August 26, 2025 • 35 mins
Weld County Sheriff Steve Reams fills in for Dan and heads inside the Colorado state capitol to discuss the special session just wrapping up in the General Assembly to address a $1.2 billion budget shortfall with Rep. Carlos Barron (R-48) and Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-63).
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is Dan Capless and welcome to today's online podcast
edition of The Dan Caplis Show. Please be sure to
give us a five star rating if you'd be so kind,
and to subscribe, download and listen to the show every
single day on your favorite podcast platform.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Welcome to the Dan Caplis Show. And if you're tuning
in just now you're realizing this is not Dan Caplis,
you have Welcome you Shriff Steve Raems filling in yet
again here on the Dan Caplas Show as Dan is
out either vacationing or trial prepping or doing whatever Dan
does in the month of August and maybe through most
of September, so you gotta get a bunch of guest hosts.
Yesterday you had Jorge Brockler in and today you get me,
(00:37):
the Sheriff of Weld County, And you'll also have me
tomorrow when I fill in for Dan yet again. And
then they're a little bit of a break, and I
think Jorge Brockler and I will be doing a show
together somewhere around September ninth, if my memory serves me right.
So that day you'll probably want to just turn your
radio off because it's probably going to be a train wreck,
but it'll be fun. Normally, when I'm driving down to
(01:00):
do the show, I listened to Ryan's Ryan Show on
my way here, and I think, okay, well, you know
there's some things we can build off of. We can
take some of Ryan's themes and roll it into the
next show. And today he made me want to crash
my truck because he was going on and on and on, Yeah, Ryan,
on and on and on about hoping so much for
Travis and Taylor Swift to have this great marriage and
(01:24):
blah blah put in my mouth. You know, I'm sure
I need to go back and read the text here,
but I'm I'm sure you had a bunch of people
disassociate with Your radio show was pretty clear divide.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
There there were those that were dreamers like me that
wanted to believe in love and wish upon a star,
and then there were the negative Nelly's like you. Yeah,
I just didn't want to hear about it.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
So I don't like Travis Kelcey, I don't like Taylor Swift.
What Jason kelce So, Jason Kelsey's my kind of guy.
Take your shirt off. Wading through the crush, half drunk,
I mean, I have one year, four months and ten
days before or I feel like that's gonna be me.
Speaker 4 (02:01):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
Literally, Yeah, I am going to be at a Broncos game,
shirtless and the cold, wading through the crowd.
Speaker 5 (02:08):
Against the chief.
Speaker 6 (02:09):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
Absolutely, yeah booing Travis Kelsey. Yeah, that's gotta be me here.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
You're gonna make your way to the club level high
five Jason Kelsey. Yeah, I could see you guys hanging out.
You kind of look a little bit like because you
got that big beard going now like he does.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
Absolutely, yeah, we could. We could. Definitely, we could drink
some beers together. There's no doubt.
Speaker 6 (02:26):
Mind.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
He's into his retirement age as well, so you're gonna
be doing that same thing, and you guys.
Speaker 5 (02:30):
Could have like a reality show together.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Yeah. Maybe. Unfortunately, the thing the difference between the two
of us is he's financially independent and a show oh
so not. You know, if you're out there and you're
looking for some you know, retired sheriff who might like
to drink beers with you or something that is potentially
a job opening, I'm you know, I'm available.
Speaker 5 (02:51):
Sheriff in the center. I got it. It's you. It's
Kelsey Jason Kelcey.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
It's two guys bearded having adventures everywhere, drunken ones, shirtless one.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
We can make a podcast out of it.
Speaker 5 (03:02):
There have to be a video element to it.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Well, you know, that's fine as long as it's you know,
mostly g rated, I guess. Well. Anyways, on the way
down to the show, I was texting some of the
folks that are going to be on today. We're going
to have a representative Carlos Baron, who is the new
House Minority Whip after Ryan Armagost took a pretty sudden departure,
(03:24):
I think this last Thursday. So he's going to be
on the show to talk with us a little bit
about how this special Session is gone, and the first
time I think on the Capitalist Show. Here we'll have
representative Dusty Johnson from HD sixty three. She's going to
also be on to talk about just how screwed up
this special Session was, and I really look forward to
having her on because she is as green as can be,
(03:46):
just like Carlos Baron was so kind of seeing what
it looks like on the ground level for these folks
as they're going through this this crazy special session where
our state needs to cut about one point two billion
dollars out of the budget. But the governor comes in
and says, no, we're not going to cut money. We're
going to figure out how to raise more revenue. We're
going to figure out how to tax our taxpayers. And
(04:08):
then of course, in the second hour, we're going to
bring in the big hitter, Senator Barb Kirkmeyer, who's on
the Joint Budget Committee. She was with me on the
show the last time I hosted, kind of talking about
previewing what was going to be coming up in this
special session and saying, hey, Colorado has a spending problem,
and so we're going to find out was Colorado able
to rein in its spending problem or did they just
(04:30):
find out a way to try to find more money
and keep spending at the same rate that they had been.
As we know from one of the previous shows I hosted,
the state of Colorado has a forty four billion dollar
budget and they're having a hard time figuring out how
to cut out one point two billion or whatever it
was out of the budget. Somewhere between eight hundred million
(04:51):
one point two billion. I mean, just you know, throw
a few zeros on the check, what does it matter,
But I'd love to hear from the callers as to
what do you think the State of Colorado could afford
to get rid of? What are those things in the
budget that you'd love to see go away? And you know,
you can also chime in with where you'd like to
see some additional funding go But quite frankly, what could
(05:12):
you see the State of Colorado get rid of? Was
that funding for healthcare for illegal immigrants? What is it?
What is it you'd like to see him get away from?
You can text in at five, seven, seven, three nine,
start your text with Dan. I'd love to hear your
ideas or call in three oh three seven, one, three eight,
two five five. We'll have a little bit of time
for calls in this first hour. Definitely some call time
(05:34):
for calls in the second hour, but I want to
hear your ideas. I've got a few, but I don't
want to poison the well with all of my ideas.
I'd love to hear what you have to say. Somebody said,
sheriff will assume you were hands free texting on your
way down to the studio. Absolutely, I was. That's what
series for works out just fine. But you know, our
(05:57):
state reps. They're very excited to come on the show
and talk about it today. In fact, I had several
reaching out trying to figure out how to get in
here because they want to tell their message. In fact,
there so much want to tell their message. I think
right now they're doing a live press conference on the
steps of the Capitol. So if you're into following politics,
you'll probably want to get on and live stream one
(06:20):
of these guys to find out exactly how bad things went.
But like I said, Carlos barn will come on and
kind of give us the down and dirty as well
as Representative Dusty Johnson. I can say this from what
I can tell in what was going on through the
state legislature during this special session. There was a lot
of sitting around, and I would love to know exactly
(06:42):
how much the state paid in salaries for these representatives
to set around while we watch games being played by
the two different factions, the Democrats and the Republicans, getting
nothing done, but trying to figure out how to raise
our taxes and do so at the cost of all
of us. Here's a good one coming in the Wolves.
Get rid of the Wolves, Get rid of the Democrats,
(07:03):
Get rid of it all. That pretty well sums it up.
You know. The wolf program I think in the state
of Colorado is like around four million if I'm not mistaken.
There may be an extra zero on that. Heck, I
don't know, but that's just for the cost of relocating
them here and all. That doesn't have anything to do
with what they're paying ranchers. One, we have cattle degradation,
(07:25):
where the wolves go in and wipe out an entire
herd of cattle up in the mountains. Now we're we're
just talking about, you know, keeping these wolf packs healthy
and bringing more in. My understanding is that that may
have actually got some traction in this last special session.
So again, it's a good reason to bring these folks in.
Here's another vote for getting rid of the wolves. I
(07:46):
have a feeling that's going to be a trend. You know.
When the when the wolf reintroduction happened, the question was
why not start getting boulder. We haven't got one of
those yet, but I'm sure one's coming. Man. You guys
are knocking it out of the park. I'd love to
see the jeff Co Ranger Department shut down for the
Colorado budget reason. After that fake stabbing incident. Yeah, that
(08:09):
was a weird one. What was that share? I don't know,
and Ryan, maybe you'll remember a few. It's probably been
ten years back. There was kind of a rash of
this that broke out. But the one that comes to
my mind the most was a cop in Commerce City
that was driving down the interstate shot himself to grab attention.
