, aimed to toughen penalties for human trafficking of minors for sexual servitude by reclassifying it as a Class 1 felony—mandating life imprisonment without parole. It also expanded the offense to include trading anything of value for sexual acts with a trafficked minor. On February 10, 2026, the Democratic-controlled House Judiciary Committee killed the bill on a strict party-line vote of 7-4, postponing it indefinitely with zero Democrats in support.
In a move straight out of the progressive playbook, Democrat sponsors (Sens. Nick Hinrichsen and Lisa Cutter, Reps. Lorena García and Rebekah Stewart) have introduced SB26-097 to wipe out Colorado's longstanding laws against prostitution. The bill repeals criminal penalties for buying, selling, or facilitating adult commercial sex, overrides city and county bans, and updates related statutes (like pimping) to use the euphemistic term "commercial sexual activity." While penalties for coercion or child-related offenses remain (and are addressed in separate bills like SB26-015), this legislation effectively normalizes paid sex as a legitimate transaction between "consenting adults." It's currently assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee in the 2026 session.
The X post from @GOP_Jeffco highlights the ongoing property tax crisis in Colorado, attributing massive increases—up to 40% or more in 2026—to expiring temporary relief measures and long-term Democratic policies. It cites surging residential values (27%+ in 2023), statewide collections exceeding $15 billion from 2019-2024, and disproportionate burdens on businesses with commercial taxes nearly 4x residential rates. The post criticizes Democrats for repealing the Gallagher Amendment, blocking mill-levy cuts, and prioritizing "pet projects" over relief, while noting low approval ratings for Gov. Polis (around 40%) and high unfavorability for Democrats (60%). It calls for electing Republicans in 2026 to end "one-party rule" and provide real tax relief, urging users to share their stories.
The X post by @texnbob1 alerts conservatives to an ongoing global campaign to suppress right-wing voices on social media, echoing warnings from Mike Benz about international threats. It spotlights Wyoming House Bill 70, known as the GRANITE Act (Guaranteeing Rights Against Novel International Tyranny and Extortion), which creates legal protections for Wyoming residents by allowing them to sue foreign governments and organizations—like the UK's Ofcom or Brazil's courts—for attempting to enforce censorship laws that violate U.S. constitutional rights. The bill prohibits state cooperation with such foreign judgments, imposes hefty penalties including treble damages or up to $10 million per threat, and aims to shield online speech from extraterritorial overreach, positioning Wyoming as a pioneer in combating what it sees as attacks on free expression in digital spaces.
In a contentious vote on February 2, 2026, the Colorado House of Representatives considered the "Carissa Amendment" (L.003) to Senate Joint Resolution SJR26-006, a Democrat-sponsored measure aimed at supporting immigrants navigating the U.S. system and advocating for "humane" federal reforms. The amendment, introduced by Republican Rep. Brandi Bradley, sought to recognize Carissa Aspnes—a Colorado woman permanently disabled in a hit-and-run by an illegal immigrant released under Biden-era policies—and push for stricter penalties on crimes committed by illegal aliens against U.S. citizens. The amendment failed 19-41 along strict party lines, with all Republicans voting yes and every Democrat voting no, highlighting a deep divide where Democrats prioritized immigrant protections over enhanced accountability for crimes impacting Americans.
In Douglas County, Colorado, thieves are using electric saws to steal valuable brass and copper backflow prevention valves from residential sprinkler systems, selling them for scrap. The Douglas County Sheriff's Office is urging homeowners to regularly inspect their irrigation setups after a spike in these targeted thefts, which risk contaminating local drinking water supplies.
In a post by @Erin4Parents, Fort Collins Mayor Emily Francis is called out for organizing a "stop ICE" run while previously pushing for a rainbow pride crosswalk using public funds. The video highlights the crosswalk's ribbon-cutting on National Coming Out Day, featuring a person in a dog mask—allegedly the mayor's partner—howling and on a leash at the event, portraying it as bizarre virtue signaling and a misuse of taxpayer money in a liberal "twilight zone."
