Common Sense Unfiltered

Discover how Common Sense Institute Iowa is shaping the future of public policy in the Midwest

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 12:11:03 -0600

This episode of Common Sense Unfiltered features experts discussing the trajectory of CSI Iowa, the economic impact of restricting interchange fees in Iowa, and analyzing Iowa HSB 324, as well as exploring the broader implications for small businesses, consumers, and the economy.

Resources:

CSI Iowa Report: The Economic Impact of Restricting Interchange Fees in Iowa - https://csinstituteia.org/research/impact-of-restricting-interchange-fees

Common Sense Institute Iowa - https://csinstituteia.org

Common Sense Unfiltered: River and Stream Access in Colorado

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 07:30:00 -0600

CSI CEO Cinamon Watson discusses new CSI report findings with experts Mike King, Greg Walcher, and Cole Anderson.

Read the latest report by CSI Fellows Mike King and Greg Walcher unravelling the complexities of river and stream access in Colorado: https://www.commonsenseinstituteus.org/colorado/research/energy-and-our-environment/public-access-and-private-property-the-economics-of-colorado-river-access

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to River Access Controversy

01:57 Current Legal Framework and Historical Context

03:01 Scope of the Issue: River Miles and Ownership

05:23 Economic Value of Private Stream Access

08:57 Case Study: Terryall Creek and Property Value Impact

12:12 Potential Costs of Changing Access Laws

14:55 Legal Precedents and Historical Resistance

17:42 Comparative Analysis with Other States

19:55 Current Legislative Landscape and Future Outlook

21:18 Key Takeaways for Property Owners

Homelessness in America— Rethinking Homelessness Policy

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 10:35:39 -0700

CSI's Cinamon Watson, Katie Ratlief, and Kelly Caufield invite Dustin Zvonek onto Common Sense Unfiltered to discuss CSI's latest homelessness research.

Executive Action & Extraction: Economic Impacts of the Mineral E.O. in the West

Tue, 27 May 2025 00:01:00 -0600

On April 15, 2025, the White House issued an executive order (E.O.) 14241 “Immediate Measures to Increase American Mineral Production” aimed at strengthening the United States’ supply of critical minerals and addressing associated national security concerns. This executive action mandates the development of a comprehensive report to identify vulnerabilities within critical mineral supply chains and to provide strategic recommendations for enhancing sustainable domestic production.

In this episode of Colorado Clarity, we discuss the economic impacts of mineral mining and alternative energy production in Arizona, Colorado, and Wyoming, driven by the implementation of Executive Order 14241. The order, aimed at securing a stable domestic supply of critical minerals and accelerating the transition to clean energy, has catalyzed renewed interest in resource-rich regions of the American West. These three states, endowed with vast mineral reserves and renewable energy potential, stand at the forefront of this shift. We dig into the data, discuss what could come next, and more.

Thank you for listening to Colorado Clarity. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher.

The study: "Executive Action & Extraction: Economic Impacts of the Mineral E.O. in the West" can be found here.

Our research can be found here.

All of our podcasts can be found here.

Arizona’s Urban Desert Miracle featuring Glenn Farley

Mon, 12 May 2025 00:01:00 -0600

Rapid economic and population growth in Arizona’s dry central valley has created tremendous wealth and opportunity. Rapid development also has caused many state and national leaders and several members of the media to declare the region “out of water” and to demand an end to growth as the solution. Like other southwestern states, it is clear the valley is in need of more water than the Colorado River alone can reliably support. There are other water supplies available, however, given the means to use them. Development and growth do not need to be curtailed.

Given the relatively small water needs for most non-agricultural purposes and for residential development in the water-efficient urban core of our state, Arizona could solve the valley’s water problems with infrastructure — even if that water ends up being relatively expensive and if rural agriculture continues demanding the lion’s share of the supply. Current law treats water as a common public good; there have been only limited experiments so far with privatization and exchange. While these markets have not yet been tested, they show promise.

On this episode of Common Sense Digest, Glenn Farley joins Chairman and Host Earl Wright to discuss our research report "Arizona's Urban Desert Miracle" and unpack the issues surrounding water in the desert, the creativity required to address those issues, and how Arizona can move forward with a growth mindset while ensuring enough water for all.

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

Homelessness: What Is the Best Approach to Tackling It?

Mon, 21 Apr 2025 00:01:00 -0600

There are two broad approaches to homelessness. Housing first prioritizes providing stable, permanent housing to individuals experiencing homelessness without preconditions such as sobriety, employment, or mental health treatment. The core idea is that housing is a basic human right, and that once a person has a secure place to live, they are better able to address other challenges like mental health, substance use, or unemployment.

The second approach is best described as intervention first or work first. Under this approach, providers use a tiered system of shelter, treatment, and training to build self-sufficiency. Housing is assumed to be the byproduct of self-governing behavior rather than a human right. Program residents must abide by sobriety rules, work or workforce training requirements, and potentially contribute portions of their pay to the program itself.

As homelessness has grown in Colorado and in the Denver metro area, some local and state leaders have championed housing first policies. Denver’s All In Mile High program embodies a housing first approach. Other cities have adopted work first policies, meanwhile, but these programs are generally unable to secure federal aid due to HUD’s housing first prioritization.

CSI has analyzed the trends associated with each approach to better understand outcomes and this podcast episode delves into the issue more deeply.

Thank you for listening to Colorado Clarity. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher.

The study: "No Place to Call Home: The Stark Reality of Homelessness in Colorado" can be found here.

Our research can be found here.

All of our podcasts can be found here.

Where Is Our Transportation Funding Actually Going? featuring Ben Stein

Mon, 07 Apr 2025 00:01:00 -0600

Common Sense Institute recently published a study titled "Highway Detours: The Ongoing Shift of Transportation Dollars." It was authored by our Transportation Fellow Ben Stein, who, in 2006 became the Budget Director for the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT). At CDOT he oversaw the development and execution of the annual budget for the department which then had an annual budget in excess of $1 billion and more than 3,000 employees. In October 2010, Stein was selected to become CDOT’s Chief Financial Officer (Senior Executive Service). During his tenure at CDOT he also managed numerous complex financial transactions. These included private placements, the inaugural issuance of bonds by the Colorado Bridge Enterprise, the U.S 36 Public Private Partnership, and the I-70 Central Viaduct replacement project.

In the report, Ben explores four issues that contribute to the state’s difficulties: geography and demography, a focus on environmental impacts, inflation, and revenues and funding. Additionally, in the past, ballot initiatives have had limited success. In this episode of Common Sense Digest, Ben joins Chairman and Host Earl Wright to discuss these problems and offer a path forward that will help meet the transportation needs of state residents in a fiscally responsible way.

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

Could Federal Workers Returning to the Office Boost Downtown Denver?

Mon, 10 Mar 2025 00:01:00 -0600

Our host DJ Summers, Director of Policy and Research for Common Sense Institute, delves deeper into CSI's recent report "Returning Government Employees to Work a Boon for Urban Economy" on this episode of Colorado Clarity. On January 20, 2025, the new presidential administration indicated a desire to have all federal employees return to in-person work. The administration directed all executive branch departments and agencies to terminate remote work arrangements and require employees to return to work in-person at their respective duty stations on a full-time basis. What could the impacts of such a move be? What trade-offs exist? What story do the numbers tell? All of that and more can be found in this episode of Colorado Clarity.

Thank you for listening to Colorado Clarity. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher.

Our research can be found here.

All of our podcasts can be found here.

SPECIAL EPISODE: Eggs and the Economy - March 4, 2025

Thu, 06 Mar 2025 10:27:40 -0700

In this special edition of Common Sense Digest, we feature discussion from one of our recent events. On Tuesday, March 4, Common Sense Institute hosted its quarterly Eggs & The Economy Event. This edition was titled "Over Easy or Overpriced? The Growing Cost of Living in Colorado." Our panelists included:

Tamra Ryan - CSI Coors Economic Mobility Fellow

Lynn Granger - President & CEO of the Colorado Oil & Gas Association

Ross Kaminsky - CSI Free Enterprise Fellow

Vince Bzdek - Editor-in-Chief of the Colorado Springs Gazette (Moderator).

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

Iowa’s DOGE Prototype and Its Results featuring Ben Murrey

Mon, 24 Feb 2025 00:01:00 -0700

The state of Iowa does not have a Department of Government Efficiency, however, Iowa lawmakers began improving government efficiency through a state initiative known as “alignment” more than a year before the American public ever heard of a “DOGE” at the federal level. Common Sense Institute commission a report that evaluates Iowa’s 2023 government alignment. Specifically, it identifies the portion of the 2024 tax cuts attributable to the savings from alignment and uses dynamic modeling to forecast its economic impact on the state. That report, titled "Iowa’s D.O.G.E.: How state government alignment is retuning money back to Iowans and contributing to the state’s economy" can be found here.

By controlling the rate of growth in government, Iowa lawmakers increased state surpluses over the last five years even while cutting taxes and expanding total state spending. During a period when individual income taxes fell from a top marginal rate of 8.98% to a flat rate of 3.8% and the top corporate rate fell from 12% to 7.1%, total state spending rose by nearly 23%. Education and healthcare saw the greatest increases in spending. When revenue growth outpaces the growth in government, the state can increase its revenue and spending even as tax rates fall. State government alignment helped moderate government growth over the last 18 months, resulting in significant savings for the state budget relative to the counterfactual.

