barbara kirkmeyer

Colorado governor candidates confront business climate, housing affordability woes

May 28, 2026

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Marianne Goodland

Four of the five major-party candidates for Colorado governor share common ground on two big issues: they see the perception that Colorado has become less business‑friendly as a serious concern, and they view housing affordability as central to the state’s economic future. At a Thursday forum in Glendale, the two Democratic candidates — U.S. Sen.…
Hard-fought Dem primary could put GOP’s Kirkmeyer in governor’s chair | Cronin & Loevy

May 17, 2026

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Bob Loevy

Colorado state Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer has the most political and governmental experience of the many candidates running for the 2026 Republican nomination for governor of Colorado. If she wins the Republican primary, she will have a decent chance of winning the governorship in the general election in November, even though Colorado is a decidedly blue…
Republican candidates debate how to win the governor’s seat in Colorado — a position the GOP last secured in 2002

Jan 23, 2026

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Thelma Grimes

Colorado has not elected a Republican governor since 2002. On Thursday night, four candidates offered competing visions for how the party can reverse its 20-plus years of failing to secure the seat. The discussion hosted by the Women of Weld County touched on electability, affordability, housing, and how a Republican governor would work with the…
Judicial fees, furniture under scrutiny as Colorado lawmakers consider budget request

Dec 15, 2025

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Michael Karlik

Members of the legislature’s Joint Budget Committee expressed concerns last week about aspects of the judiciary’s requested $845 million budget for courts and probation, while also hearing about the Judicial Department’s relatively restrained spending over time. “If you adjust for inflation, spending has actually gone down” for the trial courts, said staff analyst Amanda Bickel.…
Colorado residents face high energy bills after regulators turn away from natural gas, experts say

Dec 12, 2025

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Mark Samuelson Special to The Denver Gazette

Colorado residents could be paying a lot more for home energy, following the state’s decision last week to turn away from natural gas as a home cooking and heating fuel, experts said. Some 1.9 million Colorado households warm their homes each winter using gas. That’s also how tens of thousands of businesses heat their buildings.…
Colorado Senate passes bill to create 15 new judgeships

Feb 28, 2025

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Michael Karlik

The Colorado Senate approved legislation on Wednesday that would add 15 new judgeships over the next two years, a scaled-back version of the original proposal for 29 additional judge seats across the state. Senate Bill 24 passed by a vote of 26-7, with all Democrats who were present voting in favor and all no votes coming from…
Colorado Senate committee advances scaled-back bill to add judgeships, with more cuts looming

Feb 18, 2025

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Michael Karlik

Colorado’s Senate Appropriations Committee approved a bill to create roughly two dozen new judgeships by a vote of 5-2 on Friday, in a slightly scaled-back effort to address high judicial workloads in many areas of the state. However, with the legislation now heading to the full Senate, one of its sponsors intends to propose cutting…
Senator criticizes Judicial Department for seeking budget increase and offering no cuts

Jan 16, 2025

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Michael Karlik

A member of the powerful Joint Budget Committee criticized Colorado’s Judicial Department on Tuesday for seeking an increase to its budget without offering suggestions for cuts. “I think some people are misinformed or just don’t truly understand the situation that we’re in,” said Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, R-Brighton, at a joint hearing of the House and…
‘Running on empty tanks’: Chief justice addresses legislature with plea for more judges

Jan 10, 2025

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Michael Karlik

Chief Justice Monica M. Márquez delivered her plea for more judges to the entire legislature on Friday, saying workloads are more demanding and well-meaning legislative changes have contributed to the burdens on the bench. “We cannot ask our judges, day in and day out, to make consequential decisions impacting people’s lives when they are running on…
Colorado lawmakers suggest chief justice’s request for new judges may be nonstarter

Jan 9, 2025

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Michael Karlik

Some members of the legislature’s powerful budget committee cautioned Chief Justice Monica M. Márquez on Tuesday that it would be difficult to justify a spending increase for new judgeships in light of substantial cuts to be made elsewhere. Márquez appeared before the Joint Budget Committee to field questions about the Judicial Department’s $813.2 million budget request for the…