A Colorado resident shares a heartbreaking story about their 77-year-old father, living on Social Security in a home he's owned since 1993 and paid off for decades, now facing an $8,088 property tax bill—up nearly $1,400 from last year's $6,700. Confused by broken promises of no increases for two years, they accuse the state of trying to force people out, tagging Governor Jared Polis in a viral X post that's sparked outrage over government overreach and elder financial burdens.
An X post from @govtgrifters highlights a January 2026 expense report from Colorado's Department of Early Childhood, showing over $330,000 in ARPA-funded grants awarded to the Colorado Statewide Parent Coalition, the top recipient among various non-profits. The post calls out Democratic State Representative Lorena Garcia, who serves as the organization's CEO, questioning why a sitting legislator's group is receiving substantial taxpayer-funded "COVID relief" years after the pandemic.
This X post from @StatisticUrban shares a U.S. map highlighting 2024 median household incomes (adjusted to December 2025 dollars), with Colorado boasting $111.1K—one of the nation's highest, alongside states like Utah ($109.3K) and Massachusetts ($119.7K). The poster marvels at why Colorado and Utah have surged so wealthily, noting Massachusetts' $120K as particularly striking. The map uses a color gradient from yellow (lowest, e.g., Mississippi at $59.4K) to deep purple (highest), underscoring regional disparities driven by factors like education, industry, and demographics.
Rob Andrews, a Democrat-endorsed city councilman in Aurora, Colorado, who chairs the public safety committee, was arrested for DUI after weaving lanes in his vehicle. When asked for his driver's license, he handed over his council ID instead. His stepson, Lynden Fredrick, attempted to exit the car during the stop, spat toward an officer (missing by inches), and became disrespectful. Andrews failed sobriety tests and was jailed, while his stepson was allowed to leave. The incident highlights a stark contrast between Andrews' role in overseeing public safety and his alleged reckless behavior.
In a shocking expose on X, user @beaverd highlights Deloitte's staggering $800 million+ haul from Colorado government contracts since 2011, despite repeated failures in audits and system implementations. This nationwide plague of crony consulting is epitomized by figures like Kristin Russell, whose career ping-pongs between Big Tech, state government, and Deloitte—ensuring the swamp stays deep and taxpayers stay drained. It's time to slam the door on this wasteful revolving racket.
A new Colorado law (HB 25-1090) took effect January 1, 2026, requiring businesses—including landlords, restaurants, and ticket sellers—to disclose all mandatory fees upfront for "total price" transparency and banning certain hidden charges in rentals (like pest control or property tax fees). However, as The Colorado Sun reports, many so-called "junk fees" persist if disclosed in advance, such as kitchen appreciation charges, delivery fees, convenience fees, and various apartment add-ons. Consumer advocates complain it's not enough to curb housing costs, while businesses argue uniform rules prevent misleading comparisons. The article highlights ongoing fees despite the law, with some enforcement actions like a prior lawsuit against a major landlord.
This X post from @concernedforco highlights the massive influence of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), dubbed the "Fourth Branch" of government. It cites staggering figures: $14.1 trillion in NGO assets, $303 billion in annual government grants, 12.5 million employees (the third-largest workforce), $1.9 billion in dark money for the 2024 elections, 99.5% government funding for Episcopal Migration Ministries, and over $2 billion in damages from the 2020 riots. The post quotes Benjamin Franklin's warning about preserving the republic and urges readers to explore an linked article on these unelected, unaccountable entities wielding immense power like a shadow government.
In a letter to constituent Mark, Rep. Brittany Pettersen (D-CO) expresses outrage over the recent killing of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, blaming President Trump's "lawless, anti-immigrant agenda" for terrorizing communities and lacking oversight. She criticizes ICE for detaining legal residents and convicted criminals alike, often without criminal histories, and highlights the emotional toll on families. Pettersen touts her sponsorship of legislation requiring ICE agents to operate unmasked and in marked vehicles, her vote against additional ICE funding or authority, and her call for DHS Secretary Kristi Noem's resignation or impeachment over failed oversight in Texas border operations and FEMA search-and-rescue efforts.
