Delivering to over 18,000 homes & businesses including all of Fort Lupton and Lochbuie.
“Truth will ultimately prevail where there is pains taken to bring it to light” George Washington “If we are to guard against ignorance and remain free, it is the responsibility of every American to be informed” Thomas Jefferson
Selected Unofficial Election Results from Colorado Secretary of State Election Results
To view all results go to Colorado Secretary Of State website see election results
Morgan County Unofficial Selected Election Results
Two Buildings Removed at South Platte Valley Historical Park
by Jackie Smith, Photos by Jackie Smith and Heather Taylor
If you have been out to the park lately you will have notice that there something missing in the landscape. The old Visitor Center and the trailer, both had water damage and other serious issues that was deemed unrepairable, and an eyesore by the Society. They would need to be removed. It took nearly two years of coordination to finally dispose of the buildings.
Weld
June 25,2024 To
County Unofficial Selected Election Results
Early on June 6, the Fort Lupton Fire Department, in a training exercise, set fire to the old Visitor Center at the park. Strategically lighting the fire on the inside of the building, it took just a little over an hour to be fully engulphed in flames. The small group of enthusiastic spectators gathered to watch the big show could feel the ferocious heat from over 75 to 100 ft. away. The bones of the building smoldered into the night.
About 10 days later, roll-offs were delivered to the park and the trailer, the second building, came down. Member Willy Taylor, WWW Backhoe, used his track and backhoe to remove the trailer and the left-over debris from the visitor center. It took nearly two days to clean up both sites. The Society is grateful to both the Fort Lupton Fire Department and the Willy Taylor Family for all their hard work in helping the Society to remove the buildings.
Moving forward the Society will concentrate on much needed maintenance of the other buildings in the park. Next year, the Independence schoolhouse will turn 150 years old, it will need a fresh coat of paint before we celebrate its birthday.
Upcoming events at South Platte Valley Historical Park
We are open the first and third weekends of each month. Visit us for a bit of history and tour our buildings. On August 5, we will be open to the public for our member meeting, and we will host Wild Aware. A detailed history of barbed wire and its danger to wildlife. Save the Date Saturday, September 7th for the Trappers Day celebration. We will havearrowhead collections, flint knapping, the Buffalo Soldiers, tours, and much more. We are located at 2001 Historic Pkwy. Ft. Lupton on Highway 85, the northside of Fort Lupton, turn west on 14-1/2 the park will we on your right. See you soon!”
WHAT’S IN THIS ISSUE
Page 2: Way of the World
Page 2-3: Letters to the Editor
Page 5: Colorado GOP Spent $20,000 on Chairman Dave William’s Campaign
Page 6-8: Civic Questions for Naturalization Test
Page 8: Common Sense Institute Fentanyl Analysis
Page 9: Summer Happenings at Aims Community College
Page 10: Pat’s Adventures at the Rambler Ranch
Page 11-12: History of the American Flag – for Kids
Page 16 & 14: Ben’s Brick Oven Pizza 2024 Car Show
Way of the World
by Bob Grand, Lost Creek Guide
We went through another election cycle this past Tuesday. On a state level turnout was slightly below 25%. Trying to find out the Weld County actual turnout numbers. Not readily available on the Weld County Clerk & Recorder website. Rumors are that we were at 16%, although that is not an official number. Not a respectable number for a county that is supposed to be one of the bastions of liberty in these otherwise surroundings of wokeness. The responsibility to vote lies with the citizen but elected and appointed government officials should make efforts to encourage voting, not who to vote for but to vote. Why do they avoid that effort?
Colorado State Chair Dave Williams did not have a particularly good day as most of his supported candidates did not cross the victory line. The only exception was Lauren Boebert. At some point the Colorado Republican party will figure out he is not an asset to get them where they want to go.
There was some light on the democratic side. Two of the more radical elected officials failed to get past their primary challengers.
Across Europe and in Argentina the electorate message is clear, lower the cost of living, reduce crime, and put the brakes on immigration. Sound familiar? These are basic kitchen table issues which do not bode well for the Democrats in 2024.
In this issue there are two pieces particularly worth viewing. One is the list of naturalization questions that are asked of people applying for citizenship. The ten questions come from this list. How would you fair? There is also an article on the American flag for kids. Worth going through. Is it so hard to legally becoming an American?
One must ask who is in charge? Our ever-growing federal bureaucracy just gets bigger and bigger, more jobs, more staff, yet does anybody ask what they accomplished? A recent report stated that 86,000 children placed with the Health & Human Services Office of Refugees have been lost. They cannot be tracked. Homeland Security has failed to file over 200,000 notices to appear filing requiring people to show up for a hearing, where are those people? In 2023 it is estimated that 2.48 million illegal immigrants gained access to the United States, where are these people and what are they doing? There are a number of people, some well-intentioned, some not, who profit from illegal immigration.
Our tenth amendment to the Constitution states that the federal government only has the powers delegated to it by the Constitution, all other powers either rest with the states or the people. So, when does the expanding encroachment on our rights finally stop? I am not implying that state governments are the answer completely, but they are a whole lot closer to the people than the Washington bureaucracy.
The fentanyl issue continues to plague us. Killing Coloradoans every week. We need to pass legislation in Washington that says if a state will not support the policies of the federal government all federal monies will be stopped to the states for failure to comply. That just might get some attention.
A wake-up call. The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, a 176-year-old institution, closed its doors. Declining enrollment and ever-increasing expenses brought the final curtain down. Its student enrollment was about 1,300, those young people and faculty faced the unpleasantness that life as they knew it was over.
As our major cities decay in front of our eyes what is being done to reverse the trend? As city revenues decrease who is monitoring a concurrent reduction in expense outlays? Or is everybody blind just expecting a federal bailout to occur, as if by magic?
Meanwhile on our southern border Mexico is growing with the near shoring concept which is making Laredo a major through point for sending goods produced in Mexico into the United States and Canada. This business is coming right out of China and producing sharp growth in Mexico. This is changing the dynamics of the relationship between Mexico and the United States, with a new President, the first woman in the history of Mexico, it will be interesting to watch as the relationship evolves.
The Supreme Court will be issuing some important decisions over the next few weeks. One of which will potentially have a profound effect on curtailing government overreach. The impact on what is referred to as the Chevron deference will impact the level of deference towards how bureaucrats interpret their authority under the laws passed by Congress.
Life does not seem to get simpler. On the contrary. We really need to ask and require our elected officials to work on the basics. Lower the cost of living, make streets safer, and manage immigration. Not a complicated list. But we need our elected officials to provide leadership to their staff to address the issues that are fundamentally important to us, the taxpayer. If they elect not to do that, we need to vote them out of the office. But to do that you have to vote. Unfortunately, we, as voters, do not have a good record for doing our part.
As always, your thoughts and comments are appreciated: publisher@ lostcreekguide.com
The LosT Creek Guide, LLC
Bob Grand – Publisher 303-732-4080 publisher@lostcreekguide.com lcgnews.com
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Letter to the Editor:
Craziness prevails. If you are a voter in the Weld Commissioner races you have been overwhelmed by mailers, eight to ten by latest count. The races should be strait forward. There are four candidates for the Wedl County Commissioners District 3 and the At-Large positions. The At Large position has incumbent Perry Buck running against current District 3 Commissioner Lori Saine. Commissioner Lori Saine and the Board of County Commissioners have yet to explain why Lori Saine was removed from her supervisory role in any staff department. How running for the At Large County Commissioner position makes Lori Saine a better candidate escapes me, but I am only a tax paying voter, what do I know? What I do not understand is the amount of money being spent by outside PAC groups to influence these races. There probably been more money spent on mailers than any other County Commissioner races in the state.
Is there more to this in terms of intimating future candidates by saying you must have our PAC support if you want a chance at winning? Citizens should be encouraged to participate in the system, not discouraged, especially by PACS, that pour a ton of money into the fray that scares off people by the amount of money they think they need to run. The voters should decide who runs and the people should decide who wins by voting. Democracy is not served well by bullies of any kind. Our current system encourages bullies. Tell them no.
I apologize for requesting my name being withheld but I am not comfortable having my name public because of the nature of my business. Retribution can be very costly for stating one’s opinion, but that is a reality to consider.
Letter to the Editor:
This has been an idea of mine since the beginning of Never Surrender Colorado chapter I wish more were educated about Thomas Paine. It’s long but worth the read! Thank you to those unnamed that helped me with this.
If Thomas Paine wrote his pamphlet today:
**”Common Sense 2024”**
Fellow Americans,
It is with great urgency that I write to you today. Our nation, founded on the principles of liberty, personal responsibility, and limited government, stands at a crossroads. We face challenges that threaten to erode the very fabric of our Republic, challenges that demand our immediate attention and resolute action.
**On Government and Liberty**
Our Founding Fathers, in their infinite wisdom, established a government that was meant to serve the people, not rule over them. They recognized that government, by its nature, is a necessary evil, one that must be tightly controlled and limited to prevent it from encroaching on our freedoms. Today, we see an overreaching federal government that seeks to micromanage every aspect of our lives, from the food we eat to the energy we use.
It is time to return to the principles of limited government and federalism. States and local communities are better equipped to address the unique needs of their citizens. We must advocate for policies that decentralize power and return it to the people where it rightfully belongs.
**On Personal Responsibility**
The spirit of America is one of rugged individualism and personal responsibility. Our nation was built by hardworking men and women who took risks, faced adversity, and carved out a better future for themselves and their families. Today, we must reject the culture of dependency that has taken root in our society. We must empower individuals to take control of their destinies, free from the shackles of an overbearing welfare state.
Government handouts and entitlements may provide temporary relief, but they do not offer a path to true prosperity. Instead, we must promote policies that encourage self-reliance, entrepreneurship, and the dignity of work.
**On Fiscal Responsibility**
Our nation is drowning in debt, a burden that will be passed on to future generations if we do not act now. Fiscal responsibility is not just a matter of economic prudence; it is a moral imperative. We must demand that our government live within its means, just as American families do every day.
This requires tough choices and sacrifices, but the alternative is a future of economic ruin and diminished opportunity for our children and grandchildren. We must cut wasteful spending, reform entitlement programs, and promote pro-growth policies that will unleash the full potential of our economy.
**On National Sovereignty and Security**
A strong and sovereign nation must secure its borders and protect its citizens. We must enforce our immigration laws, end sanctuary policies, and prioritize the safety and security of American citizens. A nation without borders is not a nation at all.
Furthermore, we must maintain a strong military and support our law enforcement officers who risk their lives to keep us safe. Peace through strength is not just a slogan; it is a proven strategy that has kept our nation secure for generations.
**Conclusion**
My fellow Americans, the time for action is now. We must stand together to reclaim the principles that made our nation great. Let us reject the siren song of big government and embrace the timeless values of liberty, personal responsibility, and limited government. Together, we can ensure that America remains a beacon of freedom and opportunity for generations to come.
Stand up, speak out, and let your voice be heard. The future of our Republic depends on it.
Natalee Tennant
Never Surrender National founder June 19th 2024
Letter to the People – Thank You for The Many Blessings on The Trail
by Dusty Johnson, House District 63 Candidate
June 23, 2024
With two days before the Primary Election, I am sitting here and reflecting on these past seven months on this campaign – or as I like to say the Dusty (campaign) trail. My heart is full of gratitude and my mind is at ease. I have no regrets and would not change a thing. This campaign trail (thus far as this is just the beginning) has been filled with many blessings, from all the amazing people that I have got to meet and befriend, to the experiences and things I have seen and learned. I have been privileged to have created lifelong bonds with people that I never would have met if it was not for this race, and I heard stories that I will never forget. Stories that I do not intend to let fade away in the wind as I will carry them forward with me.
