Polis and Ganahl Spar Over Colorado Energy Policy
A conflict of visions was on display last night at the Colorado gubernatorial debate hosted by the Colorado Springs Gazette. That conflict was readily apparent during the discussion of energy issues facing Colorado. The section on energy runs from 39:48-45:12. Some highlights: -Republican candidate Ganahl called for encouraging local oil and gas production which she said […]
The ‘progressive’ Democrat who pretends he’s a libertarian
It is difficult to imagine a more anti-libertarian step than moving small children away from their parents and turning them over to the state.
Fudging the Numbers: How Colorado Policymakers Mislead on Energy Costs
An increasingly common theme of the energy policy debate here in Colorado, particularly among renewables advocates, is the trumpeting of cost statistics purporting to show the affordability benefits of transitioning to wind and solar over legacy fossil fuel plants. Take, for instance, a recent statement made by Governor Jared Polis during a gubernatorial debate late […]
Virginia Governor Offers Leadership on Nuclear Energy Innovation, A Balanced Approach to Decarbonization
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin (R.) released his 2022 energy plan early last week, and it offers a refreshing vision of sobriety on energy policy. The plan, designed to reevaluate that of his Democratic predecessor released in 2020, calls for an “all of the above” energy strategy using a variety of generation sources, from hydrogen to […]
Comparing 2022 Gubernatorial Nominees’ Plans to Eliminate Colorado’s Income Tax
The 2022 Republican nominee for governor of Colorado, Heidi Ganahl, has proposed eliminating Colorado’s income tax, calling it a “big bold idea to take us to zero income tax.” On September 30th at a gubernatorial candidates’ forum hosted by Colorado Concern, the moderator, Dean Singleton, pressed Ganahl on her plan for accomplishing this. In response, […]
Don’t Get Used to the Recent Drop in Gas Prices
Despite Governor Polis’s last minute hand-wringing, the EPA has announced that expensive new gasoline requirements will absolutely be coming to the Denver Metro area. According to the Colorado Sun: The Environmental Protection Agency can’t let Colorado off the hook for imposing more expensive reformulated gas to fight ozone pollution beginning in 2024, the agency said in […]
California Finalizes Gas-Vehicle Ban. Is Colorado Next?
In 2020, California Governor Gavin Newsom (D.) signed an unprecedented executive order banning the sale of new gas-powered cars and trucks after 2035. The order was then kicked to the California Air Resources Board (CARB), a state regulatory agency dedicated to air pollution, to formalize the rules in order to make Newsom’s decree a reality. […]
Study: Shoddy Public Charging Infrastructure Hampers EV Take-Up
Policymakers at both the national and state levels are making a concerted effort to encourage the widespread adoption of electric vehicles among the general public. Here in Colorado, the Polis administration has set a goal of having 940,000 EVs on the road by 2030 as part of its plan to electrify the state’s transportation sector […]
Polis Announces Push Back Against Looming EPA Mandates
In a rare break from his usual routine, Governor Jared Polis (D.) appears to be fighting back against unwelcome and costly environmental regulations for once. Per the Denver Gazette: In a reversal of his approach to federal ozone determinations three years ago, Gov. Jared Polis is poised to ask the Environmental Protection Agency to not rush […]
Energy and Land Use: A Sober Look at the Space Needed to Power the Future
Much of the conversation surrounding energy policy in Colorado these days has to do primarily with the emissions currently being produced and ways to continue reducing said emissions. The arguments over the role of various energy sources in getting to a decarbonized future are familiar at this point. But there has been comparatively little discussion […]
LISTEN: Governor Polis’ 2022 Budget with Ben Murrey
Governor Jared Polis released his FY2022-23 budget proposal in November 2021. On December 2, Independence Institute’s Fiscal Policy Director Ben Murrey went on KLZ 560 AM in Denver to speak with host Kim Monson and discuss the governor’s budget, the massive expansion in state revenues over the past decade, and the economic outlook for the […]
A Path to Zero Income Tax for Colorado
When an interviewer recently asked Colorado’s Democratic governor Jared Polis what the state’s income-tax rate should be, he answered without hesitation: “It should be zero.” For many Coloradans, this came as no surprise: The effort to chisel away at the income tax has already gained steam in the state. Last year, voters reduced the tax […]