And I can only assume that's what this park ranger
was doing it. This is an attention grab. But whatever
(08:32):
was going on there, you know, I hope he gets
prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. My fear
is it's in Jefferson County, so unless he identifies as
a Republican, he probably walks off with probation. But yes,
such a weird deal. There was a there was a big,
a little bit of a warning there. When the Jefferson
County Sheriff's office was so quick to say, well, you know,
(08:52):
this is probably not a threat to the public. Within
just you know a few hours of that thing happening,
it was probably a sign that it was a an
inside job. Well, we have a really long text here.
I'm going to have to parse this one down a
little bit before we try to read that one on air,
but keep them coming in. You can text in at
todan at five seven, seven, three nine, what do you
(09:12):
want to see the State of Colorado get rid of
when it comes to funding? And you know, keep it
bite sized so I can read it on the air
a little easier, or call in three o three seven
one three eight two five five. We are taking suggestions.
Maybe we'll just print this tech screen when it's all
said and done and send it over to the state legislature. Better, yeah,
send it over to Jared Polis so he can understand
(09:33):
exactly how out of touch he is with his voters,
just like his cringeworthy post about Taylor Swift and Travis Kelcey.
I don't have it pulled up, but it's bad. Ryan
read it when I was driving down here. I don't
even know if I want it repeated. It was so bad.
But all that being said, Jared Polis is pretty famous
(09:56):
at this point for cringeworthy postings. I'm sure we'll get
it into the show before before he's get Oh he's awful,
He's just he's just terrible. That being said, we'll get
it in before the show's over, but we're not going
to get it in right now, because I don't want
to have to gag my way through the rest of
the show, So we'll go to break. When we come back,
we'll have Carlos Baron on with us and he can
(10:18):
give us the down and dirty on what's been happening
in the last few days down at the special session
of the State Legislature. You listen to the Dan Capla
Show here on six point thirty k Hawn, Thanks for
tuning in.
Speaker 5 (10:29):
And now back to the Dan Kaplas Show podcast.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
Welcome back to the Dan Caplas Show here with well
Keuny Sheriff Steve Reims as your guest host. And I
just flipped Ryan the double bird for bringing us back
in on that phone.
Speaker 5 (10:40):
Are number one there?
Speaker 2 (10:43):
Yeah, you suck, Sheriff.
Speaker 7 (10:47):
I am so with you on your side.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
Yeah that was terrible. Well, anyways, let's get back to
something meaningful and turn that crap off on the line
with us. We have Representative Carlos Baron, who is the
House Minority Whip and representative for HD forty eight. And
I know Carlos is extremely busy right now, so we're
going to try to be respectful of his time. Carlos,
how did your press conference go? It's probably still happening
(11:10):
and give us the lowdown on what happened with this
special session of the Colorado Legislature.
Speaker 6 (11:16):
Yeah, thank you, Sheriff Frames, thank you for having me
on again.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
You bet.
Speaker 6 (11:19):
Yeah. The press conference still going on outside, and we've
got a center of kurf Meyer. We've got a representative Taggert,
who are on JBC talking to the press of about
how this special session really didn't help the budget deficit.
It actually worsten into the situation for the people of Colorado,
and much more for the businesses of Colorado, especially the
(11:41):
small businesses here in the state. It was terrible.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
So what is going to be the impact for the
common citizen out there? I mean, you're saying that we
didn't really accomplish anything. We didn't get the problem fixed,
which doesn't surprise me. But what do we expect out
of this session? And how's this budget shortfall going to
impact the voters out there?
Speaker 6 (12:02):
So, as you know, when the cost of doing business
in the state of Colorado or any or any state
goes up, in turn, that will trickle down to the consumer.
The cost of goods and services will also go up, right.
So that's the way it's going to affect the people
of Colorado much more. The businesses of Colorado. They are
(12:23):
now going to have to take on more cost of
doing business, and now they're going to have to raise
their rates. They're going to have to raise their cost
of goods and services, and the people are going to
suffer for that.
Speaker 2 (12:34):
So what I'm inferring from you is that instead of
cutting any kind of cost, the state legislator figured out
a way to add additional fees or take away any
kind of refunds that might have been coming due to
these business owners or business proprietors through income tax or
whatever the case may be. Is that is that on point?
Speaker 1 (12:53):
Yeah?
Speaker 6 (12:54):
Yeah, that's that's one hundred percent correct. So what they
did is they basically just raise more taxes in the
state of Colorado and then uh for for businesses in
the state.
Speaker 2 (13:03):
So they found places where they could get around tabor
and say, oh, that refund that you had common or
that reduction that you had come and we're just kidding,
we're taking that away. Is that correct? Yep?
Speaker 6 (13:13):
That is one correct sir, free. So you know what
they did one of them that I really that that
really really bothered me is the sales the income sales
credit that small businesses get. For example, I I I
do pay well, I do sales tax, you know, a
sales tax for for my business. Sure, and in the
(13:33):
state this credit what it does is it pays me
back for my services of collecting those taxes. Oh, I
get it, Okay, yeah, up to one thousand dollars a month.
And I report to the state how much how much
I'm going to be owning the state in sales tax
of course. Uh And so that thousand dollars to one
thousand dollars a month I get paid for my services
(13:54):
of collecting that for the state no longer exists. But
this fill it no longer exists. I am not going
to be getting that one thousand up to one thousand
dollars tax credit for doing my job for basically collecting
these taxes for the state of Colorado.
Speaker 2 (14:09):
Well, that seems real business friendly. And I'm sure you
can tell my sarcasm here, but I'm not surprised, Rep.
Speaker 6 (14:16):
Baron.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
I mean, we knew going into this that there was
going to be real, no real effort to try to
cut spending on the half of the Democrats. But what
about the funding like related to the wolf program and
was there anything that got ratcheted back just a little bit?
Speaker 6 (14:33):
No, no, there was well on the wolfget of course
we are we are one hundred percent against the reintroduction
of the of the wolf here in the state of Colorado.
But there was really nothing very very big that that
happened on that wolf program situation. It's still it's still
a bad thing. We were here supporting our ranchers and
(14:56):
our people in the state of Colorado, and and we
of course we argued at the well that we understand
this was a ballot issue. We understand that people voted
for this, and we respect that. It's just out now
it went from eight hundred thousand dollars that the blue
Book said in the ballot that it was going to
cost up to three million dollars today to today what
(15:17):
it's been costing for this wolf introduction. So they light
on the ballot. People probably voted on the ballot for
it because now it's eight hundred thousand dollars to reach
this wolves. Okay, we'll do that, but if they know
that it ballooned to three million dollars up to today,
they would be furious, right, and we're not. I'm sure
a lot of people.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
Yeah, we're not killing the program. We're just letting it
continue to exist. Well, look, I know your time's very busy.
I know you're being pulled in a million different directions
right here. So we won't keep you on the line
any longer. But Rep. Berone, thank you for being down
there and fighting the fight. We'll probably get you back
on the show at a little later date when you're
when you got a little bit more time under your
belt and you can speak with us a little longer.
But get back out to that press conference. That's that's
(15:57):
the people's the people's court right now. You got the
media out there, and so we'll let you go a
message to that crowd. But thank you for coming on
the show.
Speaker 6 (16:06):
I appreciate the sheriff for you to have a good one.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
You think you bet? Thank you, and we'll go straight
from that to James down in Pueblo. If he's still
on the line. He's got some comments about it. Sounds
like Sheriff's in Colorado, James, what do you got for us?
Hello James, James and Pueblo. Are you with us? James?
(16:28):
Sounds like he's at a drive through a hardware store.
Speaker 4 (16:31):
I'm here.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
Hey, James, you're on the Dan Kaplas Show. What do
you got for us?
Speaker 7 (16:35):
Okay?
Speaker 4 (16:36):
Sorry about that?
Speaker 2 (16:37):
No, you're fine.
Speaker 7 (16:38):
Hey.
