Colorado Gov. Jared Polis prioritizes housing to start less ambitious second term

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis is taking a much less bold method to his second time period.

Driving the information: In his State of the State tackle Tuesday, the Democrat outlined a handful of priorities and put housing atop his listing.

• The agenda consists of growing housing availability by growing state-owned property, offering constructing {dollars} to native authorities, utilizing prefabricated development and loosening native zoning guidelines.
• “Housing coverage is local weather coverage. Housing coverage is transportation coverage. Housing coverage is financial coverage. Housing coverage is water coverage. And housing coverage is public well being and fairness coverage,” he informed a joint session of the Normal Meeting.

Particulars: Polis additionally proposed a rise in funding by $925 per pupil to assist tackle trainer pay and cut back class sizes; faucet hydrogen and geothermal sources to succeed in 100% renewable power; and reduce the state’s revenue tax.

• He doubled-down on his pledge from the 2022 marketing campaign to handle crime and enhance penalties for auto theft as a part of his purpose to make the state one of many 10 most secure within the nation by 2026.

What he is saying: Polis declared that Colorado is “undeniably robust — however we all know we could be even stronger and higher for our potential is actually limitless.”

Between the strains: The priorities are substantial, however far much less bold than what Polis specified by his first time period, during which he set a 100-day motion plan to make well being care extra inexpensive and moved aggressively to attain over 125 guarantees he made to voters.

• Within the 2022 election, Polis cruised to victory and ran on a continuation of his agenda fairly than a litany of latest coverage adjustments.
• The speech gave him one other likelihood to tout his accomplishments and push for extra progress on longstanding objectives.

What to observe: Polis forged his eyes towards the horizon of his second time period — 2026, when the state turns 150 years previous.

• “I would like our state, and our nation, to be a beacon of hope and freedom for all,” the governor stated.

Of notice: Simply as his identify is being talked about in nationwide political circles, Polis addressed broader points — decrying polarization in politics and demanding the federal authorities act to handle immigration.

The opposite aspect: Republican state Sen. Janice Wealthy blamed Colorado’s affordability issues on Democrats, saying Polis is making an attempt to repair his personal mess. “In the event that they hadn’t handed among the payments they handed, we would not be having this dialog proper now,” she informed Axios Denver.

• The Grand Junction lawmaker additionally lamented the dearth of specifics, saying the governor would not have a plan to pay for his agenda.