The top Republican and Democrat in the state House shared the same goals – a safer community, quality education and economic relief for Colorado’s nearly six million residents – but sharply differed in their diagnosis of the challenges and the solutions they want the state to adopt.

Marking the opening day of this year’s legislative session, House Speaker Alec Garnett and House Minority Leader Hugh McKean delivered speeches that highlighted their shared ideals, but also affirmed the philosophical chasm between the two parties.

And nowhere is that ideological divide more palpable than in public safety.

Both leaders noted rising criminality, but the Democratic leader insisted the solution is to intervene early and often, with the overarching goal of reducing the prison population.

“We want to stop crime before it happens,” Garnett told his colleagues shortly after the House gaveled into session on Wednesday morning.

“We want to stop people, especially young people, from entering the system in the first place, and to provide those who do with the tools they need to turn their lives around,” he added.

McKean, on the other hand, blamed the policies enacted by Gov. Jared Polis and the Democrat-controlled legislature, arguing they have made the problem worse.

“Even while making claims to be getting tough on crime they have passed, and the governor has signed, legislation making Colorado less safe,” he said. “It is no wonder why criminals are able to get away with so much today.”

McKean echoed the lament by law enforcement leaders and local officials in the Pikes Peak region, who urged the Colorado legislature Monday to undo policies they view as responsible for soaring crime rates in the state.

In particular, Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers, along with El Paso County Sheriff Bill Elder, Colorado Springs Police Department Deputy Chief Adrian Vasquez and District Attorney Michael Allen, cited legislation that shortened sentencing for the possession of 4 grams of fentanyl or less to a misdemeanor, reduced the maximum sentence a person can serve in the county jail after being convicted of a misdemeanor to 364 days, and reclassified certain crimes from felonies to misdemeanors. 

McKean also said efforts to paint all law enforcement officers as “bad” cops and de-policing have caused officers to pull back from community patrols, and their reduced activity has meant “more dangerous criminals on the streets who pose a dangerous threat to communities.”

“As a result of this shocking reality, Colorado – especially the Denver metro area – is in a very different place in 2022, and not for the better,” he said.

For Garnett, however, the tough-on-crime policies that sent more and more people to prisons haven’t worked.   

“We will not go back to the failed policies of the past that overpopulated our prisons, wasted taxpayer dollars, and left us with high recidivism and not nearly enough rehabilitation,” he said.

The solutions, he added, include combatting homelessness and substance abuse, working with local officials to prevent “pandemic-induced” crime, and investing in resources to break up crime rings.

The two leaders also diverged in their approaches to providing economic relief to Coloradans, who face soaring energy bills this winter and the worst inflation rate hike in 40 years.   

Both agreed that the state must confront the crisis head on, but while Garnett seeks government intervention – help to individuals and families in the form of programs in health care, childcare and other areas – McKean argues the state should extract less taxes and allow Coloradans to keep more of their income.

The dueling approaches affirm their parties’ philosophical underpinnings. In their broadest terms, Democrats often see government as a force for good, while Republicans regard it as exacerbating society’s maladies.       

Garnett listed off several programs the state should pursue – nearly $500 million for affordable housing solutions, expanding universal preschool, lowering prescription drug costs, reducing fees associated with starting a business or obtaining a professional license.

“All of these innovative ideas will mean more money in Coloradans pockets, but they also mean a stronger, more resilient economy,” he said.

The speaker also vowed to prioritize bringing the cost of living down and making life “more affordable for families in our state.”

“As your speaker, this will be the lens through which I will evaluate legislation: will this bill make life in Colorado more affordable or more expensive? How will this proposal improve life for everyday families struggling to make ends meet?” he said, adding he is confident, that, with these questions serving as the legislature’s “north star, I’m confident we can move Colorado forward.”

McKean, too, cited soaring prices of housing and spiking prices of commodities, notably food and gas.

But the Republican accused the Democrats – the governor, in particular – of offering lackluster help to Coloradans.

“Now, ahead of the election, he has decided to delay the very fees that he told us were critical to pass, saying that delay is saving people money even though the fee is just another tax,” McKean said. “So, instead of playing tricksy with words, let’s actually make things more affordable here in Colorado by eliminating excessive taxes and fees.”

Both leaders prominently noted the devastation brought about by the Marshall fire, which tore through Louisville and Superior, forced 35,000 residents to flee and killed at least one.  

Garnett, who noted that this is his final session in the Senate, urged his colleagues to remain civil even in the face of profound ideological differences.

“Don’t put your ambition before the decorum of this institution,” he said. “Don’t use the well of this chamber as your twitter handle. Park your politics outside these hallowed doors.”

After their speeches, the two leaders briefly embraced.