Colorado Says Yes to Tax Hike and to TABOR Raid

Chris deGruy Kennedy, president/CEO of the Bell Policy Center and one of the leaders of the Protect Colorado's Future campaign to pass Amendment 87, speaks while supporters celebrate behind him at an event on Thursday.

Major tax and spending propositions passed. As I blogged in September, “Not since the 1992 and historic TABOR Amendment has there been a more important spending proposition” on the ballot.

The left’s graduated income tax amendment was close but voters approved a legislative proposal to shift of TABOR refunds to education by 14 points. They rejected a flat tax guarantee and said yes to shifting retail sports tax revenue to conservation. Front Range voters in affected counties approved a sales tax for rail by 55%.

The graduated income tax got the most attention and opposition from the Governor and governor-elect. Proposition NN will also move massive amounts of money as it shifts TABOR refunds to education. Confining the TABOR tax limitation amendment has been a longtime goal of the left. The Blue Wave gave them the opportunity.

RELATED:
Colorado Ballot Leans Right on Culture and Left on Taxes Sep 14, 2026

Colorado Democrats Add Three House Seats-Boebert Out

LEFT: U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert. (Photo by Shaun Stanley/Special to The Denver Post) | RIGHT: Eileen Laubacher, the Democratic nominee in Colorado’s 4th Congressional District in the 2026 election. (Campaign handout)

When President Trump’s approval dropped below 40% in September, I blogged, “Can Democrats Go For Eight?” Clerks are still counting but Democrats add three new seats (Laubacher, Killian, Rutinel). The 4th CD of Boebert has just been called and now the delegation is 7 Democrats and 1 Republican. Jeff Hurd, the only Republican left, won the 3rd. The massive wave even helped Democratic incumbents run ahead of their 2024 vote totals in all four of their districts (average of 6 points).

National wave elections have helped Colorado Democrats on several occasions pick up seats. Tim Wirth in post-Watergate, 1974; Jason Crow in Trump’s 2018 midterm debacle. This Democratic wave shifted the 5th district centered in El Paso County, which has never been represented by a Democrat since its founding in 1972. It also helped defeat Lauren Boebert, the controversial Republican congressperson who abandoned the 3rd district in 2024 to adopt the 4th, thinking it was safer -- not this year!

RELATED:
Can Democrats Go for Eight? Sep 2, 2026
Could Boebert be Beaten? July 24, 2026
Colorado Primary to See New Republican Team June 17, 2024
Will a Change of Scenery save Boebert? Jan 24, 2024

8th District Flips in Landslide

Colorado state Rep. Manny Rutinel, D-Commerce City, answers a question during a debate between Democratic candidates running for Colorado's 8th Congressional District, May 28, 2026, in Greeley, Colo. | Brice Tucker/The Greeley Tribune via AP

Manny Rutinel, in spite of being vulnerable to accusations of seat shopping and being anti-meat consumption while running in Colorado’s biggest cattle processing county, rode the U.S. and Colorado Democratic wave to a landslide 42,000 vote victory.

Propelled by the national anti-Trump sentiment. Rutinel secured the biggest victory either parties’ candidate has won in the newly created district designed as a closely balanced competitive district in 2021. Until this election, the district only moved by 2,500 votes.

RELATED:
Democratic Wave Or Just High Tide Oct 20, 2026
Can Democrats Go for Eight? Sep 2, 2026

Parker Water Pipeline

Platte Valley Water Partnership Map via Parker Water & Sanitation District

In 2021, Ciruli Associates joined with Frank Jaeger, manager, and the engineers and lawyers with Park Water in a long series of trips to Sterling and Logan County to talk water and farming. Jaeger, an entrepreneurial water manager, needed some water rights for environmental requirements for permitting Rueter-Hess Reservoir in Douglas County. But he also saw the long-term benefit with building a relationship with the agricultural community along the Northern Colorado South Platte River. Parker Water built that trust by operating farms without “buy-and-dry”. They supported the community and were a part of the agricultural economy.