I say this is just the beginning because I feel a strong calling to serve and fight for our freedoms. I will make it my life mission to be an advocate and voice for our rural areas as I truly do believe that titles mean nothing, it is passion and integrity that truly matter. My passion has just been strengthened through this experience, especially as I have lost count of how many times I have heard: “you are the first candidate to reach out to us (even elected officials have not visited),” or “we didn’t think people cared because no one has taken the time to truly listen.” This has continuously broken my heart. We shall move forward, together, because our rural communities truly do matter and we, the people, will be heard.
Thank you to everyone who has supported me in some form or fashion – monetary, in-kind, prayers, feedback, words of support, and kindness. I am grateful for my family, my friends, and the many opportunities that have been placed along this journey. I will forever be appreciative of our rural communities and thankful to call Northeast Colorado home. To the people of House District 63, thank you!
MCC Invites Community to Harvest Open House for MCC FarmBox
Morgan Community College (MCC) invites the community to a Harvest Open House event to celebrate the launch of MCC’s FarmBox on July 11, 2024, from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM on the Fort Morgan campus in Poplar Hall. This event will feature a firsthand look at the FarmBox’s state-of-the-art technology, an innovative farming initiative that promotes sustainable agriculture.
MCC’s FarmBox redefines farming practices using vertical hydroponic farming (VHF) methods which maximize growth and minimize energy and water use. Housed in an efficient box the size of a traditional trucking container, the FarmBox utilizes full spectrum lighting (LED lighting that mimics sunlight) to help plants grow faster and healthier, maximize growth rates, and enhance higher nutrient density. The FarmBox includes separate water tanks and advanced filters to create an ideal environment for plants to thrive, free from mold and other threats.
“The FarmBox uses programmable logic (PLC) to operate lights, pumps, timers, valves, and other equipment to grow the product,” said George O’Clair, MCC Electromechanical Technology Faculty. “The Electrical Mechanical Technology (ELMT) students study PLCs to operate those same items and more. The FarmBox will be beneficial to the class to see an operating PLC in action.”
The FarmBox provides an environment to grow lettuce, kale, cherry tomatoes, peppers, micro greens, herbs, edible flowers, tree seedlings, and more. A workstation in the FarmBox is equipped with three shelves for seedling trays, optimizing the germination process. With over 3,888 plant spots dedicated to seedling growth, the FarmBox will provide a steady supply of healthy plants for cultivation throughout the year. Its design includes movable walls, providing an ideal space for students and faculty to inspect plants, transplant, and harvest easily while also providing ADA accessibility.
“I plan to integrate the FarmBox into courses such as agribusiness, agriculture marketing, and general crop production, providing students with hands-on experiences in nontraditional farming methods,” stated Bill Miller, MCC Precision Agriculture Faculty. “I am excited about introducing this innovative initiative to our campus to enhance agricultural education overall. My goal is to collaborate with the community to expand food sources.”
The MCC FarmBox merges agriculture with science by using precision agriculture for optimal resource use, employing biotech for enhanced crop traits, and utilizing controlled environments like vertical farming. Data analytics will aid in decisionmaking, promoting sustainability through reduced efforts and enhanced productivity. The FarmBox combines scientific innovation with traditional farming to improve efficiency, sustainability, and crop resilience.
“The FarmBox will provide an opportunity for our students to look at how various nutrients, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, and other chemicals affect different plants in a controlled environment,” stated Dr. Steven Sjostedt, MCC Chemistry Faculty.
Other faculty at MCC plan to use the FarmBox, as well. “The bringing of students and faculty from different disciplines together to utilize the FarmBox is very exciting!” said Dr. Erik Richter, MCC Dean of Workforce Development.
The FarmBox will play a vital role in contributing to the community’s nutritional needs through various initiatives such as vouchers for MCC students and staff to access fresh vegetables and partnerships with key community stakeholders to supply fresh and locally grown food options.
“Originally the FarmBox was an alternative to a traditional greenhouse at Morgan Community College,” said Dr. Curt Freed, MCC President. “However, the FarmBox represents so much more and provides a living example for students to be involved in hands-on learning, a benchmark of the student experience at MCC. I hope the community will join us for the first Harvest Open House on July 11.”
The MCC FarmBox was purchased with funding through a U.S. Department of
Education Title III STEM grant.
MCC is now registering students for fall semester. Courses begin August 19, 2024. The Fall 2024 course schedule and information about registering is available at morgancc.edu/fall.
For more information about the MCC FarmBox and related programs, contact Dr. Erik Richter, Dean of Workforce Development at (970) 542-3166 or erik.richter@ morgancc.edu.
Letter to the Editor:
Dear Editor,
In reading the articles discussing responses to Pride Flags, I sense some confusion as to who God loves and what God hates.
God loves sinners, which are all us humans including pastors and priests. He loves us so much that God the Father sent His Son to redeem us from our sins if we repent and follow Him. He loves us all, regardless of our disorders, our sins, our beliefs, our religious affiliations, or our political parties. He invites all of us to come to Him. God hates sin. Sin is any willful thought, word, or action which separates us from God’s will for us to be with Him in heaven. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus defeated sin and death. To participate in His resurrection, we must die to our sinful desires and seek His forgiveness. Same sex attraction, gender confusion, and depression are all disorders. They are not sinful but predispose us to certain types of sin. However, the acts of same-sex sexual union, self – mutilation, and suicide are sinful. We all have disordered sinful desires which we battle. We live in a fallen world but the good news is God can heal us. He has already won the war, we just have to join His team. We must submit to His design (revealed to us in Genesis chapters 1,2 and 19), and to follow His commands (revealed throughout the Bible but most specifically in Exodus 20).
So what about Pride flags? Pride flags symbolize a willful desire to live contrary to God’s will, a will to be separated from God. To display one would be sinful. However, God does not hate those who will to be separate from Him. God loves them and waits for them to return. He loves us all and commands we love each other, even those who hate us. If we love others as ourselves, we desire for them to know God and to be free of sin. We pray for those who are falling into sin and counsel them. Meanwhile we also pray that God reveal to us any of our own sins either directly or through others so we can also turn back to God.
So what about burning Pride flags? A person who steals a pride flag or buys one just for the purpose of burning it would not be aligned to God’s will as stealing is sinful and so is willfully giving money to an industry promoting sins. This action would likely not draw others to God but rather would create further divisions. On the other hand, a person wishing to die to the sin of sodomy and turn to God might burn their personal pride flag as a symbol of his/her choice to live free of this sin. This would glorify God and may help others turn to God as well.
Sincerely,
Angela Eicher
CD 8 Mayors Endorse Gabe Evans For Congress
Evans Wins Overwhelming Support of District’s Mayors Against Incumbent Democrat
(FORT LUPTON, CO) – Republican Congressional District 8 candidate Gabe Evans today announced the endorsement of 11 mayors across Congressional District 8. The state representative, combat veteran, and former police officer has gained the endorsements of half the district’s mayors.
“Mayors across our district want to fight back against Washington’s punitive regulations, open border policies, and ‘defund the police’ policies,” stated Evans. “Our mayors will be valued partners in our movement to improve the quality of life for our communities by promoting good jobs, restoring law and order, getting fentanyl off our streets, lowering the cost of living, and reining in punitive regulations and runaway spending.”
“I’m pleased to endorse Gabe Evans for Congress,” stated Thornton Mayor Jan Kulmann. “Gabe has been a champion for Adams and Weld counties in the Legislature, and I know he’ll do the same in Congress. We need strong, can-do, effective representation to fix the big problems facing our nation and state, and that’s Gabe Evans. He’s been running toward challenge his entire adult life, as a combat vet, former police officer, and a conservative state representative in a liberal dominated Legislature.”
“Gabe Evans gets results for conservatives because unlike many politicians he’s not afraid of challenge,” observed La Salle Mayor Andrew Martinez. “He runs toward it. I trust Gabe on the issues and challenges that are priorities for Adams, Weld, and Larimer families – closing the border, looking out for our jobs and values, bringing down the cost of living, and restoring law and order. Gabe Evans has my strong endorsement for Congress.”
The following CD 8 Mayors have endorsed Gabe Evans for Congress:
Brighton Mayor Greg Mills
Dacono Mayor Adam Morehead
Federal Heights Mayor Linda Montoya
Fort Lupton Mayor Zo Stieber
Gilcrest Mayor Steve Nothem
Greeley Mayor John Gates
Kersey Mayor Gary Lagrimanta
La Salle
Mayor Andy Martinez
Platteville Mayor Mike Cowper
Thornton Mayor Jan Kulmann
Westminster Mayor Nancy McNally
Learn more about Gabe Evans’ campaign at www.ElectGabeEvans.com.
Colorado Ends Budget Year $164M In The Red With Potential Tax Cuts Looming On November
Ballot
The immediate budget challenges come with an elephant in the room: Two conservative ballot measures that would slash local property taxes across the state and put a cap on their growth by Brian Eason, The Colorado Sun
The state of Colorado will end its budget year June 30 with a deficit of as much as $164 million, forcing it to dip into its reserves as it heads into an election cycle fraught with financial uncertainty.
And the budget picture only deteriorates from there, according to revenue forecasts provided to the Joint Budget Committee on Thursday.
Next fiscal year, which starts July 1, the state will start in a $35 million to $86 million hole that budget writers would have to close during midyear budget adjustments, which take place each year in January. That leaves little wriggle room if something unexpected happens in the meantime, like an uptick in health care costs or a slowdown in tax collections.
If current spending trends continue, lawmakers could then face a projected $572 million gap to close in the 2025-26 budget they must pass next spring, according to one of the forecasts, from the Colorado Legislative Council’s nonpartisan staff. That’s up from initial JBC projections of a $380 million spending gap.
All in an economy that continues to grow — albeit more slowly than in years past.
The deficit news drew the ire of Republican Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer of Brighton, who said lawmakers were warned in April that they were at risk of dipping into the rainy day fund and didn’t do anything about it before the legislative session ended.
“It’s not because of any rainy day that occurred, it’s actually due to overspending that occurred during the session,” Kirkmeyer said. “We could have curtailed that spending and we chose not to.”
This year’s shortfall stemmed primarily from an accounting maneuver that lawmakers had been planning for months, but was only finalized in the final days of the legislative session.
At risk of losing as much as $1.6 billion in federal stimulus funding before it expires at the end of December, lawmakers passed a bill trading federal for state dollars in operating budgets across the state government. That allowed Colorado to spend the federal money more quickly on general state expenses, while still preserving the pandemic relief programs past the deadline, using state money instead of federal.
Over the two budget years affected by the swap, the money transfers are designed to largely even out, and would actually produce some savings overall for the state’s general fund. The swap, however, was front-loaded in a way that knocked this year’s budget out of balance.
“Cumulatively, this is a bill that puts the general fund in a better financial position,” Greg Sobetski, the chief economist for Colorado Legislative Council Staff told the JBC. “But that’s not clearly represented here because the initial hit in (the 2023-24 budget) is greater than the initial savings.”
The accounting move wasn’t the only thing causing a shortfall, though. An audit in February found that the state owed taxpayers an additional $34 million in refunds, after the state comptroller incorrectly designated some health insurance premium taxes exempt from the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights. The JBC was briefed on it in late April, after lawmakers had already finalized the budget.
“We already knew that” was coming, Kirkmeyer said. “And we allowed that overexpenditure to keep going.”
