Tax Policy

Marijuana taxes: If they're too high, they'll empower black market, says task force member

In coverage of last week's final Amendment 64 task force meeting, our Charles Trowbridge noted that in addition to a recommendation about a 15 percent excise tax at the wholesale level, an idea about a 25 percent point-of-sale tax was also floated. Task force member Christian Sederberg stresses that ... More >>

If Mitt Romney won't tell you about these tax loopholes, we will

Debate 2012: Romney and Obama attack, Jim Lehrer loses control -- the media room view

President Barack Obama and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney squared off inside the University of Denver's Magness Arena last night, once again bringing the national spotlight to the Mile High City -- as the two candidates discussed the economy and the role of government in a surprisingly un ... More >>

Mike Coffman launches "Tax of the Day" attack on Joe Miklosi -- starting with plastic bags

As the nation debates the role of government programs and taxes in the American economy -- in response to a leaked video of Mitt Romney -- Colorado taxes are now at the center of a vicious back-and-forth between two candidates battling for a local congressional seat. Yesterday, the re-election campa ... More >>

Obama in Golden, Colorado: Is the ninth time the charm?

Ninth time's a charm. President Barack Obama was back in Colorado this morning, marking his ninth visit to the state this year and his third campaign stop here in just three weeks. The crowd of thousands flocking to Golden -- and the surrounding traffic jams and street closures -- served as yet an ... More >>

Missy Franklin owes $21,000 in taxes for medals: Should Olympians be exempt?

Whenever an athlete is as successful, and as charming, as Centennial's Missy Franklin has been, politicians will attempt to latch on. Witness Mitt Romney name-checking her at a Jefferson County Fairgrounds appearance yesterday. Another example? A call by Senator Marco Rubio (often mentioned as a pos ... More >>

Photos: Mitt Romney talks report cards, Obamacare, Missy Franklin in Jeffco

Underscoring the importance of Colorado in the presidential election -- and the significance of Jefferson County in the race to win this key swing state -- Mitt Romney held a rally today in Golden, marking his first campaign stop since returning from his trip in Europe.

With Mitt Romney fundraising in Colorado, state Dems jump on his offshore accounts

Illustrating the importance of Colorado as a key battleground in the presidential election, Mitt Romney is campaigning in the state this week -- and the Dems aren't letting him get away without a counterattack. Romney is hosting a fundraiser in Aspen tonight and has an event tomorrow morning at a hi ... More >>

Medical marijuana dispensaries can't deduct business expenses on state tax returns

Marijuana, even of the medical variety, remains illegal at the federal level -- meaning that dispensary owners can't take business deductions on tax returns they submit to the feds. But since MMJ is legal in Colorado, shouldn't they be able to deduct legitimate business expenses on state forms? Mitc ... More >>

Occupy Denver: Read the letters Denver's 99 percent wrote to President Barack Obama

Wikimedia Commons​Occupy Denver has launched a call-to-action in advance of Barack Obama's trip to Denver. The plan is for the president, here for a fundraiser and a jobs speech, to receive a bag of letters from the local 99 percent. Although the details of that plan are under wraps, the group ... More >>

Jared Polis has ideas for closing federal budget gap other than legalizing marijuana -- really

Jared Polis.​Although the so-called Gang of Six's proposal for averting debt-ceiling catastrophe is getting the lion's share of attention right now, Representative Jared Polis has floated some revenue-raising ideas of his own, which the media has largely winnowed down to this: Legalizing marij ... More >>

TABOR challenge: John Suthers to vigorously defend amendment against lawsuit

John Suthers.​The Taxpayer's Bill of Rights, which requires tax increases to be okayed by popular vote, was approved in 1992, meaning that it's been in place for nearly two decades -- and a pain in the neck to legislators for the same amount of time. Now, a coalition of lawmakers and notables ... More >>

Medical marijuana: Jared Polis stars in National Cannabis Industry Association event (PHOTOS)

More pics below.​An event last night illustrates the growing power of the medical marijuana biz not just in Colorado, but nationwide. The stars of the show were Aaron Smith, executive director of the National Cannabis Industry Association, a new, Washington, D.C.-based lobbying organization, a ... More >>

Douglas Bruce preventative measures: Are legislators trying to outlaw him?

Douglas Bruce.​After the uproar over three tax-cutting initiatives on last year's ballot, at least two bills introduced in the 2011 legislative session are designed to head off similarly furtive petition strategies in the future -- and keep anti-tax crusader Douglas Bruce from repeating the pe ... More >>

Douglas Bruce story soon to become a kids' lit classic: Kenny Be's Fotochop Friday

Douglas Bruce on a picnic with his lawyer David Lane.​ Douglas Bruce, the California Democrat turned Colorado Republican, is the embodiment of the classic bad boy character of children's literature. Of course, he isn't trying to be bad, it's just something that's natural. Everyone and everythi ... More >>

Tambor Williams, Dan Maes's new running mate, a longtime insider, not a revolutionary

Tambor Williams.​Dan Maes will announce his lieutenant governor pick at noon today -- and the choice will reportedly be Tambor Williams. In some respects, Williams fits the lieutenant governor wish list of Northern Colorado Tea Party director Lesley Hollywood, given her experience as a four-t ... More >>

Douglas Bruce linked to Balloon Boy and Ward Churchill by group fighting 60, 61 and 101

Douglas Bruce.​Coloradans for Responsible Reform has tons of money to fight tax-cutting amendments 60 and 61 and Proposition 101, not to mention some heavy hitters in its corner; for instance, its spokesman, Dan Hopkins, used to do the same job for Governor Bill Owens. So what's one of its key ... More >>

Hasan family members largest reported donors to tax-cutting measures: Link to Douglas Bruce?

