On January 11, 2024, Colorado Governor Jared Polis delivered his sixth State of the State speech at the Colorado State Capitol. The annual speech reviews past achievements and provides a roadmap for 2024.
Polis began by celebrating recent accomplishments, including the following victories: fully funding K-12 education and emphasizing the state’s commitment to education by ensuring that Colorado’s students receive all the necessary resources to attend school. He also highlighted the successful effort to cap the price of EpiPens, making life-saving medication more accessible to Coloradans.
In addition to celebrating victories, Polis outlined new priorities for the year. He urged lawmakers to consider passing elements of a sweeping land-use bill piecemeal after it failed in the previous session. He emphasized the need for a well-rounded approach to housing, considering factors like jobs, zoning capacity, transit areas, and regional equity.
Polis announced a “moonshot” goal: expanding passenger rail across the state. The vision includes creating access points that connect people to housing, businesses, and jobs more efficiently. Federal investments in rail infrastructure could play a crucial role in achieving this goal. Despite differing opinions within his party, Polis reiterated his long-held priority of cutting the income tax rate. He encouraged lawmakers to view the large TABOR (Taxpayer Bill of Rights) refunds as a sign that taxes are too high and consider progressive reforms.
Outside the Capitol, around a hundred protesters demonstrated against the war in Gaza, their chants occasionally audible in the House chamber.
As Colorado approaches its 150th anniversary, Polis invoked President Kennedy’s bold vision of reaching the moon. Polis challenged the state to envision its future audibly, emphasizing that seemingly impossible goals can become missions when pursued collectively.
You can watch the entire State of the State address here.