The $2B to $3B elephant in the room
The future budget challenges don’t take into account the elephant in the room: two conservative ballot measures that would slash local property taxes across the state and put a cap on their growth.
One is Initiative 108, a statutory measure that would cut local property taxes by an estimated $2.25 billion, according to nonpartisan legislative analysts, and require the state to reimburse local governments and schools for their lost revenue. The other, Initiative 50, would amend the state constitution to limit property tax revenue growth to 4% statewide each year.
The governor’s budget director, Mark Ferrandino, told the JBC that if either one passes, the legislature would have to make draconian cuts to balance the state’s finances.
Initiative 108, which hasn’t qualified for the ballot yet, would post a more immediate challenge.
If it passes, Ferrandino told the state Property Tax Commission last week that Colorado could see the return of the K-12 school funding shortfall, $800 million in cuts to higher education, a $450 million cut to local highway funding and layoffs in the state judiciary. Medicaid providers — far from getting the reimbursement bumps needed to keep clinics open — would be at risk of closures and further consolidation, particularly in rural areas.
And even that wouldn’t be enough to cover the projected budget hole. Ferrandino expects the state to be required to reimburse $3 billion in tax cuts if voters adopt the measure. That’s higher than the legislative analyst’s estimates, because of disparities in how they interpret which school taxes would be affected.
Initiative 108, being pursued by the conservative groups Advance Colorado and Colorado Concern, would reset residential tax assessments to the equivalent of 2022 levels. If voters approve, the measure would be effective in 2025 for taxes owed in 2026.
Supporters of the ballot measures disagree with both of the state government estimates, telling The Colorado Sun they overstate how much of the tax cuts the state would have to reimburse.
The ballot language requires the state to “reimburse local districts for revenue lost as a result of these changes.”
Karen Crummy, a spokesperson for supporters of the ballot measures, said that reimbursement should only apply in cases where a local government actually loses money from one year to the next due to the tax cut. In other words, the state would not have to reimburse communities where property values rise faster than the cut.
But that’s not how the governor’s office, nonpartisan legislative analysts and the lawyers who advise lawmakers on their bills interpret it. In their view, the state would
be on the hook for the difference between taxes that would have been collected under current law and the ballot measure, not for the year-to-year difference in property tax collections.
Even if that interpretation were applied to local governments, the state would still be on the hook to fully fund K-12, which could lose an estimated $800 million in local property taxes.
If the budget fallout predicted by Ferrandino sounds like the sort of drastic measures Colorado would only contemplate during a recession, there’s a reason for that. The potential state budget impact of Initiative 108 is remarkably similar to the sort of cuts Colorado faced each of the last three economic downturns.
“These ballot initiatives are trying to take a broad brush that have consequences that are significant,” Ferrandino said. “And I think it’s important that people understand that a cut like this really is going to have recessionary impacts to the state funding of critical state programs.”
Following the 2001 recession, state revenue dropped 16.7% from its peak, according to a Joint Budget Committee staff analysis. In the wake of the Great Recession, revenue dropped 16.6%.
In the pandemic recession, revenue didn’t ultimately fall by as much as expected. But economic forecasters assumed they would, projecting a 16.3% drop in state revenue.
Under the legislative staff estimates, Colorado would face a 13% cut to its general fund budget to cover $2.25 billion in property tax reimbursements. But the cut under those estimates could be as much as 18%, or $3 billion. The higher number would come into play if the state were required to reimburse an additional $750 million in lost school district taxes that don’t count toward educational programming under the School Finance Act.
The Colorado Sun is a reader-supported news organization that covers Colorado people, places and issues. To sign up for free newsletters, subscribe or learn more, visit ColoradoSun.com
Aims Expands Workforce Development Opportunities with Ford Motor Company Partnership
WINDSOR, CO – June 19, 2024 – This fall, Aims Community College will begin a program that offers aspiring automotive technicians a paid internship with an unparalleled training and mentoring program. Students gain specialized industry knowledge and experience to fast-track their careers.
The Ford ASSET (Automotive Student Service Educational Training) program allows students to earn while they learn. Students alternate time in the classroom at the state-of-the-art Automotive and Technology Center and with a sponsoring Ford or Lincoln dealer. Aims’ program is Colorado’s only Ford ASSET program and the 41st nationwide.
Education, Experience and Expertise
This is a paid opportunity with invaluable real-world exposure and the chance to apply their knowledge professionally. Students earn an associate degree, multiple Ford Service Technician Specialty Training (STST) certifications and valuable dealership experience at the end of five semesters. This gives a student the skills, knowledge and work history to become a Senior Master Level Service Technician when they graduate. Jenna Rowan, Service Performance Manager at Ford Motor Company Denver Region, emphasized the value of the Ford ASSET program, stating, “Having this program is incredible. It takes two and a half years to get all those certifications, your degree, your toolbox.”
Another program benefit is personalized guidance and coaching opportunities. Aims Instructor Valeska Howton will serve as the lead teacher in this program. She has previously worked for a Ford dealership and has many Ford STST Certifications. “You have a mentor, someone you can lean on and learn from,” Rowan said. “Valeska is the best person for this, having someone who’s been in a Ford dealership. She’s experienced it. She knows what it’s like.”
Industry Connections and Advanced Technology
This alliance complements the forward path that the Aims Automotive Department is pursuing. Larry Baker, the Automotive Programs Chair at Aims, expressed his excitement about the collaboration, stating, “That’s been our goal in the automotive department for quite some time — to partner with manufacturers because the builder of the vehicle has the best training possible.”
Howton also says the manufacturer connection is a worthwhile partnership and better prepares students to be leaders in the field. “Having that direct dealer connection and access to all their resources will make our Ford ASSET students topnotch technicians.”
The landscape of automobile technology has witnessed a significant shift toward complexity with the rise of hybrid and electric vehicles. This signals a future where understanding and maintaining automobiles requires mechanical insight and deep knowledge of software and electronics.
“We have the greatest new technology in our vehicles, like our electric vehicles, and we have the best in the industry. Exposing students to a lot of this new and up-andcoming technology that many manufacturers may haven’t dabbled in will be a benefit down the road,” Rowan said.
The automotive industry, like many sectors, is experiencing workforce shortages. This situation is additionally difficult as vehicles become increasingly complex; dealerships need people who understand these new cars and trucks.
Baker feels this program will help students rise through the ranks much faster. “When you start a new career, you start at the bottom of the barrel and work your way up. Ford ASSET students can avoid that.”
Rowan said that program graduates will stand out in the job market. “Having that student be engaged in this program and working with the school and the dealership will set them apart. It ultimately makes them the top prospects in the market for technicians.”
Enrollment for the Fall 2024 is now open, but space is limited. People interested in pursuing a rewarding career as a Ford Master Automotive Technician are encouraged to take the next step and apply for the Ford ASSET program at Aims Community College. Get more information about the program and apply at aims.co/Ford-ASSET.
Colorado GOP Spent $20,000 Supporting Chairman Dave Williams’ Congressional Campaign In May, Report Shows
Colorado GOP Treasurer Tom Bjorklund says “the party isn’t out any money and our balance sheets and subsequent disclosure filings will show a net positive for Colorado Republicans,” but he declined to explain how by Sandra Fish, The Colorado Sun
The Colorado GOP spent nearly $20,000 in late May to help party Chairman Dave Williams in his 5th District Congressional campaign.
That represented the largest single expense of the nearly $90,000 the party spent last month, according to a Federal Election Commission filing late Thursday. The party raised about $56,000 in May and began June with about $550,000 in the bank.
Williams has faced intense criticism for using party resources to benefit his congressional bid as he faces conservative commentator and activist Jeff Crank in the 5th District Republican primary June 25. Earlier this week, in an interview with 9News, Williams denied using party money on his campaign.
“There’s been no direct spending from the party for myself,” he said.
But the FEC report filed by the Colorado GOP late Thursday refutes that claim. It discloses $19,445.29 spent by the party in support of Williams’ congressional campaign. No other candidates directly benefited from party spending last month, according to the FEC report.
The Colorado GOP sent a mailer in late May promoting Williams and his endorsement from former President Donald Trump. The FEC report says the money spent by the party to support Williams’ congressional campaign was spent on May 28, the same day The Sun received a copy of the mailer. (The report does not say what the money was spent on, just that it was spent to support Williams.)
The party sent two more mailers in early June promoting Williams and attacking Crank. The Colorado GOP’s June spending won’t be revealed until late July.
Williams didn’t respond to Colorado Sun requests for comment. A spokesman for Williams’ congressional campaign referred questions about the spending to Colorado GOP Treasurer Tom Bjorklund.
“The party isn’t out any money and our balance sheets and subsequent disclosure filings will show a net positive for Colorado Republicans,” Bjorklund said in a text message.
But Bjorklund declined to explain how that could be. He also refused to answer questions about whether Williams’ campaign plans to reimburse the party. Instead, he called The Sun “fake news.”
Williams has not reported giving any money to the Colorado GOP since announcing his campaign in the 5th District, except for $1,000 for an ad in the party’s newspaper in late May. His campaign’s next FEC report isn’t due until July 15 for spending between June 6 and June 30.
Super PACs have spent nearly $2.5 million to help Crank beat Williams in the Republican primary in the 5th District, mostly by running attack ads targeting Williams. Williams, meanwhile, has only received a few thousand dollars in help from super PACs, FEC filings show.
The winner of the primary in the 5th District, which is based in Colorado Springs, will likely win in November, too, given the district’s strong Republican lean. The district is currently represented by longtime Republican Rep. Doug Lamborn, R-Colorado Springs, who is retiring at the end of his term.
More from the Colorado GOP’s campaign finance report
The Colorado GOP’s largest contributions in May were nearly $17,000 from the Douglas County Republican Central Committee and nearly $5,000 from the Weld County Republican Central Committee.
The party’s donations included $2,350 from four candidates endorsed by the party, including $1,000 from former state Rep. Ron Hanks, who is running in the six-way GOP primary in the 3rd Congressional District.
The GOP paid Bjorklund’s consulting firm $11,750 in May, and Williams’ firm $8,000. It also sent a $10,000 donation to the Claremont Institute in California, which employs attorney and election denier John Eastman, who was representing the party in a federal lawsuit seeking to block unaffiliated voters from casting ballots in Republican primaries. He withdrew from his role in the case last month.
A California judge recommended Eastman
be disbarred for his actions of trying to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election to keep Trump in office.
Colorado Democrats reported raising $113,000 in May while spending $102,000. The party ended the month with $384,000 in cash. The Democratic National Committee was responsible for much of that fundraising, as well as Democratic candidates paying the party for voter lists.
The Colorado GOP paid for a mailer sent this week to voters in the 8th Congressional District promoting former state Rep. Janak Joshi and attacking state Rep. Gabe Evans in the Republican primary there.
Joshi is among the candidates endorsed by the Colorado GOP.
The mailer paints Evans as disloyal to Trump and weak on tax policy and abortion. Evans is the preferred choice of national Republicans to take on Democratic U.S. Rep. Yadira Caraveo in November in the highly competitive district.
