Pity the 2019 election.
Across Colorado and yes, even in The Spot, the focus has been on 2020. Just this week, we’re writing about a Denver councilwoman seeking to put a question to city voters; people getting in and out of General Assembly races; and, of course, U.S. Senate candidates doing their thing.
And yet, ballots will drop Oct. 11 — in eight days! — for some of the most important positions in politics. Voters across Colorado will choose who controls their children’s education and their local communities. The Denver Post’s Meg Wingerter has been writing about the issues in the Denver Public school board races, and John Aguilar will be covering the Aurora mayor’s race. Smaller community papers are also doing this important work throughout the state.
In addition, we will have two statewide ballot issues:
- Prop CC, which seeks to de-Bruce at the state level. Colorado lawmakers passed a companion bill in this year’s session that says if taxpayers approve the measure, excess tax collections that TABOR otherwise requires be refunded would instead be divided among K-12 education, higher ed and transportation. The pro campaign just launched this week, although opponents have been campaigning against it for months.
- Prop DD, which seeks to allow sports bets to be placed online and in the three mountain towns that already allow gambling. It’s the latest of many attempts to expand gambling in Colorado.
The Post will have more coverage of both of these issues as we move closer to the election, and our 2019 voter guide will be out by mid-October.
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Top Line
Ruben Valdez, Colorado’s first Hispanic House speaker and “the godfather” of west Denver politics, died in his sleep Tuesday night at age 82 after a year of declining health. Valdez, a Trinidad native who dropped out of high school to support his family, was a major presence in Colorado Democratic politics for decades.
Other top #COpolitics news
- A bipartisan effort is underway to make Colorado the next state to let college athletes make money, following in California’s footsteps.
- State Democrats will consider forcing landlords to accept housing vouchers.
- In endorsing Elizabeth Warren this week, state Sen. a fellow Democrat, for his recent Aspen fundraiser with a longtime Goldman Sachs executive. Here’s the story he was referring to.
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