{"id":42712,"date":"2022-01-13T17:35:50","date_gmt":"2022-01-14T00:35:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/the-7-biggest-lines-from-gov-jared-polis-2022-state-of-the-state-address\/"},"modified":"2022-01-14T00:35:50","modified_gmt":"2022-01-14T00:35:50","slug":"the-7-biggest-lines-from-gov-jared-polis-2022-state-of-the-state-address","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/the-7-biggest-lines-from-gov-jared-polis-2022-state-of-the-state-address\/","title":{"rendered":"The 7 biggest lines from Gov. Jared Polis\u2019 2022 State of the State address"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><figure class=\"wp-block-image naviga-inline-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/imengine.public.prod.dur.navigacloud.com\/?uuid=05885a9b-8f49-5bbc-be21-666da764b795&amp;function=cover&amp;type=preview&amp;source=false&amp;width=2000\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" alt=\"Gov. Jared Polis mentions Paul Simon's \u201c50 ways to leave your lover\u201d as he delivers his state of the state address at the Colorado State Capitol Building on Thursday in Denver.  (AAron Ontiveroz\/The Denver Post via AP)\" class=\"naviga-image\" loading=\"lazy\"><figcaption><span class=\"caption\">Gov. Jared Polis mentions Paul Simon's \u201c50 ways to leave your lover\u201d as he delivers his state of the state address at the Colorado State Capitol Building on Thursday in Denver.  (AAron Ontiveroz\/The Denver Post via AP)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><p>Gov. Jared Polis on Thursday delivered the final State of the State address of his first term, focusing mostly on the ways in which his administration and fellow Democrats plan to drive down the cost of living in Colorado.<\/p>\n<p>Polis also discussed his plans to combat rising crime and gaps in children\u2019s mental health care, while briefly delving into his climate and environmental priorities.<\/p>\n<p>Here are the biggest lines from Polis\u2019 speech along with an examination of why they are so notable:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video wp-block-embed-youtube naviga-video-embed\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/RG_82zhgD-4\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<div class=\"naviga-element naviga-subheadline1\">1. \u2018If it isn\u2019t clear, saving Coloradans money and keeping our state affordable is my top priority this session.\u2019<\/div>\n<p>About a third of the governor\u2019s speech Thursday was spent on ways he feels he has or can save Coloradans money.<\/p>\n<p>That tracks with what Democratic leadership at the Capitol focused on Wednesday as the lawmaking term began. House Speaker Alec Garnett said affordability was also his top issue at the Capitol this year.<\/p>\n<p>It makes political sense. Polling has shown Democrats\u2019 numbers slumping across the nation amid rising inflation. Members of both major parties say they hear from voters that the cost of living is a top-of-mind issue.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe promise to use every single tool at our disposal to save hardworking Coloradans the money you need to live the life you want,\u201d Polis said.<\/p>\n<p>The governor said he plans this year to push through affordable housing initiatives and fee relief, including by delaying implementation of programs backed and passed by Democrats in recent years. \u201cMy administration will work with both parties to continue cutting taxes and fees wherever we can,\u201d the governor said.<\/p>\n<p>Republicans argue that Polis and Democratic state lawmakers are responsible for rising consumer costs and find it ironic that they are now so focused on bringing them down.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe identified a lot of the right problems,\u201d said state Rep. Colin Larson, a Ken Caryl Republican. \u201cIt\u2019s just that he failed to acknowledge that he created them.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>State Sen. Dominick Moreno, a Commerce City Democrat, worries that the governor\u2019s proposals won\u2019t benefit the right Coloradans.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think the key is, how can we target assistance to the people that actually need it?\u201d said Moreno, who is vice chairman of the Legislature\u2019s powerful Joint Budget Committee. \u201cSome of the proposals I\u2019m seeing are a lot more broad-based. It would provide relief to, frankly, businesses and folks that don\u2019t need it, didn\u2019t have any impact during this pandemic, maybe even made record income and profits throughout it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Moreno said he wants to better tailor affordability measures to help \u201cthe people who need it the most: the low-income folks, the restaurants that were decimated during the pandemic.