Colorado Sun reporter Jesse Paul contributed to this report.
organization that covers Colorado people, places and issues. To sign up for free newsletters, subscribe or learn more, visit ColoradoSun.com
Committed to our Community
To support Re-3J’s strong record of providing an exceptional education for students, the district has identi-
ed key challenges to address with our community:
16% increase in enrollment since 2016, along with a 46% increase in per-pupil expenses over that time
Competition from other school districts for teachers
Demand for career-focused education
Increasing transportation needs
The Board of Education may ask local voters to approve a Mill Levy Override to provide approximately $3 million annually to achieve the district’s Strategic Goals and to support students, teachers and staff in the district’s eight schools. If approved by voters, the MLO will focus on:
Teacher and staff recruiting and retention
Safety and security, including mental health support for students
Career and technical education Gifted and talented programs, electives and enrichments
Additional buses and routes to help students get to school
Use the QR code to learn more and watch a short video about the MLO proposal
Civics (History and Government) Questions for the Naturalization Test
The 100 civics (history and government) questions and answers for the naturalization test are listed below. The civics test is an oral test and the USCIS Officer will ask the applicant up to 10 of the 100 civics questions. An applicant must answer 6 out of 10 questions correctly to pass the civics portion of the naturalization test.
On the naturalization test, some answers may change because of elections or appointments. As you study for the test, make sure that you know the most current answers to these questions. Answer these questions with the name of the official who is serving at the time of your eligibility interview with USCIS. The USCIS Officer will not accept an incorrect answer.
Although USCIS is aware that there may be additional correct answers to the 100 civics questions, applicants are encouraged to respond to the civics questions using the answers provided below.
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
A: Principles of American Democracy
1. What is the supreme law of the land?
▪ the Constitution
2. What does the Constitution do?
▪ sets up the government
▪ defines the government
▪ protects basic rights of Americans
3. The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are these words?
▪ We the People
4. What is an amendment?
▪ a change (to the Constitution)
▪ an addition (to the Constitution)
5. What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution?
▪ the Bill of Rights
6. What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?*
▪ speech
▪ religion
▪ assembly
▪ press
▪ petition the government
7. How many amendments does the Constitution have?
▪ twenty-seven (27)
8. What did the Declaration of Independence do?
▪ announced our independence (from Great Britain)
▪ declared our independence (from Great Britain)
▪ said that the United States is free (from Great Britain)
9. What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence?
▪ life
▪ liberty
▪ pursuit of happiness
10. What is freedom of religion?
▪ You can practice any religion, or not practice a religion.
11. What is the economic system in the United States?*
▪ capitalist economy
▪ market economy
12. What is the “rule of law”?
▪ Everyone must follow the law.
▪ Leaders must obey the law.
▪ Government must obey the law.
▪ No one is above the law.
B: System of Government
13. Name one branch or part of the government.*
▪ Congress
▪ legislative
▪ President
▪ executive
▪ the courts
▪ judicial
14. What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?
▪ checks and balances
▪ separation of powers
15. Who is in charge of the executive branch?
▪ the President
16. Who makes federal laws?
▪ Congress
▪ Senate and House (of Representatives)
▪ (U.S. or national) legislature
17. What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress?*
▪ the Senate and House (of Representatives)
18. How many U.S. Senators are there?
▪ one hundred (100)
19. We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years?
▪ six (6)
20. Who is one of your state’s U.S. Senators now?*
▪ Answers will vary. [District of Columbia residents and residents of U.S. territories should answer that D.C. (or the territory where the applicant lives) has no U.S. Senators.]
21. The House of Representatives has how many voting members?
▪ four hundred thirty-five (435)
22. We elect a U.S. Representative for how many years?
▪ two (2)
23. Name your U.S. Representative.
▪ Answers will vary. [Residents of territories with nonvoting Delegates or Resident
Commissioners may provide the name of that Delegate or Commissioner. Also acceptable is any statement that the territory has no (voting) Representatives in Congress.]
24. Who does a U.S. Senator represent?
▪ all people of the state
25. Why do some states have more Representatives than other states?
▪ (because of) the state’s population
▪ (because) they have more people
▪ (because) some states have more people
26. We elect a President for how many years?
▪ four (4)
27. In what month do we vote for President?*
▪ November
28. What is the name of the President of the United States now?*
▪ Visit uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates for the name of the President of the United States.
29. What is the name of the Vice President of the United States now?
▪ Visit uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates for the name of the Vice President of the UnitedStates.
30. If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President?
▪ the Vice President
31. If both the President and the Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President?
▪ the Speaker of the House
32. Who is the Commander in Chief of the military?
▪ the President
33. Who signs bills to become laws?
▪ the President
34. Who vetoes bills?
▪ the President
35. What does the President’s Cabinet do?
▪ advises the President
36. What are two Cabinet-level positions?
▪ Secretary of Agriculture
▪ Secretary of Commerce
▪ Secretary of Defense
▪ Secretary of Education
▪ Secretary of Energy
▪ Secretary of Health and Human Services
▪ Secretary of Homeland Security
▪ Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
▪ Secretary of the Interior
▪ Secretary of Labor
▪ Secretary of State
▪ Secretary of Transportation
▪ Secretary of the Treasury
▪ Secretary of Veterans Affairs
▪ Attorney General
▪ Vice President
37. What does the judicial branch do?
▪ reviews laws
▪ explains laws
▪ resolves disputes (disagreements)
▪ decides if a law goes against the Constitution
38. What is the highest court in the United States?
▪ the Supreme Court
39. How many justices are on the Supreme Court?
▪ Visit uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates for the number of justices on the Supreme Court.
40. Who is the Chief Justice of the United States now?
▪ Visit uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates for the name of the Chief Justice of the United States.
41. Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. What is one power of the federal government?
▪ to print money
▪ to declare war
▪ to create an army
▪ to make treaties
42. Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the states. What is one power of the states?
▪ provide schooling and education
▪ provide protection (police)
▪ provide safety (fire departments)
▪ give a driver’s license
▪ approve zoning and land use
43. Who is the Governor of your state now?
▪ Answers will vary. [District of Columbia residents should answer that D.C. does not have a Governor.]
44. What is the capital of your state?*
▪ Answers will vary. [District of Columbia residents should answer that D.C. is not a state and does not have a capital. Residents of U.S. territories should name the capital of the territory.]
45. What are the two major political parties in the United States?*
▪ Democratic and Republican
46. What is the political party of the President now?
▪ Visit uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates for the political party of the President.
47. What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now?
▪ Visit uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates for the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
C: Rights and Responsibilities
48. There are four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote. Describe one of them.
▪ Citizens eighteen (18) and older (can vote).
▪ You don’t have to pay (a poll tax) to vote.
▪ Any citizen can vote. (Women and men can vote.)
▪ A male citizen of any race (can vote).
49. What is one responsibility that is only for United States citizens?*
▪ serve on a jury
▪ vote in a federal election
50. Name one right only for United States citizens.
▪ vote in a federal election
▪ run for federal office
51. What are two rights of everyone living in the United States?
▪ freedom of expression
▪ freedom of speech
▪ freedom of assembly
▪ freedom to petition the government
▪ freedom of religion
▪ the right to bear arms
52. What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance?
▪ the United States
▪ the flag
53. What is one promise you make when you become a United States citizen?
▪ give up loyalty to other countries
▪ defend the Constitution and laws of the United States
▪ obey the laws of the United States
▪ serve in the U.S. military (if needed)
▪ serve (do important work for) the nation (if needed)
▪ be loyal to the United States
54. How old do citizens have to be to vote for President?*
▪ eighteen (18) and older
55. What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy?
▪ vote
▪ join a political party
▪ help with a campaign
▪ join a civic group
▪ join a community group
▪ give an elected official your opinion on an issue
▪ call Senators and Representatives
▪ publicly support or oppose an issue or policy
▪ run for office
▪ write to a newspaper
56. When is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms?*
▪ April 15
57. When must all men register for the Selective Service?
▪ at age eighteen (18)
▪ between eighteen (18) and twenty-six (26) AMERICAN HISTORY
A: Colonial Period and Independence
58. What is one reason colonists came to America?
▪ freedom
▪ political liberty
▪ religious freedom
▪ economic opportunity
▪ practice their religion
▪ escape persecution
59. Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?
▪ American Indians
▪ Native Americans
60. What group of people was taken to America and sold as slaves?
▪ Africans
▪ people from Africa
61. Why did the colonists fight the British?
▪ because of high taxes (taxation without representation)
▪ because the British army stayed in their houses (boarding, quartering)
▪ because they didn’t have self-government
62. Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
▪ (Thomas) Jefferson
63. When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?
▪ July 4, 1776
64. There were 13 original states. Name three.
▪ New Hampshire
▪ Massachusetts
▪ Rhode Island
▪ Connecticut
▪ New York
▪ New Jersey
▪ Pennsylvania
▪ Delaware
▪ Maryland
▪ Virginia
▪ North Carolina
▪ South Carolina
▪ Georgia
65. What happened at the Constitutional Convention?
▪ The Constitution was written.
▪ The Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution.
66. When was the Constitution written?
▪ 1787
67. The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name one of the writers.
▪ (James) Madison
▪ (Alexander) Hamilton
▪ (John) Jay
▪ Publius
68. What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for?
▪ U.S. diplomat
▪ oldest member of the Constitutional Convention
▪ first Postmaster General of the United States
▪ writer of “Poor Richard’s Almanac”
▪ started the first free libraries
69. Who is the “Father of Our Country”?
▪ (George) Washington
70. Who was the first President?*
▪ (George) Washington
B: 1800s
71. What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803?
▪ the Louisiana Territory
▪ Louisiana
72. Name one war fought by the United States in the 1800s.
▪ War of 1812
▪ Mexican-American War
▪ Civil War
▪ Spanish-American War
73. Name the U.S. war between the North and the South.
▪ the Civil War
▪ the War between the States
74. Name one problem that led to the Civil War.
▪ slavery
▪ economic reasons
▪ states’ rights
75. What was one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did?*
▪ freed the slaves (Emancipation Proclamation)
▪ saved (or preserved) the Union
▪ led the United States during the Civil War
76. What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?
▪ freed the slaves
▪ freed slaves in the Confederacy
▪ freed slaves in the Confederate states
▪ freed slaves in most Southern states
77. What did Susan B. Anthony do?
▪ fought for women’s rights
▪ fought for civil rights
C: Recent American History and Other Important Historical Information
78. Name one war fought by the United States in the 1900s.*
▪ World War I
▪ World War II
▪ Korean War
▪ Vietnam War
▪ (Persian) Gulf War
79. Who was President during World War I?
▪ (Woodrow) Wilson
80. Who was President during the Great Depression and World War II?
▪ (Franklin) Roosevelt
81. Who did the United States fight in World War II?
▪ Japan, Germany, and Italy
82. Before he was President, Eisenhower was a general. What war was he in?
▪ World War II
83. During the Cold War, what was the main concern of the United States?
▪ Communism
84. What movement tried to end racial discrimination?
▪ civil rights (movement)
85. What did Martin Luther King, Jr. do?*
▪ fought for civil rights
▪ worked for equality for all Americans
86. What major event happened on September 11, 2001, in the United States?
▪ Terrorists attacked the United States.
87. Name one American Indian tribe in the United States.
[USCIS Officers will be supplied with a list of federally recognized American Indian tribes.]
▪ Cherokee
▪ Navajo
▪ Sioux
▪ Chippewa
▪ Choctaw
▪ Pueblo
▪ Apache
▪ Iroquois
Civics
(History and Government) Questions for the Naturalization Test continued from page 7...