Chairman and Host Earl Wright welcomes Ben Murrey, Director of Policy and Research, to Common Sense Digest to discuss the report. The two discuss the origins of the program, the reduction in taxes for all Iowans, and how crucial services were maintained (and sometimes expanded), all while eliminating redundancies and cutting budget.

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

The Full Cost of Colorado's Ambitious Energy Goals

Mon, 10 Feb 2025 00:01:00 -0700

Everybody wants cleaner energy – but not everybody is going to be happy about how much clean energy is going to cost them.

Our host DJ Summers, Director of Policy and Research for Common Sense Institute, referencing CSI's recent report "The Future of Energy Prices in Colorado," breaks down the state’s emission reduction laws which require zero carbon emissions from the electric sector by 2040, the increase in electrification for buildings, and the accelerated retirement of coal and natural gas plants. Ambitious carbon reduction goals are a noble pursuit, but how much will it cost businesses and consumers? The total numbers are likely to shock you. Find out how much you'll be paying on this episode of Colorado Clarity.

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher.

Our research can be found here.

All of our podcasts can be found here.

The Cost of Crime in Oregon featuring Max Williams and Mark McMullen

Fri, 20 Dec 2024 00:01:00 -0700

Public concern over crime in Oregon has intensified, with a significant majority of residents expressing dissatisfaction with local government responses. A May 2024 poll revealed that 78% of Portland-area voters disapprove of how local authorities are handling crime, reflecting widespread unease across various demographics. This sentiment is further underscored by a December 2023 survey, where 74% of respondents expressed worry about becoming crime victims, and 90% were dissatisfied with public safety.

These concerns are substantiated by recent crime statistics. Between 2019 and 2023, Oregon experienced a 10% increase in violent crime, contrasting with a 4% national decline. Notably, the state's murder rate surged by 53%, more than double the national increase of 22%. Aggravated assaults rose by 23% in Oregon, surpassing the national uptick of 10%. While property crimes in Oregon decreased by 11%, this reduction lags behind the national decline of 23%. Motor vehicle thefts in the state escalated by 28%, outpacing the national rise of 15%. You can read our full report on the issue here.

Host and Chairman Earl Wright welcomes Mark McMullen, Vice President of Research and Policy for CSI Oregon, and Max Williams, former State Representative, former Director of Oregon Department of Corrections, and Past President and Senior Advisor of the Oregon Community Foundation to discuss the report, its findings, recommendations for a path forward and much more.

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

Boosting Iowa’s Economy: The Childcare Solutions Fund featuring Sherri Penney

Tue, 19 Nov 2024 00:01:00 -0700

Like other states across the nation, Iowa faces a severe shortage of quality affordable childcare. Research by the Iowa Women’s Foundation found that the annual average cost of infant care in Iowa is 18.4% higher than in-state tuition at a four-year public college and 14.1% higher than annual housing costs. The fact is, childcare is prohibitively expensive if not entirely inaccessible to many Iowa families with young kids. Without affordable and reliable childcare, parents’—especially mothers—miss out on work. When women forego employment early in their careers because they don’t have childcare, not only do they lose the opportunity to earn income, but they also miss out on crucial years to build their careers and increase their earning potential over the long term, causing them to fall behind economically. And when childcare reduces participation in Iowa’s workforce, the state’s businesses and economy also lose.

Joining Host and CSI Chairman Earl Wright is Sheri Penny, who serves as Employment Engagement Director for the Iowa Women’s Foundation, a Des Moines-based non-profit focused on shattering the barriers to economic self-sufficiency for Iowa’s women and girls. The organization is engaged with 85 communities, more than 160 business leaders, 44 economic development and chamber of commerce offices, and 37 out-of-state leaders—all working with the Iowa Women’s Foundation on childcare solutions. She and CSI Iowa's Director of Policy & Research Ben Murrey discuss the issue from a variety of angles including the causes, solutions, potential impacts, and how childcare profoundly affects Iowa's workforce. Our full study on the issue can be found here.

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

The CSI 2024 Ballot Guide and Inflation Misery featuring Kelly Caufield and Zach Milne

Tue, 29 Oct 2024 00:01:00 -0600

The Common Sense Institute's 2024 Ballot Guide highlights the potential economic and fiscal impacts of key ballot measures in Colorado. Proposition 127, for instance, could lead to significant revenue losses for Colorado Parks and Wildlife and reduce overall economic output by $61.65 million. Other measures, such as school choice and law enforcement funding, focus on improving education options and public safety, while initiatives like the fur ban and affordable housing tax could have broad implications for local businesses and residents. You can find our full ballot guide here.

On this episode of Common Sense Digest, Host and Chairman of CSI Earl Wright welcomes CSI Colorado Executive Director Kelly Caufield and Senior Economist and Research Analyst Zach Milne to the show to discuss selected ballot issues and their likely impacts. Earl also asks Zach about inflation, and the three discuss the issue along with housing, energy and how local governments can impact all of these issues.

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

Understanding Inflation: How much misery is inflation causing?

Mon, 21 Oct 2024 12:00:00 -0600

In this episode of Colorado Clarity, host DJ Summers sits down with Chris Brown, Vice President of Policy & Research at the Common Sense Institute, to break down the multi-year inflationary cycle that’s become a central issue in the presidential election. Together, they dive into CSI’s recently released Inflation Misery Index, with a focus on its impact on Colorado’s economy. How much misery are we facing when we address inflation?

Read the full report: https://www.commonsenseinstituteus.org/colorado/research/jobs-and-our-economy/inflation-misery-index

Reforming Arizona’s Homeless Service Ecosystem featuring Julie Katsel and Ted Maxwell

Tue, 15 Oct 2024 00:01:00 -0600

Earlier this year, the Common Sense Institute released a thorough review of homelessness spending at all levels – non-profits, state and local governments, and federal grants and transfers. The report identified over 200 Arizona providers – public and private - who today spend a collective $1 billion per year on homelessness-related expenses. Despite those resources, Arizona’s counted homeless population has increased more than 40% in the past five years; over half of them are unsheltered.

Following up on that initial research, Common Sense Institute has worked with two dozen stakeholders throughout Arizona from the more than 200 public and private homeless service providers and other stakeholders. They were asked a simple question: What is needed to solve the homelessness crisis in Arizona? Our full report can be found here.

On this episode of Common Sense Digest, Host and CSI Chairman Earl Wright welcomes Julie Katsel, Jim Kolbe Free Enterprise Fellow and one of the report's authors, and Ted Maxwell, President & CEO of the Southern Arizona Leadership Council to discuss the report, the complexity of the homelessness issue, the many approaches currently deployed, what an ideal path forward might look like, and much more.

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

Maternal Care Matters: A Deep Dive into Health Equity

Mon, 07 Oct 2024 12:00:00 -0600

In this episode of Colorado Clarity, we sit down with Dr. Reggie Washington to discuss the critical state of maternal healthcare. As an expert in the field, Dr. Washington sheds light on the challenges, disparities, and advancements in maternal care, both in Colorado and across the nation. Join us as we explore the vital role of equitable healthcare access for mothers and the work being done to improve outcomes for families.

Read the full report here: https://www.commonsenseinstituteus.org/colorado/research/healthcare/colorados-ranking-on-maternal-healthcare-costs-and-options

Iowa’s Healthcare Landscape featuring Dr. Chelsea Lensing

Mon, 07 Oct 2024 00:01:00 -0600

Iowa’s policymakers, providers, and insurers operate within a state comprised of an aging population and large rural areas. According to the Iowa Department of Justice, the state ranks 16th nationally for the number of residents 50-years-old and over. Approximately 18% of Iowa’s more-than-three-million residents are 65 years old and older while 23% are under 18 years old. The average life expectancy in Iowa is 78.12—21st highest in the country. In addition, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) considers 77 of the state’s 99 counties “rural” based on the amount of open countryside and rural towns. These are only some of the findings in our report titled "Iowa's Healthcare Landscape." The full report explores and presents data on Iowa’s healthcare business climate, healthcare expenditures, insurance, and rural healthcare. In doing so, it highlights Iowa’s unique healthcare landscape to help public- and private-sector decision makers understand the state’s challenges and identify where to focus solutions to improve the state’s healthcare system.

On this episode of Common Sense Digest, Host and CSI Chairman Earl Wright dives into all of these issues and more with one of the report's authors, Dr. Chelsea Lensing, CSI's Health & Wellness Fellow. Dr. Lensing shares her insights from writing this report including trends regarding the ages of doctors, access to care, obesity, diabetes and Alzheimer's rates, and much more. This episode paints a very clear picture of the state of affairs of healthcare in Iowa. To read our complete report, you can find it here.

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

Dr. Chelsea Lensing is an assistant professor at the Stead Department of Business Administration and Economics at Coe College where she teaches Principles of Microeconomics, Health Economics, Intermediate Economics, International Economics, and Econometrics II. She previously instructed at the University of Iowa in Principles of Microeconomics and Business Statistics. Her research focuses on health, labor, and public economics with an emphasis on understanding the relationship between nutrition, obesity, and healthcare costs. Her academic work explores how health behaviors and nutrition decisions intersect, manifesting in externalities that reverberate within our healthcare system. Dr. Lensing earned a B.A. in Mathematics at Coe College and a Ph.D. in Economics at the University of Iowa.