Speaker 4 (16:39):
You asked me to call again a few weeks ago
when I told you that about the lady in the
Hillbilly group on the Andy Griffiths Show being from up
around Fork Collins.
Speaker 2 (16:54):
Oh yeah, okay, yeah, this is a throwback. Okay.
Speaker 4 (16:58):
Did you know that, you know Fester on gun Smoke?
Speaker 2 (17:03):
Okay, Festus, yeah, Festus, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 4 (17:06):
Did you know that he grew up in Los Animus
and his father was the sheriff and they lived in
the building that was the jail, a two story, two
or three story building that's still there with a plaque.
And also Bat Masterson was sheriff of Trinidad.
Speaker 2 (17:28):
I did not know that. But that's quite a transition
from going from Rett Barone to a little bit of
knowledge about sheriff history in Colorado. James, I appreciate that well.
Speaker 4 (17:41):
And then and then are you still there? Yeah, I'm here, yeah. Doc.
Holliday and Wyatt lived in Denver for a while before
going to Glenwood Springs, where Holiday died. From Gung Disease.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
Well, thank you for the information. I'm going to have
to do my own research there and we'll figure out
how to put that all together into a show at
some point. James, thanks for calling in and we appreciate
it having you on. So thanks hard transition there from
talking with Boron. He's as busy as can be. You
could tell just by the background noise. But after this break,
(18:15):
we're going to get with Representative Dusty Johnson, who I
think will have a little bit more time with us
to kind of boil down what happened in this special
session and maybe give us a little more detail so
she's not acting as the minority whip. If you're listening
to the Dan Capless Show here on six point thirty
K House, stick with us. We'll be right back.
Speaker 5 (18:43):
You're listening to the Dan Kapliss Show podcast.
Speaker 2 (18:46):
Welcome back to the Dan Capless Show here with Low
Keuny Sheriff Steve Reims in the guest seat. And at
least we didn't come back to Taylor Swift after that break,
so I feel like we're on a better track. Thank you,
Dusty Springfield. If you see what I did there, yeah, close,
very close. Because we're going to have Dusty Johnson up
in just a second. Before we bring her up, I
just want to kind of reset a little bit. We
were starting out the show with, Hey, we just finished
(19:08):
a special session. It just ended down at the Colorado
State Capital. All your state reps, all your state senators
were called back into session to deal with a one
one point two billion dollar budget crisis where the state,
who has a forty four billion dollar budget, had to
figure out how to either raise an additional one point
(19:29):
two billion in funds or cut one point two billion
in funds to balance their budget. And we're hearing at
the end of this special session that, of course, since
it's Democrat control, there was no desire to cut any funds.
It was just how can we quote unquote raise more revenue,
which in government speak means more taxes on all of us. So,
(19:49):
having said that, with us on the line is Dusty
Johnson from HD sixty three. Dusty, Welcome to the dan
KAPLA Show with well Kninny Sheriff Steve Riams. How are
you today?
Speaker 7 (19:58):
I'm doing well, share us thank you so much. I
mean I'm doing better now that they can many more
damage to us. We have a journed and we're back
in interim. Yeah, you know, these last six days or something.
Speaker 2 (20:11):
So if it's if I'm not mistaken, when this thing
was first advertised, it was supposed to be like a
three maybe four day special session. You guys end up
down there for six days, six days of almost torture.
From what I can tell, did you accomplish anything that
was in favor of the voter or what's your opinion
on this?
Speaker 7 (20:33):
Honestly, the only good thing that's come out of this
spending session, because that's all we seem to do as
a collective body, the majority is spend. The only good
thing is we did get an extension on the AI
artificial intelligence requirement, but that was more a pony show.
We just spent three days arguing something that we should
(20:55):
have been doing when they got upset last session, back
when they passed it in twenty four they've had time.
And then they spent three days literally just staring at
each other. Probably I don't know, I was in the
room yelling at each other. Took them three days just
to get an extension so we could actually have more
time to do it next session.
Speaker 2 (21:13):
So all right, so boil that down for me.
Speaker 7 (21:15):
So we did get an extension. Sorry, yeah, so.
Speaker 2 (21:19):
I don't feel like a lot got accomplished.
Speaker 7 (21:22):
Uh So we just so we extended it for our
business communities, our schools, anyone who's using AI equipment and software.
This the provision We're going to start in January. We
extended it to October, okay, next year, so they get
more time to face this pending essentially unfunded mandate, but
(21:43):
they get more time to uh move into these provisions.
That is the only decently good thing that came out
these last six days.
Speaker 2 (21:51):
So we had read Carlos Borona on he was talking
about a little bit of some of the tax breaks
that are normally afforded to businesses that basically are going
to cease to exist when it comes to like payroll taxes,
are paying paying taxes to the state in the collection
of certain other taxes. Is there anything where like the
(22:12):
common voter says, hey, I get a benefit from this.
I mean, are we just trying to figure out how
to increase our taxes? There is the state just trying
to figure out how to increase taxes to make up
for this one point two billion.
Speaker 7 (22:26):
The ladder it is they just wanted to figure out
ways with fancy words. This whole past six days has
been about whatever words they feel feel fluffy, that they
think the voters will appreciate more. But it was to
raise taxes in the in the attempt to save and
(22:47):
cut money. But we actually ended up spending three hundred
thousand that we are now more in the hole when
we came in trying to fix what we already in
the hole on.
Speaker 2 (22:57):
So there will be a revenue stream coming in from
getting rid of some of these tax credits. So revenue
stream coming into the state. They spent three hundred thousand
dollars to your to your tune there to figure out
how to collect more taxes. Is that is that a
correct summary?
Speaker 1 (23:13):
Uh? Halfway?
Speaker 7 (23:16):
It also is because they're trying to put into all
of these other health what they gained priorities. So but yes,
some of it going into we're spending money to theoretically
save money in a short term basis.
Speaker 2 (23:32):
Was there any one cut that was recommended and at
least got some traction or was this all just let's
just spend more money or let's just figure out to
spend more money. Was any cut offered by the Democrats.
Speaker 7 (23:46):
Not not by the Democrat side. There is all if
you look at the piscal notes, we're all to increase funds.
They want more money. They all of the solutions that
Republicans brought forth were killed on the first day that
we came in on Thursday.
Speaker 2 (24:02):
So I've read some of the posting from different folks
that are in the state legislature that your voices were
silenced on some of these issues. Exactly how did that happen?
Speaker 7 (24:14):
In multiple different ways? So they did do Rule fourteen,
which means we were living up to one hour of
debate when we are on seconds, which is the point
where we're supposed to be able to debate as a
whole committee, because not every member gets to look at
every bill based on the committee it's directed, okay. And
then they did Rule sixteen, which ends all debate with
(24:35):
no discussion on thirds, which is the point where you're
supposed to have a second chance to look at it,
especially in the special session when we're barely seeing these bills.
Some of them weren't even shown to I know, I
didn't see any of these bills until right before going
into kimmy Thursday, and then they kept moving those forward.
Speaker 4 (24:54):
It was a way.
Speaker 7 (24:55):
Trying to negotiate, you know, with our districts coming back
to the body of the whole. They silenced at and
then hear what we just saw today actually is they
silenced both the minority leader Publicies and assistant Minority leader
Winter when they wanted to be able to defend themselves
when getting heated, Common tried at them.
Speaker 2 (25:16):
So, man, it's just it's not unexpected, but it's frustrating
because the Republicans are not in a super minority, but
pretty darn close. I mean, you guys, you just don't
have the votes to turn the tide. Were you getting
much support from from the citizens down there? Or is
this just one of those things where in a special session,
you know, the citizens really don't even have a chance
(25:37):
to come down and voice themselves. You guys certainly didn't.
Was there when I see you guys? The Republicans certainly
didn't have a chance to speak on behalf of their voters.
Did you have voters showing up or was this pretty
much just a one party show?
Speaker 7 (25:52):
It was pretty much one party show, if I mean
you have voters call arounds across the state busy in
doing what they're supposed to be doing in their jobs,
their families, if they were able to make it down
here for committee, where committee was so disorganized the first
day we almost had two three hours wasted by technical issues,
(26:14):
and then they would move around bills, and so you
had people who were waiting here. If they were able
to testify over seven eight hours, oh wow, and then
no ideal when the next bills. I mean, essentially, it
was a silence of the people, a silence of the Republicans,
and they knew what they wanted to do and they
got it done well.