The 2025 U-Haul Growth Index highlights Texas reclaiming the top spot for net migration gains, with Southern states like Florida and North Carolina dominating the leaderboard. While Colorado squeaked into the top half at 23rd place with a modest net gain—up from a dismal 40th in 2024—this masks a deeper crisis. Despite the slight uptick in U-Haul data, broader migration studies from United Van Lines and others reveal Colorado as a top outbound state, hemorrhaging middle-class families due to skyrocketing costs and failed policies. This right-leaning analysis zeros in on the root causes: progressive overreach that's turning the Centennial State into a cautionary tale of economic and social decay.
Colorado's newly introduced SB26-005 creates a civil cause of action allowing anyone injured during immigration enforcement to sue participants—including potentially private citizens who provide tips to ICE—if a U.S. Constitution violation is alleged. Sponsored by Democrats like Sen. Mike Weissman and Julie Gonzales, the bill ignores federal supremacy on immigration and could chill public cooperation with deportation efforts. As of January 15, 2026, it's under consideration in the Senate Judiciary Committee, part of a broader Democratic push to regulate and obstruct federal immigration actions amid Trump's mass-deportation policies.
An X video post by Angela Rose tours Fort Morgan, Colorado, focusing on the Cargill meat factory where a significant portion of workers are Somali, with most Somalis in the town employed there. She details a 2015 incident where Somali employees demanded to leave the production line in groups of 11 for prayer breaks on the clock, but the company negotiated for 2-3 at a time; unsatisfied, 200 staged a 3-day walkout, leading to firings and a discrimination lawsuit where 138 were awarded $11,500 each (totaling around $1.5 million). Rose contrasts welcoming American small businesses with what she describes as shady, unclear Somali-owned stores, and criticizes Colorado's policies like taxpayer-funded abortions and gender-affirming care as hypocritical favoritism toward certain groups. In a follow-up post, Rose updates that the Somali population estimate of 2% is outdated—from 200 people in 2005 to around 1,200 in the late 2010s, now comprising over 8-9% of Fort Morgan's population—and expresses concern for preserving the historic downtown's beauty.
An X post highlights Colorado State Representative Lorena Garcia's path to power: appointed rather than elected, endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), and her nonprofit seeing a massive revenue spike post-appointment. The poster criticizes this as a "bait and switch" tactic contributing to the state's decline, noting that one-third of Colorado's reps are appointed via vacancy committees.
A citizen journalist account, @dobetterdnvr, posted an urgent safety alert for women in Denver following a violent attack on a female jogger near Broadway and Louisiana avenues on January 7, 2026, around 6pm. The unknown male suspect tackled, strangled, and attempted to abduct the victim, who fought back and escaped with help from a Good Samaritan. The post highlights police delays due to underfunding and understaffing, urging anyone with information to contact Denver Police, and emphasizes the need for safer neighborhoods.
The X post by @logiclives criticizes Denver Public Schools for issuing nearly $1 billion in Certificates of Participation (COPs), with $850 million in principal outstanding, to fund projects without voter approval. This tactic, also used by the state government, circumvents Colorado's Taxpayer's Bill of Rights (TABOR) by treating the obligations as leases rather than debt, leaving Denver taxpayers on the hook for about $2,000 per person. The post warns that Democrats are exploiting this loophole to enable unchecked spending and urges resistance to any efforts to weaken TABOR.
In 2026, Colorado's bloated state welfare programs face deserved federal crackdowns after shocking revelations of fraud and inefficiency. From HUD paying housing benefits to 221 deceased individuals and thousands of ineligible recipients, to a $40 million Medicaid scam targeting seniors with unnecessary tests, SNAP funding battles amid administrative failures, and hospitals drowning in uncompensated care partly from surges in uninsured migrants — these scandals highlight years of lax oversight draining taxpayer dollars and rewarding abuse.
Children's Hospital Colorado and Denver Health have suspended all medical gender-affirming care for patients under 18, including prescriptions for puberty blockers and hormone therapy, though neither performed surgeries on minors. This decision follows a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) referral for an investigation into Children's Hospital Colorado, which threatens the hospital's Medicare and Medicaid funding—critical for serving hundreds of thousands of children. The hospitals described the move as a response to escalating HHS actions under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who declared such procedures unsafe and ineffective, amid a broader Trump administration push to restrict transgender youth care nationwide. Background includes a July DOJ subpoena for records, which the hospital is fighting in court. While supportive services continue, the suspensions disrupt patient-provider relationships and access to these treatments, placing Colorado at the center of national legal battles over transgender minor care.
