Centennial State News

Republican gubernatorial nominee Heidi Ganahl said in a recent debate that she has released her tax returns, and she is calling on incumbent Gov. Jared Polis to do the same.

After the debate, Ganahl’s campaign issued a press release drawing attention to several questions that the incumbent governor has yet to respond to, including whether he would release his taxes, and if not, whether he is hiding something. The release also queried whether the governor took sentencing advice from reality TV star Kim Kardashian and whether the governor will include the COVID-19 vaccine among required vaccines for school children. The release also implored Polis to apologize to Coloradans who have lost loved ones to the fentanyl crisis. 

"Transparency and honesty are crucial,” Ganahl said in the release. “Jared, I just now released three years of my tax returns on my website, and I call on you to do the same. I have nothing to hide. Do you? Voters deserve to know the truth."

According to ProPublica, while serving in the U.S. House of Representatives, Polis in 2017 was requesting that former President Donald Trump release his tax returns but did not do the same when he became governor a year later. The website claims that Polis paid little or no federal income taxes for several years and also has utilized tax laws to his benefit to avoid real estate taxes. The report was also critical of his efforts with his foundation.  

Ganahl’s campaign has also been critical of Polis’ decision to commute the 110-year sentence of Rogel Aguilera-Mederos, a truck driver involved in a crash three years ago on I-70 that left four people dead and several others injured. Polis’ office said it would not reveal who he talked to regarding the decision, according to Coloradopolitics.com, which hinted that he met with Kardashian, who championed for the convicted driver, tweeting after he was sentenced.

After Aguilera-Mederos was sentenced, Kardashian thanked Polis in another tweet for reducing the sentence, which ultimately will give him a chance to rebuild his life. 

Moreover, according to a Yahoo.com article, adding COVID-19 vaccines to the recommended list for children is supported by the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, and while it isn’t mandatory, the report noted that the CDC noted that states can set guidelines for vaccine requirements. 

“These laws often apply not only to children attending public schools but also to those attending private schools and day care facilities,” Yahoo reported, citing the CDC’s website. 

Ahead of the decision in Colorado, Ganahl issued a statement noting that she is opposed to any vaccine mandates for children.