Speaker 2 (26:31):
So I know your group, your caucus went out and
did a press conference to kind of highlight the failings
of this special session. What are the Democrats hanging their
hat on. I mean, what's the other side of the
aisle crowing about that they got done? I mean, what
is their advertised success.
Speaker 7 (26:49):
They're going around saying that they put it to the
big companies, which they actually are going to hurt more
small companies, going and saying they're making life more affordable.
To be honest, if we look back six days ago,
we probably were more affordable than we're going to see
projected from what just happened these last six days. But
they're going to say that, and then they're going to
boost that they're keeping Colorado safe and protected when reality,
(27:12):
their special interests are focusing on the urban metro areas
for certain interest groups. It doesn't. It will not help
the whole state. It will help. It's a small percentage.
Speaker 2 (27:23):
Well, and just for the listeners out there that aren't familiar,
I should have probably done this when we started your
HD sixty three. What areas do you represent in the
Colorado region?
Speaker 7 (27:36):
Yeah, so I have the I have a seven counties Logan, Morgan, Phillip, Cedrics, Washington, Neuma,
and most of Well County Land mass Wise.
Speaker 2 (27:45):
Yeah, you're actually my state rep. And I can tell
you I don't feel as if this session probably benefits
me much. Were you getting any feedback from anybody saying, hey,
there's this one thing that the Democrats have proposed that
I could probably get behind.
Speaker 7 (28:01):
Uh, they would do their mass targeting for emails because
the titles of these bills sound great until you read
the policy of them. Sure, so I was getting some
calls and emails until I explained it saying hey, this
is actually what it's going to do, and they would, Uh,
you look at the age bills, you know, protecting healthcare
(28:21):
access for entities who would lose Medicaid. Once you will
dive into that bill, it is only funding planned parenthood.
It's not entities plural, it's singular one. But by the title,
it sounds great. So until you read it. So yes,
until explained, and then they very much felt, uh that
the wall was you know, thrown over their eyes. They
(28:41):
were very upset.
Speaker 2 (28:42):
So just reading between the lines, no matter what the
at the federal level, the big beautiful bill did to
cut funding for Medicaid medicare as, especially as it detained
as it pertains to abortion. If I'm interpreting this right,
it sounds like the state's willing to make up that
that whatever potential loss and funding is to ensure that
(29:02):
abortions are still fully funded here in the state of Colorado.
Speaker 7 (29:07):
Correct, but specifically just for planned parenthood. Just so it
was a one entity approach. It is a winner versus loser. Now,
I am very pro life. I do not like abortions,
but it could be argued, and I did hear this argument,
you know from some folks across the state that they
I mean, I know in my district House District sixty three,
we do not have a planned parenthood right. If you
(29:28):
look at rural Colorado, there is only one in the state.
They're all metro urban areas. And so for those citizens
who if they want that option, that it's not protecting
it all for everyone. It's protecting a huge, multi funded organization.
So it doesn't even help protect bad aspect at all.
Speaker 2 (29:48):
Well, and I know the session just ended. It's hard
to digest all this and put it into words, and
you know you're you're fighting the good fight down there
as a as a newly minted state rep. Kind of going,
I guess, headlong into your first and now special session,
what do you want to leave us with? What do
you want to leave the listeners with? Like, what's the
(30:09):
takeaway from from this experience that you could live leave
to the to the listeners.
Speaker 7 (30:16):
I would say some of the media skewed podcast things
like this are great. They're coming from you know, direct
from the source, but very much. I wouldn't even say
trust at this point. But if you're going to trust something,
verify it. Because there are a lot of things happening
that people are not aware, a lot of misdirection and
passing the bucks. We heard more from this special session
(30:38):
even last session so much anti you know, Trump administration,
and they're same rhetorics, they're same talking points. Are the
exact one they used for this spending session, mind you,
they are the exact same talking points. But HR one
was not even in existence or a idea back in
regular session for the most part, so they it wasn't
about any of that. It is just they are upset.
(30:59):
What's what's what's happening in the nation, and we can't
take accountability in the state from misprioritizing the budget of
our tax theres.
Speaker 2 (31:06):
That's probably pretty well said. You know, we have a
spending problem in the state of Colorado and it's been
highlighted by this special session. Representative Johnson, thanks for coming
on with us. If people want to follow you and
get a little bit more information about the work that
you're doing down at the state Capitol, where can they
find you.
Speaker 7 (31:24):
Yeah, so if they want to go to my website,
it is Dusty four fo R Colorado dot com. It
has my email, my personal cell phone, any of my
social media's, any podcast I might be on events that
I'm going to. Us are one of my bosses. I
tell that to everyone I have eighty nine thousand bosses,
and I really do want to make sure that we
(31:44):
are serving we the people Northeast Colorado and the state
as a whole.
Speaker 2 (31:48):
Dusty, thanks for being on with us, and we'll hope
to have you back on in the near future. That's
Representative Dusty Johnson on And at this point we'll go
to break and come back and clean up in this
final segment before we get to hour number two. Listening
to Dan Caplas Show on six point thirty K how.
Speaker 5 (32:04):
And now back to the Dan Taplass Show podcast.
Speaker 2 (32:07):
Welcome back to the Dan Caplis Show here with wellkuy
Sheriff Steve Reams filling in as your guest host today
and for tomorrow. We're gonna have a real short segment
here before we reset for the next hour. But I
just want to kind of cover a little bit of
what we've been talking about in this first hour. You know,
the special session for the state legislature just ended. It
doesn't sound like it was very fruitful for any of
(32:29):
us that we're hoping the state would kind of rein
in spending shocker, one point two billion dollars of over
expended funds. The Dems are arguing that federal cuts are
causing them to have to, you know, figure out how
to raise more more money from the state taxpayers regardless.
As I started the show, I asked you guys, what
(32:49):
do you have What ideas do you have for where
the state could cut funding, where could they make moneies disappear?
And you wouldn't miss it. You guys have sent in
a lot of great stuff, and we'll get to it
in that now hour, but you can keep sending those
in text into five seven, seven, three nine, start your
text out with Dan, or you can call in. We're
definitely gonna have some time in the in the first
segment of the next hour at three o three seven one,
(33:11):
three eight two five five, I'd love to hear your
ideas on how the state can save money. We all
know there's there's plenty of places where money needs to
be spent and it doesn't seem like it's happening in
those areas, and we all know that there's plenty of
places where money could probably stop being spent. I'll say
anything that has to do with illegal immigration at least
(33:31):
ninety percent of it. You know, there might be a
few things out there that make sense in funding. I'll
read just a few texts before we before we cut
to break from our good listener, Alexa loyal listener. She says,
this reminds me of when people tell me they have
to buy something because it's on sale. They spend money
they didn't plan on spending, and then they end up
with credit card interests. It describes the Dems perfectly. Another
(33:54):
one here about Polus and his posting to Travis Kelce
and Taylor Swift says he's just kissing up because he
looks to run for president. He's a total fake. Another
one on ideas for hot to cut spending in the
state of Colorado. How about we'd like all of the
non governmental organizations to go no oversight or accountability. Also,
(34:16):
we need a doge like deep dive into Colorado government spending. Boy,
that could be We'll have to bring that up with
Barb Kirkmeyer in the second hour because she can definitely
point out where some bad spending is going. Here's a
great idea for how we could get rid of some
worthless spending. We can get rid of polis in his mate.
(34:37):
That's pretty simple. How about this one, how about all
benefits for illegals, ninety percent of the benefits for unhoused
get rid of the wolf program, and I'm sure the
rest can be made up by cutting whatever the governor
and his husband's special projects might be, like the Bridge
to Nowhere, wolves, reintroduction of whatever other dangerous animal Marlin
(34:58):
wants to bring back to our state, to Colorado, and
there's so many more. We'll get to them. Trust me.
