Xcel Energy’s Denver Franchise Agreement: What it Does, What it Doesn’t Do
This November, Denver voters will decide whether to approve Xcel Energy’s new franchise agreement with the City and County of Denver. This is a once-in-twenty-years occurrence for the city, with the current agreement expiring December 31. A franchise agreement grants Xcel rights to use Denver’s streets and rights-of-way. The last franchise agreement was put into […]
Bad and Worse for Data Centers in Colorado
Denver just added a new layer to an already hostile environment for data centers. This week, Mayor Mike Johnston and members of the Denver City Council announced that they intend to file a moratorium on new data center construction in the city. The moratorium is expected to last for “several months,” or perhaps longer, while […]
Denver’s Flavor Ban a Poor Solution Looking for a Problem
Voters residing in a city home to more than 70 breweries, 2,000 liquor-licensed establishments, 300 cannabis dispensaries, and psychedelic mushroom clinics will soon decide if they’re willing to prevent consenting adults from purchasing at least one commonly used substance: flavored nicotine products. As part of their 2025 ballots, Denver voters will be asked to weigh in on Referendum […]
Pricey Electrification Gets a Boost from Local Media
Many Democratic lawmakers, climate activists, and progressive academics see so-called beneficial electrification as the wave of the future for climate action. As such, there has been a growing chorus among this community in recent years calling for the end of natural gas heating systems and appliances and propping up their electric alternatives as superior options. Occasionally, […]
Denver City Council Punts on Residential Natural Gas Ban as Arctic Cold Front Moves In
Gas bans are all the rage these days among environmentalists and progressive lawmakers. The town of Crested Butte got the ball rolling this August by becoming the first jurisdiction in Colorado to ban the use of gas in all new construction. The city of Louisville, not content with the pain its current cost-raising green energy […]
Damage Around our Offices after Riots
Years ago, when we bought our headquarters building, nicknamed the Freedom Embassy, we had many goals. Among those goals was to be close to the state capitol in Denver, so that we and our center-right allies could have more access and influence with lawmakers. This beachhead in enemy territory —there are scores of left-wing outfits […]
Denver’s Road Home hits a dead end
Poop. There’s a basic tenet in public policy. What you tax, you get less of. What you subsidize, you get more of…
Amendment 69: What You Need to Know About the “ColoradoCare” Single-Payer Health Care Measure
The ColoradoCare Amendment imposes the highest state income taxes in the nation. It creates a centrally run, monopoly health program. It does not guarantee health care or replace health insurance.
Amendment 69: What You Need to Know About the "ColoradoCare" Single-Payer Health Care Measure
IB-F-2015 (Feb 2015) Author: Linda Gorman PDF of full Issue Backgrounder Executive Summary: In November 2016, voters will decide on Amendment 69, a state constitutional amendment which would create ‘ColoradoCare,’ a single-payer, government run health care system in Colorado.
Change is in the Air — I’m Just Getting a Little Older, Though, Not Going Away
Maybe it’s because it’s the Friday before Thanksgiving, or maybe it’s because a couple of my really good Education Policy Center friends are picking up and moving to another state, but I’m not really keen on writing another long post today. Change is in the air — change that I didn’t wish for, and change […]
Yes, Election Night Happened, But Keep Your Chins Up, Colorado Reformers
Yeah, yeah, yeah, school board elections happened in Colorado this week. Ok, so I promised to give you a full report yesterday. But I got a little busy crying in my Cheerios with some important stuff to do. Do I really need to review what happened with the Teachers Union Empire Strikes Back? After all, […]
‘Tis the Season for Wild and Woolly School Board Election Stories
There’s no season like school board election season. At least not in Colorado. Believe it or not, these are real stories. As my dad is fond of saying, “You can’t make this up.” Let’s start in Jeffco, where the Denver Post shattered to pieces the whole justification for a politically motivated recall election. A video […]