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"naviga-element naviga-subheadline1\">2. \u2018Because our revenues as a state are strong, families will also receive a refund\u2019<\/div>\n<p>The governor celebrated how revenues exceeding the Taxpayer\u2019s Bill of Rights limit on government growth will mean Coloradans are forecast to get refund checks and an income tax reduction for the next several years.<\/p>\n<p>That position clashes with some of his fellow Democrats, who are exploring how to keep some of the excess and direct it toward priorities such as education. It also bucks the general Democratic opposition to TABOR, a Republican mainstay in Colorado that liberals complain has led to fiscal issues in the state for nearly three decades.<\/p>\n<p>It was also interesting to hear Polis celebrate in his speech the 2020 passage of a ballot measure slashing Colorado\u2019s income tax rate.<\/p>\n<p>The governor said the move \u201cis saving families about $100 per year on average, while helping businesses hire more and pay more.\u201d But most Democrats opposed the ballot measure.<\/p>\n<p>Another Republican-backed, income-tax-reduction measure is headed for the 2022 ballot.<\/p>\n<div class=\"naviga-element naviga-subheadline1\">3. \u2018I\u2019ve never been one to shy away from ambitious goals, which is why I want to spend the next five years making Colorado one of the top 10 safest states in the country.\u2019<\/div>\n<p>The governor first introduced this objective last week during a Colorado Sun event ahead of the 2022 lawmaking term. It\u2019s a lofty goal given that Polis says the state is in the middle of the national pack when it comes to the state\u2019s crime rates.<\/p>\n<p>The objective is yet another nod to political realities heading into the November election, as Republicans accuse Democrats of being weak on crime.<\/p>\n<p>Senate Minority Leader Chris Holbert, R-Douglas County, said crime is just another area where Democrats are shifting their stance to meet changing public perception.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey have pushed very hard to let people out of jail, out of prison, be softer on sentencing,\u201d Holbert said. \u201cNow, it seems like their focus is trying to, again, retreat from where they\u2019ve been.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><figure class=\"wp-block-image naviga-inline-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/imengine.public.prod.dur.navigacloud.com\/?uuid=2e130044-4ec5-5e36-8d1f-64511df7ac37&amp;function=cover&amp;type=preview&amp;source=false&amp;width=2000\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" alt=\"Senate Minority Leader Chris Holbert, R-Douglas County speaks at an introduction of Republican lawmakers\u2019 2022 session plan. (Olivia Sun\/The Colorado Sun)\" class=\"naviga-image\" loading=\"lazy\"><figcaption><span class=\"caption\">Senate Minority Leader Chris Holbert, R-Douglas County speaks at an introduction of Republican lawmakers\u2019 2022 session plan. (Olivia Sun\/The Colorado Sun)<\/span><span class=\"credit\">cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><p>After Polis\u2019 speech, the County Sheriffs of Colorado, Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police and Colorado Fraternal Order of Police released a joint statement thanking the governor for his focus on public safety but called on the Legislature to focus on \u201csustainable, renewable funding.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"naviga-element naviga-subheadline1\">4. \u2018Data and common sense tell us that preventing a crime does more to keep people safe than solving a crime after it\u2019s committed.\u2019<\/div>\n<p>This is an area where Democrats and Republicans disagree on how to tackle the crime wave in Colorado.<\/p>\n<p>While the GOP is pursuing some stiffer policies, Democrats want to invest in behavioral health and housing as ways to improve public safety. The idea is to create a social and economic environment where people are dissuaded from breaking the law.<\/p>\n<p>But there are some exceptions.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe also know that there are times when the swift arm of justice is the best solution,\u201d Polis said, \u201cwhich is why I look forward to legislation to strengthen penalties for drug dealers peddling fentanyl in our communities.