Polis Issues Record Vetoes in 2025 Session

Gov. Jared Polis signs a bill to ramp up enforcement of wage-theft prohibitions. Photo: Ed Sealover

Colorado Governor Jared Polis issued 11 vetoes during the 2025 legislative session, a record for him, having an average of 4 vetoes per session over his seven years in office.

Generally, he tried to stop his party’s penchant for making it more expensive to live and do business in Colorado for only a small amount of social benefit or benefit for a narrow interest group.

A few of the vetoes:

• Organized labor wants to change Colorado’s historic collective bargaining law that requires a second election to create a union shop.
• Expansive safety measures on rideshare companies (Lyft, Uber, etc.).
• Regulations on medical nutritionists and dieticians.
• Banning algorithms used by landlords to set rent.
• Banning surprise billings for ambulance service.

The legislature has trouble staying focused on the significant state budget deficit, which is likely to get worse in 2026 given the drawdown of federal funding. Where will the next governor be positioned on the regulatory burden and support for the economy?

We Have Got to Get the Numbers

Roughly half of California's farm workers are undocumented immigrants. Photo: ABC News

The deportations are President Trump’s best political issue and the MAGA base, anti-immigrant element are adamant and vocal that it remain the focus. But recently, Trump decided that farm, restaurant, and hotel workers would not be targeted in ICE deportation raids. It’s the prime harvest and tourist season and his business support was not happy. However, within a few hours it appeared ICE did not get the message and the Administration reversed itself.

The President does not appreciate the nickname TACO Trump used by Wall Street traders to describe his on-and-off again tariffs. Trump Always Chickens Out. The penchant of the Administration to avoid public relations and political pain when some of its policies run into heavy headwinds such as a falling stock market or approval ratings.

Earlier in June, the Administration, after issuing a list of more than 500 so-called sanctuary jurisdictions withdrew the designations after it was clear the base criteria for the designations was massively flawed. After designating the State of Colorado and 39 out of 64 counties and 14 cities as sanctuary and not cooperating with ICE enforcement, the DHS began immediately pruning away the obvious mistakes…. Counties on the list complained (many were Republican led) and on June 2, the list was reported as no longer operative and disappeared from DHS’s website.

Clearly, the Administration is trying to get the deportation numbers up, wants to use local police and sheriffs to act as deportation agents, and has considerable confusion concerning the target group. Are they “violent criminal illegal immigrants” or just all “illegal immigrants” including non-criminal, tax-paying workers in important industries. Will the MAGA base and the need for numbers win or the economy and business interests?

We Are On Our Own

At the summer conference of Colorado’s County Commissioners, I gave a presentation on the future of federal funding for local government. The County Commissioners are one of the few groups of elected officials in Colorado that the Republican Party dominates due to the prominence of many smaller and rural counties along with a few larger Republican counties, including Douglas, El Paso, Mesa and Weld.

In general, they support President Trump’s effort to trim the budget and believe there is considerable waste, fraud, and abuse in government programs. However, they, along with their fellow Democratic commissioners, realize the reduction in funding in 2025 and beyond is significant. Since they are responsible for social welfare payments in their jurisdictions as well as some transportation and criminal justice activities, they know constituents will be affected.

These are my conclusions regarding the hit to local funding over the next two years and beyond:

• Colorado’s growth and economy was already in a post-pandemic slowdown. The federal reductions will accelerate it. I labeled this the Era of Austerity.
• The federal role in state and local finances is being reduced significantly.
• There is little realistic prospect the reductions will be reversed returning to pre-Trump 2.0 days. The forces of reduction, DOGE, rescissions, and the “One Big Beautiful Bill” will lock in spending and tax cuts confined by a huge deficit (hence the title We Are On Our Own).
• The possible change of control of the U.S. House of Representatives in 2026 will not reverse the direction. Most likely, any new funding bill in the House would not carry the Republican-controlled Senate or escape a presidential veto.

Commissioners were encouraged to identifying their current and prospective revenue sources and protect and grow them.

Like the COVID years, resilience and adaptability will be the prevailing principles in the new Era of Austerity.

RELATED:
CIRULI Keynote Speaker at CCI Summer Conference June 2, 2025

Hot Primary for 8th Congressional District

8th Congressional District Map, Maria Juliana Pinzon

Colorado Democrats are targeting the 8th Congressional District as a likely pickup if 2026 is a normal mid-term election where the President’s party loses seats. Gabe Evans, who won a close race in 2024, is currently having to defend his vote for Trump’s “One Big Beautiful” bill. It only passed by one vote.