▪ Creek
▪ Blackfeet
▪ Seminole
▪ Cheyenne
▪ Arawak
▪ Shawnee
▪ Mohegan
▪ Huron
▪ Oneida
▪ Lakota
▪ Crow
▪ Teton
▪ Hopi
▪ Inuit
INTEGRATED CIVICS
A: Geography
88. Name one of the two longest rivers in the United States.
▪ Missouri (River)
▪ Mississippi (River)
89. What ocean is on the West Coast of the United States?
▪ Pacific (Ocean)
90. What ocean is on the East Coast of the United States?
▪ Atlantic (Ocean)
91. Name one U.S. territory.
▪ Puerto Rico
▪ U.S. Virgin Islands
▪ American Samoa
▪ Northern Mariana Islands
▪ Guam
92. Name one state that borders Canada.
▪ Maine
▪ New Hampshire
▪ Vermont
▪ New York
▪ Pennsylvania
▪ Ohio
▪ Michigan
▪ Minnesota
▪ North Dakota
▪ Montana
▪ Idaho
▪ Washington
▪ Alaska
93. Name one state that borders Mexico.
▪ California
▪ Arizona
▪ New Mexico
▪ Texas
94. What is the capital of the United States?*
▪ Washington, D.C.
95. Where is the Statue of Liberty?*
▪ New York (Harbor)
▪ Liberty Island
[Also acceptable are New Jersey, near New York City, and on the Hudson (River).]
B: Symbols
96. Why does the flag have 13 stripes?
▪ because there were 13 original colonies
▪ because the stripes represent the original colonies
97. Why does the flag have 50 stars?*
▪ because there is one star for each state
▪ because each star represents a state
▪ because there are 50 states
98. What is the name of the national anthem?
▪ The Star-Spangled Banner
C: Holidays
99. When do we celebrate Independence Day?*
▪ July 4
100. Name two national U.S. holidays.
▪ New Year’s Day
▪ Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
▪ Presidents’ Day
▪ Memorial Day
▪ Independence Day
▪ Labor Day
▪ Columbus Day
▪ Veterans Day
▪ Thanksgiving
▪ Christmas”
In First Five Years, 79,000 of DACA Recipients
Admitted To U.S. Had Arrest Records
On 12-year anniversary, Biden expands DACA protections by Bethany Blankley | The Center Square contributor
(The Center Square) – Within five years of a new program created to prevent deportation of minors brought into the country illegally by their parents, nearly 80,000 were released into the U.S. with arrest records. The majority were between the ages of 19 and 22 when they were arrested, according to the latest available data published by
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced he was expanding deportation protections and job opportunities for recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program created by executive order by former president Barack Obama in 2012.
According to USCIS, DACA applies to those who were brought into the country before reaching age 16 and were under age 31 as of June 15, 2012, among other criteria.
Tuesday was the 12-year anniversary of DACA, which a federal judge has twice ruled is illegal. Several states, led by Texas, are still fighting to end DACA in a case that is expected to eventually be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court, The Center Square reported.
While the majority of DACA supporters argue recipients should be granted citizenship, claiming they contribute to the U.S. economy and are constructive members of society, others argue those with criminal records, at a minimum, should be deported.
According to a USCIS report, in the first five years of DACA being implemented, from June 2012 to October 2019, nearly 80,000 illegal foreign nationals with prior arrest records, including for violent crimes, were granted DACA status.
According to the data, of the 888,818 DACA requestors, 765,166 were approved, including 79,398 who were approved with an arrest, or 10.38% of applicants, according to the report.
The number who were denied or their DACA status was terminated totaled 77,833, including 30,132 with an arrest, accounting for 38.71%, according to the report.
The number of DACA approved or denied requestors with a prior arrest totaled 67,861. Those approved with a later arrest totaled 15,903.
By contrast, DACA applicants with an arrest (30,132), a prior arrest (28,093), and later arrest (5,017) were denied the status.
The report also notes that some DACA recipients “may have obtained lawful immigration status, failed to request renewal, have had their renewal request denied, or may have had their DACA terminated.”
It also identifies how many DACA recipients were released into the country with a prior arrest, including more than 25,300 arrested for driving-related crimes excluding driving under the influence (DUI). Nearly 13,000 were arrested for immigration-related civil and criminal offenses; nearly 8,000 for theft, larceny; nearly 7,000 for drug-related crimes; more than 4,200 for DUI; more than 3,400 for battery; more than 3,300 for assault; more than 3,000 for obstruction, fabrication, false claim.
The report also notes that 41 illegal foreign nationals were granted DACA status who’d been arrested more than 10 times; 963 were granted DACA status who’d been arrested five times; 15,482 who’d been arrested twice.
Of the more than 202,000 arrests reported, the majority of DACA requesters were between the ages of 19 and 22 when they were arrested. The next largest age group with the most arrests were between ages 23 and 26, followed by those between 15 and 18, according to the data.
The greatest number of DACA requesters arrested were citizens of Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Brazil and Peru.
The greatest number of arrests and the greatest number of DACA requesters arrested by their last known state of residency were in the same three states: California, Texas and Illinois.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, if DACA recipients “knowingly misrepresent information, or knowingly fail to disclose facts, in an effort to obtain DACA or work authorization through this process,” they “will be subject to criminal prosecution or removal from the United States or both.”
According to CIS, DACA is not granted to those who’ve been convicted of a felony, a significant misdemeanor or three or more other misdemeanors, or who pose a threat to national security or public safety.
Common Sense Institute Releases New Analysis of Colorado’s Fentanyl Problem
Enough fentanyl seized in Colorado in 2023 to kill every Coloradan 36 times over Denver, CO – Today, Common Sense Institute (CSI) released a new study examining the cost of fentanyl in the state.
Authored by CSI Owens-Early Criminal Justice Fellow Mitch Morrissey and CSI Chief Economist Dr. Steven Byers, Colorado’s Fentanyl Problem and the Economic Costs, finds in 2023 enough fentanyl was seized in Colorado to kill every Coloradan 36 times over.
“The magnitude of this issue is staggering,” said Morrissey.
According to the study, nationally, over 150 people die every day from overdoses related to synthetic opioids like fentanyl. In Colorado, on average, approximately 3 people die every day from synthetic opiods.
“Everyone has a family member, neighbor or friend who has been impacted. The cost in dollars, $16 billion, is outweighed by the human toll,” continued Morrissey.
Key Insights:
• The total cost of fentanyl-related overdose deaths in Colorado is estimated to be $16 billion in 2023. This is over ten times the cost of fentanyl overdose from 2017, $1.3 billion.
o For reference, the state of Colorado collected $15.9 billion from state taxes in 2019.
o $16 billion represents 3% of Colorado’s GDP in 2023.
• In 2023, there were over 1,200 drug overdose deaths from fentanyl, 59% of which resulted from illegally manufactured fentanyl. This is approximately three deaths per day on average.
o This is more than the number of people killed in homicides in Colorado in 2021, 2022, and 2023 combined (1,146).
• The DEA’s Rocky Mountain Field Division seized a record 425.6 kilograms of fentanyl in 2023, enough to kill every Coloradan 36 times.
• Opioid-based drug overdose deaths are 72.3% of all drug overdose deaths in Colorado, a 30.3 percentage point increase from 42% in 2020.
• The number of reported narcotic seizures by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation has increased 104.4% from 3,367 in 2008 to 7,434 in 2023.
• The quantity (dosage units) of narcotics seized has increased 5,144% from 4,044 units in 2008 to 212,077 units in 2023.
• In 2023, there were over 1,200 drug overdose deaths from fentanyl, 59% of which resulted from illegally manufactured fentanyl. This is approximately three deaths per day on average.
o This is more than the number of people killed in homicides in Colorado in 2021, 2022, and 2023 combined (1,146).
Summer Happenings at Aims Community College
GREELEY, CO – May 30, 2024 – Aims Community College invites the community to our public events. Join us for these upcoming events on Aims campuses. Events are free unless otherwise noted.
Greeley Pride | June 8 | noon-6 p.m. | Welcome Center | Greeley Campus
Celebrate the local LGBTQ+ community. Enjoy food, entertainment, vendor booths, workshops and more. This event is co-sponsored by the Campus Activities Programming Board, Student Government, and Student Life Department of Aims Community College.
Patton Veterans Project Film Screening | June 13 | 6 p.m. | Welcome Center| Greeley Campus
The Patton Veterans Project (PVP) is hosting a community screening to premiere several short films created by area veterans at its film workshop at Aims in May. Servicemen and women worked together at the workshops to make short films about meaningful service experiences. The free screening, which is open to all, will be followed by a meet-and-greet reception for the veterans and guests. Light snacks and beverages will be served.
Led by Benjamin Patton (grandson of WWII’s General George S. Patton) and a team of professional film instructors, PVP’s three-day “I Was There Film Workshop” helped veterans learn a new skill while working with fellow vets. These short films help their families and community members connect and better understand one another.
In-Person Windsor Campus Tour - Public Safety Programs | June 19 |
4-5:30 p.m. | Public Safety Institute | Windsor Campus
Join us for an in-person tour of our Windsor Campus focusing on public safety programs. This tour is open for prospective students (and their families) to participate. These are walking tours, so please bring comfortable shoes and dress for the weather as we give tours rain or shine. Registration is required.
Dude Dad | June 21 | Doors open at 7 p.m. - Show begins at 8 p.m. | Welcome Center Miller Auditorium | Greeley Campus | $35-$45
Dude Dad brings his “On Thin Ice” comedy tour to Aims. Taylor Calmus, aka ‘Dude Dad,’ is a Colorado-based video creator who has become a viral sensation through his comedy videos. A father of four kids and a husband to his wife, Heidi, Taylor taps into the relatability of parenthood to help parents laugh at their own struggles.
Let’s Bike Day | June 26 | 7-10 a.m. | Greeley Campus
It’s time to tune up your bike and get ready for the annual Let’s Bike Day (formally called Bike to Work Day) event. Cyclists of all ages and abilities are encouraged to bike wherever they can and participate in the festivities. Aims Community College hosts a breakfast station at the 16th Street and 47th Avenue entrance.
Aims Car Show | July 13 | 8 am.-2 p.m.| Windsor Campus
Rev up your engines and join us for an unforgettable day of classic cars, live music, and family fun at the Aims Car Show in Windsor. Whether you’re a die-hard gearhead or appreciate the beauty of a well-maintained ride, this event is not to be missed. Vehicle entry and event attendance are free.
Aims Aviation Day | September 14 | 8 a.m.-5 p.m. | Loveland Flight Training Center
This free, fun and family-friendly event features demonstrations from the Aims Aviation Program, games and activities for the entire family. Attendees can also experience the new Aims mobile aviation lab, which includes virtual reality flight simulators, air traffic control simulation, drones, STEM-related activities, and more. Aims Aviation Day offers flights between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. Airplane rides are available on a first-come, first-served basis; proceeds fund scholarships for future Aims aviation students. New this year is live music and a beer garden. The Burroughs will provide live music in the afternoon. These features are available from 2:30 p.m. until 5 p.m. Food trucks with snacks and refreshments will be at the event.
The Great Aardvark Embark | September 28 | 6:30 - 8 a.m. | Greeley Campus
Come to Aims bright and early for a magical sunrise event. Everyone is welcome to enjoy watching as professional pilots from Colorado Balloon Club set up, inflate and launch during this seventh annual Great Aardvark Embark. The event field opens to the public at 6:30 a.m. Balloons are estimated to launch between 7 and 7:30 a.m.
Does Colorado Limit How Much Rainwater You Can Collect?
The Colorado Sun partners with Gigafact to check trending claims by Justin George, The Colorado Sun
(Provided by Gigafact.)
Colorado allows rainwater collection on private property but limits who can collect it, how much they can collect and how it can be used, according to the Colorado Division of Water Resources.