In this X post by @logiclives (LogicandLiberty), a Colorado political commentator and podcast host, Denver's homelessness crisis is exposed as a prime example of government waste. Sharing a screenshot from a June 2025 Common Sense Institute report, the post highlights how Denver Metro hit record homelessness levels in 2025, with chronic cases growing despite shrinking unsheltered shares, while the city faces a $250 million budget shortfall prompting cuts after allocating $203 million in 2023-2024. It slams the Department of Housing Stability for failing a 2024 audit on spending tracking and accountability, questioning broader program mismanagement since homelessness rose from 2019. Dated January 3, 2026, the post has 216 likes, 73 reposts, and 21 replies, with commenters decrying NGO grift, historical flops like the 2005 "Denver’s Road Home" initiative that burned $63 million without results, and calls for audits to uncover taxpayer fraud. Replies tie it to Democrat gullibility and suggest the spending perpetuates problems for funding's sake, under hashtags like #copolitics.
In this X post by @mrosazza (Denver Fail), a conservative critic, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston is slammed as "Rocky Mountain Mamdani" for his deep ties to Venezuela amid Colorado's "forced invasion" by migrants. The post quotes how Johnston led a 2023 coalition of mayors from cities like Denver, Chicago, Houston, LA, and New York to push for federal reforms, including faster work permits, expanded TPS for Venezuelans, and more funding for integration. It accuses these cities of being voter fraud epicenters and labels Johnston a "billionaire puppet" harming Coloradans. Accompanied by an image of Johnston linked to the Mayors Migration Council, the post from January 3, 2026, has 677 likes, 305 reposts, and sparks replies blaming Democrat corruption, calling for ICE action against gangs like Tren de Aragua, and alleging ties to NGOs and hidden money.
In this X post by @GovtsTheProblem, a small-government advocate, Colorado Democrats are lambasted for turning Denver into one of America's least safe cities per WalletHub's latest Safest Cities in America rankings. Denver lands at a dismal 162nd out of 182 cities with a total score of 42.86, ranking worse than Albuquerque (154th), St. Louis (157th), and Chicago (161st) in overall safety, which factors in home/community safety, natural disasters, and financial security. The attached screenshot shows the tail end of the list, emphasizing Denver's poor 172nd place in home and community safety. Replies echo the sentiment, blaming leftist policies for rising crime, with one user noting Colorado's high violent crime rate (7th worst nationally per U.S. News), and others mocking Governor Polis while highlighting dangers like lenient laws on murderers. The post, dated January 3, 2026, has garnered over 330 likes and sparks discussion on #copolitics, portraying Democratic governance as a recipe for urban decay.
In a scathing X post, Sean Paige highlights the closure of the Colowyo coal mine in Moffat County, Colorado, effective January 1, 2026, resulting in 133 direct layoffs and potentially 437 total job losses, devastating local economies with a 43% drop in property taxes. He blasts state "green zealots" and the "climate cult" for pushing anti-coal policies that ignore soaring global coal demand (record 8.8 billion tons in 2024), especially in China and India, while Colorado phases out coal by 2030. Paige calls out silent Democratic leaders like Governor Polis, Senators Hickenlooper and Bennet, and AG Weiser for prioritizing Boulder elites over rural workers, labeling the move as economic suicide that exports pollution and imports poverty. Accompanied by an image of miners holding signs reading "expendable," "invisible," and "forgotten," the post demands a rethink to save Colorado jobs.
A Colorado conservative account highlights a staggering 306% surge in Medicaid spending on pediatric behavioral therapies from 2018-2024, linking it to potential overbilling and fraud driven by private equity-backed providers. Drawing parallels to Minnesota's exploding autism and child services fraud scandals—where billions in taxpayer dollars have been stolen through fake claims and non-existent services—the post warns that Colorado risks the same fate without urgent oversight and reforms.
