By Quentin Young | editor
“Nobody thought we'd even get this far ... And when we turn in our petitions on Aug. 3, all I'm going to say is, ‘I told you so.’”
— State Rep. Lorena Garcia, on a graduated income-tax ballot measure
State Rep. Lorena Garcia, center, speaks to a crowd of canvassers and supporters of the Protect Colorado's Future campaign for a graduated income tax measure at an event in Denver on Saturday. (Photo by Chase Woodruff/Colorado Newsline)
By Chase Woodruff
With just two weeks to go before a petition deadline, supporters of a ballot measure to put a graduated income-tax system in the Colorado constitution rallied canvassers in Denver for a final sprint of signature-gathering. More than a dozen Democratic state lawmakers endorsing the Protect Colorado’s Future campaign were on hand at Martin Luther King Jr. Park in the Park Hill neighborhood, where they said the group’s proposed constitutional amendment, Initiative 195, would help bring an end to the last several years of painful budget shortages at the Capitol. Under the initiative, higher rates would apply to the top 3% of earners, while the 97% of Coloradans who earn less than $500,000 per year would see a slight income tax reduction.
Republican U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans, left, and Democratic state Rep. Manny Rutinel, right. (Colorado Newsline photos)
By Chase Woodruff
Colorado’s Democratic nominees for Congress have outraised their Republican rivals by more than a 2-to-1 margin in the 2026 election cycle, Federal Election Commission data shows. But some Democratic candidates are entering the general election season in better financial shape than others. As Democrats look to regain control of the House of Representatives, all four of Colorado’s incumbent Republican members of Congress have drawn well-funded challengers this year. By contrast, the House delegation’s four Democratic incumbents have so far drawn only token opposition from candidates who have reported little or no fundraising activity to the FEC.
A crew builds new housing in downtown Denver, Colorado, on April 14, 2026. (Photo by Quentin Young/Colorado Newsline)
By Sara Wilson
A large majority of Coloradans reported that the cost of housing, healthcare and everyday expenses are serious challenges, according to a newly released survey from the Colorado Health Foundation. The organization’s seventh annual Pulse poll measured people’s attitudes on various concerns in the state. Respondents pointed to government, the cost of living and housing affordability as their top concerns, with a 12% bump in people naming the cost of living as a top concern. Eighty-five percent said housing costs and the cost of living were either extremely or very serious, and 82% said the same of healthcare costs.
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