Common Sense Digest & Colorado Clarity

What To Expect from the 2022 Colorado Legislative Session featuring Jake Zambrano and Chris Brown

The 2022 Colorado Legislative Session is underway where Democratic legislators retain a strong majority in both houses. As the majority party, they intend to embark on an extensive list of priorities which reflects the state of Colorado’s economy, social issues hotly contested, and the major successes and failures of last year.
Chairman and Host Earl Wright welcomes two guests to discuss a multitude of issues pertinent to this year's session. Jake Zambrano is Common Sense Institute's Director of Legislative Services and a very experienced observer of the Capitol, and Chris Brown is CSI’s Vice President of Policy & Research. Together, the three of them discuss how the state budget is set, what will likely happen with the one-time windfall of money from the federal government, and the priorities of legislators. They touch on everything from PERA to inflation to local control to the role of the free market and a lot more. It's an illuminating conversation that will have you informed about the goings on with our elected officials.
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Colorado Crime Wave: Origins and Solutions featuring George Brauchler and Mitch Morrissey

Common Sense Institute's recent report, “The Colorado Crime Wave: An Economic Analysis of Crime and the Need for Data Driven Solutions” was a first-of-its-kind report that put a cost on crime within the state of Colorado. Shockingly, that cost burden, borne by both victims and society, was more than $27B in 2020. Underlying this enormous cost, are concerning trends both in the rate of crime, and the outcomes of our criminal justice system, across our courts and corrections system.
On this episode of Common Sense Digest, Host and Chairman Earl Wright is joined by CSI Criminal Justice Fellows and report co-authors, Mitch Morrisey and George Brauchler to discuss what policy decisions led to Colorado leading the nation in many forms of crime, dig into the details of how crime in Colorado actually functions, and offer recommendations for turning the tide. 
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George Brauchler served as the elected District Attorney for the 18th Judicial District (JD), Colorado’s most populous district, which includes Arapahoe, Douglas, Elbert, and Lincoln counties, from 2013-2021. As a state prosecutor, he handled the felony cases from the Columbine High School mass shooting case, the Aurora Theater (Batman) mass shooting case, and recently, the STEM Academy school mass shooting case.
Mitch Morrissey was the elected District Attorney of Denver, Colorado from November 2004 until January 2017. Prior to 2004, Mitch was a trial lawyer in the Denver District Attorney’s office. Mitch is internationally recognized for his expertise in DNA technology, applying that technology in criminal prosecutions, and working to ensure that DNA science is admissible in court. He has trained law enforcement officers and prosecutors throughout the United States, in the Middle East, in Central America, and Canada.

SPECIAL EPISODE: The 1st Annual Free Enterprise Summit

Common Sense Institute hosted The 1st Annual Free Enterprise Summit on December 14, 2021. The inaugural event featured the release of "Colorado's Free Enterprise Report" and "The Rankings Book: 2022 Edition." The release is the first of its kind reference for Colorado and compiles a wide range of economic and policy indicators that measures Colorado's rank compared to other states in order to measure success and determine areas for improvement.
This episode captures the full audio from the event and features remarks from Chairman Earl Wright, President & CEO Kristin Strohm, Vice President of Policy & Research Chris Brown, and the panel discussion that follows. Our panel featured the following attendees:
J.J. Ament, President & CEO of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce
Loren Furman, President & CEO of the Colorado Chamber of Commerce
Debbie Brown, President of the Colorado Business Roundtable
Tom Brook, President & CEO of Denver South
Dave Davia, Executive Vice President & CEO of Rocky Mountain Mechanical Contractors Association
Vince Bzdek, Editor of The Denver Gazette (moderator)
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The University of Colorado‘s Business Economic Outlook featuring Dr. Richard Wobbekind and Brian Lewandowski

While the initial economic shocks of the COVID-19 pandemic have subsided, the lockdowns and economic restructuring which resulted have yielded to worldwide supply-chain deficiencies, slower-than-expected economic growth, and a strong sense of uncertainty and unease in the world of business. Despite all this, forecasts point to continued economic growth and labor market recovery and many economists are optimistic about the immediate future.
On this episode of Common Sense Digest two of the leading authors and producers of the University of Colorado’s annual Business Economic Outlook report, Brian Lewandowski and Dr. Rich Wobbekind join Chairman and Host Earl Wright to discuss the report's publication, its findings, and its intent to “provide...professionals across nearly every industry in the state with a forecast of Colorado’s economy by sector.”
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Brian Lewandowski is the Executive Director of the Business Research Division at the Leeds School of Business, University of Colorado Boulder. Brian provides regional business and economic information and education, including economic and revenue forecasts, policy studies, economic impact analyses, and data workshops. Brian has 13 years’ experience conducting economic studies at CU Boulder. Prior to CU, he worked in both the private sector and government. He is past-president of the Denver Association of Business Economists.
Richard L. Wobbekind is Associate Dean for Business & Government Relations, Senior Economist and Faculty Director of the Business Research Division and at the University of Colorado Boulder. He joined the faculty at the Leeds School of Business in 1985, and has served as an Associate Dean since 2000. As Faculty Director of the Business Research Division his responsibilities include developing an annual consensus forecast of the Colorado economy and performing various economic impact assessments of the Colorado economy. Wobbekind also produces the quarterly Leeds Business Confidence Index for Colorado. Rich is the past president of the National Association for Business Economics.

