In an annual State of the State address on Tuesday morning, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis provided updates on the future of the state across multiple topics, ranging from housing to water use to education to crime. Details:
DENVER — In an annual State of the State address on Tuesday morning, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said he is focused on recommitting himself and his administration to bold ideas that continue to push Colorado and its residents forward.The governor began his speech by acknowledging hardships — ranging from COVID-19 to extreme wildfires to mass shootings — that impacted Colorado over the past four years.
Notably, there is one big celebration just ahead. In three years, Colorado will turn 150 years old. Currently, Sen. Rachel Zenzinger and Rep. Marc Catlin helped create the America 250 - Colorado 150 Commission, which is planning events for the state under the roof of History Colorado. Those activities will begin July 1, 2025 and last through Dec. 31, 2026, according to the bill.
"We need an approach that creates more housing now, protects Colorado's resources and reduces sprawl," Polis said."It’s clear that the actions of one jurisdiction impact others, especially when it comes to housing, our environment, transportation systems, roads and transit, water and sewer infrastructure, and indeed our economic prosperity and growth."
"Building smart, efficient housing statewide, especially in urban communities and job centers, won’t just reduce costs, it will save energy, conserve our water, and protect the lands and wildlife that are so important to our Colorado way of life," Polis said."It will also support our vision for public transit, which is to create lower-cost ways to travel that gives Coloradans more choices and leads to more breathable air and less traffic.
"But listen, the reality is that projects like these are the exception, not the rule," he said."The more common scenario is that housing projects are rejected or mired in years of red tape, adding costs and time.... This means that we need more flexible zoning to allow more housing, streamlined regulations that cut through red tape, expedited approval processes for projects like modular housing, sustainable development, and more building in transit-oriented communities.
"A more just tax system that promotes prosperity for all is a passion I share with many of you in this chamber," he said, looking around the room."While we don’t always agree on the path, I know all of us want to save Coloradans money." "And I’m proud to propose $120 million annually in new, clean energy tax credits," he said."With this tax relief and incentives, we can improve our air quality, accelerate innovation, and make more rapid progress towards our goals, while saving people money at the pump and on their utility bills, and increasing access to clean, low-cost transportation options."
Along the lines of the state's climate goals are its wildfire safety goals. Firefighters have responded to more than 2,000 wildfires in the state since 2019, Polis said. In recent years, authorities have increased efforts in fire prevention and response. That has included the state's first Firehawk helicopter, forest restoration, mitigation efforts and more.
That includes prescriptions, which has not escaped increasing costs with inflation. Polis said in 2021, 10% of Coloradans couldn't fill a prescription due to its price. Saving money on prescriptions will lead to the prevention of higher healthcare costs, he said. Colorado will work to strengthen the Prescription Drug Affordability Board, Polis said.
READ MORE: Q&A: Head of Colorado’s new universal preschool program talks about new opportunity for parents When their talents take them into the workforce, they can find industries across the board that are in need of good workers, Polis said. For every person now in the workforce, there are two available jobs, he said.
Polis then moved onto the next topic — crime. The state is in the middle of the pack for crime rates when compared to the rest of the country, but"that's not good enough," he said. We are closing in on becoming one of the top 10 safest states, he said.
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