Author: CAITLIN CURLEY Colorado Politics

Denver leaders have proposed a citywide minimum wage increase to $15 by 2021. Mayor Michael Hancock and Councilwoman Robin Kniech announced Thursday that they plan to raise the wage to $13.80 an hour on Jan. 1, 2020, then $15.87 on Jan. 1, 2021. After that, wages in the city would rise according to increases in…

Human services caseworkers in Colorado counties are experiencing delays since their online system was replaced last week. The previous system was 15 years old and required significant time and effort to implement policy changes, said Brandi Simmons of the Governor’s Office of Information Technology. The replacement will “enhance the security of residents’ personal information and…

Gov. Jared Polis called a sufficient blood supply a “public health issue” and proclaimed Sept. 5 to be Colorado’s Blood Donation Day in a news release Wednesday. Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs a blood transfusion, the news release said. Although about 38% of Americans are eligible to donate blood, only 10% do,…

U.S. Rep. Jason Crow will head south to conduct U.S. “border operation oversight,” says a Wednesday news release from his office. The Colorado Democrat, joined by Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., will meet with officials and visit ICE’s El Paso (Texas) Processing Center. Crow has been advocating for more oversight of ICE facilities, including the Aurora…

Short-term rental owners in Denver are forfeiting extra income to avoid criminal charges. The city has been getting tough on owners of Airbnbs, VRBOs and other rentals since new rules were enacted in 2016, requiring residents to get a license and prove that they’re using their primary residence as a rental rather than a secondary…

Nearly two years after Denver mandated that businesses install green roofs, it’s happening in Larimer Square. The Denver Green Roof Initiative, which passed in November 2017, initially required most large buildings to install environmentally friendly green-roof features, such as rooftop gardens. After opposition from Mayor Michael Hancock and business leaders, though, the measure was revised…