Fighting Crime: The Power of Proposition 130

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 12:00:00 -0600

In this episode, DJ Summers is joined by Former Chief of Police Paul Pazen to discuss the pressing issue of rising crime rates and the upcoming November Ballot Initiative, Proposition 130.

This critical measure aims to allocate funding to agencies across the state to enhance public safety and support law enforcement efforts. With his extensive experience and unique perspective, Paul Pazen is ideally suited to provide insights into the implications of this ballot measure and its potential impact on our communities.

Join us for an in-depth conversation about the challenges we face and the solutions that Proposition 130 offers.

Read the full report here: https://www.commonsenseinstituteus.org/colorado/research/ballot-issues/initiative-157-funding-for-law-enforcement

Amendment 80: The Future of School Choice in Colorado

Mon, 16 Sep 2024 12:00:00 -0600

In this episode, DJ Summers is joined by Kelly Caufield, CSI Colorado’s Executive Director, to discuss Amendment 80, a key proposition on the upcoming November ballot. If passed, this amendment would embed school choice into the Colorado Constitution.

Tune in to learn what this could mean for education, families, and the future of schooling in the state.

The Potential Impacts of Oregon Ballot Measure 118 featuring Lynn Snodgrass

Mon, 16 Sep 2024 00:01:00 -0600

This November Oregon voters will decide on Ballot Measure 118, which would increase Oregon’s taxes on corporations six-fold, with the proceeds to be distributed equally across all eligible individuals. Under the proposal, Oregonians would face the most aggressive gross receipts tax in the nation by far.

Host and Chairman Earl Wright welcomes Mark McMullen, Vice President of Research and Policy for CSI Oregon, and CSI Oregon Board Member Lynn Snodgrass, CEO of the Gresham Area Chamber of Commerce and former Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives. They unpack what the measure seeks to do, the reasoning behind it, and ultimately what would happen if this measure is passed. Every voter in Oregon should listen to this episode to understand the likely impacts of Ballot Measure 118. You can read our research about it here.

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

SPECIAL EPISODE: Eggs & The Economy - September 10, 2024

Tue, 10 Sep 2024 15:26:07 -0600

In this special edition of Common Sense Digest, we feature discussion from one of our recent events. On Tuesday, September 10, Common Sense Institute hosted its quarterly Eggs & The Economy Event. This edition was titled: "Unscrambling the 2024 November Ballot" Our panelists included:

Paul Pazen - CSI Public Safety Fellow and Former Denver Police Chief

Lang Sias - CSI Mike A. Leprino Free Enterprise Fellow

Paul Andrews - President & CEO of the National Western Stock Show

Kelly Caufield - CSI Colorado Executive Director

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

A Chat with CSI’s Daniels Fund Junior Scholars

Thu, 22 Aug 2024 13:06:20 -0600

Our President and CEO Kristin Strohm fills in for Earl Wright on this edition of Common Sense Digest as she welcomes four full-time Daniels Fund Scholars to the show to discuss the work of four remarkable summer interns.

These young men and women are working to help advance CSI’s mission of examining the fiscal impacts of policies and legislation by crafting reports that better inform citizens. Over the course of the summer, the Daniels Scholar Junior Fellows have conducted informative research, assisted with data collection, and are each working with a CSI Fellow to construct a final report that will be released in the upcoming weeks.

Join us in welcoming Josh Green, Sr. Vice President of Scholarships for the Daniels Fund who spearheaded this partnership along with Avery Martinez, Toby Lee, Jade Gromer, and Rasheed Garza Archuleta as they discuss their experience this summer, share what they've learned, and reflect on the work they did with our CSI fellows.

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

Big Cats, Bigger Debate: Colorado's Ballot Initiative 91

Mon, 19 Aug 2024 01:00:00 -0600

Ballot Initiative 91, a bold move to ban big cat hunting in Colorado. The group "Cats Aren't Trophies" is leading the charge to stop the killing, wounding, pursuing, or trapping of mountain lions, bobcats, and lynxes. This quirky yet crucial issue is stirring up debates across the state, especially among rural residents and hunters.

How will this impact Colorado's economy? Will taxpayers foot the bill? And what can we learn from California's experience with similar legislation? Tune in to explore the complexities and potential consequences of this contentious proposal.

Meat, Morals, and Money: Colorado's Slaughterhouse Ban

Wed, 14 Aug 2024 08:47:00 -0600

Deep diving into one of the most contentious issues on Colorado's 2024 state-wide ballot: the proposed ban on slaughterhouses. With only one slaughterhouse in Denver and a wave of complaints driving the proposal, we explore how this ban could impact Coloradans.

Is there a tangible benefit to banning these establishments, or is the push fueled by emotion rather than economic sense? We also discuss the implications for Colorado's cattle industry and the broader economic effects of such a ban in a state that is more about cattle than crops.

Read the full report as we unpack the facts beyond the rhetoric and consider what this decision means for the future of Colorado – https://commonsenseinstituteco.org/the-economic-impacts-of-the-proposed-denver-slaughterhouse-ban/

Decoding PERA: The Essential Guide to Colorado's Public Pensions

Mon, 05 Aug 2024 01:00:00 -0600

What exactly is PERA? Are state and public employees getting the short end of the stick? Is PERA financially sound? And how is Colorado managing these challenges?

PERA obligations might sound dull at first, but this is a conversation that affects nearly 140,000 public employees in Colorado. Join us as we delve into these vital questions and more.

For more information - visit www.commonsenseinstituteco.org

Mile High Report Card: Denver's State of the City

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 01:00:00 -0600

What is the state of our city? How is Mayor Mike Johnston addressing homelessness? Will housing prices continue to soar unaddressed? Are migrants top of mind for the administration?

DJ Summers & Cole Anderson dive into Denver Mayor Mike Johnston's State of the City address, examining the challenges faced in the past year and his plans for the future. Coloradans need affordable housing, homelessness is draining city resources, the migrant population is growing, and a different approach to Denver's Public Safety issue.

Denver's Multifront Battle: War on Fentanyl, Migrant Influx, and Property Tax Hikes

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 01:00:00 -0600

Welcome to the pilot episode of Colorado Clarity! Join hosts DJ Summers and Cole Anderson from the Common Sense Institute as they dive into the most pressing policy issues impacting Colorado today. In this episode, they tackle the fentanyl crisis sweeping through Colorado, the significant financial burden of the migrant influx on Denver and surrounding areas, and the staggering rise in property taxes—the highest since the Vietnam War era.

For more information on the research discussed in the episode today, please visit our website.

SPECIAL EPISODE: Fentanyl: Our Nation’s Most Devastating Challenge

Fri, 28 Jun 2024 14:12:46 -0600

In this special edition of of Common Sense Digest, we feature discussion from one of our recent events. On Thursday, June 27, Common Sense Institute hosted an event titled "Fentanyl: Our Nation's Most Devastating Challenge" where speakers from across the country will share research and insights on one of the most challenging issues of our time. Our panelists included:

Max Williams - Community Leader; Portland, Oregon

Rachel Mitchell - Maricopa County Attorney

Mitch Morrissey - CSI Colorado Owens-Early Criminal Justice Fellow

Paul Pazen - CSI Public Safety Fellow and Former Denver Police Chief

Vince Bzdek- Executive Editor of The Gazette (Moderator)

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

Introducing Common Sense Institute Oregon featuring Mark McMullen

Tue, 25 Jun 2024 00:01:00 -0600

In January, CSI made a bold move to kick off 2024 and launched in two new states: Iowa and Oregon. Both states are already releasing new studies and engaging in the public policy arena. Along with its successful counterparts in Colorado and Arizona, as well as a newly launched chapter in Iowa, CSI Oregon is guided by a board of local leaders, each bringing expertise from various industries. These board members share CSI's dedication to factual and non-partisan policy analysis.

To discuss the launch of CSI Oregon, our Chairman and Host Earl Wright is joined by Mark McMullen, Vice President of Policy & Research. They discuss why Oregon is suited for a new chapter of Common Sense Institute, the unique strengths and challenges facing Oregon currently, and give a sneak peek of some of the research to come from this new chapter. It's an exciting look into CSI's newest expansion, and we're thrilled to continue to provide our non-partisan research to Oregonians as they consider public policy in their state.

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

How DSST Became a Successful Educational Model featuring Bill Kurtz and Van Schoales

Fri, 07 Jun 2024 00:01:00 -0600

Founded in 2004 as a high school in Denver’s Central Park neighborhood, Denver School of Science & Technology (DSST) is now nationally renowned for its unique design, diversity, and consistent high achievement—considered one of the leading open enrollment STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) schools in the United States. DSST’s mission is to transform urban public education by eliminating educational inequity and preparing all students for success in college and the 21st century. With a focus on character development and rigorous academics in equal measure, which are represented by DSST’s six core values: Respect, Responsibility, Integrity, Courage, Curiosity, and Doing Your Best.

Our research on DSST can be found on our website here.

