Politics
Colorado treasurer candidates split over investment priorities and TABOR
State Sen. Jeff Bridges says Colorado’s treasury should invest more in housing, clean energy and other local needs, while former state Senate President Kevin Grantham emphasizes investment safety and the office’s traditional financial role. They also disagree over whether to raise the state’s TABOR revenue limit to increase K-12 school funding.
Colorado voters choosing the state’s next treasurer face a debate over how broadly the office should use its financial power. Democrat Jeff Bridges wants state investments to help address affordability and support projects closer to home; Republican Kevin Grantham says the priority should remain managing public money safely and reliably.
Both candidates are experienced lawmakers seeking to succeed Democratic Treasurer Dave Young, who is barred by term limits from another term. The treasurer manages billions of dollars in public funds, helps oversee public workers’ pensions and returns unclaimed property to its owners.
Bridges, a state senator from Greenwood Village, has served on the Joint Budget Committee. He proposes directing some state investments toward Colorado housing, infrastructure, clean energy and small businesses, contending those investments could also benefit the state’s economy. He also wants to establish a forensic accounting unit in the Treasury Department to examine spending by other agencies and identify problems sooner.
Grantham, a Fremont County commissioner and commercial real estate appraiser, previously served on the Cañon City Council and in the state Senate, where he was president from 2017 to 2018. He says the treasury should prioritize protecting investments, earning returns and ensuring funds are available when the state needs them. He is open to local projects if they add no risk and offer taxpayers benefits comparable to conventional investments.
Grantham would use the treasurer’s public platform to influence budget and financial policy rather than expand the office’s responsibilities. Bridges’ proposals would give the office a more active role in addressing economic and oversight concerns.
The candidates also differ on Colorado’s Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, or TABOR, which limits state revenue. Bridges supports raising the cap so lawmakers could spend more on public K-12 education. Grantham argues TABOR restrains government growth and says the state should make better use of existing resources rather than seek more revenue from residents.
The choice will help determine whether the treasurer’s office takes a more interventionist approach to state investment and oversight or concentrates on its established financial duties.