Economy
Here’s what to know about new federal policies for repaying student loans
WASHINGTON — Following the Supreme Court’s summer ruling against 40 million federal student loan borrowers who would have qualified for debt relief, the Biden administration crafted a year-long delay in repayments. The policy, known as an on-ramp, is set to begin next month. Additionally, hours after the Supreme Court’s decision, the Department of Education unveiled […]
‘The internet is no longer a luxury’: $667M from USDA for rural broadband
The U.S. Department of Agriculture will spend another $667 million on rural broadband loans and grants, the department said Monday, marking the fourth round of Biden administration funding under a program that the 2021 infrastructure law invigorated. Nearly three-quarters of the funding, $493 million, will go toward grants, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said on a […]
Credit card law would give big-box stores payday at community’s expense
Big-box stores and their lobbyists are trying to meddle with our wallets, again. Right now, they are pushing to pass the Credit Card Competition Act of 2023, a bill that would make credit less accessible to our marginalized communities and give big-box stores a payday. Congress was able to shut this bill down when it […]
Why is it so difficult to turn a hotel into supportive housing?
Hotel conversions have become a popular idea to increase Colorado’s supply of supportive housing for people exiting homelessness, but there is an open question regarding this strategy’s long-term viability. The idea to convert unused hotels into housing isn’t new, but it’s getting more attention at a time when Colorado’s housing becomes increasingly unaffordable for workers […]
Inflation in Denver area among highest in nation, federal data shows
Inflation in the Denver metro area remains one of the highest in the nation, according to the latest consumer price index report, released Thursday, from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. While the national inflation rate has slowly improved, certain metropolitan areas highlighted in the July CPI report remain above national averages. Colorado’s biggest metropolitan […]
Consumers seeing relief in some food prices as inflation continues to slow
Consumers are getting some relief from higher prices as core inflation, which excludes food and energy, continues to show signs of cooling — an encouraging sign for the U.S. economy, according to economists. The Department of Labor’s report on Thursday showed the consumer price index rose 0.2% in July, in line with expectations, and 3.2% […]
USDA’s climate grants for farms and forests run into Republican buzzsaw
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration is spending more than $3 billion to cultivate more American farmers and forest landowners as partners to mitigate climate change — even while some Republicans on Capitol Hill try to stop the program entirely. The administration launched a new farm program, Partnerships for Climate Smart Commodities, this year. It is […]
VP Kamala Harris unveils new wage rule for federal projects
Construction workers who work on federal projects are poised to receive better wages and worker protections under a Department of Labor rule touted by Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday. Speaking at a union hall in Philadelphia, Harris praised the Biden administration’s economic agenda and pointed out that the new rule would be the first […]
States seek to let teens as young as 14 serve booze in restaurants
WASHINGTON — As a former bartender and current tipped worker, Trupti Patel knows that customers tend to get grabby when there is alcohol involved. After working in the food service industry for more than a decade, she is accustomed to dealing with drunk customers who get out of hand, especially if they become belligerent or […]
Cities boost wages, embrace ‘culture change’ to beat lifeguard shortage
This story originally appeared in Stateline. Lifeguard shortages closed thousands of pools and beaches during the COVID-19 pandemic, when social distancing requirements disrupted training and rising wages lured some workers to other summer jobs. Now, some states and cities say they’re back in the swim of things, thanks to major changes in how they train, […]
Split in U.S. House GOP raises potential for government shutdown this fall
WASHINGTON — Members of Congress jetted off for the August recess without a plan in place to avoid a partial government shutdown when the new fiscal year begins Oct. 1 — and the lawmakers who write spending bills acknowledge that it’s a real possibility, given deep divisions. The stalemate stems from a split among House […]
Teamsters-UPS reach ‘game-changing’ labor deal to avert strike
UPS and its workers, represented by the Teamsters, reached a tentative deal on Tuesday to prevent an Aug. 1 strike of 340,000 union members at the package carrier. A work stoppage could have cost the U.S. economy billions by disrupting supply chains and upending distribution to both large and small businesses, hospitals and homes. Representatives […]