For people, policy and Colorado politics
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By now, you may have seen a few “about me” announcements on Twitter from some of The Denver Post’s reporters or noticed new bylines on old beats.
The politics team is among those that have changed, most notably with Conrad Swanson moving from covering Denver city politics to covering environmental issues, and Joe Rubino coming over from business to fill Conrad’s shoes. You’ll hear more from Mr. Rubino below.
We’d also like to extend our gratitude to Justin Wingerter, whom you’ve read in this newsletter and all over The Denver Post for two and a half years. He’s decided to move on, and we wish him tons of luck and time to breathe.
With his departure, the entirety of The Post’s politics team will be taking over coverage of the state’s congressional delegation, federal entities and redistricting. Stay tuned, and thanks for reading!
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Questions?
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Top Line
Sign a waiver in Colorado (or even just purchase a ticket at an amusement park), and most of the time, and most of the time, you won’t be able to file a negligence claim.
Capitol Diary • By Saja Hindi
So, tell me what you want
About 55% of Colorado voters say they’re concerned about the effects of COVID-19 and the delta variant — and that concern falls along a partisan divide — according to poll results released this week by the left-leaning State Innovation Exchange.
The poll, conducted Aug. 11-17, had 901 respondents and a 3.3% margin of error. The poll was commissioned by the group as the Colorado Legislature works to allocate $850 million in federal funding.
To that end, participants were asked whether they preferred targeted COVID relief funds or money that was evenly distributed across communities; 68% said they preferred the former.
A little more than 50% of people indicated Colorado needs to invest in infrastructure, education and health care. Nineteen percent said across-the-board tax cuts were needed, while 13% said both the investments and tax cuts were needed. (Twelve percent want neither; 5% said they didn’t know or refused to answer).
“People understand that this pandemic hit some communities harder than others and they want the investments to go to our neighbors and small businesses that are still struggling to recover,” said State Innovation Exchange Colorado State Director Maggie Gómez in a statement.
Respondents also were split on whether the state was headed in the right direction, with 43% saying it was going the right way and 48% saying it was on the wrong track.
More statewide politics news
- Mesa County’s Rose Pugliese, long rumored as a Republican favorite to challenge Democratic Secretary of State Jena Griswold in 2022, tweeted that she won’t run for office after all.
- 169 new Colorado laws went into effect Tuesday, and one of them can get you a discounted state parks pass.
- Coloradans will vote on three statewide ballot measures this November.
- Critics want to reform Colorado’s sex offender laws, which they say do more harm than good.
- A second version of a new congressional district map was very different than the first proposal. (The statehouse districts’ revised map is expected next week.)
Mile High Politics • By Joe Rubino
Howdy, I’m your new City Hall reporter
But I’m not that new. I’ve been at the Post since 2015, and covered Denver topics, including the City Council’s efforts to shape redevelopment along Tennyson Street and the future of Loretto Heights. (Side note: I used to go sledding in Loretto Heights Park.)
That said, there are a ton of things I don’t know about my hometown.
With an election coming up that could shape the future of many of the city’s neighborhoods, I’m hoping to hear from a lot of you. What matters most in your neck of the woods? What needs are being ignored? Where are the good chile rellenos?
Drop me a line at jrubino@denverpost.com.
More Denver politics news
- Denver will temporarily shut down Civic Center park to address safety, sanitation and environmental issues.
- Schools opened back up to students, and COVID walked in, too (though the cases are a small fraction of the overall number of students).
- Douglas County commissioners formally broke with the Tri-County Health Department after 55 years and voted to form the county’s own public health agency.
- The head of Jefferson County Public Health took the county’s mobile vaccination vans off the road over Labor Day weekend after she said health workers were being harassed.
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