Colorado Democrats on Thursday lauded Gov. Jared Polis’ annual address to the legislature for highlighting some of their top priorities, notably affordable housing, education and climate-related policies.

At the same time, Republicans called the governor’s speech hypocritical and inaccurate.

Senate President James Coleman told Colorado Politics his caucus and the governor are “very much aligned” on issues.

“The most important thing is not about the issues,” he said. “It’s working across the aisle, find that we have a lot more we agree with than disagree with.” 

Rep. Shannon Bird, D-Westminster, said the governor’s address encapsulated what she’s been hearing from her constituents. 

“The speech met the moment.  I think he has an agenda I can support,” she said. 

Rep. Matthew Martinez, D-Alamosa, said he appreciated the shout-out to the agriculture community in the San Luis Valley, especially on international sales of his district’s potatoes to Mexico.

Other rural lawmakers, however, argued that the Polis administration and Colorado General Assembly have failed to meet the needs of rural communities. 

While Sen Byron Pelton, R-Sterling, welcomed the spotlight on recent instances of cattle rustling, the governor’s speech was “all over the place” when it came to rural issues.

Both he and Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-Fort Morgan, said the roads in rural Colorado are in abysmal shape. Johnson said she has had five flat tires in 10 months due to road conditions in her area. 

Housing remains top priority for all

As housing costs continue to rise in Colorado, Polis commended the legislature for passing measures aimed at reducing property taxes and allowing for more construction of accessory dwelling units. 

Polis also spoke of proposals to streamline and expedite the process for building modular housing units and allowing religious and educational institutions to build housing on land they own. 

He lamented the the lack of affordable condominiums in the state. According to Polis, before 2008, nearly 20% of all new home starts in the state were condos. Today, condos make up just 5% of the market, and the majority are listed for more than $500,0000. 

“Housing is a huge priority for folks across our state,” said Andrew Boesenecker, D-Fort Collins. “I think it’s the No. 1 concern you hear from community, so it was wonderful to hear that it’s a priority for the administration, and I’m really hopeful for the work we can do.”

Sens. Janice Rich, R-Grand Junction, and Lisa Frizell, R-Castle Rock, said it is hypocritical for the governor to talk about the state’s affordable housing shortage when, they argued, his party is part of the reason for that shortage in the first place. 

“I think they’re always surprised that we aren’t building condominiums, but the regulations have caused insurance to be so high, why would anyone take that risk?” said Rich. “The very people they think they’re helping, they’re hurting, and it’s proven time and time again, or we wouldn’t keep having all of these housing bills come back every single year.”

“They talk about the unaffordability of Colorado, but they did this,” Rich said. 

Is Colorado a ‘free state’?

Polis made repeated references to “the free state of Colorado” during his speech, citing recently passed ballot measures that enshrine the right to abortion and removing language from the state Constitution that only marriages between a man and a woman were valid. 

“In the free state of Colorado, we understand what government is and is not here to do,” he said. “Government is not here to dictate who you love, who you marry, or if, when, and how you choose to start a family.”

Republicans, approaching the issue from a different set of lenses, expressed skepticism as to whether Colorado is truly a “free” state.

Frizell stated she was “gobsmacked” to hear Polis refer to Colorado as “free,” adding she doesn’t think business owners would agree with that statement.

She criticized the state’s high number of regulations on business, which a business chamber report says is now the sixth-most in the nation. 

“So, from a social standpoint, maybe we’re free, but that’s not what citizens of Colorado really find important right now because they are hurting economically and we need to provide them relief, and I didn’t hear anything about that today,” she said. 

Senate Majority Leader Robert Rodriguez, D-Denver, used the governor’s phrase of the day to push legislation he hopes to pass this session that would get rid of a law requiring a higher election threshold before unions can collect dues from non-union members in a unionized workplace. 

“I think for as many times as he said ‘free state’ in there, maybe the free state of Colorado’s government shouldn’t get involved with an employer-employee business thing and insert themselves into a negotiation,” he said. “As somebody who wants workers to have a voice and a say in their business operations and protect themselves and wages and being harmed, I am a big advocate for promoting that.”

Polis, who vetoed multiple labor laws last session, mentioned the Labor Peace Act in his address, urging policymakers to make sure any changes have the buy-in of both labor and business. 

Rodriguez said he and his cosponsors have had multiple meetings with both the business community and the governor’s office, but neither has yet offered any compromise.