You cannot collect water if you live in an apartment or condominium building with more than four units. You can own up to two rain barrels to catch water, but cannot store more than 110 gallons at a time. Lids are required to prevent mosquitoes from breeding.
Collected water can only be used for “outside” purposes such as lawn and garden maintenance, car washing, livestock watering and hot tub filling. It cannot be used indoors or as drinking water.
The limited access is actually a significant change from a century-long state prohibition against collecting rainwater. Lawmakers in 2016 changed the state constitution that had ceded all rainwater to Colorado’s water rights holders, many of whom are farmers.
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
The Colorado Sun is a reader-supported news organization that covers Colorado people, places and issues. To sign up for free newsletters, subscribe or learn more, visit ColoradoSun.com
Biden Administration To End Coal Leasing In Powder River Basin
BLM decision will keep nearly 6 billion tons of highly polluting coal in the ground Gillette, WY – The Biden administration announced today that it will end coal leasing in the Powder River Basin – the largest coal-producing region in the United States. The decision represents an historic shift in federal management of coal in the region, recognizing that the market has shifted away from coal as an electricity source as states and energy-consuming companies seek out cleaner and more affordable energy sources.
The Bureau of Land Management released a final environmental impact statement for two Powder River Basin resource management plans (here and here), finding that there would be significant impacts to our climate, human health, and the environment from continuing to lease the region’s coal. BLM selected a “no future coal leasing alternative,” through which existing mines can develop already-leased reserves but cannot expand with publicly-owned coal reserves.
“This decision opens new doors to a future where our public lands are not sacrificed for fossil fuel profits and, instead, can prove a bulwark of ecological and community resilience in the face of a warming climate,” said Erik Schlenker-Goodrich, executive director of the Western Environmental Law Center. “We are so pleased to see the Biden administration take this critical step in our shared fight to protect public lands and the climate. And remember: this step that would not have been possible without the persistent, decades-long hard work of our Wyoming partner groups.”
“Coal has powered our nation for many decades, but technology, economics and markets are changing radically. BLM’s announcement recognizes that coal’s era is ending, and it’s time to focus on supporting our communities through the transition away from coal, investing in workers, and moving to heal our lands, waters and climate as we enter a bright clean energy future,” said Paula Antoine, Western Organization of Resource Councils Board Chair, from Winner, South Dakota.
“As someone who lives near some of the largest coal mines in the nation, I’m thankful for the leadership from the BLM in finally addressing the long-standing negative impacts that federal coal leasing has had on the Powder River Basin,” said Lynne Huskinson, retired coal miner and board member of Powder River Basin Resource Council and Western Organization of Resource Councils from Gillette, WY. “For decades, mining has affected public health, our local land, air, and water, and the global climate. We look forward to BLM working with state and local partners to ensure a just economic transition for the Powder River Basin as we move toward a clean energy future.”
“The BLM released a common sense plan that simply reflects the reality of today’s coal markets,” said Mark Fix, a Miles City, MT rancher and member of Northern Plains Resource Council. “Coal companies in this region already have decades of coal locked up in leasing, and it’s hard to imagine they’ll find buyers that far into the future given the competition from more affordable energy sources. This plan protects taxpayers from wasting publicly-owned resources on lowball leases to subsidize an industry in decline. It’s time we take a clear-eyed look at the future and start investing in a transition away from coal.”
In 2022, in response to a challenge from conservation groups, a federal judge found that the two resource management plans failed to address the public health consequences of allowing massive amounts of coal, oil, and gas production from public lands and minerals in the Powder River Basin, including approximately 6 billion tons of low-grade, highly polluting coal over 20 years. The court ordered BLM to redo its environmental analysis.
In the ruling, U.S. District Judge Brian Morris found that BLM failed to comply with a previous court order directing the agency to account for the environmental and human health impacts of burning publicly owned coal. The judge also held that BLM failed to consider alternatives that would limit or end new coal leasing in the Powder River Basin in violation of the National Environmental Policy Act.
“People, businesses, and entire industries are feeling the effects of the climate crisis now and are overwhelmingly supportive of renewable energy as a cleaner, cheaper alternative to fossil fuels,” said David Merrill, senior field organizer at Montana Sierra Club. “This will signal a major turning point where the public’s best interest – and what’s best for our collective future – is at the heart of land-use decisions instead of a status quo where public lands are sold off to the highest bidder.”
The Powder River Basin is the largest single-source of carbon dioxide pollution in the nation, with almost all of the coal mined in the region used for electricity production. More than 43% of all coal produced in the U.S., and more than 85% of all federal coal produced in the U.S., comes from the Powder River Basin, which stretches more than 13 million acres across Montana and Wyoming. Coal production has already fallen sharply this year following a mild winter and increased competition from other energy sources, and has been on a downward trajectory since peak regional production in 2008. The BLM’s decision follows numerous company bankruptcies and coal mine closure announcements, and currently only a handful of coal lease applications are pending in the region – all of which have been delayed for years based on company requests.
“This is a monumental decision that will save lives, safeguard our environment, and significantly cut carbon emissions in the United States,” said Drew Caputo, vice president of litigation for lands, wildlife, and oceans at Earthjustice. “For years, conservation groups have litigated to get to this point – arguing that the federal government cannot simply lease away our public lands to coal companies while ignoring the impacts to public health. We are grateful that the Biden administration has shown the courage to end coal leasing in the Powder River Basin and at long last turn the page on this climate-destroying fuel.”
“This is what leadership on climate and energy looks like,” said Jeremy Nichols, senior advocate with the Center for Biological Diversity. “We applaud the Interior Department in recognizing our future shouldn’t be saddled with more costly coal, but empowered with clean, affordable energy that safeguards our climate and future generations.”
“The BLM’s decision to end coal leasing is a sea change in the transition to clean energy,” stated Derf Johnson, Deputy Director of the Montana Environmental Information Center. “As we wind down the coal mining in the PRB, there is an immense opportunity to continue growing the clean energy economy.”
Attorneys from Earthjustice, the Western Environmental Law Center, and
Sierra Club represented the Western Organization of Resource Councils, Montana Environmental Information Center, Powder River Basin Resource Council, Northern Plains Resource Council, Center for Biological Diversity, WildEarth Guardians, and Sierra Club in the legal challenge.
Pat’s Adventures
By Pat Lentell. Photos by Pat Lentell
Like to go on weekend adventures? Enjoy touring car museums? I have just the spot for you!
My husband and I heard of this museum in Elizabeth, CO, Rambler Ranch. We decided to go for a visit over the Memorial Day weekend (you have to make reservations on any other weekend). What a treasure we found!
The World-Famous Rambler Ranch is known as one of the largest collections of the Rambler car and other collectible automobiles. Boasting over 250 cars on 60,000 square feet of indoor displays, it also shares vintage appliances, a 1960’s model house replica, a fully functional 1950’s diner and so much more!
We were able to meet Terry Gale, the owner and entrepreneur of this gem of a museum. During an interview with Chancey Bush from The Gazette, he explained his reasoning to this spectacular exhibit, “My job is to save things no one else wants to save”. According to their website, Terry is, “Dedicated to the Preservation & Restoration of NASH, RAMBLER & AMC Automotive History”. Boy does he ever come through with that statement! Terry rolls around the many buildings on his property on his Segway, talking to those that visit, answering questions, taking pictures and pointing out the best places to take pictures. I was so impressed with how well everything is cared for; this man has a passion and it shows.
Please visit www.ramblerranch.com or call 303-324-6750 for more information. Plan ahead so you can make that reservation!
Until our next adventure, Fair Winds and Following Seas!
Patricia Lentell
The Beauty of God & Country LLC
The History of the American Flag- For Kids
by American Flags.com
The American flag is a symbol of the United States’ long history––and it might be much older than you thought! A flag is a very important part of a country’s identity. Some of them are hundreds of years old and are very important to the people who live in that country. Did you know that there are almost 200 independent countries in the world? That’s a lot of flags! Each one is made with its own specific colors and designs. How many flags can you describe?
Are you curious about the history of the American flag and how it came to be? Read on to find out more about how old the flag is, how it has changed, and what it looks like today.
June 14th, 1777
Did you know that America wasn’t always an independent nation? Long before it separated into its own country, America was a part of a British colony. Once America decided to separate from the British colony, then the creation of the flag took place.
When the United States of America was a very young nation, it needed a flag of its own. On June 14th, 1777, a group called the Continental Congress agreed that the United States should have their own flag made. This was a very important step in American history. While the flag has changed over time, it has always been an important symbol for America and its citizens. Read on to learn more about this important piece of history.
The Design
Are you wondering what the first flag looked like in 1777?
In its first year, the flag was designed to have thirteen stripes: red and white stripes, to be exact! The stripes would switch between red and white, with the final design having seven red stripes and six white stripes in between them. (Kind of like a candy cane!)
In the top corner of the flag it was decided that there would be a blue background with thirteen stars, so that it would look like stars in the night sky, which is also known as a constellation. The stars were shaped in a large circle; nowadays, there are too many stars to use that same shape!
The colors of the flag have always been red, white, and blue since its very start. Many of the flags in history have been designed with these three colors, including Great Britain and France. Do you know what the colors mean?
It has been said that the blue in the flag represents a variety of symbols, including grit, freedom, justice, and care. The red coloring stands for revolution, bravery, and toughness, while the white is a symbol for purity, peace, and innocence. The American flag was created with all of these symbols in mind, in order to represent the people who lived in this country.
Between 1777 and 1960, the flag was redesigned to look a different way. As the country has gotten older, it has welcomed new states to join in. When this happened, the American flag would add another star to its design to represent the new state. Do you know how many stars the flag has today?
The answer is 50: just like the number of states now included in the United States.
The flag today has the same 13 stripes to represent the 13 colonies, and 50 stars for all of the states. Very cool! stars for all of the states. Very cool!
The flag has definitely come a long way … let’s take a look at more of the history behind this great flag!
Who Made It?
We are not totally sure where the first American flag came from. It is believed that it was designed by a Congressman of New Jersey by the name of Francis Hopkins, and that it was sewn by a woman named Betsy Ross from Philadelphia.
Since its creation, the American flag has been re-created and sold to millions of people located all over the world! Did you know that the flag is still bought by hundreds of Americans? Just three years ago in 2013, Americans spent almost 4 million dollars on American flags!
(That’s a LOT of flags!)
Rules of the Flag
Because the American flag has been so important to the country’s history, it is always treated with a large amount of respect. It is expected that anyone taking care of an American flag will not let it touch the ground when it is being handled. This makes raising and lowering the flag quite hard. Those who are responsible for the raising and lowering of the flag are trained to do it properly. Do you think you would want to have that responsibility?
When there is a great loss in the country, the American flag may also be lowered to half-mast to show respect to those who have lost their lives or suffered tragedy. The term “half-mast” describes the way a flag sits halfway down a pole. Do you know the routine for raising a flag to half-mast?
Those who are responsible for raising the flag to half-mast must hoist it to the very top
of the pole before lowering it halfway. Similarly, when they are lowering it, they must hoist the flag to the top before lowering it to the ground. Even though it’s a tricky routine, it is very important to make sure it is done properly!
Once a flag is lowered, it must be folded into a specific triangular shape to rest in for the night. Families of fallen American soldiers receive folded flags as a sign of respect for the hard work the soldier has done for his or her country.
Nicknames in History
Do you have any nicknames that your family members or friends have given you? These nicknames are special, because they are created by people who know you well, and who see you in a certain way. Just like you, the American flag has its nicknames, as well.
