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Articles by Barbara Kirkmeyer
Democrats are proposing a dangerous income tax increase under the guise of funding education (Opinion)
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... By Barbara Kirkmeyer Colorado families are being asked to believe a familiar lie; the only way to fund education is to let politicians take and keep more of your money — forever. Senate Bill 135 is disingenuous and is not a serious education plan. It is a backdoor attack on TABOR dressed up in the language of helping kids. Without raising taxes, I have spent six years fighting to increase education funding by more than $1.3 billion.
Democrats are proposing a dangerous income tax increase under the guise of funding education (Opinion)
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... Colorado families are being asked to believe a familiar lie; the only way to fund education is to let politicians take and keep more of your money — forever. Senate Bill 135 is disingenuous and is not a serious education plan. It is a backdoor attack on TABOR dressed up in the language of helping kids. Without raising taxes, I have spent six years fighting to increase education funding by more than $1.3 billion.
Colorado doesn't need a special session on taxes; We need an intervention (Opinion)
When Gov. Jared Polis announced a special session to address a so-called “budget hole,” he and partisan Democrats were quick to point their fingers at Washington, D.C., blaming Republicans in Congress for our state’s fiscal troubles. The real problem isn’t in Washington. The real issue is right here at home, under the Gold Dome. As a member of the Joint Budget Committee, I have a front-row seat to Colorado’s fiscal reality.
Colorado doesn't need a special session on taxes; We need an intervention (Opinion)
When Gov. Jared Polis announced a special session to address a so-called “budget hole,” he and partisan Democrats were quick to point their fingers at Washington, D.C., blaming Republicans in Congress for our state’s fiscal troubles. The real problem isn’t in Washington. The real issue is right here at home, under the Gold Dome. As a member of the Joint Budget Committee, I have a front-row seat to Colorado’s fiscal reality.
Colorado hospitals profit from a prescription drug discount program. We should know how much. (Opinion)
As elected officials, it’s our responsibility to represent the best interests of our constituents, to take on the big policies, tackle the big challenges, and sometimes go toe-to-toe with the big players. We may have very different ideas about root causes, strategies, and solutions to address the issues facing the people we are so proud to serve, but our goal is the same – to serve Coloradans.
Opinion: Medicaid is in crisis, and the safety net insurance is critical to Colorado
For more than two decades, Colorado has invested in the health care safety net because we know that access to health care is a primary path to financial security and quality of life for Coloradans and a healthy, vibrant state for all of us. But over the last year, as we have emerged from the COVID crisis, Colorado has failed our neighbors on Medicaid and jeopardized the safety net health care providers who serve them.
Opinion: Unveiling our bipartisan response to Colorado’s housing crisis
We cheered during the recent State of the State address when Gov. Jared Polis used the word “together” 13 times, most often in connection with Colorado’s desperate housing needs. “Together” is the best description for the historical, bipartisan way we have worked with Gov. Polis to draft legislation that will incentivize cities and counties to design their futures and address affordable, sustainable housing needs.
Opinion: Prop. HH is a tax increase that wrecks our Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights Original
Editor’s note: This column is part of a pro-con about the Proposition HH which will appear on the ballot for the November 7 election. Read the supporting view here. Proposition HH is the most blatant bait-and-switch scheme ever placed on the Colorado ballot. An examination of its details shows it is cynically crafted, deeply deceptive, and must be defeated. We are faced with Proposition HH at a time when Coloradans’ anxiety about their property tax bills has never been higher.
Opinion: Prop. HH is a tax increase that wrecks our Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights
Editor’s note: This column is part of a pro-con about the Proposition HH which will appear on the ballot for the November 7 election. Read the supporting view here. Proposition HH is the most blatant bait-and-switch scheme ever placed on the Colorado ballot. An examination of its details shows it is cynically crafted, deeply deceptive, and must be defeated. We are faced with Proposition HH at a time when Coloradans’ anxiety about their property tax bills has never been higher.
Opinion: Prop. HH is a tax increase that wrecks our Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights
Editor’s note: This column is part of a pro-con about the Proposition HH which will appear on the ballot for the November 7 election. Read the supporting view here. Proposition HH is the most blatant bait-and-switch scheme ever placed on the Colorado ballot. An examination of its details shows it is cynically crafted, deeply deceptive, and must be defeated. We are faced with Proposition HH at a time when Coloradans’ anxiety about their property tax bills has never been higher.
Don’t be fooled - vote ‘no’ on Prop HH Original
It is unfortunate that the governor and legislative Democrats failed to fully engage in any conversations about the potential solutions to the property tax issue facing hard-working Colorado families who are struggling to make ends meet. The ballot measure, Proposition HH, that Coloradans are being asked to vote on in November 2023 was rushed, with very limited discussion of its true impacts.
It’s Time That Colorado’s 2nd Leading Economic Driver, Agriculture, Gets Some Respect
Every now and then we all like to take a trip down memory lane. When you are a senator serving in the minority, those memories can be painful sometimes. But try being a senator from rural Colorado in the minority and recalling all the bad legislation, proclamations, executive orders or department appointments that have come across the books over the past few years — painful doesn’t even begin to describe it.
Time Colorado agricultural might gets respect it deserves | PODIUM
Every now and then we all like to take a trip down memory lane. When you are a senator serving in the minority, those memories can be painful sometimes. But try being a senator from rural Colorado in the minority and recalling all the bad legislation, proclamations, executive orders or department appointments that have come across the books over the past few years — painful doesn’t even begin to describe it.
