Author: Ivan Moreno
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Next Colorado budget includes refunds to taxpayers
DENVER — Colorado residents will get tax refunds because the state’s improving economy means government is collecting more revenue than it is allowed to keep under the 1992 voter-approved Taxpayer Bill of Rights. Gov. John Hickenlooper on Monday unveiled his budget proposal for next year, and it includes $136.6 million in refunds through credits or…
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Gay marriage expected to start soon in Colorado
DENVER — State officials are preparing to issue same-sex marriage licenses in Colorado after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear appeals from several states seeking to ban same-sex marriage. Republican Attorney General John Suthers said in a statement Monday that his office will file motions to expedite the lifting of federal and state court…
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Tax refunds imminent as Colorado economy improves
DENVER — Colorado’s growing economy means tax refunds are on the horizon for residents. State economists told lawmakers Monday that projections for tax collections continue increasing and they need to budget for refunds mandated by Colorado’s Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, also known as TABOR. It calls for refunds when revenue exceeds the combined rate of…
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Colorado among states most reliant on income tax
DENVER — Colorado is among the top 10 states most reliant on income taxes for revenue, according to a new report concluding that income inequality is contributing to slower economic growth nationally. The report released Monday by the credit ratings agency Standard & Poor’s finds that from 1980 to 2011 the average annual state revenue…
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Colorado lawmaker wants to limit Native American mascots
DENVER — Colorado public schools that use or plan to use Native American mascots or logos would need to get permission from a panel, or lose state funding, under a proposal a state lawmaker wants to introduce next year. It’s an idea that Colorado lawmakers briefly considered in 2010, but has picked up momentum in…
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Immigrants struggling to get licenses in Colorado
DENVER — Only about half of Colorado immigrants who have recently been allowed to get a driver’s license or identification card regardless of their legal status have managed to get documents during the first two weeks of a new law. Data from the Colorado Department of Revenue also show that nearly 10 percent of immigrants…
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Hickenlooper has fundraising edge over Beauprez
DENVER — Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper has a fundraising edge against Republican gubernatorial challenger Bob Beauprez in their first head-to-head month. Hickenlooper’s campaign said the governor raised about $353,000, while Beauprez’s campaign reported about $261,000. It’s the first fundraising report since Beauprez became the Republican nominee on June 24. The reporting period covers June 26…
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Gov. Hickenlooper aims to strike deal on fracking
DENVER — Colorado’s Democratic governor on Monday urged those pushing dueling proposals on oil and gas drilling to stop their campaigns to avoid a messy ballot fight and called for a task force to deal with energy development. Democratic U.S. Rep. Jared Polis joined Gov. John Hickenlooper at the state Capitol to detail what they…
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Colorado issuing driver’s licenses to immigrants
DENVER — Colorado has started issuing driver’s licenses and identification cards to immigrants regardless of their legal status, marking a dramatic change in a state that less than a decade ago passed strict immigration enforcement laws. There was a festive mood at one Denver office issuing the documents Friday morning, as state Department of Revenue…
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Colorado Supreme Court halts gay marriages in Boulder
DENVER — Boulder County must stop issuing marriage licenses to gay couples while the Colorado Supreme Court considers an appeal from the state’s attorney general, justices said in a ruling Tuesday. The court ruling was in response to an appeal from Republican Attorney General John Suthers, who has been trying for several weeks to get…