Chairman and Host Earl Wright welcomes Bill Kurtz, DSST’s founding CEO, and Van Schoales, senior director of policy at the Keystone Policy Center to discuss DSST services to nearly 7,400 students across eight middle schools and eight high schools. The seven middle schools within the Denver school district accounted for 13% of all Denver middle school students. The seven Denver high schools accounted for 12% of all high school students. They discuss their ethos, what they hope to see from Colorado's educational system as a whole, what the future holds, and most notably, what people can take away from DSST's success.

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

SPECIAL EPISODE: Eggs & The Economy - June 4, 2024

Tue, 04 Jun 2024 17:02:57 -0600

In this special edition of of Common Sense Digest, we feature discussion from one of our recent events. On Tuesday, June 4, Common Sense Institute hosted its quarterly Eggs & The Economy Event. This edition was titled: "The Colorado Crisis: The Economic Impact of Migrants and the Homeless.." Our panelists included:

Adam Paul - Director of Regional Affairs, Office of the Mayor | City and County of Denver

Paul Scudo - CEO of Step Denver

Heidi Williams - CEO of Civic Results and CEO and Executive Director of the Metro Mayors Caucus

DJ Summers - CSI Director of Policy & Research (Moderator)

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

What Should We Do To Optimize RTD Ridership? featuring Kelly Brough and Daniel Hutton

Tue, 28 May 2024 00:01:00 -0600

What began as a relatively small-scale bus operation, RTD 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.

In the face of expansive plans, though, RTD serves fewer people than it did just five years ago. Ridership halved during the COVID-19 public health emergency and plagued by lingering issues of elevated region-wide crime and remote work, it has not recovered to prepandemic levels.

On this episode of Common Sense Digest, Host and Chairman Earl Wright welcomes CSI's Urban Development Fellow Kelly Jean Brough and Daniel Hutton, Vice President of Transportation & Mobility for Denver South to discuss where RTD should focus its efforts for attracting and maintaining riders, and how to alleviate concerns of safety. The state has made a massive investment in the transit system, and this podcast focuses on the areas in which RTD can maximize that return on investment. You can read our full report titled "Fork in the Railroad: RTD’s Ridership Dilemma" here.

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

You can find more about Kelly Brough here.

You can find more about Daniel Hutton here.

A Breakdown of the 2024 Arizona Legislative Session featuring Katie Ratlief and Wayne Schutsky

Mon, 13 May 2024 00:01:00 -0600

Arizona's legislative session continues, and Common Sense Institute is here to discuss what's already unfolded and what remains to transpire. Specifically, we discuss the state budget and the critical areas of housing and homelessness. These topics are at the forefront of policy decisions and have significant implications for the future of the state.

Joining Chairman and Host Earl Wright to unpack these issues are Katie Ratlief, Executive Director of Common Sense Institute, and Wayne Schutsky, a field correspondent with KJZZ. The three unpack the details of the legislative session, explore the legislative response to housing challenges, and discuss strategies to address homelessness in Arizona, among other issues.

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

Katie Ratlief is Common Sense Institute’s Executive Director. In this role, Katie serves as CSI-AZ’s primary spokesperson, and works with the CEO, Board and other partners to ensure that CSI-AZ’s mission is fulfilled through programs, strategic planning and community outreach. Prior to joining the Common Sense Institute Arizona, Katie served in former Arizona Governor Doug Ducey’s administration for six years. She served as Director of Legislative Affairs, Senior Advisor and Deputy Chief of Staff. In there roles, she led the governor’s legislative, policy and budget teams in advocating for policies to ensure Arizona is the best state in which to live, work, play and raise a family.

Wayne Schutsky is a broadcast field correspondent covering Arizona politics on KJZZ. He has over a decade of experience as a journalist reporting on local communities in Arizona and the state Capitol. Schutsky previously contributed to the Arizona Capitol Times and edited the Yellow Sheet Report, an insider tip sheet focused on Arizona politics, from 2021 to 2023. He was the managing editor for the Scottsdale Progress newspaper from 2018 to 2021 and previously reported for the East Valley Tribune, Gilbert Sun News and Arcadia News. His coverage has received recognition from the Arizona Press Club and the Arizona Newspapers Association.

The Issue of Housing in the 2024 Colorado Legislature featuring Peter LiFari

Mon, 06 May 2024 17:43:20 -0600

Anybody in Colorado can agree that housing is at the top of the list our most pressing matters. It’s expensive, there doesn’t seem to be enough of it, people are afraid they won’t be able to keep their homes or that they’ll never buy one to begin with, and property taxes are going to make the expense issue that much worse.

The Colorado legislature has a number of bills regarding housing currently under consideration including ADUs, parking requirements and "transit-oriented communities." Chairman and Host Earl Wright welcomes CSI Housing Fellow Peter LiFari to discuss these bills, what they would do, where they currently stand, and where we move forward from here. This is your inside look at the Capitol as it continues to tackle one of Colorado's most pressing issues: housing.

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

Peter LiFari is Housing Fellow & Terry J. Stevinson Fellow and is the Executive Director of Maiker Housing Partners, a socially conscious public housing authority based in Adams County, Colorado. In his role as Executive Director, LiFari leads a passionate team committed to ending the cycle of generational poverty by providing individuals and families with access to affordable housing, support programs and by engaging in community development. LiFari is a compassionate visionary whose leadership style is grounded in treating individuals with empathy, warmth and grace.

SPECIAL EPISODE: Eggs & The Economy - April 16, 2024

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 00:01:00 -0600

In this special edition of of Common Sense Digest, we feature discussion from one of our recent events. On Tuesday, April 16, Common Sense Institute hosted its quarterly Eggs & The Economy Event. This edition was titled: " From the State Capitol to the Kitchen Table: How Colorado Policy is Impacting Housing, Safety and Infrastructure." Our panelists included:

Kelly Brough - CSI Urban Development Fellow

Debbie Brown - President of Colorado Business Roundtable

Chief Paul Pazen - CSI Public Safety Fellow

Peter LiFari - CSI Housing Fellow

Dan Njegomir - Opinion Editor of Denver Gazette (Moderator)

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

Nearing the Finish Line: A Look Back and Ahead at the Colorado Legislative Session featuring Jake Zambrano

Fri, 12 Apr 2024 00:01:00 -0600

There is no shortage of public policy to pass through in Colorado in 2024. Legislators are trying to address a state in the throes of a housing affordability crisis, an infrastructure crunch, a crime wave, a post-inflation economic climate, a surge in migrants from the southern border, a statewide homelessness crisis, and a mental health crisis, on top of the usual array of issues from healthcare costs to energy reform to environment. Lawmakers have put forward over 600 bills in the 2024 General Assembly session to try to catch it all.

Joining Host and Chairman Earl Wright is CSI's Director of Legislative Services Jake Zambrano. Together they discuss proposed legislation about oil and gas development, property taxes, education, crime and the general mood and timbre of this year's legislative session. With less than a month to go, this is the episode you need to recap what has already transpired and equip you for what remains.

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

Jake Zambrano is Director of Legislative Services for Common Sense Institute. Jake has specialized in state government relations, public affairs, grassroots advocacy, and political campaign management for over 20 years. He has represented a number of clients at the Colorado General Assembly including Colorado Mesa University, Medtronic, Boehringer – Ingelheim, Extraction Oil and Gas, and Teladoc to name a few.

Caitlin Clarkonomics and the Impact on Iowa featuring Ben Murrey

Wed, 03 Apr 2024 00:01:00 -0600

University of Iowa’s homegrown star, Caitlin Clark, began her college basketball career playing in empty arenas at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now she competes in sold-out arenas wherever she goes—and for good reason. During her 4-year college career, Clark has broken countless records on the court and brought an unprecedented level of excitement to women’s basketball. Meanwhile, Iowa has felt her impact inside and outside of the arena. The athlete’s talent and celebrity has led to soaring attendance at games, and larger crowds generate more economic activity.

Our recent study, Clarkonomics: The Impact of Caitlin Clark & Hawkeye Women’s Basketball on Iowa’s Economy is not the first to explore the economics of Clark’s superstardom, but it takes a unique approach. Past reports and news coverage have highlighted the money behind Clark’s brand deals, ticket sales, and media coverage, along with other anecdotes of economic impact. In contrast, this report takes a data-drive approach to quantifying the impact of Iowa women’s basketball and Caitlin Clark’s extraordinary college career on the economy of the state of Iowa.

To discuss this report, and all things Caitlin Clark, our Chairman and Host Earl Wright welcomes Ben Murrey, CSI Iowa Director of Policy & Research. They discuss the real economic impact Caitlin Clark's remarkable talent and career have had, why she is representative of Iowa as a whole, and much more.

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

Ben Murrey is Iowa Director of Policy and Research with the Common Sense Institute where he leads the research efforts of CSI Iowa to provide insightful, accurate and actionable information about the impact of public policy on Hawkeye families, businesses and communities. Prior to joining CSI in January of this year, Ben spent over a decade in political and public policy roles at the state and federal levels. After earning his degree at Hillsdale College, he joined Ted Cruz on the campaign trail, first as a grassroots field director overseeing 45 rural east Texas counties and later as assistant director of operations. He went on to serve seven years as a legislative staffer for Sen. Ted Cruz in Texas and Washington, D.C. Most recently, he served as fiscal policy center director at Independence Institute, a free market think tank in Colorado. In addition to leading reports on a range of fiscal, tax and economic issues, Ben’s writing has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, National Review, Real Clear Policy and more. His work has contributed to public policy change at the state and federal levels that advanced sound tax policy and free enterprise.