Commentary: Stop coddling drug dealers to save lives Original
Despite Colorado continuing to lead the nation in several crime statistics, the 2023 legislative session was fraught with bills that will only exacerbate the problems. And the Democrat majority continues to hesitate to punish drug dealers or take any real stance in protecting Coloradoans from the growing drug issues that creep into our communities.
(Opinion ) State Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer: Polis’ bait and switch
Amid an affordability crisis that has pushed Coloradans to their limit, an unprecedented surge in property taxes could push many over the edge. Those on a fixed income are already struggling with higher bills across the board, but unlike an energy bill or the cost of groceries, property taxes are directly within the purview of our state government.
(Opinion ) State Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer: Polis’ bait and switch
Amid an affordability crisis that has pushed Coloradans to their limit, an unprecedented surge in property taxes could push many over the edge. Those on a fixed income are already struggling with higher bills across the board, but unlike an energy bill or the cost of groceries, property taxes are directly within the purview of our state government.
(Opinion) Barbara Kirkmeyer & Rachel Zenzinger: As Gov. Polis once said, local control matters
With all due respect to Colorado’s governor, Jared Polis, we recently examined with great interest some wisdom that he provided before he took office. We take note of some apparent contradictions that relate to a current bill under debate in the Colorado Legislature. In 2015, then-Congressman Jared Polis said, “Local planning involves widespread citizen input and broad stakeholder involvement.
The land use bill would undermine local control and even Polis knows that's bad
With all due respect to Colorado’s governor, Jared Polis, we recently examined with great interest some wisdom that he provided before he took office. We take note of some apparent contradictions that relate to a current bill under debate in the Colorado Legislature. In 2015, then-Congressman Jared Polis said, “Local planning involves widespread citizen input and broad stakeholder involvement.
Make fentanyl distribution and possession a felony, again
Opinion Columns It’s too deadly and prevalent to handle with kid gloves 1:30 AM MDT on Apr 8, 2022 Fentanyl is poison, and it’s time that Colorado policy makers recognize it as such. Drug dealers are lacing recreational drugs with fentanyl, often unbeknownst to drug users, to get users hooked. If tobacco companies did this, Congress and the Colorado General Assembly would jump to action. The same would be true if drug dealers were lacing drugs with cyanide. Why are we treating fentanyl differently?
Guest Opinion: Colorado students suffered the “COVID slide”
Breaking News Rush Limbaugh, Controversial Conservative Radio Host, Dies at 70 February 17, 2021 at 10:59 am Editor’s note: Barbara Kirkmeyer is a Colorado state Senator representing District 23 in Broomfield, Larimer and Weld counties. With schools being closed for much of the last year (even though they may have offered remote learning), we all know a lot of students have fallen behind academically. However, what is not clear is exactly how far behind our kids have fallen and in what areas.
Guest Commentary: Colorado students suffered the “COVID slide,” we must measure how bad it is
With schools being closed for much of the last year (even though they may have offered remote learning), we all know a lot of students have fallen behind academically. However, what is not clear is exactly how far behind our kids have fallen and in what areas. The consequences of not knowing could be especially dire for the children in this generation. We don’t know how much access to remote instruction school-aged children received during the spring and fall of 2020.
Barbara Kirkmeyer, Senate District 23
A pandemic. Lost jobs. Civil unrest. These are tough times. It would be easy to take a defeatist attitude toward Colorado’s future. I believe our future is in our hands. With strong leadership and sound decision-making, Colorado can turn the corner, emerge stronger, and experience brighter days. That hopeful spirit underlies my “Better Days” agenda in my state Senate campaign. Restoring growth is job one, and it starts simple: no more lockdowns. There is little empirical basis in support of lockdowns.
Opinion: Barbara Kirkmeyer: Fear is a powerful tool until facts get in the way
By Barbara Kirkmeyer on behalf of Weld County Board of Commissioners Recently a letter was published in the Camera demanding Boulder County sue Weld County for the “damage to the health of residents and environment of Boulder County.” The letter contained emotionally charged and factually wrong comments, which only serve to fuel a politically-extremist machine that does nothing to advance the discussion about energy in a positive manner.
Barbara Kirkmeyer: Air quality in Weld on the rise
Breathe easier Weld County! Since 2006, air emissions in Weld County have been reduced by a whopping 20%! In 2006, the tower located in Greeley read 82 ppb (parts per billion). But by 2019, that number dropped dramatically to 65 ppb — well below the standard of 70 ppb set by the Environmental Protection Agency in 2015.
Kirkmeyer: The Weld County Council isn’t needed anymore
On Aug. 21, 2017, I and three other county commissioners voted to put question 1A, an amendment to our home rule charter to eliminate the Weld County Council, on the ballot. Amidst threats of recall, name-calling and blatant attempts to intimidate me, I voted to support putting this question on the ballot for two reasons. First, not putting the question on the ballot would have effectively denied the people their voice — their vote. I believe all the people should be heard from, not just a few.
Kirkmeyer: An open letter to the Weld County commissioners of 1917
On this occasion — the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Weld County Courthouse — we believe it to be important that, as the current commissioners of Weld County, we express our sincere appreciation and admiration for the task you undertook over a century ago.
Norton, Kirkmeyer: Bright Futures program is a win-win-win
Recently, the Weld County Commissioners announced a new program that sets Greeley and all of Weld County on a new course toward effective and sustainable workforce development. The Greeley City Council is 100 percent in support of the concept and will host a free event from 8-10 a.m. this morning at the Union Colony Civic Center, 701 10th Ave., to help the commissioners spread the word to business owners, educators, residents and others about how everyone can take advantage of this opportunity.
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