Colorado Gov. Jared Polis delivered his 2022 State of the State address Thursday, and it was good. The governor was focused, and the issues he spoke to are among the top concerns for the state’s residents.
The speech reflected the governor’s practical sense and non-ideological approach. Both are worthwhile, because some of the issues facing Colorado are hard to define, let alone resolve.
There was little about the pandemic. But it is doubtful there was much he could say.
Polis largely focused on his desire to save Coloradans money and to keep the state “affordable.” He embraced the idea that Coloradans can expect tax refunds and a tax reduction because state revenue is exceeding the limits set by the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights.
The governor stressed his intent to limit the cost of government. He pledged to “work with both parties to continue cutting taxes and fees wherever we can.” One example is his postponement of a 2-cent gasoline tax increase that had been scheduled to go into effect in the months ahead.
Another goal Polis expressed is to make “Colorado one of the top 10 safest states in the country.” That includes investing more in behavioral health care and other ways to foster an environment in which people are encouraged not to commit crimes. As he said, “Data and common sense tell us that preventing a crime does more to keep people safe than solving a crime after it’s committed.”
The governor also touched on “building safer, healthier communities” through better air quality and by addressing the climate crisis. On that point, he has been taking some criticism.
Starting this week, a coalition of environmental groups – the Sierra Club among them – will be running ads on cable television channels to pressure Polis and the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission to require the gas industry to set aside millions of dollars to clean up abandoned wells. It is a valid point, one which Polis would do well to consider. The alternative, after all, is having the taxpayers pay.
But it was clear that keeping (or making) Colorado affordable was at the top of the governor’s mind. And it is there that he is likely to run into trouble.
Some of those problems are difficult to fix. In other cases, the problem cannot be addressed without putting good things at risk. The perceived problem may have a beneficial side as well.
While housing costs are the biggest factor in making Colorado increasingly unaffordable, it is also true that the appreciating value of their home is the biggest source of wealth for most Coloradans. The problem and the benefit are two sides of the same coin. That makes the problem hard to define and a solution even harder to engage.
Overall, it was a good speech and well received. Republicans even gave him a standing ovation when he promised not to cut fees “at the expense” of law enforcement.
Moreover, he is right. The state of the state is strong.