Crime Trends in Colorado featuring Paul Pazen

Fri, 22 Mar 2024 00:01:00 -0600

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. At Common Sense Institute, our goal is to address the economic impact of crime while remaining conscious of the suffering that it causes.

Our recent report The Cost of Juvenile Crime and its Economic Impact on Colorado analyzes the cost of juvenile crime in Colorado and its economic impact. This study encompasses the period of 2010 to 2023 and the data comes from Colorado Crime Statistics (2023).

Colorado’s juvenile crime trends tell a mixed story. On the one hand, youth crime rates have fallen in the last 15 years as property crime rates fall, follow. On the other hand, violent youth crime has risen. Meanwhile, the number of juveniles held in arrested and detained has fallen from a combination of alternative sentencing, diversion programs, and increased parole.

Chairman and Host Earl Wright welcomes our Public Safety Fellow Chief Paul Pazen to discuss the report and the crime statistics therein. They talk at length about the contributing factors, approaches to law enforcement, what the trends mean and much more. Crime touches us all in some way, and this is an overview of what's happening, possible causes, and perhaps a path forward.

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

Paul M. Pazen is the former Chief of Police in Denver, Colorado where he rose through the ranks of the department up to his appointment in 2018 as the Chief. During his tenure as Police Chief, Paul Pazen (retired) led the creation and expansion of innovative solutions to address complex public safety issues. These programs include spearheading the creation of the Support Team Assisted Response (STAR) program, Outreach Case Coordinators (case managers) and the Domestic Violence Prevention Program. He directed a significant expansion of the mental health clinician Co-Responder Program, Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD), the implementation of a forward-thinking use-of-force policy and training curriculum. Paul also created new specialized units; the Firearms Assault Shoot Team (FAST), Bias Motivate Unit, and the Human Trafficking Unit to drive measurable results. Chief Pazen graduated magna cum laude from Colorado State University – Global with a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership, holds a Master of Arts in Homeland Security and Defense from the Naval Postgraduate School, and is a graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Executive Institute (NEI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy (FBINA) and the Senior Management Institute for Police (SMIP) through the Police Executive Research Forum. Chief Pazen served in the United States Marine Corps and is a Veteran of the Gulf War.

Tackling Homelessness in Arizona featuring Tom Simplot

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 00:01:00 -0600

Homelessness – and the provision of related services – has evolved into a substantial economic sector. While services are primarily provided by nonprofits, funding starts at the federal level and flows from federal, state, and local grantors into the nonprofit space. The funding and services are distributed through a vast national network of local nonprofit organizations, with Arizona alone hosting as many as 167 such entities. CSI estimates that the total nonprofit workforce dedicated to alleviating homelessness in Arizona is as high as 51,000 employees and volunteers. For context, the state’s largest private organization employs about 45,000 people.

CSI estimates that statewide spending in Arizona is approximately $933 million to $1.1 billion annually on shelter, treatment, food, and other support services for people experiencing homelessness. According to the latest Point-in-Time counts, today there are more than 14,000 (Estimate 1, Appendix B) people experiencing homelessness in Arizona, and another 9,600 estimated to be in Permanent Supportive Housing. You can find our full report on the topic, titled Homelessness Spending Tops $1 Billion in Arizona here.

On this episode of Common Sense Digest, our Chairman and Host Earl Wright welcomes Tim Simplot, former director of the Arizona Department of Housing unpack the issues many complexities ranging from a myopic focus on "housing first" to challenges for law enforcement. Homelessness is a prominent issue in Arizona, and the causes of and solutions to it are varied and hotly debated. This episode aims to bring some clarity to the issue.

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

Tom Simplot is former director of the Arizona Department of Housing and a longtime member of the Phoenix City Council. Tom’s career in housing has spanned several decades as an attorney, former real estate agent and former owner of affordable rental properties in Arizona. Tom is also past president of the Maricopa County Board of Health and the Maricopa County Industrial Development Authority.

Announcing the Launch of CSI Iowa featuring Joe Murphy and Ben Murrey

Fri, 23 Feb 2024 00:01:00 -0700

In January, CSI made a bold move to kick off 2024 and launched in two new states: Iowa and Oregon. Both states are already releasing new studies and engaging in the public policy arena. Along with its successful counterparts in Colorado and Arizona, as well as a newly launched chapter in Oregon, CSI Iowa is guided by a board of local leaders, each bringing expertise from various industries. These board members share CSI's dedication to factual and non-partisan policy analysis.

To discuss the launch of CSI Iowa, our Chairman and Host Earl Wright is joined by Joe Murphy, President of the Iowa Business Council and the inaugural CSI Iowa Board Chair, and Ben Murrey, CSI Iowa Director of Policy & Research. They discuss why Iowa is suited for a new chapter of Common Sense Institute, the unique strengths and challenges facing Iowa currently, and give a sneak peek of some of the research to come from this new chapter. It's an exciting look into CSI's newest expansion, and we're thrilled to continue to provide our non-partisan research to Iowans as they consider public policy in their state.

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

SPECIAL EPISODE: Eggs & The Economy - February 13, 2024

Fri, 16 Feb 2024 00:01:00 -0700

In this special edition of of Common Sense Digest, we feature discussion from one of our recent events. On Tuesday, February 13, Common Sense Institute hosted its quarterly Eggs & The Economy Event. This edition was titled: "Supply & Demand, What to Know About Today's Degrees and Tomorrow's Jobs." Our panelists included:

Janine Davidson - President of Metropolitan State University

Dave Davia - former CEO of the Rocky Mountain Mechanical Contractors Association

Mike Coffman - Mayor of City of Aurora

Robin Wise - President & CEO of Junior Achievement

Jason Gaulden - CSI Education Fellow

Luige Del Puerto - Editor of Colorado Politics and the Denver Gazette (Moderator)

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

Diagnosis of Colorado’s Healthcare Industry featuring Dr. Reggie Washington

Tue, 30 Jan 2024 00:01:00 -0700

Colorado’s healthcare industry is a major contributor to the state’s economy. In addition to protecting Coloradans’ personal health and wellbeing, the healthcare industry supports 18% of all Colorado jobs. The underlying economic and policy conditions that impact the healthcare system are more favorable in Colorado than in most other states, according to CSI’s Free Enterprise Healthcare Competitiveness Index.

The sector’s relevance is only expected to grow as Colorado’s population ages and continues to demand more from healthcare services. Though the sector is set on a course for growth, it faces a series of headwinds which are adding financial strain to both providers and patients. A combination of market trends, inflation, state and federal regulations, and expansions of government-backed insurance coverage is increasing costs while constraining revenue. These constraints are reshaping markets across the state, especially in rural areas. All of this influenced the decision to project a negative outlook for the healthcare sector in CSI’s Free Enterprise report.

Dr. Reggie Washington was one of the authors of our recent report: Diagnosis of Colorado’s Healthcare Industry: Impact and Competitiveness Are Significant, but Warning Signs on the Rise, and he joins our Chairman and Host Earl Wright to discuss his report, its findings, and provides an outlook for the healthcare industry in Colorado. They discuss the effects of COVID, realities about costs across the industry (including patients), the role of personal responsibility, and much more in a wide-ranging chat.

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Dr. Reggie Washington is our Health & Wellness Fellow, and a National Consultant for HCA offering expertise in pediatric services to centers across the United States. Previously, he was the Chief Medical Officer at Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children and Presbyterian St. Luke’s Medical Center until 2023. His experience included 15 years of advancements in quality, physician satisfaction, and employee engagement.

In 2008 he co-founded the Rocky Mountain Children’s Health Foundation to provide support to families whose children were in need of care or mothers requiring breast milk for their babies.

As a physician and strategic leader he was the Co- Founder and Medical Director of Rocky Mountain Pediatric Cardiology and expanded outreach clinics throughout a four-state area.

He earned his M.D. in 1977, became Board Certified in Pediatrics in 1980 and Board Certified in Pediatric Cardiology in 1981.

The Economic Costs of Colorado’s Foster Youth featuring John Farnam

Fri, 26 Jan 2024 16:30:00 -0700

Colorado’s foster care youth are a small but troubled section of society. Unfortunately, data is scarce for their life outcomes after they exit the system and, in some cases, when they are still inside it. To illustrate the economic impact of even a small sliver of the foster population, the report focuses on those aging out of the system. This is the first study attempting to derive the individual and social costs borne by a cohort of Colorado’s foster youth.

Foster care youth aging out of the foster care system in Colorado face a multitude of challenges, including higher rates of homelessness, limited education, unemployment, involvement in the criminal justice system, early parenthood, mental health issues, a lack of support networks, limited healthcare access, substance abuse risk, and financial instability. You can read our full report on the subject here.

On this episode of Common Sense Digest, Host and Chairman Earl Wright welcomes report author and 2023 Morgridge Child Welfare Fellow John Farnam to discuss his report. The two discuss the shortcomings of the current foster care system, recent incremental victories relative to the issue, and a proposed path forward. The issue has many intertwining contributing factors and long lasting outcomes, and the conversation reflects the complexity of the issue while offering a unique clarity.

