Sean Duffy
The calendar change means it's time for another governor's State of the State address. Instead of predicting what Gov. Jared Polis will say, let's focus on what's guaranteed to be left out.
The so-called SOTS is essentially an hour-long commercial for a governor and his administration. It is a testimony and an agenda setter. And for Jared Polis, it's a window into how he will shape his legacy well into his second and final term.
Having helped Colorado's last Republican governor write several of these speeches, I know that the address is, above all, a tool for great headlines before lawmakers start firing spears at each other.
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This reminds us of an oft-repeated quote from Bill Clinton (no, not “Thanks for the plane ride, Mr. Epstein”).
It is said, “Don’t follow the headlines, follow the trend lines.”
The headlines Gov. Polis hopes for would reflect how well the “Polis economy,” as he calls it, is doing. This was his focus in the spectacularly unsuccessful attempts to convince voters that the proposed HH tax increase was a tax cut.
But the trend lines tell a more disturbing picture.
First, imagine a great economy in Colorado: A national magnet for locating or expanding businesses, whether small business owners or larger energy or manufacturing companies; Thanks to quality education, low business costs, and restrained regulations, family-sustaining career paths are widely available; A place where workers can build a life and buy a home in a safe neighborhood – perhaps a clean and energetic downtown.
It was that and more not too many years ago.
Instead of providing a smooth, paved path to opportunities for deserved success in business and life, the polis economy too often creates a difficult, rocky, and steep path.
It's difficult to start or maintain a business in the Polis economy because progressive lawmakers — backed by the governor and his appointees to regulatory agencies — impose mountains of expensive and often unnecessary regulations on companies. While these regulations can generate good progressive headlines, one study showed that a sample of just seven new laws and regulations cost more than $2 billion.
So much for the governor’s oft-stated mantra to “save people money.”
Imagine if these companies could have invested that $2 billion into expanding jobs, paying employees more, or purchasing new equipment.
That's just part of the story of why Colorado is getting more and more expensive. Our cost of living trend line continues to grow faster than the national average of 3.1%. Contributing to this growth is the 11% increase in household gas and utility prices, well above the national average increase of 0.2%.
Building your future in the Polis economy may include dreaming of moving from renting to owning your own property – perhaps a townhouse or condo.
When you borrow from George Strait, you have a better chance of finding oceanfront property in Arizona.
Thanks to flawed, outdated construction liability laws that make condo construction unaffordable — but strain attorneys' pockets — Colorado ranks last in the nation in residential real estate competitiveness, according to the Common Sense Institute. In fact, only one condominium will be built for every 14 apartments.
But if you can buy an affordable home, perhaps in one of the more densely populated urban or suburban communities, you will face growing problems of homelessness and crime. These are human issues, but also questions of quality of life and the economy. Ask downtown retailers and restaurateurs how they're doing as 2024 begins.
Don't expect the governor to shout from the podium that the state has seen the highest increase in family homelessness in the country, at nearly 70%. In Denver alone, homelessness has increased by almost 50%.
An economic growth area in the Polis economy is the black market for stolen autocatalysts. Colorado ranks third in the nation for property crime, including car theft. We fought cleanup in the FBI statistics for combined violent and property crimes, ranking fourth in the nation.
If you're one of the few condo owners in downtown Denver, watch out for tiny livestock. A larger-than-average national trend is that Colorado's capital city ranks as the 8th “worst” city in the country, according to Orkin, the pest control company. Each year the company measures the number of new rodent treatments ordered, and in Denver there were eight.
At least there is one positive economic trend line the governor can tout: Pest control jobs are booming in the Polis economy.
Sean Duffy, former deputy chief of staff to Gov. Bill Owens, is a Denver-area communications and media strategist and ghostwriter.
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