Democrats sensing another competitive election are having an all in primary. Former one-term Democratic congresswoman Yadira Caraveo, who has been weighted down with medical problems, believes that 2026 will be more favorable to her than 2024. However, she faces a primary with a multitude of opponents. Representative Shannon Bird, who is the vice chair of the JBC, just announced and she may become the establishment candidate. Already in the race is Manny Rutinel, a young progressive Democrat state legislator who claims to have raised $1 million and is very good at attracting media attention. Two new announcements are Greeley resident Dave Young, term-limited State Treasurer and former teachers union president (CEA) Amie Boca-Oehlert.

Caraveo is front runner due to name identification and the host of additional candidates who could scatter the field.

Democrats will want their strongest candidate.

RELATED:
Can Democrats Take Back the 8th Congressional District? April 28, 2025
Caraveo Reelection in Danger October 7, 2024
The New 8th Congressional District – Mostly in Adams County, Very Blue Collar January 26, 2022

Trump Tries To Make Up

Zalenskyy abd Trump at the Vatican
Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine via Getty Images

As the White House approaches the six-month mark in office, it is increasingly clear President Trump’s personal charm with Putin or their reading of the factors continuing the war in Ukraine are decidedly off. After his heated confrontation with President Zelenskyy in the Oval Office with the “cards” treatment, Trump realized he was also losing the public relations war here at home.

His end the war on “day one” promise was still around. Most commentary on his and V.P. JD Vance’s diplomatic behavior was negative. His RealClear Politics polling average for handling foreign policy was a negative 8 points (42% approval, 50% disapproval) and as he approached his 100-day mark, he was historically the most unpopular president nearing Day 100 of his term.

In an effort to make up to President Zelenskyy and his supporters and show he is aware Putin is not helping the peace process, he staged a one-on-one meeting in the Vatican at the funeral of Pope Francis.

The public relations doesn’t change the Administration’s passive position on the conflict nor reduce the level of violence.

Trump Levels Out

President Biden and President Trump. Photo: The Associated Press

The Buzz’s National Dashboard has been tracking President Trump’s approval, which went negative on March 14 in the RCP average. After the major drop in voter approval (7 points in late April), President Trump has leveled out and is now only 3 points down. Most noticeable is that while the public opinion soft data is volatile, the hard data of unemployment and inflation has not moved. They remain low.

The latest polls show that some Democrats have increased their approval of Trump after the revelations concerning former President Biden’s state of mind and decision to run.

Although Trump has weathered a fire storm of criticism over many elements of his 130 days of shock & awe, his greatest vulnerability concerns the economy. Voters and the stock market have made it exceedingly clear they don’t like tariffs. Notice his economic approval is minus 10 points, 5 times more negative than his current overall approval.

If the cost of living starts climbing and consumer choice for less expensive products curtailed by tariffs, history suggests Republicans will pay at the mid-term.

Denver’s Money Problems

Photo via @dnvrite on Instagram

Denver sales tax revenue $50 million short for the rest of 2025 and $200 million in 2026.

Trump administration may cut $100 to $200 million.

National economic confidence is down and some project a 60 percent chance of recession.

Denver Department of Finance says:

“Given ongoing trends, budget changes in 2026 should be sustainable for multiple years and should not be viewed as temporary,” the Department of Finance stated.

Historically, Denver has invested in major capital projects to keep the economy moving. In the economic slowdown of the late 1980’s, Denver voters supported major bond packages, building a new central library and baseball stadium and, most importantly, moving and building the airport, the entire metro area’s greatest economic generator.

Today, Denver voters have approved a downtown economic development fund and will be asked to OK an $800 million bond package and a women’s soccer stadium.

But Denver also needs to boost its private and entrepreneur sectors. Not easy to do with a hyper-liberal majority on council and some demanding public sector advocates. Of course crime and homelessness are problems the city must address, and it is making progress, but regulation, sales tax increases and mandated wage hikes also leave Denver harder to operate a business in and vulnerable to competing areas and economic downturns.

CIRULI Keynote Speaker at CCI Summer Conference

CCI Opening General Session
Navigating Change – Colorado’s Demographic and Political Crossroads

After 25 years of robust population growth that added two Congressional Districts, Colorado now faces a marked slowdown with broad implications. In this session, participants will assess the challenges tied to shifting demographics, economic uncertainty, and strained fiscal conditions. This discussion will revisit how Colorado’s evolving relationship with Washington affects state and local governance.

With budget shortfalls taking center stage and a pivotal 2026 election on the horizon, this session will also explore the political landscape and how counties can prepare for what lies ahead.

Keynote Speaker:
Floyd Ciruli, Ciruli Associates

Moderator:
Scott Weaver, Commissioner, Yuma County, CCI President