Denver, CO

Ballot Issue 2Q: A Denver sales tax increase that could provide a lifeline for Denver Health

Published

1 year ago

October 21, 2024

Ballot Issue 2Q: A Denver sales tax increase that could provide a lifeline for Denver Health

Denver voters this year will decide whether to toss a financial lifeline to the city’s safety net hospital and health system, Denver Health.

The system serves a disproportionately low-income population both in its hospital and through a network of community and school-based clinics. But it has been struggling with higher amounts of what is known as uncompensated care — care that a hospital provides but does not receive payment for. That has placed the hospital in a more precarious financial position.

Ballot Issue 2Q, which appears only on the ballots of voters in Denver, would raise the city’s sales tax rate by 0.34% — 3.4 cents on a $10 purchase — to provide funding for Denver Health. It is estimated to raise $70 million a year to start.

Here’s what else you need to know about Ballot Issue 2Q.

Why does Denver Health need the money?

For decades, the annual balance sheets for Denver Health have looked like a child’s drawing of the Rocky Mountains.

Up, down, up, down through jagged peaks and steep valleys.

“Our finances over multiple years have been a little like a roller coaster, one year is OK, another year’s bad,” Denver Health CEO Donna Lynne said.

A graph of historic annual operating margins included in a June 2024 financial disclosure for the Denver Health and Hospital Authority. (Screenshot by John Ingold, The Colorado Sun)

But then came the COVID-19 pandemic. Emergency funding in 2020 pushed the hospital’s profit margin from operations to record heights. But in 2022, inflation, higher staffing costs and fundamental shifts in the insurance market smushed Denver Health’s margins into the deepest hole in over two decades.

The hospital lost around $32 million on operations in 2022. It turned a roughly $9 million profit in 2023, but one-time boosts from the state legislature and Kaiser Permanente contributed to that. This year, Denver Health expects to lose about $8.5 million, and as of June, the hospital had just a little over two months’ worth of cash-on-hand. (Best-practice standards usually call for around six months or more.)

If passed, Ballot Issue 2Q would help Denver Health build up a cushion. But it still wouldn’t be enough to wipe out one of the hospital’s biggest reasons for struggling — the amount of care it provides but doesn’t get paid for as a safety net hospital.

Also known as uncompensated care, the figure is estimated to hit $155 million for 2024, Lynne said, compared with $60 million in 2020.

Why is uncompensated care increasing?

About half of what Denver Health counts as uncompensated care is tied to Medicare and Medicaid patients — both programs pay less than what it costs Denver Health to provide care, so the hospital includes the shortfall in its total for uncompensated care.

More than two-thirds of Denver Health’s patients are covered by Medicare or Medicaid. In talking about how this impacts the hospital’s finances, Lynne specifically mentioned Medicaid payment rates, which she said are increasing by only 2% next year.

“That’s not consistent with inflation; it’s certainly not consistent with medical inflation,” Lynne said. “And it’s not what we can pay our employees in terms of their salary because other systems are able to pay much more.”

Two Denver Health ambulances parked outside a building, with a person visible in one driver's seat. — Ambulances sit parked outside Denver Health on March 18, 2021. (Kevin Mohatt, Special to The Colorado Sun)

The other half of Denver Health’s uncompensated care is tied to uninsured patients.

Lynne said the hospital has been seeing more uninsured patients since the state began doing eligibility renewals for members. During the pandemic, federal rules prohibited state Medicaid programs from disenrolling anyone, leading to huge numbers of people on Colorado’s Medicaid rolls. But that changed when the federal COVID-19 public health emergency expired and states again began doing annual checks to see if Medicaid members still qualified to be enrolled.

The process — known as “the unwind” — has led to hundreds of thousands of people in Colorado dropping from Medicaid coverage. Many of those may have been eligible to transition to health insurance offered through their work, or they may have been able to buy coverage on their own. But a certain, as-yet-unknown number likely remained uninsured, leading to higher rates of uninsured patients at Denver Health and other safety net medical and mental health care providers.

Lynne said the elimination of the tax penalty for not having insurance under the Affordable Care Act may have some role in the rising number of uninsured people. Broad changes in the economy — more gig workers, for example, or more people working at jobs that either don’t offer insurance or do but the insurance is unaffordable — may also contribute to the issue.

“The wages are so low, or the workers are working part-time, that being able to buy health insurance from their employer or in the private market is just untenable,” she said.