One of its oldest nicknames is “Old Glory,” which was given to an American flag that was very big––10 feet by 17 feet, to be exact! The flag was given its nickname by its owner, who was named William Drive, and who was a captain at sea. The nickname stuck, and people still use the nickname today. The flag is also commonly referred to as the “Stars and Stripes,” named after the design on the flag.
National Anthem
Do you know all of the words to the American National Anthem? Many people start and finish their day standing at attention to this important song, and it’s important that we show respect and stand when it is being played.
Have you ever wondered where the song came from? The song was written by a poet named Francis Scott Key. He was inspired to write the song when he saw the American flag flying over Baltimore’s Fort McHenry. Even though there was a battle going on, the flag remained unharmed, and the poet wanted to write a song about it. As a result, “The StarSpangled Banner” was created!
If you still need to work on your national anthem singing, check out these lyrics to help you get all of the words down perfectly … and don’t forget to take off your hat!
The American flag has since become a very experienced traveler, with lots of individuals carrying the flag with them on trips all over the Earth, and beyond. In 1909, Robert Peary traveled to the North Pole, where he happily set into the ice an American flag that was sewn by his wife. In 1963, another famous traveler by the name of Barry Bishop carried an American flag with him to the top of Mount Everest! Mount Everest is the largest mountain on the planet Earth, and Bishop set his flag proudly into its peak when he finally made it up there.
Did you know that the American flag has even made it into space? It’s true! In 1969, astronaut Neil Armstrong packed an American flag with him when his team flew their rocket to Earth’s moon! This was a very important moment for Americans everywhere. Many countries had been trying to become the first country to make it to the moon, but American astronauts were able to complete the trip first.
Do you know the famous quote Neil Armstrong said when he took the first human steps on the moon? They were, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” How cool is that? Where do you think the American flag will end up next?
The
Fourth of July
The Fourth of July is a very special day. Did you know that it is the birthday of the United States? Many people celebrate the day by wearing and showing off the red, white, and blue colors of the flag, and many people enjoy food, fireworks, and fun to celebrate this great country!
While the Fourth of July is very wellknown for being America’s birthday, a new date began to take significance in the year 1885. A school teacher by the name of BJ Cigrand decided that on June 14th he and his students would celebrate “Flag Day” or “Flag Birthday,” in celebration of the American flag being created 108 years earlier.
The History of the American Flag- For Kids continued on page 12...
1900s
The History of the American Flag- For Kids
continued from page 11...
After that special day, many more people started to take notice of the celebration and wanted to be a part of it.
Within the next ten years, many people started to put together celebrations for Flag Day on June 14th. On June 14th 1891, the Betsy Ross House in Philadelphia put on celebrations for Flag Day, and in the following years many more organizations started to celebrate the special day as well.
One of the largest celebrations of Flag Day took place in 1894, when the first children’s public school celebrations for Flag Day took place. There were more than 300,000 kids who took part in the events! There were lots of different speeches, and songs to sing, and children were given small American flags to take home.
Being Respectful
On May 30th 1916, Flag Day was officially established by the proclamation of President Woodrow Wilson. It was a great day for Americans, because they could finally have a day to celebrate their country’s flag and all of the important things it represented! To make it official, President Truman signed an Act of Congress that stated June 14th would now always be National Flag Day for everyone to enjoy!
Do you celebrate National Flag Day?
It’s always a great practice to show off your country’s flag and to be proud of where you come from. There are so many things you can wear to show your pride, including patriotic hats, t-shirts, pins, and more! However, it is important to remember, if you have an American flag, that you must always display it in the appropriate manner.
Throughout its history, the American flag has always been meant to be hoisted on a pole and fly freely. The flag is not meant to be worn, re-designed, or reshaped for any reason! If you are celebrating America’s birthday or National Flag Day, make sure to show respect for the flag and display it in the proper manner.
A flag is a very important symbol for any person or country. A flag can represent what an individual values and what is important to them. The American flag has gone through a lot of changes since its creation in 1777, but it is still one of the most important symbols for the country.
If you want to start celebrating National Flag Day for the American flag, you can always start your own event at school or at home. There are lots of things you can do, including baking some flag-themed foods or wearing red, blue, and white. Use what you’ve learned today to help teach others about the history of the American flag, and to spread awareness of how the flag has changed over time.
If you could use any shapes or colors, what would your flag look like if you designed your own?
What’s Working: Why Colorado could start attracting more filmmakers
Incentives could also provide steady employment for industry. Plus: What other states like Georgia pay, entrepreneur Polis, around $225 million available in small business loans, more!
by Parker Yamasaki and Tamara Chuang, The Colorado Sun
Sheila Traister got her start acting in commercials in the late 1980s when, she said, Colorado was in the middle of a filmmaking boom. But by the late 1990s the local work started to dry up, and Traister started traveling more.
“For somebody like me, the majority of my work takes place out of state now,” Traister said. “So I will spend anywhere from 20% to 40% of what I make on a job to do the job.”
Last week Gov. Jared Polis signed House Bill 1358, which expands a tax incentive credit for film, TV and commercial productions that want to shoot in Colorado. The bill allocates $5 million per year over the next four years to spend on refundable tax credits for productions filming in Colorado.
A 2022 legislative task force study reported that since Colorado began offering film incentives in 2012 (which, before last year, were distributed as cash rebates), the state spent $30 million over the decade, or roughly $3 million annually. The Colorado Office of Film, TV and Media reported $182.8 million in actual and predicted production spending and 6,023 cast and crew hires during that time.
The assumption of the incentive is that film productions can be a huge financial boon for local businesses.
In 2022, New Mexico reported a 660% increase in direct spending from the film and television industry in their rural regions — up to nearly $50 million from $6.5 million in 2021. The state has since increased its tax incentive bump to 10% from 5% for productions that film outside of the Santa Fe-Albuquerque corridor.
Colorado is hoping to see similar gains, with additional incentives for productions that use local infrastructure, and film in rural regions or marginalized urban areas.
But bringing in more film productions can also benefit Colorado in a qualitative way, by creating clearer professional pathways for creatives who live, and hope to work, in the state.
“It’s harder to gain experience when you don’t have opportunities to mingle with people at a higher level than you are professionally, or be on their crew or shadow them,” said Micah Baird, an independent filmmaker based in Fort Collins.
“It’s the same thing even for people a level or two above me,” he said. “Like, there’s not a lot of people who start excelling here —they move to California or are constantly traveling to where there is another level of opportunity, and where the whole infrastructure is there already.”
So what does House Bill 1358 do?
In short, the bill lengthens the amount of time that refundable tax credits will be available — to four years from one — and removes a condition that states the credit was only available when state revenues exceed state spending by at least $50 million.
The extension of the credit helps in three major ways. First, it allows film production companies to plan out projects years in advance, which is common practice for bigger productions.
“We can’t just say here’s a ‘maybe’ for projects that want to come here. Productions shy away from Colorado because of that reason,” said Bryant Preston, president of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Local 7.
The multi-year guarantee will also help lure in episodic productions like TV shows, which distribute economic impact over multiple years, and won’t gobble up the $5 million credit in one fell swoop.
Finally, it creates a runway to build up Colorado’s film industry infrastructure. Some of that infrastructure is physical, like sound stages. But some of it is professional, like internships and shadowing opportunities.
“All the money and resources invested into state education, just to have those students graduate and leave the state. Or they leave right after high school because they know there are no internships of real consequence to be had in Colorado,” said Traister, who created an acting department at the Colorado Film School 25 years ago. Baird, the filmmaker in Fort Collins, feels rooted in Colorado. “I think we just need infrastructure in general, like a path for people, and students, that gives them the opportunity to stay and work.”
38 states have incentives
The way that film locations are chosen has changed drastically over the past two decades.
“It used to be that if they needed the mountains like we have, films came here. If they needed the beach, they went to Florida or California. If they needed skyscrapers, they’d go to New York City. If they wanted plains and plateaus, they’d go to the Midwest,” Traister said.
But since roughly 2002, when Louisiana became the first state to aggressively ramp up its film tax incentive program, locations have been almost entirely incentivedriven. For example, as the New York Times quipped, when Michigan unwound its once-robust film incentives, it lost out on the filming of “Detroit,” which ended up being filmed in Boston.
Thirty-eight states now have allocated tax incentives for film productions; five states introduced those incentives in the past two years, and two states —Michigan and Wisconsin — are working to reinstate their abandoned programs.
Georgia’s $5 billion in incentives
And then there’s Georgia.
Since Georgia started its film tax incentive program in 2005, the state has doled out nearly $5 billion in incentives. Those investments have proven fruitful, but they’ve also put a target on Atlanta’s back.
“I kept seeing films that said they were based in Colorado that weren’t. They had our mountain ranges wrong, and at the end of it, was that damn Georgia peach,” said Rep. Leslie Herod, one of the bill’s sponsors, at the bill’s signing event. “And if you guys have heard me speak about film, you know how much I can’t stand that peach. Because quite frankly it should be our beautiful Rockies.”
For what it’s worth, the Georgia film commission offers an additional 10% credit on the 20% base tax credit if films embed that ubiquitous peach logo in their end credits.
But Georgia’s program, successful as it has been, might be a little too pie-in-thesky for Colorado’s current film industry. Even our neighbor New Mexico’s incentives, which will increase from $110 million in payouts to $160 million over the next four years, are hard to compete with at this time.
Preston said Colorado should be competing with our other neighbors —Utah, Wyoming and Oklahoma. (Two sources brought up the fact that the hit show “Yellowstone,” supposedly based on a ranch in Montana, was shot in Utah.)
Incentives success and skepticism
To be clear, film tax incentives have not proven to be cure-alls for ailing economies. Some states, like California, Pennsylvania and Virginia, have reported that their programs either didn’t make a huge difference for productions’ decisions to shoot there (California) or had a negligible impact compared to other industry-specific incentives.
But those states have kept their film tax incentives propped up one way or another, acknowledging that even if the return on investment wasn’t quite as stunning as they’d hoped — Pennsylvania reported a 13.1 cent return for each tax credit dollar spent —they all still created a net positive.
A 2023 audit of Georgia’s film tax credit addressed skepticism about whether the state was really seeing a substantial return on investment when comparing tax dollars in versus tax dollars out, but did conclude that the tax credit “induces substantial economic activity.”
“When you incentivize the film industry, that impact reaches just about every business you could possibly think of,” Traister said. “If you’ve got a three-week film shoot or a six-month TV series, those people are living here. They’re going to our theaters now, our museums, our restaurants, our zoos, our city parks. They’re gonna go to Garden of the Gods and Aspen and Snowmass, and it just goes on and on and on.”
The Colorado Sun is a reader-supported news organization that covers Colorado people, places and issues. To sign up for free newsletters, subscribe or learn more, visit ColoradoSun.com
Numerous Citizen-Led Initiatives Working For A Spot On Colorado’s November Ballot
by Sherrie Peif,
Complete Colorado Page 2
DENVER — Colorado is one of just 21 states that allow citizens’ ballot initiatives to change state statute or amend the state Constitution, and one of just 14 states allow that allow for direct initiatives, meaning the state’s legislature does not have to confirm the statute.
Nearly every election year there are a handful of measures for voters to decide, while other efforts never make it to the ballot. This year is no exception, with a huge number of initiatives at various stages of the process, including many being challenged to the Colorado Supreme Court.
There are measures to guarantee abortion rights in the state’s Constitution (while another, that did not gather enough signatures would have banned abortion entirely). Other measures would reduce property taxes, change the way candidates get on the ballot, change the number of days in the legislative session, ban the hunting of mountain lions, and change the way law enforcement is funded, among many other things.