How is Colorado‘s Economic Recovery Going? featuring Patty Silverstein and Chris Brown

It has been a full year-and-a-half since the onset of the worst economic downturn in our state’s history, following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. While the pace of economic recovery has been much stronger than in prior recessions, there are many headwinds that indicate the recovery could be slowing. Lower levels of monthly job growth, increasing inflation risk, disruptions to global supply chains and labor shortages nearly everywhere you look, are all contributing to an uncertain future and timing of full-recovery.
On this edition of Common Sense Digest, joining Host and Chairman Earl Wright are Patty Silverstein, Chief Economist at Development Research Partners and Chris Brown, Vice President of Policy and Research with the Common Sense Institute. Patty dives into her extensive research on the topic and discusses the impact of federal relief money given to individuals, businesses, and governments on the recovery, which segments of the economy are most challenged (and which ones are thriving), and what's ahead. The insights are plentiful, and if you're interested in Colorado's economic future, this podcast is one you cannot miss.
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Patricia Silverstein is the president and chief economist of Development Research Partners, a Jefferson County, Colorado-based real estate analysis and economic development research company founded in 1994. Ms. Silverstein's expertise is in economic research and economic development, including industry cluster studies and strategic economic development planning. She has extensive experience in preparing economic and fiscal impact analysis for community development purposes. In addition, she serves as the consulting chief economist for the Metro Denver Economic Development Corp. and the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce. In these roles, she compiles, interprets, and forecasts economic and demographic data for the Denver metropolitan area and performs in-depth research on issues and proposed developments impacting the region. Patty provides numerous presentations on state and local economic conditions to business and professional organizations throughout the year.

Colorado‘s Proposition 119 Seeks a LEAP in Out of School Learning Enrichment featuring Michael Johnston and Doug Robinson

Proposition 119: Learning Enrichment and Academic Progress, or LEAP,  will appear on Colorado’s November ballot and proposes a phased 5% additional tax on recreational marijuana to fund out of school learning enrichment opportunities for eligible Colorado children. LEAP prioritizes low-income students and allows parents to decide which learning enrichment program or programs best fit their child’s educational needs.
On this episode of Common Sense Digest, Host and Chairman of Common Sense Institute Earl Wright welcomes Michael Johnston and Doug Robinson to discuss the measure's origin, its need, and how it would function. He asks them tough questions on how progress would be measured, if the legislature could modify Proposition 119 if it passes since it's a statute, and what they hope this measure will accomplish. 
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Mike Johnston is the current President and CEO of Gary Community Ventures and a former Colorado State Senator. Mike received his master’s degree in education policy from Harvard University Graduate School of Education in 2000 and his J.D. from Yale Law School in 2003. Mike has a wealth of background in the education system. He has been a teacher and principal in his professional career. He taught educational law at the University of Denver Law School and was the founding principal of Mapleton Expeditionary School of the Arts.
Doug Robinson is a former investment banker, a long-time Colorado philanthropist and community activist on issues related to marijuana. Doug was the founder of St. Charles Capital and was a candidate for Governor in 2018 in the republican primary. He received his MBA from the Columbia University MBA program.

The Unusual Journey of Property Tax Reduction and Proposition 120 in Colorado featuring Michael Fields and Chris Brown

On this November's Colorado ballot, voters will decide the fate of Proposition 120: “Property Tax Assessment Rate Reduction.” Proposition 120 proposes to permanently reduce the statewide property tax assessment rate for several classes of property.
What is interesting is that something unprecedented happened in advance of this ballot measure appearing before voters. The ultimate impact of the measure hinges on whether 2021 legislation Senate Bill 21-293: “Property Tax Classification and Assessment Rates” passed by the state legislature after the ballot initiative was submitted, will remain law. Senate Bill 21-293 reclassified property types, and because of this Proposition 120’s proposed assessment rate reductions would apply only to multi-family and commercial lodging property, respectively. 
To unpack why the legislature passed a bill in direct response to a ballot measure that had not even appeared on the ballot yet, the multitude of ways impacts could shake out if both become law, the origins and impetus for Proposition 120, and the road ahead, Host and Chairman Earl Wright welcomes two guests. The first is Michael Fields, Executive Director of Colorado Rising Action, and the man responsible for filing this ballot measure. The other is Chris Brown, Common Sense Institute's Vice President of Policy and Research.
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Toward a Student Centered Method of Education Funding featuring Dr. Brenda Bautsch Dickhoner and Dr. Terry Croy Lewis