These circumstances — more uninsured patients and rising losses from treating Medicare and Medicaid patients — are something being felt across the health care system. But unlike other hospitals, Denver Health doesn’t have a big pool of privately insured patients it can charge more to in order to offset those losses.

Lynne said about 14% of the hospital’s patients are privately insured. For other health systems in the Denver metro area, that percentage is typically closer to 30%.

On top of that, Lynne said it is common for medical providers to refer uninsured patients to Denver Health for follow-up care, meaning the hospital, while proud of its commitment to treating anyone and everyone, sits at the bottom of a large funnel of patients it won’t get paid to treat — and not just from Denver. Lynne said the hospital sees patients from 62 of Colorado’s 64 counties.

“We provide care across the state, and it’s one of my arguments with the state as to why they ought to support us financially,” Lynne said.

Are migrants to blame for Denver Health’s struggles?

The cost of caring for newly arrived immigrants at Denver Health has received a lot of attention. Much of that care is uncompensated, though some of it could be covered by emergency Medicaid or other programs.

But Lynne said the attention the issue has received is disproportionate to the impact on Denver Health’s finances.

Lynne said uncompensated care for newcomers accounts for about $10 million of this year’s $155 million in uncompensated care. Denver Health saw about 1.3 million total patient visits in 2023. Newcomers accounted for about 20,000 of those, or about 1.5%.

What will Denver Health do if the measure doesn’t pass?

If the measure fails, Lynne said Denver Health will look at making cuts to its services, including the main hospital, but also a number of community and school-based clinics, focused especially on underserved neighborhoods and communities in Denver.

The health system has also launched a housing initiative — 34 apartments available on a 90-day basis — to provide people who are homeless with a place to live while seeking treatment and stability.

“Thirty-four is not a lot, but it does help and it gets people into a place where they can perhaps be productive,” Lynne said. “No one gives us money for that. We are doing it because it’s the right thing to do.”

Denver Health medical center, photographed on Thursday, April 4, 2019. (Jesse Paul, The Colorado Sun)

Lynne said these types of programs may not be sustainable without more funding. The hospital has also historically delayed maintenance or been slow to raise employee pay.

But Lynne said that needs to stop. If the extra funding from Ballot Issue 2Q doesn’t come through, Lynne said she would prefer to cut some services and close some locations — she didn’t offer specifics — than to limp along.

“If it doesn’t pass, we will shrink services. We will cut services,” Lynne said. “We’ll have to get smaller to get better.”

“I’d rather be a little smaller and pay our employees what they deserve. … I would rather be smaller and better than do what we do now.”

Who is supporting or opposing the measure?

One committee, called Healing Denver, has been established to support the measure. Lynne and Denver Mayor Mike Johnston spoke at the committee’s launch event earlier this year.

So far, Healing Denver has raised nearly $1.9 million, according to city records. An organization called Heart of Denver, a 501(c)(4) nonprofit established to educate the public about Denver Health, has contributed about $258,000. Jacque Montgomery, a spokeswoman for Denver Health, said the organization is independent from Denver Health, has its own board and receives no funding from the hospital.

Other large donors include a trust connected to former DaVita CEO Kent Thiry and his wife; an arm of Gary Community Ventures; the health care advocacy organization Healthier Colorado; and the human services organization Servicios de La Raza. Lynne is also one of the campaign’s top contributors, having given $80,000 to Healing Denver.

No committees have registered with the city in opposition to the measure. In various meetings and forums, criticism of the ballot measure has focused on the rising number of property-tax increases being put upon voters, as well as statements that the city’s approach to immigration is unsustainable.

The Thiry-O’Leary Foundation, which is run by the family of Kent Thiry and his wife, Denise O’Leary, is a financial supporter of The Colorado Sun, but has no say in editorial decisions.

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Denver, CO

Grand Junction, Palisade reach Great Eight in Denver

Published

50 minutes ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Grand Junction, Palisade reach Great Eight in Denver

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) — The Class 5A Sweet 16 has arrived, and both Grand Junction and Palisade are still standing with trips to the Great Eight in Denver on the line.

At The Jungle, the No. 2 seed Grand Junction Tigers set the tone early against No. 18 Golden. Defense carried the Tigers from the opening tip as they held the Demons to nine first quarter points while scoring 16 of their own.

Grand Junction added eight points in the second quarter while Golden managed six, sending the Tigers into halftime with a nine point lead.