Send your text in DAN five seven seventy three nine
and we'll take those calls in the next segment three
oh three seven one three eight two five five. If
you're listening to Sheriff Steve Raimes as I fill in
for Dan, caplis here on six point thirty k
This is Dan Capless and welcome to today's online podcast
edition of The Dan Caplis Show. Please be sure to
give us a five star rating if you'd be so kind,
and to subscribe, download and listen to the show every
single day on your favorite podcast platform.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Welcome to the Dan Caplis Show. And if you're tuning
in just now you're realizing this is not Dan Caplis,
you have Welcome you Shriff Steve Raems filling in yet
again here on the Dan Caplas Show as Dan is
out either vacationing or trial prepping or doing whatever Dan
does in the month of August and maybe through most
of September, so you gotta get a bunch of guest hosts.
Yesterday you had Jorge Brockler in and today you get me,
(00:37):
the Sheriff of Weld County, And you'll also have me
tomorrow when I fill in for Dan yet again. And
then they're a little bit of a break, and I
think Jorge Brockler and I will be doing a show
together somewhere around September ninth, if my memory serves me right.
So that day you'll probably want to just turn your
radio off because it's probably going to be a train wreck,
but it'll be fun. Normally, when I'm driving down to
(01:00):
do the show, I listened to Ryan's Ryan Show on
my way here, and I think, okay, well, you know
there's some things we can build off of. We can
take some of Ryan's themes and roll it into the
next show. And today he made me want to crash
my truck because he was going on and on and on, Yeah, Ryan,
on and on and on about hoping so much for
Travis and Taylor Swift to have this great marriage and
(01:24):
blah blah put in my mouth. You know, I'm sure
I need to go back and read the text here,
but I'm I'm sure you had a bunch of people
disassociate with Your radio show was pretty clear divide.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
There there were those that were dreamers like me that
wanted to believe in love and wish upon a star,
and then there were the negative Nelly's like you. Yeah,
I just didn't want to hear about it.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
So I don't like Travis Kelcey, I don't like Taylor Swift.
What Jason kelce So, Jason Kelsey's my kind of guy.
Take your shirt off. Wading through the crush, half drunk,
I mean, I have one year, four months and ten
days before or I feel like that's gonna be me.
Speaker 4 (02:01):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
Literally, Yeah, I am going to be at a Broncos game,
shirtless and the cold, wading through the crowd.
Speaker 5 (02:08):
Against the chief.
Speaker 6 (02:09):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
Absolutely, yeah booing Travis Kelsey. Yeah, that's gotta be me here.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
You're gonna make your way to the club level high
five Jason Kelsey. Yeah, I could see you guys hanging out.
You kind of look a little bit like because you
got that big beard going now like he does.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
Absolutely, yeah, we could. We could. Definitely, we could drink
some beers together. There's no doubt.
Speaker 6 (02:26):
Mind.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
He's into his retirement age as well, so you're gonna
be doing that same thing, and you guys.
Speaker 5 (02:30):
Could have like a reality show together.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Yeah. Maybe. Unfortunately, the thing the difference between the two
of us is he's financially independent and a show oh
so not. You know, if you're out there and you're
looking for some you know, retired sheriff who might like
to drink beers with you or something that is potentially
a job opening, I'm you know, I'm available.
Speaker 5 (02:51):
Sheriff in the center. I got it. It's you. It's
Kelsey Jason Kelcey.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
It's two guys bearded having adventures everywhere, drunken ones, shirtless one.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
We can make a podcast out of it.
Speaker 5 (03:02):
There have to be a video element to it.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Well, you know, that's fine as long as it's you know,
mostly g rated, I guess. Well. Anyways, on the way
down to the show, I was texting some of the
folks that are going to be on today. We're going
to have a representative Carlos Baron, who is the new
House Minority Whip after Ryan Armagost took a pretty sudden departure,
(03:24):
I think this last Thursday. So he's going to be
on the show to talk with us a little bit
about how this special Session is gone, and the first
time I think on the Capitalist Show. Here we'll have
representative Dusty Johnson from HD sixty three. She's going to
also be on to talk about just how screwed up
this special Session was, and I really look forward to
having her on because she is as green as can be,
(03:46):
just like Carlos Baron was so kind of seeing what
it looks like on the ground level for these folks
as they're going through this this crazy special session where
our state needs to cut about one point two billion
dollars out of the budget. But the governor comes in
and says, no, we're not going to cut money. We're
going to figure out how to raise more revenue. We're
going to figure out how to tax our taxpayers. And
(04:08):
then of course, in the second hour, we're going to
bring in the big hitter, Senator Barb Kirkmeyer, who's on
the Joint Budget Committee. She was with me on the
show the last time I hosted, kind of talking about
previewing what was going to be coming up in this
special session and saying, hey, Colorado has a spending problem,
and so we're going to find out was Colorado able
to rein in its spending problem or did they just
(04:30):
find out a way to try to find more money
and keep spending at the same rate that they had been.
As we know from one of the previous shows I hosted,
the state of Colorado has a forty four billion dollar
budget and they're having a hard time figuring out how
to cut out one point two billion or whatever it
was out of the budget. Somewhere between eight hundred million
(04:51):
one point two billion. I mean, just you know, throw
a few zeros on the check, what does it matter,
But I'd love to hear from the callers as to
what do you think the State of Colorado could afford
to get rid of? What are those things in the
budget that you'd love to see go away? And you know,
you can also chime in with where you'd like to
see some additional funding go But quite frankly, what could
(05:12):
you see the State of Colorado get rid of? Was
that funding for healthcare for illegal immigrants? What is it?
What is it you'd like to see him get away from?
You can text in at five, seven, seven, three nine,
start your text with Dan. I'd love to hear your
ideas or call in three oh three seven, one, three eight,
two five five. We'll have a little bit of time
for calls in this first hour. Definitely some call time
(05:34):
for calls in the second hour, but I want to
hear your ideas. I've got a few, but I don't
want to poison the well with all of my ideas.
I'd love to hear what you have to say. Somebody said,
sheriff will assume you were hands free texting on your
way down to the studio. Absolutely, I was. That's what
series for works out just fine. But you know, our
(05:57):
state reps. They're very excited to come on the show
and talk about it today. In fact, I had several
reaching out trying to figure out how to get in
here because they want to tell their message. In fact,
there so much want to tell their message. I think
right now they're doing a live press conference on the
steps of the Capitol. So if you're into following politics,
you'll probably want to get on and live stream one
(06:20):
of these guys to find out exactly how bad things went.
But like I said, Carlos barn will come on and
kind of give us the down and dirty as well
as Representative Dusty Johnson. I can say this from what
I can tell in what was going on through the
state legislature during this special session. There was a lot
of sitting around, and I would love to know exactly
(06:42):
how much the state paid in salaries for these representatives
to set around while we watch games being played by
the two different factions, the Democrats and the Republicans, getting
nothing done, but trying to figure out how to raise
our taxes and do so at the cost of all
of us. Here's a good one coming in the Wolves.
Get rid of the Wolves, Get rid of the Democrats,
(07:03):
Get rid of it all. That pretty well sums it up.
You know. The wolf program I think in the state
of Colorado is like around four million if I'm not mistaken.
There may be an extra zero on that. Heck, I
don't know, but that's just for the cost of relocating
them here and all. That doesn't have anything to do
with what they're paying ranchers. One, we have cattle degradation,
(07:25):
where the wolves go in and wipe out an entire
herd of cattle up in the mountains. Now we're we're
just talking about, you know, keeping these wolf packs healthy
and bringing more in. My understanding is that that may
have actually got some traction in this last special session.
So again, it's a good reason to bring these folks in.
Here's another vote for getting rid of the wolves. I
(07:46):
have a feeling that's going to be a trend. You know.
When the when the wolf reintroduction happened, the question was
why not start getting boulder. We haven't got one of
those yet, but I'm sure one's coming. Man. You guys
are knocking it out of the park. I'd love to
see the jeff Co Ranger Department shut down for the
Colorado budget reason. After that fake stabbing incident. Yeah, that
(08:09):
was a weird one. What was that share? I don't know,
and Ryan, maybe you'll remember a few. It's probably been
ten years back. There was kind of a rash of
this that broke out. But the one that comes to
my mind the most was a cop in Commerce City
that was driving down the interstate shot himself to grab attention.