An avalanche of initiatives
According to the Secretary of State’s Office, there are 20 ballot measures that are: already on the ballot (2), currently having signatures counted (1), or are approved for signature gathering (17). Additionally, there are another 19 that are tied up in litigation in the Colorado Supreme court, and 35 that are in the process of having the title set. Another 62 were refused titles, 54 that were withdrawn, and 25 that have expired — 215 total.
Not all the initiatives that made their way in front of the title board are unique. Many are near-mirror images of others with only small differences that sponsors either changed their mind about or will decide in the future which version to circulate after all other requirements for an initiative are met.
That is nearly double over the 2021-2022 election cycle, when there were just 114 and still more than in 2019-2020, when there were 192. The number of citizen-initiated measures is always higher in an even-numbered election year because in odd years, initiatives can only be Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR) related.
Perhaps even more interesting is that of all those initiatives there were 116 duplicates in 2019-2020 (or just 76 unique measures) compared to 78 duplicates this year (or 137 unique measures), and a majority of initiatives this year address changes to bills passed by the legislature or remakes of initiatives that were killed by the legislature.
While most of the measures are changes to state statute, which require 124,238 valid signatures from registered voters, there are a handful of constitutional changes, which not only require the same number of signatures, but also requires that at least 2 percent of that number be collected in each of Colorado’s senate districts, and if it makes the ballot, must pass by at least 55 percent of the voters.
Working towards the ballot
One of the two measures that have already made this year’s ballot is a constitutional amendment that would cap an increase in property tax revenue spending to 4 percent without voter approval and the other is a statute that would require an economic impact statement to be placed on all ballot initiatives, outlining any impact the measure would have on such things as employment, local and state revenues, and the state’s GDP.
Another constitutional amendment that would guarantee a woman’s ability to obtain an abortion is currently in the signature verification process.
According to ABC News, Coloradans for Protecting Reproductive Freedom coalition, said its group collected over 225,000 signatures, 100,000 more than needed to make the threshold. Whether the group met the 2 percent requirement from each senate district is unknown.
Others that are preparing to gather signatures or are tied up in court have already created controversy, while already raising hundreds of thousands in donations.
Initiative 91, would bar what the measure refers to as the “trophy hunting” of mountain lions—along with bobcats or lynx–in Colorado but includes language that appears in practice to outright ban hunting of mountain lions entirely in Colorado— despite laws on the books that already tightly regulate and protect the species.
Although the group behind the effort, “Cats Aren’t Trophies” have yet to turn in their petitions and get confirmation from the Secretary of State that the measure will make the ballot, it has already raised more than $500,000, most of which has poured in from out of state (with $233,000 of that coming in the form of non-monetary, consultation donations from Animal Wellness Action and Center for a Human Economy).
A second group opposing the effort has also started raising money in expectation of the measure making the ballot. As of the May 6 reporting period Colorado’s Wildlife Deserve Better had raised nearly $300,000 in cash donations. About two-thirds came from Colorado donors. The group did get a $100,000 out-of-state donation from Missoula, Mt. However, it came from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, an organization formed in 1984 to look after the elk population and “the habitat it needs to thrive” across the entire Rocky Mountain region.
Two other initiatives currently pending before the Colorado Supreme Court take a direct hit at Democrat lawmakers who pushed through a bill that would raise nearly $87 million over two years by adding a $3 “congestion impact fee” on rental vehicles.
One defines the term “fee” as it is used under the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights and requires voter approval for all new fees, and a second one that would require new fees for use on public transportation be collected only in the areas served by the transit system they benefit.
According to Colorado Public Radio the two constitutional amendments were put forward by the American Car Rental Association.
“We have taken this step simply because the elected officials of Colorado, in the legislature and in the governor’s mansion, simply have ignored what we consider to be the very strong arguments ACRA has put forward against the current rental fee that’s being proposed,” Gregory Scott, spokesperson for the association told CPR.
A spokesman for Gov. Jared Polis told CPR the ballot measures are reckless attempts by out of state special interest organizations, despite the fact Polis himself has accepted millions of dollars in out of state money supporting both his campaigns, including a single donation of $900,000 in 2020 from the Sixteen Thirty fund, a far-left Washington D.C. based non-profit that poured more than $11 million into Colorado ballot issues and candidates in 2018.
Sixteen Thirty also nearly singlehandedly (nearly $3 million) footed the bill in 2020 for the paid family medical leave measure, which Polis openly supported and campaigned for.
Two other measures that would change the way transitioning K-12 students are treated and prohibit boys from participating in girls sports have been granted title and are currently gathering signatures.
Initiative 142 would require educators to notify parents if they become aware that their child plans to transition to a different gender. The measure was challenged in the Colorado Supreme Court, claiming the initiative contained more than one subject. However, the court upheld the decision of the title board.
Initiative 160 would ban minors from participating in any sport for any gender other than that assigned at birth, including public recreation, club and interscholastic. Initiative 160 was also challenged in the Colorado Supreme Court and also upheld. Complete Colorado will continue to follow all possible and final approved citizeninitiated measures on the 2024 ballot.
by Jon Caldara, President of the Independence Institute, Complete Colorado Page 2 Politics has the best euphemisms.
“Undocumented residents” are illegal aliens. “Investing in children” is a tax increase. “Celebrating diversity” is racial quotas. “Currently experiencing homelessness” is, well you know.
It’s “I want to spend more time with my family,” not “What hooker?”
And “racist” is someone who agrees with Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision of a colorblind society.
But the best euphemisms come from the anti-Second Amendment crowd. They use “reduce gun violence,” not the truthful “disarm the law-abiding.” And why reduce just gun violence, not all violence? Don’t go down that road, you’ll find yourself asking the Black Lives Matter/all lives matter question and you’ll be a racist. See above.
I never heard their most recent term, “ghost gun,” until Biden was told to use it. Ghost gun is almost as scary as “assault weapon,” the greatest marketing term created to frighten people who know little about guns. Ask the average person to define an “assault weapon” and you find its like defining pornography. They only know it when they see it.
And the euphemism “the gun lobby” means the NRA, made of about 5 million people, like me, giving bits of money. Whereas the “disarming the law-abiding” lobby is largely one uberbillionaire, Michael Bloomberg, who funds an intersectionality of gunphobic organizations (Yes! Used the woke word “intersectionality”!).
Bloomberg bought himself a wildly successful Colorado legislative session, passing eight bills to hassle legal gun owners and nothing to punish gun criminals. In fact, they refused to pass the only gun bill directed at criminals.
House Bill 1162 would have made the theft of a gun a Class 6 felony, and subsequent thefts a Class 5 felony. This was aimed squarely at criminals, otherwise known as the non-law-abiding, aka, the guys who bring guns into the black market. It died in committee on a party-line vote
These following Democrat state reps who proudly advertise they are working to “reduce gun violence,” including limiting ghost guns and “assault weapons,” by “taking on the gun lobby” didn’t want to punish gun criminals: Reps. Garcia, Herod, Mabrey, Woodrow, Bacon, and Weissman.
Pardon the redundancy coming up.
The legislature passed and the governor signed a bill making it harder for lawabiding people to transport their guns in their cars, leaving them vulnerable if they need access to their firearms. But they voted down a bill to make stealing guns a felony.
The legislature passed and the governor signed a bill to make it harder and more expensive for law-abiding people to get a concealed weapons permit, even though those with such permits have been exemplary citizens, committing no crimes with guns. But they voted down a bill to make stealing guns a felony.
They passed and signed a bill to limit the places where people who have a concealed weapons permit can carry a gun to protect themselves from, oh, I don’t know, maybe a criminal who stole a gun, while they voted down a bill to make stealing guns a felony.
They passed a bill to require federally licensed firearm dealers to spend gobs money and paperwork to get a redundant license from the state of Colorado. The cost will be passed on to customers. And poorer customers, mostly people of color, might be priced out of self-defense. Criminals who steal guns do little paperwork, so they voted down a bill to make stealing guns a felony.
They passed a bill to authorize and fund the Colorado Bureau of Investigation to hassle legal gun dealers, like the federal ATF does, instead of spending that money keeping criminals, maybe gun thieves, behind bars. Good thing they voted down a bill to make stealing a gun a felony.
They passed a bill to force credit card companies to gather information on who legally buys guns and ammunition, ripping away privacy to create a backdoor registration scheme. And they voted down a bill to make stealing a gun a felony.
And they passed a bill seeking a 6.5% sales tax on guns and ammunition (above the already hefty 11% national sales tax), again making self-defense harder to purchase for poorer citizens, people of color, the euphemism for “Black and Brown people.”
Does anyone else find it curious that the gun-taking lobby “reduces gun violence” only by punishing the law-abiding?
Jon Caldara is president of the Independence Institute, a free market think tank in Denver.
- ObituaryRay Harmon Baldwin
Ray Harmon Baldwin was born on July 30, 1934, in Imperial, Nebraska to Perry Harmon and Eva Lily (Surber) Baldwin. He attended several different schools grades 1 through 8 and then completed 4 years at Chase County High School where he graduated in 1952. On August 16, 1953, he married Doris Spady and ranched with his grandfather and father until he was drafted into the army in 1956. In 1958 he returned to Chase County to find that the ranch had been sold. He and Doris then moved to Sterling, Colorado where they built a new house and he worked at Phillips 66 and as an appliance dealer. During his 13 years in Sterling, they adopted three beautiful babies, and he participated in a country swing band. In 1972 the family moved to Arvada, Colorado where Ray worked for General Electric and retired after 23 years. In 1995 Ray and Doris moved to Hudson, Colorado where they built a new house with a large building with a woodshop where he spent many hours building many projects for Doris, grandchildren, other family members and friends.
Fishing, camping and traveling in their motorhome was a passion that he and Doris shared. With the loss of his wife on May 19, 2014, life was very different for several years, but the good Lord gave him a second wife, Jennifer Nancy Sciumbato. They got married on January 29, 2018, in Hudson, Colorado. He truly felt he had a blessed life with no regrets. He had many, many wonderful memories and a host of friends, and to all he said, “we’ll see ya over there”.
Ray passed away on Friday, June 7, 2024, at his home in Hudson. Ray was 89 years old.
Ray is survived by his wife Jennifer Sciumbato; children, Michael (Dawnene) Baldwin of Thornton, Douglas (Deena) Baldwin of Frederick and Denise (Noel) Huff of Arvada; Grandchildren, Amber (Bobby) Reese of Loveland, David (Jennifer) Baldwin of Firestone, Nash (Taylor) Baldwin of Belgrade, MT, and Dori (Parker) Jacobs of Frederick; Great-Grandchildren Chloe, Taylor, Jeffery, Morgan, Addilyn, Haliegh, Hazelee, Hudson, Decker, Lander and Alessi; sister, Jean Johnson and many nieces and nephews.
A graveside service will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Monday June 17, 2024, at Mount Hope Cemetery in Imperial, Nebraska with Rev. Brian Loy officiating. A memorial service and reception will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Monday July 1, 2024 at First Baptist Church in Hudson, Colorado.
Ben’s Brick Oven Pizza Car Show 2024 In Hudson, Colorado by Lost Creek Guide, photographer Pat Lentell
Ben’s Brick Oven Pizza Car Show 2024 In
Hudson, Colorado
by Lost Creek Guide, photographer Pat Lentell
Ben’s Brick Oven Pizza 2024 car show was very well attended. Music performed by Atomic Drifters. Great turn out! Category winners were:
Most Dilapidated: Justin Stadler, Ford Truck, 1940
