On Tuesday, Jan. 17, Colorado Governor Jared Polis delivered the first State of the State Address of his second term. In the speech, Polis highlighted his ambitious goals for housing, economic reform, education and environmental policies, asserting Colorado could become a model state for the country by its sesquicentennial (150th) birthday in 2026.
Weaving a continuous thread of housing affordability throughout the statehouse address, Polis described the living crisis as an interdisciplinary issue with impacts on climate, economic development, water infrastructure, transportation, energy and public health.
“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,” said Polis.
The governor briefly addressed the housing issue in the context of environmental concerns. Without proposing specific legislative action, Polis called for greater wildlife protections not just in Colorado but across the American West. He also reiterated his commitment to move Colorado towards 100% renewable energy by 2040 by granting tax credits for the use of clean energy.
After acknowledging Colorado’s land policy has not been significantly modernized since 1974, Polis promised immediate state action to build off of House Bill 1271 from the 2022 session. The governor called for an expansion of private property rights and a reduction of governmental barriers to encourage low-cost housing construction.
Tying this issue to economic relief, Polis argued long-term property tax relief is one part of his broader plan to make Colorado “more competitive and affordable.” While his goal to eliminate income tax will likely not be achieved by 2026, Polis called upon his statehouse colleagues to create immediate short-term solutions while working towards long-term valuations. Doing so, Polis argued, will protect school funding and multi-generational homeownership.
Polis spoke on education as a third priority for his second term. Focusing on “career-connected learning,” the governor promised greater funding for dual enrollment courses, technical education, apprenticeship programs and industry certifications to encourage career-oriented pathways post-graduation.
“We don’t want the innovation to end at graduation; we want to create more training pathways to help Coloradans shape their own success,” said Polis.
Another key issue briefly discussed was criminal justice reform, a policy both Republicans and Democrats ran on this past November. Appearing to balance goals on both sides of the political aisle, Polis promised greater resources allocated to behavioral health and drug treatment while maintaining a hardline on criminal accountability.
“We’re going to tackle crime head-on, yes by holding criminals accountable, but also by preventing crime before it happens,” said Polis.
Surprisingly, Polis made no mention of his policy goals or prior successes addressing reproductive rights which were central to his reelection campaign.
While the policies outlined on Tuesday are ambitious, Polis is backed by a noteworthy Democratic majority in the statehouse, which will likely continue to support his measures over the course of his second term.