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

John Farnam has served the Morgridge Family Foundation for 12 years, administering more than $150 million in grants, first as chief of staff and now as managing director. John builds relationships and catalyzes connections with partners at every level, resulting in transformational change across all social sectors in Denver and beyond. His expertise has been sought out as an Aspen Institute Fellow, a member of the American Enterprise Institute Leadership Network, and an advisor to the Governor’s Leadership Committee on COVID Relief. In 2022 he earned an executive certificate through the prestigious Chief of Staff Fellowship at the University of Oxford, and in 2023, he was one of just 60 leaders from 20 countries to complete the inaugural Chief of Staff Association Program through Harvard Business School Executive Education. He now serves as the Morgridge Child Welfare Fellow for the Common Sense Institute.

The Multifaceted Issue of Homelessness in Colorado featuring Donna Lynne

Thu, 18 Jan 2024 00:01:00 -0700

Over the last three years, Colorado has spent nearly $2 billion on homelessness, concentrated largely in the Denver metro region. While metro areas across the country have seen a surge of people experiencing homelessness, the Denver metro has some of the highest levels of growth among the areas the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development tracks.

There has been a 58% increase in the Denver metro’s unhoused population since 2016. More become homeless for the first time, and more are chronically homeless.

Joining Host and Chairman Earl Wright is Donna Lynne, CEO of Denver Health. Donna was the Lieutenant Governor of Colorado from 2016-2019. Prior to that role, she served in executive leadership positions at Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Kaiser Foundation Hospitals. She has a unique view of the homelessness issue, the recent influx of migrants, the need for a large coalition of stakeholders to address the issue, and a lot more. In this episode of Common Sense Digest, Donna and Earl have a spirited, wide-ranging discussion of the issue's many contributing factors, possible solutions, and where the conversation goes from here.

You can find CSI's most recent research on homelessness here.

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

Understanding and Solving Arizona’s Budget Deficit featuring Danny Seiden and Glenn Farley

Wed, 17 Jan 2024 00:01:00 -0700

Over the past decade Arizona’s population and economy have grown rapidly, but more recent data suggests this pace is slowing. Today the state is facing the end of its fastest period of revenue and spending growth ever – over the past five years, General Fund revenue collections have grown 52%, while spending has increased by over two-thirds (to $17.8 billion this year).

In October, the Arizona Legislature’s Financial Advisory Committee (FAC) – a nonpartisan body tasked with forecasting State revenue collections – projected a cumulative $1.0 billion General Fund cash deficit over the next three fiscal years. The last time the state was in this position was in 2015, following years of tepid revenue growth after the Great Recession and during the peak of K-12 formula funding litigation.

How did this happen, and how did it happen so quickly? Host and National Chairman of CSI Earl Wright welcomes President & CEO of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry Danny Seiden and CSI Arizona's Director of Policy and Research Glenn Farley to discuss the issue's origins, its history, and its possible solutions.

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

The 2024 Free Enterprise Report featuring Lang Sias, Glenn Farley and Dr. Steven Byers

Tue, 16 Jan 2024 00:01:00 -0700

The Free Enterprise Report is a marquis report that provides an objective, non-partisan, fact-based analysis of both the Colorado and Arizona economic landscapes and each state’s most pressing issues. The study is a year long undertaking and includes the CSI Economic Performance Index as well as a Free Enterprise Competitiveness Index across eight different policy areas. You can find the Colorado Free Enterprise Report here and Arizona's here.

Both indices provide an opportunity to look backwards and better understand where Colorado and Arizona have been and what direction we are moving. We can better understand how we are performing relative to other states and we can equip policy makers, civic and business leaders with the best understanding of how our state is performing, where we are winning, where we are losing and how free enterprise principles can get us back on track.

Joining Chairman and Host Earl Wright are Lang Sias, CSI's 2023 Mike A. Leprino Free Enterprise Fellow, Dr. Steven Byers, CSI Colorado's Senior Economist, and Glenn Farley, CSI Arizona's Director of Policy and Research. They discuss the depth and breadth of the report and cover issues such as crime, education, state budgets and much more.

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

The 2024 National Western Stock Show featuring Paul Andrews

Mon, 08 Jan 2024 15:58:53 -0700

The National Western Stock Show, held annually in Denver since 1906, is known as the Super Bowl of livestock shows, and one of the most prestigious horse shows and rodeos in the world. Initially aimed at demonstrating better breeding and feeding techniques to local stockmen, the show has grown to become one of the world’s largest stock shows, attracting global participants.

The National Western Stock Show (NWSS), held annually in Denver over 16 days in January, supported $171 million in net economic activity in 2023 across the state of Colorado. The economic impacts of the National Western Stock Show were driven by the 702,698 attendees who came to the show and the thousands of competitors and exhibitors from across the world that make the event the premier western heritage and entertainment event. Attendance at the stock show equals filling Empower Field at Mile High at every Broncos home game.

On this episode of Common Sense Digest, Host and Chairman Earl Wright welcomes President & CEO Paul Andrews to the show to discuss the history of the stock show, its profound economic impact, its continued growth, and its educational initiatives. Paul has been a part of the NWSS team for 14 years and brings his unique insight to the show to discuss one of Colorado's truly iconic yearly events.

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

Colorado’s Workforce Woes, Opportunities and Economic Mobility featuring Tamra Ryan and Scott Laband

Mon, 27 Nov 2023 00:01:00 -0700

Colorado’s labor force is facing an unprecedented shortage, and conventional trends alone won’t resolve the issue. The state’s tight labor market, with 2.7 jobs for every unemployed person, is resulting in a significant $46 billion loss in annual GDP. A substantial portion of the unemployed and marginally attached to the labor force are people with barriers to employment, such as disabilities, past incarceration, lack of childcare, and educational attainment challenges. To address these issues, employers, educational institutions, and the workforce system need to innovate and better align with the jobs of the future. Integrating basic education with job training, as seen in Washington State’s I-BEST program, and adopting Utah’s One Door policy for improved data sharing and support services are potential solutions. By addressing these barriers, Colorado can bridge the gap between labor demand and supply, leading to economic growth and improved opportunities for its workforce.

That's from our report titled Colorado’s Workforce Woes Should Spell Opportunity for Economic Mobility and it's the subject of this episode of Common Sense Digest. Joining Chairman and Host Earl Wright are Tamra Ryan, CEO of the Women's Bean Project and CSI's 2023 Coors Economic Mobility Fellow and Scott Laband, President of Colorado Succeeds, a non-partisan business advocacy organization focused solely on education and workforce development. They discuss workforce participation, the challenges associated with early childcare, suggestions for moving forward and much more.

Tamra Ryan is the CEO of Women’s Bean Project, a social enterprise providing transitional employment in its food manufacturing business to women attempting to break the cycle of chronic unemployment and poverty. She serves as an Economic Mobility Fellow for Common Sense Institute Colorado. Tamra is a former partner and board member for Social Venture Partners-Denver and Social Enterprise Alliance.

Scott Laband is the president of Colorado Succeeds and has been with the organization since 2010. He is passionate about creating relevant and valuable educational experiences for young people through policy, practice, and philanthropy. He is on a mission to unlock opportunity for all young people and make Colorado the best place in America to raise a child and grow a business. Prior to Colorado Succeeds, Scott worked as the Legislative Director for Colorado Senator Mike Johnston, where he oversaw the policy agenda and served as the point person for both internal strategy negotiations with other Colorado state legislators and external relations and coalition-building with advocates and interest groups.

Where Have All the Condos Gone? featuring Peter LiFari, Ted Leighty and Bruce Likoff

Mon, 06 Nov 2023 16:58:43 -0700

Over the past fifteen years, Colorado condominium construction has experienced a severe decline. Condominium development between 2018 and 2022, across 11 front range counties which collectively house over 80% of Colorado’s population, was 76% lower than between 2002 and 2008. This amounted to 14 new apartments for every 1 new condo in recent years, compared to 1 new condo for every 1.25 apartments in the 6 years prior to 2009. Concurrently, Colorado cities have struggled to facilitate a regulatory environment that correlates into an adequate supply of all housing types to meet population growth. From 2008 to 2019, Colorado grew by an annual average of 77,731 new residents but built only 25,682 new homes per year. The overall stagnation of housing development which began at the onset of the Great Recession has manifested into a Colorado housing market that is affordable to only the highest of income earners.

On this episode of Common Sense Digest, Host and Chairman Earl Wright welcomes Peter LiFari, CSI's 2023 Housing Fellow and is the Executive Director of Maiker Housing Partners, Ted Leighty, CEO of the Colorado Association of Home Builders, and Bruce Likoff, Of Counsel at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, to discuss the issue, its many causes, possible solutions, and a path forward. You can read CSI's full report here.

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

Peter LiFari is CSI's 2023 Housing Fellow and is the Executive Director of Maiker Housing Partners, a socially conscious public housing authority based in Adams County, Colorado. In his role as Executive Director, LiFari leads a passionate team committed to ending the cycle of generational poverty by providing individuals and families with access to affordable housing, support programs and by engaging in community development. LiFari is a compassionate visionary whose leadership style is grounded in treating individuals with empathy, warmth and grace.

