Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) on May 25 signed SB22-234, which will direct $600 million of federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to help pay back the state’s $1 billion unemployment insurance trust fund debt to the federal government. The law will also forgive certain non-fraud overpayments, meaning some workers who received more unemployment…
Thirty-five state legislative districts up for election this year in Colorado are open, meaning no incumbents filed to run. That equals 43% of the 82 districts up for election this year and 35% of the 100 districts in the Colorado General Assembly. Since no incumbents are present, newcomers to the legislature are guaranteed to win…
The filing deadline for candidates running for Congress in Colorado this year was March 15, 2022. Thirty candidates are running for Colorado’s eight U.S. House districts, including 12 Democrats and 18 Republicans. That’s 3.75 candidates per district, more than the 2.28 candidates per district in 2020 and the 3.43 in 2018. Here are some other…
The Colorado Legislature put two statutory measures on the Nov. 8 ballot before adjourning on May 11. One measure—House Bill 1414—would create a new Healthy School Meals for All Program and fund the program through (a) reducing income tax deduction caps from $30,000 for single filers and $60,000 for joint filers to $12,000 for single…
Colorado voters will decide a constitutional amendment on Nov. 8 that would lift some restrictions on charitable gaming activity. If approved by 55% of voters, the amendment would: repeal the existing ban on paying managers and operators of charitable gaming activities and limit compensation to the applicable minimum wage until July 1, 2024; reduce from…
Colorado voters will decide on Nov. 8 whether to extend a primary residence property tax exemption to the surviving spouses of military personnel who died in the line of duty and the surviving spouses of certain veterans who died from a service-related injury or disease. Currently, a primary residence property tax exemption of 50% of…
Colorado legislators on May 2 introduced a bill that would direct $600 million of federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to help pay back the state’s $1 billion unemployment insurance trust fund debt to the federal government. The bill would also forgive certain non-fraud overpayments, meaning some workers who received more unemployment insurance payments…
The Colorado State Legislature referred a constitutional amendment to the November 2022 ballot to designate judges to serve in a new 23rd Judicial District when the new district takes effect in 2025. In 2020, the Colorado State Legislature passed and Governor Jared Polis (D) signed House Bill 1026, which was designed to remove Douglas, Elbert…
On Dec. 6, the El Paso County, Colorado, Elections Department announced the conclusion of a recount on a Colorado Springs School District bond measure, Issue 4B. Issue 4B failed by 11 votes with 27,476 votes against and 27,465 votes in favor. It would have authorized the district to issue $350 million in bonds for school…
Colorado voters will decide in 2022 whether to decrease the state income tax rate from 4.55% to 4.40% The initiative would decrease the state income tax rate from 4.55% to 4.40% for tax years commencing on or after January 1, 2022. The measure would also reduce the tax rate for domestic and foreign C corporations…