Sometime in the future, when your utility bill changes, your child goes to kindergarten, you vote for president, get arrested, fill a prescription or need some weed delivered, think of the 2019 session of the Colorado General Assembly.
A mere mile and a half from Isabella Bird Community School, a school established with a mission to educate “newcomer” refugee and immigrant children, sits a monolith identified as “The GEO Group.” The ICE detention center in Aurora has shown little accountability to lawmakers, and living conditions are a concern for lawyers and advocates for asylum-seekers held there.
When State Senator Angela Williams, a former business woman, learned the lemonade stand of a constituent’s kids was shut down for lack of a permit, she started looking into how other states and municipalities regulate (or don’t regulate) kids’ businesses.
Colorado Democrats, now in control of both houses of the legislature and the governor’s office, are trying to figure out how to achieve long-sought policy goals within the limits of the state budget and how to make those new programs sustainable during future economic downturns.
As he begins a suicide prevention training on a chilly Saturday morning, James Gallanos emphasizes “If you don’t remember anything else, remember that if you feel something in your gut, or something doesn’t feel right, and you feel someone may be thinking about suicide, it’s ok to ask.
It’s a good thing Colorado legislators wear little black plastic nametags—those will come in handy when lawmakers try to identify their colleagues this year.
The high interest in the annual unveiling of School Performance Framework (SPF) scores and the bright colors that draw attention to the rankings may tempt parents to draw conclusions about their child’s school beyond what the data is designed for.
There are debates and there are conversations. The former has a clear objective: to win. But a conversation doesn’t have to be a zero-sum game.
With clear policy differences between these gubernatorial candidates, you likely know who you’re voting for. But how to vote on the 22 city and state ballot issues may not be so clear.
The Front Porch Election Guide offers a clear description of what you’ll find on the ballot.