Since 2017 Ted Leighty has been the CEO of the Colorado Association of Home Builders and CEO of the HBA of Metro Denver since 2020. Ted has extensive experience in Colorado real estate, having served as Vice President of Government Affairs for the Colorado Association of Realtors. He has also chaired the Colorado Real Estate Alliance and the Colorado Competitive Council.

Bruce L. Likoff is Of Counsel at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner and his practice emphasis is commercial real estate and land use. Mr. Likoff has experience representing real estate developers and investors. His experience includes many transactions relating to all phases of development, including acquisition, land use approvals, financing, construction, leasing and sales. Relevant projects represent all major property categories, including office, industrial, retail, hotel and residential. Mr. Likoff also has particular experience in complicated ground lease and leasehold financing transactions, as well as community structure for master planned communities and mixed use projects.

A Chat with Guy Benson Ahead of the Free Enterprise Summit

Thu, 02 Nov 2023 00:01:00 -0600

Guy Benson is a well-known political commentator and media personality. He is among the roster of the 25 millennial broadcasters in American news and politics and served as a Media Fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution and a Visiting Fellow at Harvard University's Institute of Politics. He is also the keynote speaker at our 2023 Free Enterprise Summit.

He joins our Guest Host and Executive Director Kelly Caufield to chat about his many hats including hosting a daily, nationally-syndicated radio show, his multiple guest spots on Fox News and other outlets, and editing TownHall.com. He also shares his thoughts on the current media landscape, what causes our increased cultural tribalism, his hope for the future, and much more in a wide-ranging and stimulating chat.

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

A Vision and Framework for Colorado’s Energy Future featuring Tisha Schuller and Doug Benevento

Wed, 25 Oct 2023 00:01:00 -0600

In an ideal end state, Colorado’s energy would be affordable, reliable, and leave the smallest possible environmental footprint. To achieve this, energy would be appreciated as a central force that enables progress—rather than being viewed by legislators and policymakers as a necessary evil. Consumers would be empowered with choices that reflect their means, values, and circumstances. While we understand that both state and national energy objectives will continue to prioritize lowering the greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint of energy, in an ideal state, decarbonization would be one among many balanced tradeoffs.

In this ideal state, Colorado leaders would make economic development a central consideration of energy policy. After all, this would position Colorado to sustainably reduce GHG emissions with public support, while attracting the businesses, workers, students, innovators, and partners required to undertake the massive task of evolving the energy system. You can read more about this issue from our full report, found on our website.

Guest host and CSI Colorado Executive Director Kelly Caufield welcomes the report's authors, Tisha Schuller and Doug Benevento to the show to discuss its findings, its recommendations, and to discuss an ideal path forward. The conversation covers innovation, decarbonization, permitting, electrification and much more. Colorado can lead in a multitude of energy issues, but it will take fortitude, creativity, and collaboration.

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Tisha Schuller is a 2023 Terry J. Stevinson Fellow. She founded Adamantine Energy to provide thought leadership to energy companies to translate sustainability and decarbonization aspiration into action. Tisha advises private clients from Fortune 100 energy companies to non-profit environmental organizations in matters including ESG and decarbonization strategies, managing disruption, energy policy, environmental justice, and stakeholder engagement. She also serves as the Strategic Advisor for Stanford University’s Natural Gas Initiative. Previously, Tisha served as president and CEO of the Colorado Oil & Gas Association and as principal and vice president of Tetra Tech, a national environmental consulting and engineering firm. She has a B.S. from Stanford University.

Doug Benevento is also a 2023 Terry J. Stevinson Fellow. He is a partner at Holland & Hart. Doug brings a sophisticated understanding of environmental policy and compliance from his high-level leadership roles at federal and state agencies, including serving as the EPA Acting Deputy Administrator and the EPA Region 8 Administrator. He draws on this expertise and strong working relationships with regulators across the Mountain West and in Washington, DC to advocate for clients through both legal and legislative avenues. Doug guides companies to understand and respond to the regulatory impacts and ongoing developments of environmental justice matters. As the former Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, clients turn to Doug for his public health background and ability to proactively identify and develop solutions.

SPECIAL EPISODE: Eggs & The Economy - September 26, 2023

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 00:01:00 -0600

In this special edition of of Common Sense Digest, we feature discussion from one of our recent events. On Tuesday, September 26, Common Sense Institute hosted its quarterly Eggs & The Economy Event. This edition featured discussion about Proposition HH: the Taxpayer Dilemma. The panel featured the following participants:

Kelly Caufield - CSI Executive Director (Host and Moderator)

Toby Damisch - Douglas County Assessor

Brenda Bautsch Dickhoner - President & CEO, Ready Colorado

Lang Sias - CSI's 2023 Mike A. Leprino Free Enterprise Fellow

And a special presentation called "The Scramble" featuring our Senior Economist Steven Byers, Ph.D.

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

Proposition HH Explained by Gov. Bill Owens and Chris Brown

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 14:39:59 -0600

On November 7, 2023 Colorado voters will approve or reject Proposition HH, Property Tax Changes and Revenue Change Measures. Proposition HH was referred to the ballot by the State Legislature following the passage of SB23-303.

As the title suggests, Proposition HH is a complex proposal. It modifies or reduces taxation rates and exemptions for multiple types of property while at the same time increases taxes by allowing the state to retain more tax revenue. It would distribute excess revenue to school districts and other government entities without new stipulations.

Proposition HH gives Coloradans a choice; trade some property tax relief, for a long-term increase in state taxes. Though any revenue forecast is uncertain, under normal economic conditions taxpayers would bear the full tax increases under Proposition HH even if the economy faced a sizeable downturn. While all Coloradoans benefit from TABOR refunds, only property owners would see direct benefits of the property tax decrease. Our full report can be found here.

Host and Chairman Earl Wright welcomes former Governor of Colorado Bill Owens, and CSI Vice President of Policy Research Chris Brown to the podcast to discuss Proposition HH, its origins, its espoused goals, what the implications are for the future of property taxes, TABOR, and school funding, and much more. Every Coloradan will be impacted by the passage or defeat of Proposition HH, which makes this episode a must-listen.

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Bill Owens served as the 40th Governor of Colorado from 1999-2007 and is a member of GreenbergTraurig's Government Law & Policy Practice Group. Prior to his service as Governor, Bill was Colorado State Treasurer where he managed a $5 billion investment portfolio. He also served in the State Senate and State House. He focuses his practice in the areas of public policy, energy, infrastructure and water.

Chris Brown is the Vice President of Policy and Research for the Common Sense Institute.

The Implications of and Solutions for Learning Loss featuring Lisa Graham Keegan

Wed, 06 Sep 2023 12:05:45 -0600

In this episode of the Common Sense Digest, we dive deep into the pressing issue of learning loss and its far-reaching impact on education — and the economy. Joining us is a renowned expert in the field, Lisa Graham Keegan, a results-driven school choice advocate and former Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Lisa is welcomed by Host and Chairman of CSI Earl Wright. The latest NAEP report has sounded the alarm on the staggering learning loss resulting from disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. So how do we recover academically and economically? Learn why Lisa proposes that removing barriers for education innovation can address these challenges head-on, benefiting parents, educators, and especially students.

Tune in to hear more about the economic ramifications of learning loss and to explore innovative solutions that might hold the key for the future of education in Arizona. Explore the intersection of education, economics, and innovation in this thought-provoking episode.

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

NOTES:

Earl Wright (host) and Lisa Graham Keegan (guest)
LGK is a results-based, school choice advocate and former lawmaker
NAEP — alarming learning loss from latest report
“Students were not being educated, effectively, for a year.” (COVID policy failure)
Losses were larger in low-income areas, already low-achieving areas
Value comes from educators
Remove constrains on education innovation for market to flourish
The economics of education innovation
Responding to AI
- Essential skills, things that are always true
The business behavior of schools
- Expand, replicate, franchise
Rethink drawing school districts

Quantifying the Cost of Crime in Colorado featuring George Brauchler and Mitch Morrissey

Tue, 22 Aug 2023 00:01:00 -0600

On this episode of Common Sense Digest, Executive Director of CSI Colorado Kelly Caufield welcomes 2023 CSI Owens-Early Criminal Justice Fellows George Brauchler and Mitch Morrissey to the show to discuss the report and provide additional insights on the cost of crime in Colorado. They break down the resources necessary to reduce crime, explore in great detail how the cost of crime was calculated, figure the economic benefit of reducing crime to zero, and much more. Crime affects us all in terms of economic cost, the price of insurance, and quality of life, so this episode is one you'll want to listen to and share.

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George Brauchler is a 2023 CSI Owens-Early Criminal Justice Fellow and 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 is also a 2023 CSI Owens-Early Criminal Justice Fellow and 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.

The Economic Impacts of Colorado’s Sports and Tourism Industry featuring Kyle Dyer and Richard Scharf

Wed, 02 Aug 2023 00:01:00 -0600

Colorado boasts a wide array of natural beauty and tourist attractions which attracts millions of visitors to the state every year. Pristine nature, world-class skiing, and captivating sports teams all contribute to the robust inflow of tourists that Colorado welcomes. The revenue generated by the state’s diverse attractions supports a substantial share of Colorado’s economy and plays an indispensable role in sustaining its economic prosperity and highlighting its invaluable ecological and societal assets. Because each depends upon the others to contribute to Colorado’s high quality of life, the sports, recreation, and tourism sectors are interconnected—to account for the impact of tourism, the impacts of recreation and sports must also be included.

