Author: Dean Toda
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Ritter vetoes bill that would have changed gaming commission rules
DENVER · Gov. Bill Ritter got out his veto pen this week, and his first 2009 target was a popular bill to add a resident of a gambling community to the state gaming commission.Currently, people who live or own property in Cripple Creek, Central City or Black Hawk, or anywhere in surrounding Teller or Gilpin…
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Water main break closes part of Galley Road
Galley Road is closed east of Murray Boulevard as Colorado Springs Utilities crews work to repair a water main break, the second one in the area this week. The new outage was reported around 2 a.m., and a utilities spokesman said it was unrelated to the earlier break, which happened Monday, leaving about 300 customers…
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Morse pulls sentencing reform in face of criticism
DENVER – A proposed overhaul of sentencing laws died without a vote Tuesday after Gov. Bill Ritter said he couldn’t support reducing prison terms without hearing from a state criminal justice commission. Senate Bill 286 was to have been heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee today, but its primary sponsor, Sen. John Morse, D-Colorado Springs,…
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133-year-old business tax facing phaseout
DENVER — Voting to end a revenue stream that has been flowing since statehood in 1876, the state Senate on Monday began the process of dismantling Colorado’s business personal property tax. When private citizens buy a desk, a computer or any other equipment, they pay sales tax and that’s the end of it. All businesses,…
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Morse first Springs Democrat to get leadership post
Senate Democrats picked John Morse on Friday for majority leader, making him the first Colorado Springs Democrat ever chosen for a senior leadership position in the state Legislature.The vacancy occurred when Sen. Brandon Shaffer of Longmont was elevated from majority leader to replace Peter Groff as Senate president.As majority leader, Morse will control the Senate…
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Lawmakers spread the pain in closing budget gap
DENVER – In a rare victory for bipartisan problem-solving, the state House of Representatives gave initial approval to a state budget on Thursday, spreading the pain of nearly $1 billion in state budget shortfalls across state government and some segments of the taxpaying public.Combining more than $80 million in budget cuts with more than $200…
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Report blasts Lamborn over earmarks
Republican Rep. Doug Lamborn led Colorado’s seven-member House delegation in the dollar amount of earmarks he introduced in the current fiscal year, a watchdog group reported Tuesday.With the release of its 19th annual “Pig Book,” Citizens Against Government Waste, a Washington-based group opposed to pork-barrel spending, also made public a database listing earmarks by each…
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Conservatives flock to Acacia Park as part of national event
Conservatives in Colorado Springs and cities across the country rallied Wednesday to protest bailouts, handouts, earmarks and a host of other big-government sins, real or perceived. About 1,500 gathered in Acacia Park downtown to hear speakers rail against stimulus spending, budget deficits, mortgage relief and efforts to right the banking system. If there was one…
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Colorado Senate votes to take $300 million from insurer
DENVER — A divided Senate approved a 2009-10 state budget on Monday that preserves funding for higher education by appropriating $300 million from the surplus of a state workers’ compensation insurance fund.By a 22-12 vote, the Senate sent the budget bill to the House, rejecting Republicans’ arguments that the insurance fund’s manager, Pinnacol Assurance, was…
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Senate sees high drama as planned budget cuts shift to insurance fund
DENVER – Capping a day of confusion and controversy, the state Senate gave initial approval Thursday night to a 2009-10 state budget that avoided deep cuts in higher education by raiding a state workers’ compensation insurance fund. Legislative leaders from both parties said it was unacceptable to pass a budget with a $300 million hole…