And I can only assume that's what this park ranger
was doing it. This is an attention grab. But whatever
(08:32):
was going on there, you know, I hope he gets
prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. My fear
is it's in Jefferson County, so unless he identifies as
a Republican, he probably walks off with probation. But yes,
such a weird deal. There was a there was a big,
a little bit of a warning there. When the Jefferson
County Sheriff's office was so quick to say, well, you know,
(08:52):
this is probably not a threat to the public. Within
just you know a few hours of that thing happening,
it was probably a sign that it was a an
inside job. Well, we have a really long text here.
I'm going to have to parse this one down a
little bit before we try to read that one on air,
but keep them coming in. You can text in at
todan at five seven, seven, three nine, what do you
(09:12):
want to see the State of Colorado get rid of
when it comes to funding? And you know, keep it
bite sized so I can read it on the air
a little easier, or call in three o three seven
one three eight two five five. We are taking suggestions.
Maybe we'll just print this tech screen when it's all
said and done and send it over to the state legislature. Better, yeah,
send it over to Jared Polis so he can understand
(09:33):
exactly how out of touch he is with his voters,
just like his cringeworthy post about Taylor Swift and Travis Kelcey.
I don't have it pulled up, but it's bad. Ryan
read it when I was driving down here. I don't
even know if I want it repeated. It was so bad.
But all that being said, Jared Polis is pretty famous
(09:56):
at this point for cringeworthy postings. I'm sure we'll get
it into the show before before he's get Oh he's awful,
He's just he's just terrible. That being said, we'll get
it in before the show's over, but we're not going
to get it in right now, because I don't want
to have to gag my way through the rest of
the show, So we'll go to break. When we come back,
we'll have Carlos Baron on with us and he can
(10:18):
give us the down and dirty on what's been happening
in the last few days down at the special session
of the State Legislature. You listen to the Dan Capla
Show here on six point thirty k Hawn, Thanks for
tuning in.
Speaker 5 (10:29):
And now back to the Dan Kaplas Show podcast.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
Welcome back to the Dan Caplas Show here with well
Keuny Sheriff Steve Reims as your guest host. And I
just flipped Ryan the double bird for bringing us back
in on that phone.
Speaker 5 (10:40):
Are number one there?
Speaker 2 (10:43):
Yeah, you suck, Sheriff.
Speaker 7 (10:47):
I am so with you on your side.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
Yeah that was terrible. Well, anyways, let's get back to
something meaningful and turn that crap off on the line
with us. We have Representative Carlos Baron, who is the
House Minority Whip and representative for HD forty eight. And
I know Carlos is extremely busy right now, so we're
going to try to be respectful of his time. Carlos,
how did your press conference go? It's probably still happening
(11:10):
and give us the lowdown on what happened with this
special session of the Colorado Legislature.
Speaker 6 (11:16):
Yeah, thank you, Sheriff Frames, thank you for having me
on again.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
You bet.
Speaker 6 (11:19):
Yeah. The press conference still going on outside, and we've
got a center of kurf Meyer. We've got a representative Taggert,
who are on JBC talking to the press of about
how this special session really didn't help the budget deficit.
It actually worsten into the situation for the people of Colorado,
and much more for the businesses of Colorado, especially the
(11:41):
small businesses here in the state. It was terrible.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
So what is going to be the impact for the
common citizen out there? I mean, you're saying that we
didn't really accomplish anything. We didn't get the problem fixed,
which doesn't surprise me. But what do we expect out
of this session? And how's this budget shortfall going to
impact the voters out there?
Speaker 6 (12:02):
So, as you know, when the cost of doing business
in the state of Colorado or any or any state
goes up, in turn, that will trickle down to the consumer.
The cost of goods and services will also go up, right.
So that's the way it's going to affect the people
of Colorado much more. The businesses of Colorado. They are
(12:23):
now going to have to take on more cost of
doing business, and now they're going to have to raise
their rates. They're going to have to raise their cost
of goods and services, and the people are going to
suffer for that.
Speaker 2 (12:34):
So what I'm inferring from you is that instead of
cutting any kind of cost, the state legislator figured out
a way to add additional fees or take away any
kind of refunds that might have been coming due to
these business owners or business proprietors through income tax or
whatever the case may be. Is that is that on point?
Speaker 1 (12:53):
Yeah?
Speaker 6 (12:54):
Yeah, that's that's one hundred percent correct. So what they
did is they basically just raise more taxes in the
state of Colorado and then uh for for businesses in
the state.
Speaker 2 (13:03):
So they found places where they could get around tabor
and say, oh, that refund that you had common or
that reduction that you had come and we're just kidding,
we're taking that away. Is that correct? Yep?
Speaker 6 (13:13):
That is one correct sir, free. So you know what
they did one of them that I really that that
really really bothered me is the sales the income sales
credit that small businesses get. For example, I I I
do pay well, I do sales tax, you know, a
sales tax for for my business. Sure, and in the
(13:33):
state this credit what it does is it pays me
back for my services of collecting those taxes. Oh, I
get it, Okay, yeah, up to one thousand dollars a month.
And I report to the state how much how much
I'm going to be owning the state in sales tax
of course. Uh And so that thousand dollars to one
thousand dollars a month I get paid for my services
(13:54):
of collecting that for the state no longer exists. But
this fill it no longer exists. I am not going
to be getting that one thousand up to one thousand
dollars tax credit for doing my job for basically collecting
these taxes for the state of Colorado.
Speaker 2 (14:09):
Well, that seems real business friendly. And I'm sure you
can tell my sarcasm here, but I'm not surprised, Rep.
Speaker 6 (14:16):
Baron.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
I mean, we knew going into this that there was
going to be real, no real effort to try to
cut spending on the half of the Democrats. But what
about the funding like related to the wolf program and
was there anything that got ratcheted back just a little bit?
Speaker 6 (14:33):
No, no, there was well on the wolfget of course
we are we are one hundred percent against the reintroduction
of the of the wolf here in the state of Colorado.
But there was really nothing very very big that that
happened on that wolf program situation. It's still it's still
a bad thing. We were here supporting our ranchers and
(14:56):
our people in the state of Colorado, and and we
of course we argued at the well that we understand
this was a ballot issue. We understand that people voted
for this, and we respect that. It's just out now
it went from eight hundred thousand dollars that the blue
Book said in the ballot that it was going to
cost up to three million dollars today to today what
(15:17):
it's been costing for this wolf introduction. So they light
on the ballot. People probably voted on the ballot for
it because now it's eight hundred thousand dollars to reach
this wolves. Okay, we'll do that, but if they know
that it ballooned to three million dollars up to today,
they would be furious, right, and we're not. I'm sure
a lot of people.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
Yeah, we're not killing the program. We're just letting it
continue to exist. Well, look, I know your time's very busy.
I know you're being pulled in a million different directions
right here. So we won't keep you on the line
any longer. But Rep. Berone, thank you for being down
there and fighting the fight. We'll probably get you back
on the show at a little later date when you're
when you got a little bit more time under your
belt and you can speak with us a little longer.
But get back out to that press conference. That's that's
(15:57):
the people's the people's court right now. You got the
media out there, and so we'll let you go a
message to that crowd. But thank you for coming on
the show.
Speaker 6 (16:06):
I appreciate the sheriff for you to have a good one.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
You think you bet? Thank you, and we'll go straight
from that to James down in Pueblo. If he's still
on the line. He's got some comments about it. Sounds
like Sheriff's in Colorado, James, what do you got for us?
Hello James, James and Pueblo. Are you with us? James?
(16:28):
Sounds like he's at a drive through a hardware store.
Speaker 4 (16:31):
I'm here.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
Hey, James, you're on the Dan Kaplas Show. What do
you got for us?
Speaker 7 (16:35):
Okay?
Speaker 4 (16:36):
Sorry about that?
Speaker 2 (16:37):
No, you're fine.
Speaker 7 (16:38):
Hey.
Speaker 4 (16:39):
You asked me to call again a few weeks ago
when I told you that about the lady in the
Hillbilly group on the Andy Griffiths Show being from up
around Fork Collins.