Golden responded in the third quarter, outscoring Grand Junction 16 to 11 to cut the deficit to five entering the fourth. The Tigers answered in the final period, attacking the rim and converting key shots to win the quarter 19 to 10. Grand Junction secured a 54 to 41 victory to protect its home court and advance to the Great Eight in Denver.

Top seeded Palisade also defended its home floor with a trip to Denver at stake. The Bulldogs opened with nine straight points to energize a packed gym, but Frederick settled in and closed the first quarter on a run to tie the game at nine.

Frederick continued to respond in the second quarter and took an eight point lead into halftime.

Palisade shifted momentum after the break. The Bulldogs tightened defensively, holding Frederick to 21 points in the second half while scoring 39 of their own. Palisade completed the comeback to advance to the Great Eight.

Colorado Mesa University Women Deliver Historic RMAC Tournament Win

In collegiate action, the top seeded Colorado Mesa University women’s basketball team defeated Colorado School of Mines 96 to 51 in the RMAC Tournament, marking the largest margin of victory in the tournament this century.

Olivia Reed-Thyne led the Mavericks with 34 points on 11 of 15 shooting, her third 30 point performance this season. Mason Rowland added 22 points and Hallie Clark contributed 10 as Colorado Mesa matched a program record with its 31st win. The Mavericks will host the semifinals Friday with a berth in the championship game at stake.

Colorado Mesa University Men Survive Overtime Thriller

The Colorado Mesa University men’s basketball team faced New Mexico Highlands University for the third time this season. The Mavericks scored 36 first half points and led by four at the break.

New Mexico Highlands shot 50 percent in the second half, received 21 bench points and outscored Colorado Mesa 43 to 39 to force a late push. With the season in the balance, Ty Allred hit a game tying 3 pointer to make it 75 and send the game to overtime. Allred scored seven points in the extra period as Colorado Mesa earned a 91 to 90 victory to advance to the next round.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WesternSlopeNow.com.

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Denver, CO

Former Avs defenseman launches beer brand in Denver

Published

13 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

While most people know beers as “cold ones,” Tyson Barrie opts for a different name.

“We’ve always just called beers chilly ones,” the former Colorado Avalanche defenseman said.

Now, Barrie hopes his moniker goes mainstream with his beer brand Chilly Ones, which made its U.S. debut weeks ago in Colorado. He plans to move to the Centennial State from his home country of Canada come fall to build it out.

So far, the beer is in about 200 businesses across the state, mostly liquor stores like Bonnie Brae and Argonaut, but also eateries such as Oskar Blues.

The light lager is available in cans at 3% alcohol by volume. The less-than-light ABV is popular in Australia and some parts of Europe, he said, but nothing serves that segment in the U.S.

Barrie also said the brand has a nonalcoholic version “in the tanks and ready to go” at Sleeping Giant Brewing Co., the Denver facility where Chilly Ones is made. He said it’s one of the only booze-free options that could “trick” him, and he expects the version to be available by April.

“If you look at all the data that we’re seeing, these two categories – the nonalc and the low – seem to be two of the only ones in the alcohol space that are growing,” Barrie said.

Chilly Ones has been available in Canada since late 2025, and he said a 4.5% to 5% edition is also in the works, though that one won’t hit the shelves for months.

“From what we can see in Canada, people question the 3%. They say it’s not enough,” he said through a grin. “Then in the U.S., people aren’t questioning it at all. They really liked a little bit less and the moderation factor to it.”

That’s why he thinks the low-carb, zero sugar, under 100 calorie drink is a perfect fit for Denver. With the city’s storied history in craft beer combined with a more conscious, active lifestyle, it’s the perfect stateside launching point for his brand, Barrie believes.

Drafted by the Avs and playing in the city from 2011 through 2019, his preexisting connections also were a selling point.

“Every occasion is a little bit different, whether you’re parenting or you’re at a concert or you’ve got to get up early or you’re having two after work and you want to drive,” he said, explaining why there will be multiple versions of the drink available.

“It’s pick your own adventure. We’re not going to judge you,” he continued. “If you want to celebrate and get absolutely hammered, we’ll give you that option too. It’s just you can do it a little bit healthier.”

The idea came to Barrie when he had “a dozen” or so chilly ones during a night with friends years ago. In his phone’s notes app, he wrote that he would one day start a beverage brand with his NHL buddies and call it his colloquial name for beer.

He was still playing in the league at the point, but in 2024, two years after, somebody from the beverage world “very serendipitously” reached out to see if Barrie would be interested in starting a wine or whiskey company.

