{"id":31301,"date":"2023-10-05T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-10-05T18:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.durangoherald.com\/tj\/what-we-learned-from-colorados-governor-including-his-position-on-some-hot-button-issues-at-sunfest\/"},"modified":"2026-03-31T01:38:27","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T07:38:27","slug":"what-we-learned-from-colorados-governor-including-his-position-on-some-hot-button-issues-at-sunfe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.durangoherald.com\/tj\/what-we-learned-from-colorados-governor-including-his-position-on-some-hot-button-issues-at-sunfe\/","title":{"rendered":"What we learned from Colorado\u2019s governor \u2014 including his position on some hot-button issues \u2014 at SunFest"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"Colorado
Colorado Sun\u2019s politics writer, Jesse Paul, left, speaks with the governor of Colorado, Jared Polis, a panel during Sunfest, Sept. 29, 2023, on Auraria Campus in Denver. The first annual Sunfest brought Coloradans together for day of panels and discussions covering topics from health care, policy and politics, climate, and other community voices. (Hugh Carey, The Colorado Sun)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Gov. Jared Polis made a lot of news last week when he appeared at The Colorado Sun\u2019s inaugural SunFest in downtown Denver. The Democrat talked about everything from affordable housing to passenger rail to water conservation.<\/p>\n

Here are the highlights:<\/p>\n

Polis\u2019 housing bill failed this year, but he wants to go bigger in 2024<\/strong><\/p>\n

The governor suggested he plans to double down in 2024 on Senate Bill 213, the land-use measure he failed to get passed in the legislature this year.<\/p>\n

The legislation, aimed at making housing more affordable, would have imposed zoning density requirements on some local governments and sought to align residential development with transit stops. The bill died on the final day of the 2023 lawmaking term because the Democratic majority at the Capitol couldn\u2019t agree on the policy.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat we\u2019re hearing from a lot of people in the field is that a lot of the things in 213 didn\u2019t go far enough,\u201d Polis said Friday. \u201cIt really needs to think bigger and bolder.\u201d<\/p>\n

But the governor wouldn\u2019t provide specifics on what the 2024 legislation may look like.<\/p>\n

Polis expressed support for a forthcoming bill aimed at reducing the number of so-called construction defects lawsuits filed against condo builders. Those developers say Colorado\u2019s laws don\u2019t do enough to prevent them from being sued by homeowners for construction issues, and that\u2019s why they\u2019ve been unwilling to launch condo projects in the state.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnything that will reduce housing costs we\u2019re for,\u201d Polis said. \u201cThat will reduce housing costs \u2014 it\u2019ll help build more condos, which tend to be more affordable.\u201d<\/p>\n

On affordable housing policy broadly, the governor said 2024 is the year to go big or go home.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the time for everybody to put their ideas on the table, and for the legislature and us and all the stakeholders to really think big about how we can change this trajectory to avoid Colorado becoming California,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s not too late.\u201d<\/p>\n

Overdose prevention centers<\/strong><\/p>\n

The governor didn\u2019t directly answer when he asked twice if there is a way he could support a bill authorizing centers where people could openly use illicit drugs under the supervision of workers trained in reversing overdoses.<\/p>\n

A measure letting local governments sign off on so-called overdose prevention centers \u2014 also known as harm-reduction centers, safe use sites and safe injection sites \u2014 failed in the legislature last year. A similar bill is likely to be introduced at the Capitol in 2024.<\/p>\n

\u201cI do support efforts to end homelessness, reduce homelessness \u2014 make Colorado safer,\u201d Polis said in dodging the question. \u201cAnd we look forward to the state being a partner with our mayors in doing that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Polis added that \u201cwe absolutely need to use diversion and other ways to get people into treatment so that they can recover their dignity and their lives.\u201d<\/p>\n

A ban on the sale of so-called assault weapons<\/strong><\/p>\n

Polis also wouldn\u2019t directly answer a question about whether he would sign a bill banning the sale of so-called assault weapons if it made it to his desk, but he sounded opposed to even pursuing the policy.<\/p>\n

A measure that would have banned the sale and transfer of a large swath of semi-automatic rifles and handguns failed at the Capitol this year despite the legislature\u2019s Democratic majority.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have not yet even succeeded in being able to raise the age limit to (purchase guns in Colorado to) 21,\u201d the governor said.<\/p>\n

Polis was referring to a federal judge\u2019s decision over the summer blocking a 2023 bill raising the minimum age to purchase guns in the state from going into effect.<\/p>\n