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><figure class=\"wp-block-image naviga-inline-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/imengine.public.prod.dur.navigacloud.com\/?uuid=c6205dc1-fbab-5521-860a-5e7f1d873805&amp;function=cover&amp;type=preview&amp;source=false&amp;width=2000\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1315\" alt=\"Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, center, bids farewell to Colorado House Majority Leader Daneya Esgar, right, after a news conference on the west steps of the State Capitol about legislative plans for the upcoming session Monday in Denver. (David Zalubowski\/Associated Press file)\" class=\"naviga-image\" loading=\"lazy\"><figcaption><span class=\"caption\">Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, center, bids farewell to Colorado House Majority Leader Daneya Esgar, right, after a news conference on the west steps of the State Capitol about legislative plans for the upcoming session Monday in Denver. (David Zalubowski\/Associated Press file)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><p>State Rep. Leslie Herod, a Denver Democrat who has worked extensively on criminal justice reform issues in Colorado in recent years, said she thinks the governor\u2019s approach is correct.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe can\u2019t go back to the punitive policies of the 90s,\u201d Herod said. \u201cInstead, we need to prevent crimes of desperation before they happen, which means bringing down the cost of living, ensuring that people can live in their homes and feed their children. But we also need better trained officers and more mental health first responders in the field in our communities.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As for Republicans blaming Democrats for rising crime, \u201cwe know that that\u2019s not true,\u201d Herod said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s not one single bill they could point to say that is what has caused crime to go up.\u201d she said. \u201cCOVID or economic climate, depression and despair is the reason why crime is up. And we have to address that. This is not a political talking point. This is people\u2019s lives.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"naviga-element naviga-subheadline1\">5. \u2018Building safer, healthier communities also means improving our air quality and meeting the climate crisis head on.\u2019<\/div>\n<p>The governor mentioned the word \u201cclimate\u201d in his speech only three times. Environmental protesters outside of the Capitol, urging Polis to take more action to address climate change, could be heard throughout his speech.<\/p>\n<p>The activists held signs that spelled out the message, \u201cOUT OF TIME.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><figure class=\"wp-block-image naviga-inline-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/imengine.public.prod.dur.navigacloud.com\/?uuid=d02145aa-1a76-5655-84fe-7f4769f28dc4&amp;function=cover&amp;type=preview&amp;source=false&amp;width=2000\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" alt=\"Climate protesters rally outside of the Colorado Capitol while Gov. Jared Polis delivers his State of the State address on Thursday. (Daniel Ducassi\/The Colorado Sun)\" class=\"naviga-image\" loading=\"lazy\"><figcaption><span class=\"caption\">Climate protesters rally outside of the Colorado Capitol while Gov. Jared Polis delivers his State of the State address on Thursday. (Daniel Ducassi\/The Colorado Sun)<\/span><span class=\"credit\">cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><p>Some fellow Democrats, like state Rep. Emily Sirota, a Denver Democrat, wanted to hear Polis focus on the issue more.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe state is literally on fire. The world is on fire,\u201d she said. \u201cThere should be more attention paid to the climate emergency. I think that we can both do that and help save people money.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><figure class=\"wp-block-image naviga-inline-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/imengine.public.prod.dur.navigacloud.com\/?uuid=693260d4-7dd5-5ec3-a702-dff7cde24bea&amp;function=cover&amp;type=preview&amp;source=false&amp;width=2000\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" alt=\"The Marshall Fire engulfs a home in Louisville on Dec. 30 as crews worked through the night battling the blaze. (Christian Murdock\/The Gazette via AP)\" class=\"naviga-image\" loading=\"lazy\"><figcaption><span class=\"caption\">The Marshall Fire engulfs a home in Louisville on Dec. 30 as crews worked through the night battling the blaze. (Christian Murdock\/The Gazette via AP)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><p>Garnett, the House speaker, said Democrats will definitely be focused on climate and environmental issues at the Capitol this year.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think climate is a priority,\u201d Garnett said, noting that cleaning up Colorado\u2019s air will be a particular emphasis in 2022. \u201cYou\u2019ll see us leaning in on that and trying to figure out the best way forward.