Boiling Point

Cheers to Our Health
Universal healthcare, Republicans facing off against Democrats, Gov. Bill Ritter’s legacy—these were the headlines expected as politicians faced off to fix Colorado’s growing problem of uninsured residents.

Then a sneaky Denver Democrat came up with an easy solution to swallow, literally, when talking about fixing the crises. Rep. Jerry Frangas has proposed a two-cent alcohol tax, an idea that could cover Colorado’s 180,000 uninsured children. Considering Colorado already has a low alcohol tax, it seems like a great place to find extra money. We know liquor lobbyists will fight this, but considering the industry looks poised to get permission to sell on Sundays, we don’t feel too bad for them.

What’s Next: We’ll see if this clears committee and both houses; if it does, a statewide vote is required.