Denver Daily News

Democrats went on the offensive yesterday, attacking Republicans over a proposal to privatize Medicare and scale back Medicaid.

The Democratic-controlled U.S. Senate yesterday easily rejected a Republican-controlled House-backed budget plan calling for major reforms to the nation's health care programs.

Colorado progressive groups said such reforms to the nation's health care programs for the poor and elderly would cost Colorado greatly.

Peter Marcus
Denver Daily News

April 29, 2010

Angry over fee increases backed by lawmakers in recent legislative sessions, Republican Sen. Greg Brophy is attempting to send to voters a constitutional amendment that would only allow fees to be levied to defray costs for specific government services related to that fee.

By Peter Marcus
Denver Daily News

Colorado's fiscal and economic future is in "serious jeopardy" because of increased government control, according to a report released Monday by a conservative-leaning group.

But critics of the Americans For Prosperity Colorado report (published below) say the group is attempting to push a conservative agenda rather than honestly examine the state's economic future. Critics also call the "Colorado in Transition: Killing the Golden Goose" report to be "misleading," especially in the areas of health care and transportation.

Peter Marcus
Denver Daily News

A progressive Colorado think tank is pushing lawmakers to once again go after payday lenders.

Previous legislative attempts to cap interest rates and fees failed, but The Bell Policy Center is more hopeful this year.

The sponsors themselves killed legislation introduced in 2008 by Rep. Mark Ferrandino, D-Denver, and former Sen. Peter Groff, D-Denver, after former Sen. Jennifer Veiga -- also a Democrat -- introduced amendments that essentially gutted House Bill 1310, smiling favorably upon the lending industry.

Denver Daily News

A government watchdog group gave the Legislature an "F" this year for not crafting policy that aligns with the will of Colorado taxpayers.

The Colorado Union of Taxpayers said that despite facing an economic downturn, lawmakers passed a budget this year that is 2.6 percent higher than the previous year's budget. The group said that the majority of lawmakers voted in favor of tax and fee hikes, which does not mesh with the desire of taxpayers.