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Polis said at a news conference after his speech that \u201cwe look forward to engaging with legislators in an aggressive way to reduce emissions.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"naviga-element naviga-subheadline1\">6. \u2018We are tougher than anything thrown our way\u2019<\/div>\n<p>Colorado\u2019s resiliency was also a big theme in the governor\u2019s speech as he noted the recent wildfire in Boulder County, the Table Mesa King Soopers shooting, and a gunman\u2019s recent rampage through Denver and Lakewood. He also nodded to the state\u2019s COVID-19 deaths.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cToday\u2019s speech was really about the Colorado people \u2013 the need to rise to the moment,\u201d Polis said at his news conference.<\/p>\n<p>Polis said during his speech that \u201cwe are tougher than anything thrown our way. I\u2019ve seen it myself.\u201d He thanked those who have stepped up during crises over the past year, saying they embody the \u201cColorado spirit.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>This is how the governor ended his speech: \u201cThe state of our state, just like the people of Colorado, is strong, it is steadfast, and, in spite of everything, we are boldly moving forward.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"naviga-element naviga-subheadline1\">7. \u2018I don\u2019t know about you, but I\u2019m feeling 2022\u2019<\/div>\n<p>Polis often injects his nerdy humor into his speeches, and his 2022 State of the State address was no exception. He referenced Star Trek by giving a shout out to certain Democratic lawmakers whose work, he said, will help communities \u201clive long and prosper.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He also sprinkled in music references, invoking lyrics by pop singer Taylor Swift to describe his optimism: \u201cI don\u2019t know about you, but I\u2019m feeling 2022, everything will be all right, because we know what we gotta do.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>And the governor wrote his own version of Paul Simon\u2019s hit song from 1975, \u201c50 Ways to Leave Your Lover,\u201d saying, \u201cthere must be at least 50 ways to save Coloradans money.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><figure class=\"wp-block-image naviga-inline-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/imengine.public.prod.dur.navigacloud.com\/?uuid=876a19ee-1c63-5092-a93d-c674440ca4f6&amp;function=cover&amp;type=preview&amp;source=false&amp;width=2000\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" alt=\"Gov. Jared Polis high-fives Rep. Mike Weissman after delivering his State of the State address at the Colorado State Capitol Building on Thursday in Denver. (AAron Ontiveroz\/The Denver Post via AP)\" class=\"naviga-image\" loading=\"lazy\"><figcaption><span class=\"caption\">Gov. Jared Polis high-fives Rep. Mike Weissman after delivering his State of the State address at the Colorado State Capitol Building on Thursday in Denver. (AAron Ontiveroz\/The Denver Post via AP)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><p>Reacting to the governor\u2019s pop culture references, House Majority Leader Daneya Esgar, D-Pueblo, noted she\u2019s \u201cmore of a Paul Simon fan, not quite into the Taylor Swift thing, but you know, I thought it was quirky. It was the governor.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>While the pop culture references did get some laughs, Polis mentioned Taylor Swift twice compared to his three uses of the word \u201cclimate.\u201d That raised some eyebrows.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Colorado governor discussed saving people money and reducing crime<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":42713,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[120,394,94,2336,233,168,819,28],"naviga_topic":[],"class_list":["post-42712","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-colorado","tag-colorado-legislature","tag-colorado-state-government","tag-colorado-state-officials","tag-coloradosun-com","tag-crime","tag-gov-jared-polis","tag-headlines"],"acf":[],"author_name":"dh_admin","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42712","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=42712"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42712\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/42713"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=42712"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=42712"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=42712"},{"taxonomy":"naviga_topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/naviga_topic?post=42712"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}