Ali Hasan​Members of the Hasan family, the wealthy backers of Colorado GOP causes, whose award of a $300,000 fellowship to Scott McInnis erupted last week in a plagiarism scandal, are also the largest single donors to three tax-cutting initiatives on the November ballot. The measures -- Amen ... More >>

Signed, sealed and rejected: These political activists are rabble with a cause

Medical marijuana good for Colorado Springs? "Yes," says mayor -- and so is a TABOR time-out

Lionel Rivera.​Lionel Rivera, the Republican mayor of Colorado Springs, says his city has a chance to resurrect itself from pummeling budget cuts brought on by the recession and the state's tax law that limits the city's ability to fund its coffers. The medical marijuana industry boon, among ... More >>

Scott McInnis wants to bring Arizona immigration law to Colorado: Have your papers ready

This man would like to see some ID.​Republican gubernatorial hopeful Scott McInnis has been spending plenty of time on KHOW's airwaves lately. On Monday, for instance, he attempted to counter suggestions that he's not especially charitable during an appearance on the Caplis & Silverman show b ... More >>

Scott McInnis "sincere" in offer to John Hickenlooper about denouncing tax legislation

"Don't you miss my mustache?"​At this hour, Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott McInnis is in Pueblo to make a speech about what he considers to be job-killing tax increases on candy and other items that were passed by the Colorado senate on Wednesday. And according to McInnis spokesman S ... More >>

Throw the bums off the Colorado Supreme Court, says Clear the Bench Colorado -- and John Suthers seems to agree

ClearTheBenchColorado.org's Facebook profile picture gives you a pretty good idea where Matt Arnold's coming from.​It took the better part of a week, but Matt Arnold, the man behind ClearTheBenchColorado.org, has finally gotten the Denver Post to blink. On Tuesday, the paper published, "AG Su ... More >>

Scott McInnis: Is he more politically skillful than we thought?

"Can't we all just get along?"​Political observers have spent a lot of time har-dee-har-ing at Scott McInnis over the years -- and indeed, he's made plenty of errors and gaffes during his time in the public eye. Note his prediction that fellow Republican Bob Schaffer would lose the 2008 Senat ... More >>

Jane Norton's introduction not too mavericky

Earlier this week, ex-Congressman Tom Tancredo said former Colorado Lieutenant Governor Jane Norton, then on the cusp of formally announcing her candidacy for the U.S. Senate, wasn't "ready for prime time" and was only running because she'd been urged to do so by Arizona Senator John McCain. Since ... More >>

Did the spontaneity-free climate-change rally in Greeley have a Mr. Burns touch?

As we pointed out yesterday, a climate-change rally in Greeley on Wednesday didn't exactly qualify as a grassroots uprising, given the participation of EnergyCitizens.org, an affiliate of the American Petroleum Institute, which opposes legislation to cap greenhouse gases recently passed by the U.S. ... More >>

Denver Blogs: Who are you, Congressman Polis?

​ Your daily recommended dose of blog. Send us links. Is Jared Polis a crony for his rich friends? (Colorado Pols) Or simply trying to help small businesses? (Square State) Tax-cutting petitions circulating. (Face the State)

TABOR baby-daddy Douglas Bruce weighs in on Denver's secret tax "diversion scheme"

Over $80 million in fees has flowed from the Wastewater building The June 9 Westword feature "Down the Drain" examined how Denver officials are using funds designated for the improvement and maintenance of the city's storm-water drainage system to pay for various non-storm expenses. The investig ... More >>

Timing dubious in push to raise FasTracks taxes

Yesterday, the Regional Transportation District took the wraps off an RTD-financed survey in which more than 60 percent of respondents said they'd "generally support" a tax increase to complete current FasTracks exansion by 2017. This info spawned prominently placed stories in the Denver Post and ... More >>

Focus on the Family's nightmare scenario about an Obama victory

We miss you already, Douglas Bruce

We miss you already, Douglas Bruce

McCain Holds Town Hall in Town

Fate of the Union

Douglas Bruce's Legislative Debut Is a Real Kick

Shmuck of the Week: Douglas Bruce

Fire Sale

The cost of cigarettes could go up in smoke this November.

Bruce Talk

The father of tax limits offers a radical diet for lean times.

The Hundred Days' War

How hard is it to find 90,000 citizens who want a tax cut? Ask Douglas Bruce.

Road Warriors

Boon or boondoggle, Bill Owens's highway plan has to get past Douglas Bruce before it goes anywhere.

Someone to Lien On

No Taxation Without Misrepresentation

A state property-tax goofup means that a poor Colorado county has to pay back a huge oil company.

1 for the Money

Interpreting Amendment 1 can be quite a balancing act. On Monday, Fitzhugh Havens took the fall.

This Property Is Condemned

The EPA messes with a widow over a Commerce City warehouse and winds up making its own mess.

A SWEET DEAL

NEED A TAX BREAK FOR THE NEW YEAR? CONSIDER RAISING BEES, DONKEYS, HAY OR, AS A LAST RESORT, A STINK WITH THE COUNTY ASSESSOR.TO BEE OR NOT TO BEE? FOR A SUCCESSFUL DEVELOPER SEEKING A TAX BREAK, THAT'S NO QUESTION. BUT TAXPAYERS GET STUNG.

RUNAWAY TRAINCONGRESS SPURNED IT, STATE LAWMAKERS SCORN IT, BUT CAN ANYBODY PUT THE BRAKES ON LIGHT RAIL?

ANOTHER SLUM DUNK FROM DOUG BRUCE