The Mountain Minute: 8/6/2025

🎧 Mountain Minute – August 6
Colorado’s cracking under the weight of bad policy—from overtime tax fights to nuclear energy debates. Here’s what you won’t hear on the evening news—but should.

Colorado News:
🔹 TABOR undermined — Nearly half of Colorado’s $40B budget is now exempt from TABOR limits, meaning less voter control over how your money is spent.
Read more: https://rockymountainvoice.com/2025/08/05/tabor-undermined-as-over-half-of-colorado-budget-now-exempt/

🔹 Overtime tax fight — Advance Colorado is suing the state for taxing overtime pay that’s tax-free federally under Trump’s reforms. Potential cost to workers: $500M+.
Read more: https://rockymountainvoice.com/2025/08/05/colorado-sued-for-for-taxing-overtime-pay-exempted-by-trump/

🔹 $140M water funds frozen — Colorado’s full congressional delegation is demanding release of long-delayed federal water project funds.
Read more: https://rockymountainvoice.com/2025/08/05/colorado-delegation-unites-to-demand-140m-water-funds-release/

🔹 SNAP soda ban approved — Feds OK’d Colorado’s plan to ban soda purchases with food stamps. Supporters say it's for health, critics warn of food micromanagement.
Read more: https://rockymountainvoice.com/2025/08/05/feds-approve-colorado-ban-on-buying-soda-with-food-stamps/

🔹 Abortion pill reversal ban blocked — A federal judge sided with a Catholic clinic, saying Colorado’s ban violates religious freedom.
Read more: https://rockymountainvoice.com/2025/08/05/federal-judge-blocks-colorado-ban-on-abortion-pill-reversal/

🔹 Drug pipe program under fire — CDPHE faces backlash for taxpayer-funded harm reduction efforts that distribute crack and meth pipes.
Read more: https://rockymountainvoice.com/2025/08/05/gaines-is-cdphes-harm-reduction-program-normalizing-meth-and-crack-on-the-taxpayers-dime/

🔹 Western Slope eyes nuclear — Local support is growing for nuclear energy as a stable, carbon-free option—but regulators are slow-walking approvals.
Read more: https://rockymountainvoice.com/2025/08/05/going-nuclear-local-support-grows-for-colorados-next-energy-chapter/

🔹 Mesa County defends deputy — The sheriff is calling a DOJ lawsuit against a local deputy politically motivated and vows to stand by law enforcement.
Read more: https://rockymountainvoice.com/2025/08/05/we-absolutely-back-the-badge-mesa-county-defends-deputy-in-federal-suit/

🔹 Denver’s $1B bond proposal — A major infrastructure bond heads to voters in November, but critics say the city has a record of overpromising and underdelivering.
Read more: https://rockymountainvoice.com/2025/08/05/denver-prepares-voters-for-massive-infrastructure-investment-in-november/

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And as always—stay sharp, stay bold, and stay in the fight.