Oil downturn ripples through city finances in New Mexico
Hard times are turning more worrisome for cities and small towns in the heart of New Mexico oil and natural gas territory as state officials contemplate reclaiming dollars pledged to local construction projects to fill a budget gap.
New Mexico lawmakers are confronting a $458 million budget shortfall this fiscal year and may try to reel in money from public works projects before they’re built.
Efforts by the state to sweep together idle cash worry Phillip Burch, the mayor of Artesia.
The southeastern New Mexico community already has cut its wages by 10 percent in an effort to close its own revenue shortfall, and Burch fears state budget remedies could freeze local projects that include plans for a newmunicipal water tower.
Colorado House GOP announces committee assignments for 2026 session
Marissa Ventrelli
marissa.ventrelli@coloradopolitics.com
Updated 18 hours ago
The Colorado House’s Republican leadership has announced its members’ committee assignments for the 2026 legislative session, which begins Jan. 14. “These committee assignments showcase our readiness to bring accountability and common sense back into the legislative process,” said Minority Leader...
Colorado justices address conflict between anti-SLAPP law, state constitution
Michael Karlik
michael.karlik@coloradopolitics.com
Updated 18 hours ago
Colorado lawmakers in 2019 created a mechanism to quickly dispose of lawsuits over conduct that implicates a person’s First Amendment rights, specifically the rights to free speech and to petition the government. Known as the “anti-SLAPP” law, which stands for “strategic...
Colorado Lottery Commission proposes credit card sales, sparks controversy
Marianne Goodland
marianne.goodland@coloradopolitics.com
Updated 16 hours ago
The Colorado Lottery Commission is planning rule changes that are raising eyebrows at the state Capitol, including the prospect of allowing residents to use credit cards to buy lottery tickets. Within the more than 100 pages of rule changes, most...
Ethics commission to investigate 17 Colorado Democrats accused of accepting contributions for Vail retreat
Marianne Goodland
marianne.goodland@coloradopolitics.com
Updated 18 hours ago
The Colorado Independent Ethics Commission on Tuesday voted to move forward with investigations into 17 state Democratic lawmakers who have been accused of accepting illegal contributions to pay for an October retreat in Vail. Colorado Common Cause filed complaints against...
Colorado justices weigh disclosure requirements for ballot initiative spending
Michael Karlik
michael.karlik@coloradopolitics.com
Updated 21 hours ago
Members of the Colorado Supreme Court considered on Tuesday whether an organization that spent $4 million to advocate for ballot initiatives in the 2020 election was required to disclose its donors and spending. The organization, Unite for Colorado, advanced a...
House votes overwhelmingly to force release of Epstein files, sending bill to Senate
Stephen Groves
stephen.groves@associatedpress.com
Updated 22 hours ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — The House voted overwhelmingly in favor of a bill Tuesday to force the Justice Department to publicly release its files on the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, a remarkable display of approval for an effort that had...
Colorado Art Deco Capitol Annex blends old and new after extensive renovation
Marianne Goodland
marianne.goodland@coloradopolitics.com
Updated 22 hours ago
Over the past several weeks, the building at 1375 Sherman has been a beehive of activity, with staff from the Office of Legislative Legal Services moving in, to be followed by staff from the governor’s office, the state auditor, and...
Lawmakers balk at rules to allow credit cards, online purchase of Colorado tickets
Marianne Goodland
marianne.goodland@coloradopolitics.com
Updated 21 hours ago
A bipartisan group of 25 lawmakers who included the leaders of the House and Senate from both parties penned a letter to the Colorado Lottery Commission, advising the panel to hold off on rule changes scheduled for a public hearing...
Democrat Kubs Lalchandani kicks off campaign for open CU regent seat in Colorado’s 2nd CD
Ernest Luning
ernest.luning@coloradopolitics.com
Updated 1 day ago
Boulder Democrat Kubs Lalchandani, an attorney and serial entrepreneur, has thrown his hat in the ring for the open University of Colorado Board of Regents seat representing the 2nd Congressional District in next year’s election. The incumbent, Democrat Callie Rennison,...
Aurora council bids farewell to outgoing members in packed meeting
Kyla Pearce
kyla.pearce@gazette.com
Updated 24 hours ago
At Aurora City Council’s first in-person meeting since June on Monday night, members of the public filled almost the entire council chamber — the dias in which was notably missing Councilmember Danielle Jurinsky — as the council bid farewell to...