Ron Redd, current manager of Parker Water, and Joe Frank, manager of the Lower South Platte Water Conservancy District, built on the relationship to develop a $1.1 billion reservoir and pipeline project that will provide water to Parker, Castle Rock and storage for the northeast farm community. They just received a 2019 water right which will allow permitting and construction to begin as financing is established.

Water development in Colorado takes decades and requires patience. Moving water west toward the metro area is as hard as moving it east over the Continental Divide. Congratulations to Parker Water and the entire team.

Read article:
Pipeline to share water between Parker, Castle Rock and northeastern Colorado farms OK’d in water court Colorado Sun, Oct 30, 2026

Related:
Protecting Colorado’s Water Jan 6, 2022

Picasso at the DAM

"Self-Portrait" and "The Sculptor" by Pablo Picasso. Images: Courtesy of Musée National Picasso-Paris

The Denver Art Museum (DAM) has scored a top showing of one-of-a-kind assemblage of Pablo Picasso work in its only U.S. stop. State and regional residents will have access to one of the “most influential artists of the 20th century”.

Congratulations to Director Christoph Heinrich and his curatorial team for the achievement.

RELATED:
Divas at DAM October 23, 2026

More Independent Voters than Partisans

Election workers prepare ballots at the Denver Elections Division in 2024. Photo: RJ Sangosti/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images

As of Monday, November 2, more than half (1.8 million) of Colorado expected 2.6 to 2.9 million midterm votes have been returned, divided like the state’s registration with 43% from unaffiliated voters, 34% from Democrats and 25% from Republicans. Unaffiliated voters tend to vote late.

Gallup’s latest poll of U.S. adults’ political identification shows they are firmly in the independent camp and at 45%, significantly ahead of both parties (up 5 points since 2016). In the last year, Democrats have added 3 points (30%) and Republican voters lost 2 points (25%).

Colorado voter registration mirrors the U.S. adults’ preferences. Independents labeled unaffiliated in Colorado are half of registered voters with the two parties representing smaller portions of the voter base. Republicans trailing Democrats (25%) with 22% of voters.

Gallup also found that in the last year Republicans have lost their lead with Democrats in favorability with Dems up six points and Republicans down five points (now 43% Dem. to 35% Rep.). Republicans during the last two years of the Trump Administration are seen as too extreme by 59% of U.S. adults versus Democrats at 43%.

Observations

• Republicans approach this midterm handicapped in its image largely due to the second term of the Trump administration. Democrats in their opposition have overcome some of their bad image from the Biden/Harris term.
• Colorado politics is becoming more unpredictable with each party shrinking and primaries where independents can participate. The Trump decade has been difficult for Colorado Republicans. Both parties are more extreme in their nomination process but Republicans more so.

RELATED:
The 2026 Primary Turnout About Average Jul 21, 2026
Record Turnout: Unaffiliated Voters Beat Partisans Nov 16, 2018
Three Million Voters in 2016 Presidential Election Dec 17, 2014

Major Draught Gets Fort Collins’ Attention: Joins NISP

Glade Rendering, Northern Water

After more than 20 years of opposition to the Northern Integrated Supply Project (NISP), a nearly $3 billion water storage project, Fort Collins has shifted positions and joined. A major draught finally got their attention.

After wasting decades and $50 million in studies for their own project, Halligan, Fort Collins’ water authorities admitted Halligan was never going to pass national environmental reviews to be permitted. The pivot will add significant momentum to NISP with an infusion of funding and a termination of decades of misplaced criticism that delayed and added cost to the project.

Fort Collins voters should remember this embroglio.

RELATED:
NISP Is on the Move Mar 31, 2025
Congratulations to Northern Water Dec 20, 2022
Protecting Colorado’s Water Jan 6, 2022
Will Colorado’s Next Guv Keep Water at Top of Agenda? Jan 29, 2018
Water for Colorado Apr 18, 2017