Proposition HH<\/strong><\/p>\n

We asked Polis about Proposition HH, the 10-year property tax relief plan on the November ballot. The governor said his message to people who oppose the initiative, which he helped draft, because it isn\u2019t perfect or because it doesn\u2019t offer enough relief is \u201cvote for it because it\u2019s a step in the right direction.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt doesn\u2019t mean you can\u2019t do anything else about property taxes in the future,\u201d he said. \u201cThere\u2019s lots of ideas about how we can prevent property taxes from growing too fast and (I\u2019m) happy to talk about other options whether this passes or fails.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s notable that Polis is open to more property tax changes. Proposition HH is meant to stop the annual property tax battles at the Capitol that have been happening since the Gallagher Amendment was repealed by voters in 2020 and which have made it difficult for local governments to plan their budgets.<\/p>\n

The amendment prevented residential property taxes from rising too quickly by shifting the tax burden onto commercial properties. Coloradans\u2019 property taxes have risen sharply without Gallagher\u2019s protections as property values have increased, which is what prompted Proposition HH to be drafted.<\/p>\n

Polis didn\u2019t address the arguments against Proposition HH over how the measure increases the Taxpayer\u2019s Bill of Rights cap on government growth and spending and will lower or eliminate future TABOR refunds.<\/p>\n

Finally, we asked the governor twice if he had school funding in mind when his office was working with state lawmakers to draft the bill placing Proposition HH on the November ballot. He wouldn\u2019t directly answer the question both times.<\/p>\n

The initiative raises the TABOR cap above what the legislature needs to make good on its promise to help local governments deal with their reduction in property tax revenue. It\u2019s widely expected the extra revenue will be directed toward K-12 schools, as evidenced by the fact that teacher and education groups are bankrolling the committee supporting the measure.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s good for the budget in general,\u201d Polis would only say.<\/p>\n

Property taxes for short-term rentals<\/strong><\/p>\n

Polis weighed in on a property tax issue around short-term rentals that has stoked perennial controversy at the Capitol. The governor said the fact that short-term rentals have a much lower property tax assessment rate than commercial lodging properties \u2014 nearly four times lower \u2014 is a \u201cloophole\u201d that he supports closing.<\/p>\n

He said people who rent out a home for a week or two weeks a year shouldn\u2019t have to pay more in property taxes, but residential properties that compete with hotels and bed and breakfasts should be taxed at the same, much higher commercial rate.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe tax treatment should be uniform,\u201d Polis said. \u201dWe shouldn\u2019t be subsidizing (short-term rentals) vis-\u00e0-vis other legitimate businesses.\u201d<\/p>\n

Polis said he thinks there\u2019s a way to come up with a reasonable delineation between casual short-term rental properties and ones that should be taxed at a higher rate.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m open to any reasonable discussion about what that is,\u201d he said, \u201cmaybe it\u2019s a cutoff at 90 days of rental.\u201d<\/p>\n

How Colorado can conserve water<\/strong><\/p>\n

When asked if there is a role in dealing with the water crisis for the state to limit what kinds of crops farmers grow, Polis plainly said \u201cno.\u201d<\/p>\n

Agriculture accounts for at least 80% of water use in the state.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we can figure out housing, that also helps fix water,\u201d he said, noting that while residential water use is a fraction of the state\u2019s water use, it\u2019s the fastest-growing area of use.<\/p>\n

A passenger train along the Front Range \u2014\u00a0and to the mountains<\/strong><\/p>\n

Polis said his administration is looking at rail as a solution to ski traffic on Interstate 70.<\/p>\n

He said the most likely mountain passenger train corridor would be between Denver and Winter Park and Steamboat Springs. Amtrak\u2019s ski train already runs between Denver and Winter Park, but it\u2019s expensive and there\u2019s only one trip there and back on select weekends.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s premature to say, \u2018Does there need to be a bill? Does there need to be a bunch of local governments forming a consortium?\u2019\u201d he said. \u201cThere\u2019s different ways of doing that. But the bottom line is this is viable.\u201d<\/p>\n

The governor is separately pushing for a 2024 vote on raising taxes to pay for a Front Range passenger rail system.<\/p>\n

A \u201cbetter Colorado\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

We also asked Polis what \u201ca better Colorado\u201d \u2014 SunFest\u2019s slogan \u2014 means to him.\u2028\u201dIt means it needs to be more affordable and safer,\u201d he said. \u201cThose are the two themes that color the actions that I take as governor.\u201d<\/p>\n

He added that \u201cthese (homeless) encampments and drug paraphernalia should not be part of a safe Colorado.\u201d<\/p>\n

Polis said that sustainability is the third top priority for him when it comes to making the state better.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Jared Polis talked about everything from affordable housing to passenger rail to water conservation when he appeared at the inaugural Colorado Sun festival convening the state\u2019s civic and cultural leaders<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":31302,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[120,28],"naviga_topic":[],"class_list":["post-31301","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-colorado","tag-headlines"],"acf":[],"author_name":"Website Administrator","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31301","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31301"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31301\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":81392,"href":"https:\/\/www.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31301\/revisions\/81392"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/31302"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31301"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31301"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31301"},{"taxonomy":"naviga_topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/naviga_topic?post=31301"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}