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Articles by Kristin Strohm
Colorado’s Fentanyl Problem and the Economic Costs
PDF OF FULL REPORT Author: Steven L. Byers, Ph.D. The total cost of fentanyl-related overdose deaths in Colorado is estimated to be $16 billion in 2023. This is over ten times the cost of fentanyl overdose from 2017, $1.3 billion. For reference, the state of Colorado collected $15.9 billion from state taxes in 2019. $16 billion represents 3% of Colorado’s GDP in 2023. The DEA’s Rocky Mountain Field Division seized a record 425.6 kilograms of fentanyl in 2023.
The Ongoing Costs of Denver Migrants
PDF OF FULL REPORT Author: DJ Summers Introduction Since December 2022, Denver became a major destination for migrants arriving through the southern border from South and Central American countries. About 42,000 migrants have arrived in the Denver metro area since December 2022, about 1,800 of which have now been authorized to work as a result of city-led efforts.
Colorado Springs Housing Affordability Report 2024
PDF OF FULL REPORT Author: Steven L. Byers, Peter LiFari Colorado Springs Housing Affordability Study: April 2024 Since 2005, an estimated 117,000 new residents have come to the city of Colorado Springs.[i] Over the same period, the average priced home rose 119% from $218,707 to $449,123, as of February 2024. Increased demand and lagging development have created a shortage of housing and a tight housing market.
Fork in the Railroad: RTD’s Ridership Dilemma
PDF OF FULL REPORT | ONE PAGER Author: Kelly Brough, DJ Summers, Erik Gamm RTD is at a fork in the railroad. What began as a relatively small-scale bus operation has grown to one of the Denver metro area’s most expansive pieces of infrastructure and a political arena of its own. Increasingly, the public is being asked to put more confidence into an organization of which it has cause to be skeptical.
2024 Colorado Legislative Session: TABOR Takings Tracker
PDF OF FULL REPORT Author: Erik Gamm and Chris Brown TABOR Takings Tracker Legislators placed Coloradans’ TABOR refunds squarely in their crosshairs during the 2024 legislative session, having passed over 100 bills that would slash the TABOR refund to a quarter of its projected size if signed into law.
Does SB24-233 Provide Taxpayer Relief and Predictability?
PDF OF FULL REPORT Author: Chris Brown, Kelly Caufield In the last few days of session, SB24-233, a measure to address Colorado’s property taxes, was introduced. In the last few hours of session, the key question is: Will Coloradans pay more or less in property taxes? Bottom Line: Under SB24-233, Coloradans will still see an increase in property taxes from what is being paid today. Next year, Colorado homeowners will pay the same elevated amounts from the spike in 2023.
Denver Migrants Spending and the City Budget
PDF OF FULL REPORT Author: DJ Summers Denver Mayor Mike Johnston is proposing $45 million in cuts to the city budget to fund a migrants response program the city projects will cost $90 million through 2024. The proposed cuts come from all over the city’s departments and offices. The largest share, over $17 million, however, comes from cuts to public safety.
The Limitations of House Bill 24-1363 on Colorado Charter Schools Why Muzzle High Performing Schools Now?
PDF OF FULL REPORT Author: Kelly Caufield, Jimena Sanchez According to the Colorado Department of Education (CDE), The CDE mentioned that “if all charter schools were organized within a single district, it would be the largest school district in the state,” exemplifying the vast presence of charter schools in Colorado[ii] Background on HB24-1363 House Bill HB24-1363, Charter Schools Accountability, was recently introduced to the Colorado legislature and is now under consideration in the House...
The Cost of Juvenile Crime and its Economic Impact on Colorado
PDF OF ONE PAGER | PDF OF FULL REPORT Authors: Chief Paul Pazen and Steven L. Byers, PhD. Few people in Colorado have not directly experienced crime. From property offenses to violent crimes, every crime leaves a traumatized victim. Whether the wounds are physical, psychological, or financial, it is important to acknowledge the profound effects that a crime can have on its victims.
The Accumulated Costs of Denver Migrants
PDF OF FULL REPORT Author: DJ Summers Denver Mayor Mike Johnston is petitioning the U.S. federal government for financial reinforcements to help with the ongoing struggle to support migrants from the southern border. To date, 38,700 of these migrants have arrived in Denver, 2,400 of whom are currently being served in city shelters. The city has begun cutting services, most recently cutting worker hours at parks and recreation facilities, among other items.
Colorado’s Population Rising at Only a Fraction of Its Former Glory
PDF OF REPORT Author: DJ Summers Colorado’s population is rising at only a fraction of its former glory. Among the findings of CSI’s analysis of the most recent U.S. Census national population and components of change figures: In 2013, Colorado captured one in 12 people who moved to a new state that experienced net population growth. In 2023, that dropped to only one in 120 people. Between 2020 and 2023, Colorado had an average net gain of only 6,645 people from other states each year.
Colorado Housing Affordability Report
PDF OF REPORT PDF OF ONE PAGER Author: Peter LiFari and Steven L. Byers, Ph.D. Denver Metro Area Housing Affordability Report January 2024 Regrettably, the Common Sense Institute (CSI) Homebuyers Misery Index, which measures effective homebuying costs, has worsened across many parts of the Denver metro since the last CSI quarterly housing affordability report.
Colorado Jobs and Labor Force Update – December 2023 Update | Common Sense Institute
PDF Author: Cole Anderson, Erik Gamm In recent months, Colorado’s employment growth has been sustained by robust government job gains in excess of private sector job losses. While Colorado added 300 total nonfarm jobs in December, the private sector declined for the fourth straight month, losing 1,700 jobs. Colorado’s total nonfarm employment was once again buoyed by strong government employment growth—federal, state, and local governments combined to add 2,000 jobs last month.
Just How Much Relief Did the State Special Legislative Session Provide?
PDF Author: DJ Summers Following the loss of Proposition HH on the November ballot, Governor Jared Polis called a special legislative session to address significant increases in property taxes next year for most Colorado homeowners and businesses. Under a limited directive for the scope of the session, the legislature passed seven bills, 3 of which were directly related to property tax relief.
The Success of Our Economy Depends on Accessible, Affordable Child Care - ColoradoBiz Magazine
How the business model for providing child care services in Colorado has been strained for years, leading to an ongoing decline of both supply and access. The success of a flourishing economy, community, and workforce is dependent upon child care that is both accessible and affordable. Yet the business model for providing child care services in Colorado has been strained for years, leading to an ongoing decline of both supply and access. Consider the facts.
PERSPECTIVE: Will unemployment insurance crush Colorado’s job creators? Original
The tremendous economic upheaval of the last two years has taken its toll on our economy. Since 2020, Colorado businesses have fought hard to survive, recover, and thrive. We’re not there yet. The pandemic has continued to strain Colorado’s economy, impacting businesses of all sizes, and altering the fabric of our local communities.
Viewpoint: Supreme Court should uphold Colorado's legal protections for all
I'm a proud supporter of a Colorado law that applies protections against discrimination to same-sex couples in places of public accommodation. The days of businesses broadly excluding business services to an entire class of citizen based on race, religion or sexual orientation are a thing of the past in our great state, as they should be.
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