Author: Marianne Goodland
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Colorado House Democrats’ caucus finances under scrutiny as ethics case against leader advances
Democratic lawmakers told a legislative ethics panel that a leader’s management of caucus finances left them with unanswered questions, disputed reimbursements and a breakdown in communication that ultimately triggered a formal complaint. The House Ethics Committee is examining a complaint from Rep. Bob Marshall, D-Highlands Ranch, alleging that Rep. Mandy Lindsay, D-Aurora, mishandled and improperly…
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Colorado River crisis: Lake Mead, Lake Powell inch closer to ‘dead pool’
In the past 10 days, both Lake Mead on the Arizona-Nevada border and Lake Powell roughly 300 miles northeast on the Utah-Arizona line have recorded their lowest water levels since the reservoirs were first filled. Lake Mead, the nation’s largest reservoir and which supplies water to Nevada, Arizona and California, measured 1,040.4 feet above sea…
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Colorado lieutenant governor candidate Markert says early discipline and key mentors set his course
Editor’s note: This is the first installment in a three-part series examining Colorado’s candidates for lieutenant governor. In this piece, Colorado Politics speaks with George Markert, the Republican running mate to gubernatorial candidate Victor Marx. Marx is competing against Democrat Phil Weiser and his running mate Lesley Dahlkemper, as well as independent candidate Greg Lopez…
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Hunter shot Colorado wolf after mistaking it for a coyote, wildlife office says
Colorado Parks and Wildlife said Monday that a female wolf from British Columbia that died in January was shot by a hunter who mistook her for a coyote. The wolf, identified as 2504‑BC, was one of 17 wolves relocated since April 2024 that have since died. Her death occurred in northwest Colorado, though the state…
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Colorado’s troubled guardianship office pursues ‘cultural reset’
Colorado’s guardianship program, long criticized for mismanagement and high staff attrition, is undergoing a “cultural reset,” as its new director works to repair partnerships and prepare for a major expansion under recent legislation. Created by lawmakers in 2017, the Office of Public Guardianship serves as a ward of last resort for indigent or incapacitated people…
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Judge dismisses lawsuit seeking records from Colorado Democratic group
A lawsuit seeking to obtain records from Democratic lawmakers affiliated with a caucus has been thrown out by a Denver District Court judge. On July 17, Judge Ericka Englert dismissed the April lawsuit filed by progressive activist Derrick Blanton, who was represented by attorney Scott Moss. Blanton sought membership lists, attendee records, financial documents, event…
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What happens if voters pass Colorado’s two competing income tax measures?
The battle between two competing ballot measures — one seeking to cap Colorado’s income tax rate, the other pushing for a tiered system depending on income levels — might come down to whichever ballot proposal gets one more vote. The organizations behind the two proposals have both turned in signatures to the state election office,…
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Bennet settles campaign finance complaints, admits violating state law
U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet’s gubernatorial campaign has agreed to pay a $7,433 fine for using his Senate campaign account to pay for gubernatorial campaign travel expenses. The July 31 settlement includes an admission by Bennet and his campaign that they violated state campaign finance laws. The settlement is tied to multiple complaints filed last year.…
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Colorado records 17th wolf death, a yearling tied to livestock losses
A yearling male wolf in Grand County has become the 17th wolf to die in Colorado in the past two years. Colorado Parks and Wildlife announced that its staff killed the wolf on Aug. 4 because it was believed to be responsible for killing four calves in Jackson and Grand counties between June 29 and…
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Group submits signatures for proposed Colorado graduated income tax
The measure, which eliminates Colorado’s flat tax, is expected to raise $2 billion in new revenue The proposal to amend the Colorado constitution to change the state’s flat rate into a graduated income tax came in under the wire Monday, the deadline for groups to turn in petition signatures for November’s ballot, setting up a…