Local & Regional Government

Colorado is making it easier for residents to see what their government is spending their tax dollars on, down to every last paperclip and coffee order in the governor’s office.

Late last year, the state quietly turbocharged its clunky and neglected online checkbook by migrating millions of lines of financial data to a new software system.

Ballots have been mailed to most Aspen residents who will elect their next mayor and fill two city council seats in the municipal election on Tuesday, March 2. There are eight candidates running for the two open council seats. Incumbent Mayor Torre is running for a second, two-year term and faces a single challenger, artist Lee Mulcahy. 

Surging rates of COVID-19 in Pitkin County pushed the area into the “orange” level of the state’s COVID-19 meter, a multi-tiered gauge used to impose restrictions on counties where the virus is worsening.

On track to move one level higher on the meter, Pitkin County is imposing its own set of rules – slightly stricter than the state requires – to avoid the mandatory shutdown of businesses that comes with the “red” level.

In a speech Friday afternoon, Gov. Jared Polis delivered some stern warnings  for the state as it goes through its most challenging throes of the pandemic. 

Updated at 11:45 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 5

State Sen. Bob Rankin has won his reelection bid after a close content between him and Democratic challenge Karl Hanlon. Hanlon called Rankin to concede Thursday morning. There were about 1,000 votes separating the two men, according to the latest, unofficial returns. 

You can find an English-language version of this story here.

A menos de dos semanas del día de la elección, muchos en Colorado están enfocándose en un grupo creciente de votantes latinos que podrían ser una gran parte de la decisión del resultado. Según el Centro de Investigación Pew, los votantes latinos son el mayor grupo demográfico de votantes no blancos este año, constituyendo el 16% de los votantes de Colorado en 2018. Y sin embargo, los latinos han estado históricamente subrepresentados en los cargos políticos en los valles del Roaring Fork y del Río Colorado.

U.S. Senate
Republican: Cory Gardner (incumbent)
Democrat: John Hickenlooper

U.S. House
Republican: Lauren Boebert
Democrat: Diane Mitsch Bush

State Senate District 8
Republican: Bob Rankin (incumbent)
Democrat: Karl Hanlon

You can find an English-language version of this story here.

Todos los votantes registrados en Colorado recibirán por correo el “libro azul” oficial.  La guía bipartidista se usa para ayudarle a los votantes a descifrar los problemas complejos y a veces confusos de la papeleta.  Pero si su primer idioma es el español puede ser que no corra con suerte.

Pueden encontrar la versión en español aqui. 

All registered voters in Colorado will receive an official “blue book” in the mail. The bipartisan guide is used to help voters decipher complex and sometimes confusing ballot issues. But if your first language is Spanish, you may be out of luck. 

Thursday night, Pitkin County commissioners discuss the future of Aspen-Pitkin County airport in a special meeting. They will review recommendations set forth in the final report from the ASE Vision Committee, an advisory group of experts and community members. 

The killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers Memorial Day weekend sparked protests around the country, including in the Roaring Fork Valley. Dan Richardson, the mayor of Carbondale, said those events inspired him to explore racism in the town and find ways to build a more equitable Carbondale. 

Aspen City Council considered allowing “marijuana lounges” at a work session last night, but councilmembers largely agreed that now is not the time to consider such a measure. 

Former Governor John Hickenlooper will challenge incumbent Republican Senator Cory Gardner in November. After a record voter turnout for Tuesday’s primary election, Hickenlooper scored a commanding win against former house speaker Andrew Romanoff about 20 minutes after the polls closed.

Basalt officials are looking for public feedback on updates to the Arbaney Pool.  Improvements spread out through four years include improvements to the main pool and creating a robot-shaped children's pool, as well as making the facility eco-friendly.