Speaker 2 (16:54):
Oh yeah, okay, yeah, this is a throwback. Okay.
Speaker 4 (16:58):
Did you know that, you know Fester on gun Smoke?
Speaker 2 (17:03):
Okay, Festus, yeah, Festus, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 4 (17:06):
Did you know that he grew up in Los Animus
and his father was the sheriff and they lived in
the building that was the jail, a two story, two
or three story building that's still there with a plaque.
And also Bat Masterson was sheriff of Trinidad.
Speaker 2 (17:28):
I did not know that. But that's quite a transition
from going from Rett Barone to a little bit of
knowledge about sheriff history in Colorado. James, I appreciate that well.
Speaker 4 (17:41):
And then and then are you still there? Yeah, I'm here, yeah. Doc.
Holliday and Wyatt lived in Denver for a while before
going to Glenwood Springs, where Holiday died. From Gung Disease.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
Well, thank you for the information. I'm going to have
to do my own research there and we'll figure out
how to put that all together into a show at
some point. James, thanks for calling in and we appreciate
it having you on. So thanks hard transition there from
talking with Boron. He's as busy as can be. You
could tell just by the background noise. But after this break,
(18:15):
we're going to get with Representative Dusty Johnson, who I
think will have a little bit more time with us
to kind of boil down what happened in this special
session and maybe give us a little more detail so
she's not acting as the minority whip. If you're listening
to the Dan Capless Show here on six point thirty
K House, stick with us. We'll be right back.
Speaker 5 (18:43):
You're listening to the Dan Kapliss Show podcast.
Speaker 2 (18:46):
Welcome back to the Dan Capless Show here with Low
Keuny Sheriff Steve Reims in the guest seat. And at
least we didn't come back to Taylor Swift after that break,
so I feel like we're on a better track. Thank you,
Dusty Springfield. If you see what I did there, yeah, close,
very close. Because we're going to have Dusty Johnson up
in just a second. Before we bring her up, I
just want to kind of reset a little bit. We
were starting out the show with, Hey, we just finished
(19:08):
a special session. It just ended down at the Colorado
State Capital. All your state reps, all your state senators
were called back into session to deal with a one
one point two billion dollar budget crisis where the state,
who has a forty four billion dollar budget, had to
figure out how to either raise an additional one point
(19:29):
two billion in funds or cut one point two billion
in funds to balance their budget. And we're hearing at
the end of this special session that, of course, since
it's Democrat control, there was no desire to cut any funds.
It was just how can we quote unquote raise more revenue,
which in government speak means more taxes on all of us. So,
(19:49):
having said that, with us on the line is Dusty
Johnson from HD sixty three. Dusty, Welcome to the dan
KAPLA Show with well Kninny Sheriff Steve Riams. How are
you today?
Speaker 7 (19:58):
I'm doing well, share us thank you so much. I
mean I'm doing better now that they can many more
damage to us. We have a journed and we're back
in interim. Yeah, you know, these last six days or something.
Speaker 2 (20:11):
So if it's if I'm not mistaken, when this thing
was first advertised, it was supposed to be like a
three maybe four day special session. You guys end up
down there for six days, six days of almost torture.
From what I can tell, did you accomplish anything that
was in favor of the voter or what's your opinion
on this?
Speaker 7 (20:33):
Honestly, the only good thing that's come out of this
spending session, because that's all we seem to do as
a collective body, the majority is spend. The only good
thing is we did get an extension on the AI
artificial intelligence requirement, but that was more a pony show.
We just spent three days arguing something that we should
(20:55):
have been doing when they got upset last session, back
when they passed it in twenty four they've had time.
And then they spent three days literally just staring at
each other. Probably I don't know, I was in the
room yelling at each other. Took them three days just
to get an extension so we could actually have more
time to do it next session.
Speaker 2 (21:13):
So all right, so boil that down for me.
Speaker 7 (21:15):
So we did get an extension. Sorry, yeah, so.
Speaker 2 (21:19):
I don't feel like a lot got accomplished.
Speaker 7 (21:22):
Uh So we just so we extended it for our
business communities, our schools, anyone who's using AI equipment and software.
This the provision We're going to start in January. We
extended it to October, okay, next year, so they get
more time to face this pending essentially unfunded mandate, but
(21:43):
they get more time to uh move into these provisions.
That is the only decently good thing that came out
these last six days.
Speaker 2 (21:51):
So we had read Carlos Borona on he was talking
about a little bit of some of the tax breaks
that are normally afforded to businesses that basically are going
to cease to exist when it comes to like payroll taxes,
are paying paying taxes to the state in the collection
of certain other taxes. Is there anything where like the
(22:12):
common voter says, hey, I get a benefit from this.
I mean, are we just trying to figure out how
to increase our taxes? There is the state just trying
to figure out how to increase taxes to make up
for this one point two billion.
Speaker 7 (22:26):
The ladder it is they just wanted to figure out
ways with fancy words. This whole past six days has
been about whatever words they feel feel fluffy, that they
think the voters will appreciate more. But it was to
raise taxes in the in the attempt to save and
(22:47):
cut money. But we actually ended up spending three hundred
thousand that we are now more in the hole when
we came in trying to fix what we already in
the hole on.
Speaker 2 (22:57):
So there will be a revenue stream coming in from
getting rid of some of these tax credits. So revenue
stream coming into the state. They spent three hundred thousand
dollars to your to your tune there to figure out
how to collect more taxes. Is that is that a
correct summary?
Speaker 1 (23:13):
Uh? Halfway?
Speaker 7 (23:16):
It also is because they're trying to put into all
of these other health what they gained priorities. So but yes,
some of it going into we're spending money to theoretically
save money in a short term basis.
Speaker 2 (23:32):
Was there any one cut that was recommended and at
least got some traction or was this all just let's
just spend more money or let's just figure out to
spend more money. Was any cut offered by the Democrats.
Speaker 7 (23:46):
Not not by the Democrat side. There is all if
you look at the piscal notes, we're all to increase funds.
They want more money. They all of the solutions that
Republicans brought forth were killed on the first day that
we came in on Thursday.
Speaker 2 (24:02):
So I've read some of the posting from different folks
that are in the state legislature that your voices were
silenced on some of these issues. Exactly how did that happen?
Speaker 7 (24:14):
In multiple different ways? So they did do Rule fourteen,
which means we were living up to one hour of
debate when we are on seconds, which is the point
where we're supposed to be able to debate as a
whole committee, because not every member gets to look at
every bill based on the committee it's directed, okay. And
then they did Rule sixteen, which ends all debate with
(24:35):
no discussion on thirds, which is the point where you're
supposed to have a second chance to look at it,
especially in the special session when we're barely seeing these bills.
Some of them weren't even shown to I know, I
didn't see any of these bills until right before going
into kimmy Thursday, and then they kept moving those forward.
Speaker 4 (24:54):
It was a way.
Speaker 7 (24:55):
Trying to negotiate, you know, with our districts coming back
to the body of the whole. They silenced at and
then hear what we just saw today actually is they
silenced both the minority leader Publicies and assistant Minority leader
Winter when they wanted to be able to defend themselves
when getting heated, Common tried at them.
Speaker 2 (25:16):
So, man, it's just it's not unexpected, but it's frustrating
because the Republicans are not in a super minority, but
pretty darn close. I mean, you guys, you just don't
have the votes to turn the tide. Were you getting
much support from from the citizens down there? Or is
this just one of those things where in a special session,
you know, the citizens really don't even have a chance
(25:37):
to come down and voice themselves. You guys certainly didn't.
Was there when I see you guys? The Republicans certainly
didn't have a chance to speak on behalf of their voters.
Did you have voters showing up or was this pretty
much just a one party show?
Speaker 7 (25:52):
It was pretty much one party show, if I mean
you have voters call arounds across the state busy in
doing what they're supposed to be doing in their jobs,
their families, if they were able to make it down
here for committee, where committee was so disorganized the first
day we almost had two three hours wasted by technical issues,
(26:14):
and then they would move around bills, and so you
had people who were waiting here. If they were able
to testify over seven eight hours, oh wow, and then
no ideal when the next bills. I mean, essentially, it
was a silence of the people, a silence of the Republicans,
and they knew what they wanted to do and they
got it done well.