With the school year back into full swing, it feels only natural to turn our attention to a topic frequently on the minds of all Coloradans, school funding. On this episode of Common Sense Digest, Host and Chairman Earl Wright is joined by CSI Mike A. Leprino Free Enterprise Fellow Dr. Brenda Bautsch Dickhoner and Dr. Terry Croy Lewis, Executive Director of the Charter School Institute.
The three discuss a salient funding issue affecting charter schools across the state, dive into what the “Legislative Interim Committee on School Finance” is up to, and preview the forthcoming update to the school finance report that Common Sense Institute produces called “Dollars and Data.”
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Dr. Brenda Bautsch Dickhoner has spent her career working in education policy at the national and state level. She is currently the Mike A. Leprino Free Enterprise Fellow at the Common Sense Institute. Recently, she served as a top advisor at the Colorado Department of Education. Brenda currently serves on the board of the Charter School Institute and on the Governor’s Education Leadership Council.
Dr. Terry Croy Lewis is the Charter School Institute’s Executive Director. Previously she worked at the Colorado League of Charter Schools as the Vice President of School Quality and Support. Additionally, she was a founder of High Point Academy (HPA) which opened in 2006 and served as the Executive Director/Principal at HPA for 8 years. Before her work at HPA, she helped to develop other charter schools in Colorado as an independent consultant and as a consultant with a national organization focused on the creation of new charter schools. In 1997, she helped found her first charter school, Platte River Academy. In total, she has 20 years of experience in the charter school sector working in urban, suburban and rural communities and she has served in a variety of capacities such as founder, school leader, governing board member, and consultant. She earned her doctoral degree from the University of Maryland.

The Economic Footprint of Homelessness in Metro Denver featuring Brenda Bautsch Dickhoner and Kristin Strohm

Common Sense Institute (CSI) has partnered with several local organizations and leaders to conduct a three-phase project to understand the many challenges and types of homelessness. Through a multi-faceted approach, CSI and its partners hope to identify the systemic issues that contribute to a person’s experience with homelessness and find the network of people and organizations working to make change. Bringing clarity and identifying the leverage points in these systems will support all who seek to tackle this challenge by providing critical information about where to invest their time, energy, and money to address the homelessness crisis.
One of the report's authors, Brenda Bautsch Dickhoner, Ph.D, along with CSI President Kristin Strohm, join our Host and Chairman Earl Wright to discuss Phase 1 of the report, which can be found here. 
Homelessness remains a pressing issue for the Metro Denver region. COVID-19 increased the visibility of the issue with shelters closing due the pandemic and greater numbers of individuals experiencing homelessness outdoors. Data indicates that the longer people are unsheltered, the more challenging rehousing becomes. Strategies to improve early intervention, rapid rehousing, and permanent supportive housing are the path forward, as they mitigate the risks to the individual and society of long-term homelessness. Such strategies must also involve wraparound services to help some individuals overcome substance abuse, mental illness, and other trauma. The complexity of the ecosystem surrounding homelessness and the scarcity of affordable housing in the region makes implementing these strategies immensely difficult.
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Regulating Our Commutes Through the Employee Trip Reduction Plan featuring Sandra Solin and Tom Brook

In 2019 the Colorado state legislature passed a new law establishing significant greenhouse gas emission reduction targets. Those targets include a statewide reduction in greenhouse gas emission of 50% from the 2005 baseline by 2030, and an 80% reduction from the 2005 baseline by 2050. The 2019 bill, known as HB-1261 ‘The Climate Action Plan to Reduce Pollution’ and many other related bills that have passed since then, have authorized new forms of regulation with the intent of meeting the state’s new greenhouse gas emission reduction goals.
On this edition of Common Sense Digest, Chairman and Host Earl Wright is joined by two important guests to talk about just one of these new regulations currently making its way through the rulemaking process. The ‘Employee Trip Reduction Program’ or ETRP, would regulate your commute to work in an attempt to take single-occupancy vehicles off the road.
Sandra Solin is the Founder and Head of Capitol Solutions and has been at the center of major public policy debates in Colorado for several decades. Sandra represents the Business Alliance for Economic Regulatory Sensibility, a party to the ETRP rulemaking. Sandra, welcome back to the podcast. Also joining us is Tom Brook. Tom is the President and CEO of Denver South, an economic development organization focused along the I-25 corridor south of Denver. His organization is also a party to the ETRP rulemaking process. 
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