“And I was like, ‘Yeah, I’d do a beer,’” he recalled.

He was still in the NHL playing with the Nashville Predators but nearing the end of his career. The now-34-year-old gathered several of his fellow skaters, including Avs star Nathan MacKinnon, and other career connections like Lumineers frontman Wesley Schultz, and Chilly Ones was born.

Having that post-playing career journey already laid out has been challenging but worth it, he said.

“I have a lot of friends who have retired, and you struggle with a bit of purpose and you wake up and you’re just kind of looking around, not sure what to do with yourself,” he said. “So I feel grateful. I didn’t even have any time to reset. I was just kind of thrown in the fire.”

Barrie and Chilly Ones raised an undisclosed amount from friends and family to start the brand and are in the midst of a more institutional round.

He and Chilly Ones have no plans to venture outside the state in the short-term. He said he, Chief Operating Officer Kimberley Kainth and CEO Matthew Clayton want to test the market for all three options and get feedback before expanding elsewhere.

Longmont-based Oskar Blues founder Dale Katechis is an adviser, along with White Claw and Mike’s Hard Lemonade alum Todd Anderson.

“We have a team that we really, really trust who has scaled and built products in Colorado and moved out,” Barrie said. “We want to get our feet under us in Colorado and then we’ll start to really look at who’s next.”

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Denver, CO

Denver bans federal law enforcement officers from covering their faces, DHS says it won’t comply

Published

1 day ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

Denver bans federal law enforcement officers from covering their faces, DHS says it won’t comply

Denver city leaders unanimously passed a ban on all officers, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, from wearing face coverings while detaining or arresting people. That law also requires officers to wear visible identification.

It’s the second sweeping ordinance against federal officers in Denver in just a few days. Last Thursday, Mayor Mike Johnston signed an executive order banning federal immigration agents from operating on city property without a judicial warrant.

An federal immigration agent on Feb. 5, 2026 in Minneapolis.

Stephen Maturen / Getty Images

It also directs Denver police, deputies and fire personnel to investigate reports of violence and criminal behavior.

The Department of Homeland Security responded calling the executive order “legally illiterate,” adding, “no local official has the authority to bar ICE from carrying out federal law on public property … and while Mayor Johnston continues to release pedophiles, rapists, gang members, and murderers onto their streets, our brave law enforcement will continue to risk their lives to arrest these heinous criminals.”

DHS didn’t mince words when responding to Denver’s new face coverings ban either, saying in part, “To be crystal clear: we will not abide by a city council’s unconstitutional ban. Our officers wear masks to protect themselves from being doxxed and targeted by known and suspected terrorist sympathizers. Not only is ICE law enforcement facing a more than 1,300 percent increase in assaults against them, but we’ve also seen thugs launch websites to reveal officers’ identity.”

On the other hand, the Denver City Council didn’t mince words when it approved the ban.

“It’s very disturbing to me, as an American, to see masked agents on the street,” said Councilman Kevin Flynn who represents District 2. “I don’t know what the best way is to enforce our immigration laws, but I think I know the worst way when I see it.”

“I said all along, this was a slam dunk,” added Councilman Darrell Watson of District 9.

Last month, a federal judge struck down a California law prohibiting federal agents from wearing masks. But, the city council says it made sure its ordinance is enforceable.

You have to treat all law enforcement the same,” said City Council President Amanda Sandoval. “So, our sheriffs can’t have masks. Our State Patrol can’t have masks. And federally you can’t have masks. And we delineate that within the ordinance which, that’s where California got the issue.”

Sandoval said she was monitoring the legal process and comparing the two ordinances to ensure they would be good to go.

Although the city council believes the ordinance is constitutional, the Denver Police Department says it’s still working to determine what implementation could look like, and provided this statement to CBS Colorado:

“Our Safety departments are working with the City Attorney and bill sponsors to determine what implementation could look like. Of utmost importance is discretion and prioritizing de-escalation when encountering these situations. Our goal is to apply this ordinance in a way that builds trust and transparency without putting officers, deputies, or the public at risk.”

Coupled with the city’s new executive order, Sandoval believes Denver now has the necessary guidelines in place.

“A map for residents to understand predictability, and that’s what I always want, is what can the residents be able to rely on.”

There are exemptions in place for the ban, for example: during an active undercover operation, when gear is required for physical safety, and for personnel performing SWAT duties.

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