Tax rebates just another form of corporate favoritism
This is where capitalism gets twisted into cronyism.
Local Colorado governments are boarding the gravy train of corporate welfare
Like most states, Colorado has a bureaucracy dedicated to doling out taxpayer-subsidized “incentives” to politically favored private businesses that don’t actually need a subsidy in the first place. The most recent example is a “consolidated” corporate welfare pitch to Amazon to bring its coveted HQ 2 to the Denver area. Several years ago, the New York […]
Corporate favoritism gone wild in Westminster
This is where capitalism gets twisted into cronyism, with planners and politicians picking economic winners and losers by granting special privileges in the form of public subsidy.
Colorado voters pushing back on urban renewal overreach
Until the legislature acts, Coloradans will need to continue taking back control over their local governments, and their hard-earned tax dollars, one urban renewal authority at a time.
Coloradans are pushing back on urban renewal abuse
In June, a south suburban Denver fire district filed suit against the urban renewal authority (URA) in Parker, Colorado over the diversion of property taxes to subsidize redevelopment projects. Also in June, news broke that the URA in Arvada, Colorado in the north metro Denver area sold a 9-acre parcel of land to a developer for $30. The land is valued at around $9 million.
Littleton City Council moves to abolish its urban renewal authority
From its origins as an effort to address legitimate slum and blight, URAs and TIF are now prime examples of cronyism and corporate welfare at the local level.
Voters push back on urban renewal abuse in Wheat Ridge
Special interests and their cronies in government really hate it when voters mess with their sweetheart deals.
August 13 Colorado Energy Roundup: EPA dumps on Colorado with Clean Power Plan, Ozone rule–then releases a toxic mess!
To say the Environmental Protection Agency has been in the news lately would be an understatement. Just this time last week, less than 24 hours after triggering a spill of toxic sludge including heavy metals into the Animas River in SW Colorado, most folks were unaware of the situation due to a lack of EPA […]
Denver’s proposed disposable bag ‘fee’ obviously a tax
Members of the Denver City Council are proposing an ordinance that would impose a 5-cent charge on disposable (paper and plastic) bags used to carry purchases at point of sale at grocery and convenience stores with “over 1500 square feet” of retail space. Proponents call this bag charge a “fee.” But with even a little […]
Don’t let Clements tragedy derail Colorado’s criminal justice reform efforts
Let’s not allow a tragedy to undo years of careful work toward sound policy reforms.
Trust Judges with Juvenile Placements
When Colorado lawmakers created the direct-file option, the expectation was that it would be used primarily for homicide cases. However, less serious offenders and juveniles who never spent time in a juvenile facility being sent to the adult system indicate the current system has gone too far and, like other governmental functions, needs appropriate checks and balances.
The Case for Further Sentencing Reform in Colorado
The first and most basic duty of Colorado’s criminal justice system is to protect the innocent from force and fraud. And as a government service, the roughly $32,000 (average cost)1 taxpayers spend annually per state prisoner is a good bargain for the separation of violent and predatory criminals from the public.