Colorado families and businesses are facing an unprecedented squeeze from skyrocketing taxes, fees, and external pressures like federal tariffs. While lawmakers tout programs like free school meals and child care subsidies, the reality is a massive shift of burdens onto taxpayers—through TABOR loopholes, voter-approved hikes on high earners, and new local sales taxes. Denver households now shell out over $51,000 annually in taxes and fees, up nearly 50% in recent years, far outpacing income growth. Add in Trump's tariffs driving up costs, and it's clear: Colorado's government is growing faster than its people can afford.
The Denver Post article, published on May 15, 2025, reports that House Republicans have proposed a bill cutting federal Medicaid spending by at least $880 billion over the next decade to help extend President Trump's tax cuts. For Colorado, this could mean billions in lost funding, potentially leading to a state budget shortfall and up to 108,000 residents losing coverage, mainly due to new work requirements and reduced federal matching funds. Critics, including Democrats like Rep. Diana DeGette and Gov. Jared Polis, argue the cuts prioritize tax breaks for the wealthy over health care access, risking higher costs and uncompensated care for providers. Republicans, such as Rep. Gabe Evans, counter that the plan targets fraud and waste while ensuring Medicaid's sustainability for vulnerable populations, with spending still projected to rise annually. The bill has advanced through committee but faces uncertain passage in Congress, and Colorado officials are preparing potential responses, including a special legislative session.
In a segment on Colorado Point of View (a weekly political analysis show on FOX31 Denver and CW2), conservative analyst Michael Fields highlights how Colorado Democrats, despite inheriting a massive $3.6 billion budget surplus, overspent dramatically and are now openly discussing the need to raise taxes on residents. Fields criticizes this as fiscal irresponsibility, pointing to unchecked government spending under one-party Democratic control.
In this interview clip, Colorado Governor Jared Polis (a Democrat) discusses the tangible economic fallout from escalating U.S. tariffs on imported goods. He argues that Coloradans are feeling the pinch more acutely now than a year prior, with higher costs for everyday items like electronics, clothing, and building materials rippling through the supply chain. Polis highlights Colorado's reliance on global trade—especially in tech, agriculture, and manufacturing—and warns that these policies exacerbate inflation, hurt small businesses, and stifle job growth without delivering promised protections for domestic industries. The segment underscores a broader critique of protectionist trade strategies, framing them as a self-inflicted wound on American consumers.
In a stunning display of misplaced priorities, Colorado House Republicans, led by Rep. Brandi Bradley, proposed a straightforward bill to crack down on surging retail theft—up 6% last year with over 40,000 cases and a staggering $1 billion in losses to organized crime. But Democrats in the legislature shot it down, bizarrely claiming property crime is "decreasing" despite mountains of evidence to the contrary. Meanwhile, in the same session, they rammed through a radical bill making Colorado the first state to criminalize "misgendering" on death certificates, forcing coroners and funeral directors to list preferred pronouns over biological sex—potentially leading to absurdities like men "dying from ovarian cancer" and women from "prostate cancer." This not only tramples religious freedoms but diverts focus from real crises like business-killing theft rings. As businesses lock up basics like deodorant and families flee the chaos, this episode underscores a legislature obsessed with woke symbolism over public safety and common sense.
This report from the Common Sense Institute warns that Colorado's state legislature is drowning in a sea of excessive laws and ballot measures, passing a record 527 bills in 2024 alone—a 33% spike over pre-2019 norms and the third-highest growth nationally since 2012. Bills are not just more numerous but 51% more complex, doubling in word count from earlier years, often spawning from mandates like HB19-1261's aggressive emissions targets. Meanwhile, citizen-initiated ballot questions have quadrupled to 16 in the latest cycle, fueling a vicious cycle of policy overload. Amid tepid population growth (net domestic migration down to 7,000 in 2023 from 57,000 in 2015) and soaring living costs, this frenzy correlates with drops in key metrics: education, health, housing, infrastructure, public safety, and state budgeting. The result? Heavier taxes, fees, and red tape strangling businesses and free enterprise, eroding Colorado's once-golden appeal. The fix? Slow down, deliberate more, and prioritize data over hasty activism.