Polis Asks Trump Admin Not to Shut Down E-Filing ; Comanche 2 Coal Plant Will Stay Open; Denver Employee Layoffs Cost City $5 Mil; Front Range Sees Snow

Headlines Thursday December 4, 2025

  • cover play_arrow

    Polis Asks Trump Admin Not to Shut Down E-Filing ; Comanche 2 Coal Plant Will Stay Open; Denver Employee Layoffs Cost City $5 Mil; Front Range Sees Snow KGNU News

 

Polis Asks Trump Admin Not to Shut Down Online Tax Submissions 

Taxpayers will lose access to the free federal online tax filing tool, IRS Direct File, this upcoming tax season. The Trump administration has halted the program’s rollout, a move Governor Jared Polis calls a costly disappointment for Coloradans.

The direct file program, created under the Inflation Reduction Act, allowed users to file their taxes at no cost. Governor Polis sent a letter to U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urging the government to reconsider the decision, citing reports that 94% of users found the experience above average or excellent.

According to the Daily Camera, the program was expected to save Colorado taxpayers $140 million per year. Even though the federal program is on hold, Colorado’s own state program for filing state income taxes for free will not be affected.

READ MORE

 

Xcel’s Pueblo Comanche Coal Plant Will Stay Open Past December

On Wednesday, The Colorado Public Utilities Commission officially approved the extension of Xcel’s Comanche 2 Coal Plant in Pueblo. The plant was scheduled to close at the end of December, but Xcel, the Colorado Energy Office, the Colorado Office of the Utility Consumer Advocate, and staff at the Colorado Public Utilities Commission all wanted the plant to stay open because of problems generating enough power in the state.

Critics worry that the coal-burning plant will continue to contribute to air pollution, and hinder Colorado from reaching its Clean Energy Transition goals. According to the Colorado Sun, the plant’s sister unit, Comanche 3, had been riddled with breakdowns and operating problems since it started up in 2010. But the Commission says Xcel must bear most of the multimillion dollar repair costs.

READ MORE

 

Denver City Employee Layoffs Cost the City $5 Mil

Denver will spend approximately $5 million to cover one-time costs associated with laying off 169 city employees earlier this year. The expenditure consists of severance, separation payments for unused leave, and unemployment insurance.

As reported by the Denver Post, the $5 million cost is less than 5% of the estimated $104 million in savings the city expects the layoffs to generate beginning in 2026. City officials confirmed that the layoffs are not intended to create immediate savings for this year, but rather to help plug an overall $250 million budget gap.

A city spokesperson noted that the immediate cost is being covered by money saved from not paying the laid-off employees this year, resulting in a savings of about $300,000. The city council has been discussing this as part of a proposal to use contingency funds for additional unplanned budget needs, which includes a large overtime request from the Denver Police Department.

READ MORE

 

Front Range Gets 6-7 Inches of Snow

The Front Range got 6-7 inches of snow yesterday, according to the National Weather Service. Overnight moisture and cold temperatures could make for a tricky commute this morning as roads may be icy, so take precautions.

READ MORE

 

You can hear daily headlines on the Morning Magazine, KGNU’s weekday morning show with coverage of local and regional public affairs and news with headlines and commentary. Click here to listen to full episodes of the Morning Magazine.

Picture of KGNU News

KGNU News

Search

Now Playing

play_arrow

Live Broadcast

Recent Stories

Upcoming Events

KGNU PARTNERS

Want to help us build a better radio station?

We’re conducting a survey to help us understand how our listeners are using new technology. Please spend 15 minutes to let us know what you think.

Public media moves forward because you listen, watch, share and support. Thank you for being part of this community — and for helping us continue the journey during Public Media Giving Days.