Editor's Note: Why We Stand by Our Tipped Wage Reporting

Earlier this month, we reported on The debate surrounding House Bill 1208, legislation affecting tipped minimum wage in Colorado. Since publication, Rep. Steve Woodrow, a Colorado state representative and one of the bill’s sponsors, criticized our reporting. In the interest of transparency and accountability, we are publishing his full response and explaining where we believe his critique falls short.

Rep. Woodrow wrote:

“Respectfully, this is very strange ‘reporting.’ HB25-1208 was passed back in April. The version that passed doesn’t lower anyone’s wage. It DOES allow local governments to adjust their tip credit to ensure that mandatory local minimum wage increases don’t force restaurants to keep raising menu prices, furlough workers, cut shifts, eliminate benefits, and close entirely. Why the author didn’t reach out to me or the other sponsors to discuss this, and why this is being published with grossly inaccurate information months after the bill was already passed into law, is bizarre to say the least.”

First, our reporting is consistent with coverage from peer outlets including the Colorado Sun and Boulder Reporting Lab, both of which are cited in the article. While each outlet emphasized different aspects of the bill, our framing was well within the mainstream of how this legislation has been covered. The suggestion that our reporting was unusually inaccurate or outside the norm is not supported by the broader media record.

Rep. Woodrow also takes issue with the timing of the article. While HB 1208 passed earlier this year, our article clearly notes that the bill was introduced in early 2025. Our reporting focused on the ongoing divide between labor organizations, restaurant owners, and policymakers, not simply the legislative vote. We published less than two weeks after a protest planned around a Nov. 20 public hearing involving labor groups. Passage of a bill does not end its public impact. The conflict, organizing, and community response around this legislation have continued, and that discourse warranted coverage. Our newsroom does not aim to be a breaking news outlet. We prioritize follow-up reporting that examines consequences and unresolved tensions after a bill becomes law.

On accuracy, our reporting is careful because the policy itself is nuanced. We explicitly state that the bill does not reduce the total wages tipped workers are legally entitled to earn. We also report that it allows cities to lower the guaranteed hourly base pay for tipped workers, increasing reliance on tips and exposing workers to greater income instability. That characterization is accurate. Rep. Woodrow’s own explanation reflects this reality. When he argues the bill prevents restaurants from raising menu prices or cutting costs elsewhere, he is acknowledging that the policy reduces labor expenses. That reduction comes through changes to wage structure.

Rep. Woodrow also criticizes our sourcing. While we did not directly interview him or every single sponsor of the bill, we extensively quoted Sen. Judy Amabile of Boulder, a bill sponsor, whose comments are among the most frequently cited in the article. We included her arguments that the bill could prevent restaurant closures, rising prices, and job losses. We also included responses from labor advocates and studies that challenge those claims. Presenting competing evidence and allowing readers to draw their own conclusions is the purpose of this reporting.

We have published positive coverage of Sen. Amabile in the past, and even endorsed her. Rep. Woodrow’s response reads this article as partisan rather than analytical. Our intent was not to take a side, but to document an ongoing conflict tied to a broader national debate between restaurant owners and labor advocates. Rep. Woodrow may disagree with our framing, but we reject the characterization of our reporting as strange or misleading.

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