Colorado: Westminster

Denver-area mayors have reversed course and now favor a year's delay and a November 2010 vote on a sales-tax increase for RTD's FasTracks transit program.

On June 2, the Regional Transportation District board of directors is expected to back the mayors' recommendation and set the vote for next year.

In March, the Metro Mayors Caucus, which includes about 40 area mayors, backed a proposal for a vote in November in the eight-county metro area on a proposal to double the current 0.4 percent FasTracks sales tax.

Such an increase — whether this year or next — would close a $2.2 billion shortfall in FasTracks funding that has developed because of shrinking sales-tax collections and higher-than-planned construction costs.

U.S. Rep. Jared Polis apologized Tuesday for remarks he made over the weekend that new media "killed" the Rocky Mountain News and that the outcome was "mostly for the better."

"I apologize to the entire Rocky Mountain News family and anyone who was offended by my recent remarks," the Boulder Democrat said in a release. "I did not mean to offend nor to show anything less than a strong sense of remorse for the loss of the Rocky. Like many Colorado residents, I grew up reading the Rocky Mountain News and its demise and the loss of over 200 jobs is a major blow to our community, especially in these troubled times."

Polis drew attention Monday for remarks he made to the Netroots Nation in Your Neighborhood event in Westminster on Saturday.

Lawmakers Tuesday night sent the state's omnibus transportation bill — a plan to boost vehicle registration fees to pay for road and bridge repairs — on its way to another House committee on a 7-5 party-line vote.

In six hours of testimony, regular Joes voiced concerns about higher fees, contractors pleaded for help saving their businesses and representatives of other industries alternately lauded and lamented Senate Bill 108.

The fees would ultimately jump to an average of $41 per car, with heavier vehicles paying more. Advocates estimate the legislation would create up to 8,000 jobs.

George Metcalf, a used-car salesman from Westminster, talked about the effect the bill would have on people like him.