Outside the Springs

For the last several decades, experts have warned younger generations about the future of Social Security. The way the demographics have changed in the country over the last century threatens retirement payments for those born after the Baby Boomer generation. Most financial advisors have warned people of all ages to not count primarily on Social Security payments for retirement. However, the truth of the matter is that several people live off of Social Security as their primary source of income.

Colorado attracts people for its year-round outdoor activities and draws people because of its schools and business opportunities, but does it also attract homelessness? Like other states, however, Colorado is not immune to having a homelessness issue, said Kristin Toombs, Director - The Department of Local Affairs, Office of Homeless Initiatives.

In the last decade or so, Colorado became known as a state where people wanted to visit and live. After the recession in 2008, the state saw significant growth as people moved to the Centennial State in high numbers. During the pandemic and shortly after, Colorado also saw growth as people looked to move away from the crowded cities near the coasts. People moved in droves to smaller, rural areas that were not as densely populated.

Gov. Jared Polis wants Colorado to be a leader in helping reduce the nation’s imprint on greenhouse gases. According to the Colorado Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Pollution Reduction Roadmap, transportation is the largest source of GHG pollution in Colorado, with light-duty vehicles accounting for nearly 60 percent of transportation sector emissions.

The Maverick Observer covered environmentally friendly transportation laws in Colorado a year ago. At that time, the push was for collaboration between the Colorado Department of Transportation and Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs). Colorado has five metropolitan zones for the MPO.

When COVID-19 first struck the nation in early 2020, federal, state, and local governments quickly responded by issuing several public health orders. The intentions of the health orders, in the beginning, were to stop the spread of the disease and reduce deaths caused by it.

A similar dynamic plays out with the recent home warranty electric appliance option that may become law in Colorado. It aims to encourage citizens with home warranties to consider electric appliances to replace expired gas devices.

The Biden administration released an environmental analysis in April of competing plans for how seven Western states and tribes reliant on the shrinking water supply from the Colorado River should cut their use.

Immigration has become a hot topic in places all across the country in the last few years. Even though Colorado is not a border state it still sees its share of immigrant activity, which can be proved by the recent influx of immigrants getting bused to cities like Denver from areas close to the border.

During the 2023 legislative session, Colorado lawmakers have introduced around 600 bills. Both legislative branches have a historically large majority of Democrats and many of their bills have been fought tooth and nail by Republicans across the state.