Speaker 2 (26:31):
So I know your group, your caucus went out and
did a press conference to kind of highlight the failings
of this special session. What are the Democrats hanging their
hat on. I mean, what's the other side of the
aisle crowing about that they got done? I mean, what
is their advertised success.
Speaker 7 (26:49):
They're going around saying that they put it to the
big companies, which they actually are going to hurt more
small companies, going and saying they're making life more affordable.
To be honest, if we look back six days ago,
we probably were more affordable than we're going to see
projected from what just happened these last six days. But
they're going to say that, and then they're going to
boost that they're keeping Colorado safe and protected when reality,
(27:12):
their special interests are focusing on the urban metro areas
for certain interest groups. It doesn't. It will not help
the whole state. It will help. It's a small percentage.
Speaker 2 (27:23):
Well, and just for the listeners out there that aren't familiar,
I should have probably done this when we started your
HD sixty three. What areas do you represent in the
Colorado region?
Speaker 7 (27:36):
Yeah, so I have the I have a seven counties Logan, Morgan, Phillip, Cedrics, Washington, Neuma,
and most of Well County Land mass Wise.
Speaker 2 (27:45):
Yeah, you're actually my state rep. And I can tell
you I don't feel as if this session probably benefits
me much. Were you getting any feedback from anybody saying, hey,
there's this one thing that the Democrats have proposed that
I could probably get behind.
Speaker 7 (28:01):
Uh, they would do their mass targeting for emails because
the titles of these bills sound great until you read
the policy of them. Sure, so I was getting some
calls and emails until I explained it saying hey, this
is actually what it's going to do, and they would, Uh,
you look at the age bills, you know, protecting healthcare
(28:21):
access for entities who would lose Medicaid. Once you will
dive into that bill, it is only funding planned parenthood.
It's not entities plural, it's singular one. But by the title,
it sounds great. So until you read it. So yes,
until explained, and then they very much felt, uh that
the wall was you know, thrown over their eyes. They
(28:41):
were very upset.
Speaker 2 (28:42):
So just reading between the lines, no matter what the
at the federal level, the big beautiful bill did to
cut funding for Medicaid medicare as, especially as it detained
as it pertains to abortion. If I'm interpreting this right,
it sounds like the state's willing to make up that
that whatever potential loss and funding is to ensure that
(29:02):
abortions are still fully funded here in the state of Colorado.
Speaker 7 (29:07):
Correct, but specifically just for planned parenthood. Just so it
was a one entity approach. It is a winner versus loser. Now,
I am very pro life. I do not like abortions,
but it could be argued, and I did hear this argument,
you know from some folks across the state that they
I mean, I know in my district House District sixty three,
we do not have a planned parenthood right. If you
(29:28):
look at rural Colorado, there is only one in the state.
They're all metro urban areas. And so for those citizens
who if they want that option, that it's not protecting
it all for everyone. It's protecting a huge, multi funded organization.
So it doesn't even help protect bad aspect at all.
Speaker 2 (29:48):
Well, and I know the session just ended. It's hard
to digest all this and put it into words, and
you know you're you're fighting the good fight down there
as a as a newly minted state rep. Kind of going,
I guess, headlong into your first and now special session,
what do you want to leave us with? What do
you want to leave the listeners with? Like, what's the
(30:09):
takeaway from from this experience that you could live leave
to the to the listeners.
Speaker 7 (30:16):
I would say some of the media skewed podcast things
like this are great. They're coming from you know, direct
from the source, but very much. I wouldn't even say
trust at this point. But if you're going to trust something,
verify it. Because there are a lot of things happening
that people are not aware, a lot of misdirection and
passing the bucks. We heard more from this special session
(30:38):
even last session so much anti you know, Trump administration,
and they're same rhetorics, they're same talking points. Are the
exact one they used for this spending session, mind you,
they are the exact same talking points. But HR one
was not even in existence or a idea back in
regular session for the most part, so they it wasn't
about any of that. It is just they are upset.
(30:59):
What's what's what's happening in the nation, and we can't
take accountability in the state from misprioritizing the budget of
our tax theres.
Speaker 2 (31:06):
That's probably pretty well said. You know, we have a
spending problem in the state of Colorado and it's been
highlighted by this special session. Representative Johnson, thanks for coming
on with us. If people want to follow you and
get a little bit more information about the work that
you're doing down at the state Capitol, where can they
find you.
Speaker 7 (31:24):
Yeah, so if they want to go to my website,
it is Dusty four fo R Colorado dot com. It
has my email, my personal cell phone, any of my
social media's, any podcast I might be on events that
I'm going to. Us are one of my bosses. I
tell that to everyone I have eighty nine thousand bosses,
and I really do want to make sure that we
(31:44):
are serving we the people Northeast Colorado and the state
as a whole.
Speaker 2 (31:48):
Dusty, thanks for being on with us, and we'll hope
to have you back on in the near future. That's
Representative Dusty Johnson on And at this point we'll go
to break and come back and clean up in this
final segment before we get to hour number two. Listening
to Dan Caplas Show on six point thirty K how.
Speaker 5 (32:04):
And now back to the Dan Taplass Show podcast.
Speaker 2 (32:07):
Welcome back to the Dan Caplis Show here with wellkuy
Sheriff Steve Reams filling in as your guest host today
and for tomorrow. We're gonna have a real short segment
here before we reset for the next hour. But I
just want to kind of cover a little bit of
what we've been talking about in this first hour. You know,
the special session for the state legislature just ended. It
doesn't sound like it was very fruitful for any of
(32:29):
us that we're hoping the state would kind of rein
in spending shocker, one point two billion dollars of over
expended funds. The Dems are arguing that federal cuts are
causing them to have to, you know, figure out how
to raise more more money from the state taxpayers regardless.
As I started the show, I asked you guys, what
(32:49):
do you have What ideas do you have for where
the state could cut funding, where could they make moneies disappear?
And you wouldn't miss it. You guys have sent in
a lot of great stuff, and we'll get to it
in that now hour, but you can keep sending those
in text into five seven, seven, three nine, start your
text out with Dan, or you can call in. We're
definitely gonna have some time in the in the first
segment of the next hour at three o three seven one,
(33:11):
three eight two five five, I'd love to hear your
ideas on how the state can save money. We all
know there's there's plenty of places where money needs to
be spent and it doesn't seem like it's happening in
those areas, and we all know that there's plenty of
places where money could probably stop being spent. I'll say
anything that has to do with illegal immigration at least
(33:31):
ninety percent of it. You know, there might be a
few things out there that make sense in funding. I'll
read just a few texts before we before we cut
to break from our good listener, Alexa loyal listener. She says,
this reminds me of when people tell me they have
to buy something because it's on sale. They spend money
they didn't plan on spending, and then they end up
with credit card interests. It describes the Dems perfectly. Another
(33:54):
one here about Polus and his posting to Travis Kelce
and Taylor Swift says he's just kissing up because he
looks to run for president. He's a total fake. Another
one on ideas for hot to cut spending in the
state of Colorado. How about we'd like all of the
non governmental organizations to go no oversight or accountability. Also,
(34:16):
we need a doge like deep dive into Colorado government spending. Boy,
that could be We'll have to bring that up with
Barb Kirkmeyer in the second hour because she can definitely
point out where some bad spending is going. Here's a
great idea for how we could get rid of some
worthless spending. We can get rid of polis in his mate.
(34:37):
That's pretty simple. How about this one, how about all
benefits for illegals, ninety percent of the benefits for unhoused
get rid of the wolf program, and I'm sure the
rest can be made up by cutting whatever the governor
and his husband's special projects might be, like the Bridge
to Nowhere, wolves, reintroduction of whatever other dangerous animal Marlin
(34:58):
wants to bring back to our state, to Colorado, and
there's so many more. We'll get to them. Trust me.
Send your text in DAN five seven seventy three nine
and we'll take those calls in the next segment three
oh three seven one three eight two five five. If
you're listening to Sheriff Steve Raimes as I fill in
for Dan, caplis here on six point thirty k
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