On this episode of Common Sense Digest, Guest Host and CSI Executive Director Kelly Caufield welcomes Kyle Dyer, former news anchor and Head Honcho at Kyle Dyer Storytelling Richard Scharf, President & CEO of Metro Denver Convention & Visitors Bureau to discuss everything from skiing to Taylor Swift to Denver being the smallest metro area to have all 5 major sports teams. They discuss the importance of recruiting teams, conventions, visitors, and showing off what makes Denver the special place that it is. Oh, and the economic impact that comes with it! Our full study can be found here.

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Protecting Arizona’s Economic Competitiveness featuring Danny Seiden and Courtney Coolidge

Fri, 14 Jul 2023 00:01:00 -0600

Every year in Arizona, legislators introduce hundreds of bills, most of which are never enacted. This year, the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry (“Arizona Chamber”) identified 67 “Job Killer” bills which would have imposed substantial new taxes, costs, or administrative burdens on Arizona businesses. Ultimately, none of these bills were enacted, and the story has been similar for years. But this raises the question: what would happen to the state’s economy and business environment were some or even all these bills ultimately passed into law?

CSI Arizona has utilized the experience and research of our partners in Colorado to estimate the potential impacts on Arizona’s economic prospects of enacting some of the many policy ideas on this list. Bills like those studied here are being shopped at state legislature across the country, and many of them have been introduced annually at the Arizona Legislature. Though they have not moved in the past, the lesson of Colorado’s anti-business policy transformation over the past half decade shows that climates can change quickly. Our full report can be found here.

Our Executive Director and Guest Host Katie Ratlief welcomes Danny Seiden, President and CEO of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry, and Courtney Coolidge, Vice President of Government Affairs, to the show to discuss the report, the job killers, and the past present and future of Arizona's economy.

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Danny Seiden is President and CEO of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry. Danny brings more than 16 years of experience in global public affairs and government relations, as well as handling complex legal matters in private practice and public sector service. Prior to joining the Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Danny was general counsel to the Valor Global leadership team. He focused on helping achieve growth objectives as well as providing continued public affairs guidance in AZ, WA and other States.

Courtney Coolidge serves as the Vice President for Government Affairs at the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Prior to joining the Chamber, Courtney served as the Senior Director for State Relations at Arizona State University and the Deputy Chief of Staff for the Arizona Department of Public Safety where she oversaw legislative affairs, government relations, policy development and implementation. During her time at AZDPS she worked on several significant projects including the Arizona Border Strike Force, self-driving vehicle operations, and management of the Arizona Sexual Assault Evidence Collection Kit Task Force.

SPECIAL EPISODE: Eggs & the Economy - June 13, 2023

Wed, 21 Jun 2023 09:48:14 -0600

In this special edition of Common Sense Digest, we feature discussion from one of our recent events. On Tuesday, June 13, Common Sense Institute hosted Eggs & the Economy which featured an in-depth conversation from the State House to the walls of local government. The panel featured the following participants:

Kelly Caufield - CSI Executive Director (Host and Moderator)

Stephanie Piko - Mayor of Centennial

Chief Paul Pazen - CSI Criminal Justice Fellow

Adam Paul - Mayor of Lakewood

And a special presentation called "The Scramble" featuring our Senior Economist Steven Byers, Ph.D.

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

A Comprehensive Look at Public Safety and Fighting Crime in Colorado featuring Paul Pazen

Fri, 16 Jun 2023 10:12:33 -0600

It’s no secret that Colorado has been hit with a crime wave. Skyrocketing crime rates, fentanyl deaths, and the number one rank in the country when it comes to auto thefts, are all factors that have put Colorado’s economic future at risk and made Coloradans less safe.

Public safety plays a critical role in the economic vitality of a community. Increasing population, attracting new businesses, generating a workforce, and bolstering the ability to attract tourism are all directly related to real and perceived safety challenges. If people are not safe, they cannot learn, work, or enjoy their communities. Ultimately, high crime rates result in a failure to thrive. Our recent report "The Fight Against Crime in Colorado: Policing, Legislation, and Incarceration," poses the question: Why has Colorado become less safe? A comparison of policing and crime rates in the two largest cities in Colorado, Denver and Colorado Springs, uncovers distinctly different trends in policing and police resources that have produced differing outcomes.

2023 Public Safety Fellow Chief Paul Pazen is the former Chief of Police in Denver, Colorado where he rose through the ranks of the department up to his appointment in 2018 as the Chief. He joins Chairman and Host Earl Wright to discuss his report, what contributing factors have led to the increase in crime, what can be done about it, and how the community can play an active role in supporting those who protect us.

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During his tenure as Police Chief, Paul Pazen (retired) led the creation and expansion of innovative solutions to address complex public safety issues. These programs include spearheading the creation of the Support Team Assisted Response (STAR) program, Outreach Case Coordinators (case managers) and the Domestic Violence Prevention Program. He directed a significant expansion of the mental health clinician Co-Responder Program, Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD), the implementation of a forward-thinking use-of-force policy and training curriculum.

Chief Pazen graduated magna cum laude from Colorado State University – Global with a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership, holds a Master of Arts in Homeland Security and Defense from the Naval Postgraduate School, and is a graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Executive Institute (NEI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy (FBINA) and the Senior Management Institute for Police (SMIP) through the Police Executive Research Forum. Chief Pazen served in the United States Marine Corps and is a Veteran of the Gulf War.

CSI Mid-Year Wrap-Up featuring Lang Sias, George Brauchler and Kelly Caufield

Fri, 02 Jun 2023 05:00:00 -0600

As we near the year's midpoint, we take time to reflect on what we've accomplished and discuss where we go from here. It has been a busy year for Common Sense Institute, which means there is plenty of fertile ground to cover as we discuss the legislative session, touch on our studies and reports, and look ahead to election season and beyond.

Host and Chairman Earl Wright welcomes 2023 Mike A. Leprino Fellow Lang Sias, 2023 CSI Owens-Early Criminal Justice Fellow, and Kelly Caufield, Executive Director of Common Sense Institute for a spirited and wide-ranging conversation about an abundance of topics. Some of the issues touched on include crime (with a particular focus on auto theft and sentencing), housing, economic development, competitiveness and workforce, education, TABOR, the "fair work week," PERA, and many others. This episode is loaded and our panel of experts dive deep into the issues most directly affecting Coloradans.

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

Lang Sias is the 2023 CSI Mike A. Leprino Fellow is a former Colorado State legislator, attorney and Navy and Air National Guard fighter pilot. As a Colorado State Representative from 2015-2019, Lang represented House District 27 in Jefferson County. The ranking member on the business committee, Lang also served on the education, public health and health exchange oversight committees, and was a member of the legislative tax simplification task force and the JeffCo school safety task force. Over 85% of the bills Lang sponsored were bipartisan. He focused on solving problems in the areas of education, health care and small business, and on government transparency and accountability. He played major roles in passing legislation expanding public school choice, increasing healthcare transparency and reforming the public pension system to benefit retirees and taxpayers. Lang currently serves on the legislative subcommittee that oversees Colorado’s state pension fund. He was the Republican candidate for Lieutenant Governor in 2018 and State Treasurer in 2022.

George Brauchler is the 2023 CSI Owens-Early Criminal Justice Fellow, and 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.

Kelly Caufield is the Executive Director of Common Sense Institute. In this role, Kelly is the key management leader of CSI and oversees the administration, strategic plan, and programming for the organization. Kelly brings nearly 20 years of policy, research, and advocacy experience to CSI.

Manufacturing Matters in Arizona featuring Steve Macias and Glenn Farley

Tue, 23 May 2023 00:01:00 -0600

Our recent report, The Economic Impact of Arizona’s Manufacturing Sector, demonstrates how the manufacturing sector has been one of the fastest growing parts of the Arizona economy over the past decade. In March, manufacturers added 2,000 jobs in Arizona (1st in the country), even as the overall labor market shrank. The manufacturing sector has for decades been a focus of public policy and public investment, but despite these efforts, the story of American manufacturing since the late 1970’s has been one of slow decline – at least in terms of employment and at least relative to the rest of the world. However, since 2017, the state and to some extent the country have been undergoing something of a ‘manufacturing renaissance’.

On this edition of Common Sense Digest, Chairman and Host Earl Wright welcomes CSI Board Member and Co-Owner of Pivot Manufacturing Steve Macias and CSI Director of Policy & Research Chris Brown to the show to discuss how policies enacted at both the state and federal level have contributed to manufacturing growth, what obstacles remain, the complex puzzle of workforce development, and much more. What has contributed to Arizona's manufacturing renaissance? What challenges remain? Where do we go from here? All that and a lot more await you in this episode.

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Steve Macias is a co-owner of Pivot Manufacturing and has been the President and CEO since the company’s inception in 2000. Pivot is a vibrant part of the manufacturing community that does machining and assembly work for a variety of companies, primarily in the defense industry. Pivot has grown significantly during the last several years by leveraging the excellent relationships the company has built with existing customers into new manufacturing opportunities. Those opportunities are currently translating to another growth period as Pivot is expanding their building footprint to accommodate future production.

Glenn Farley is CSI Arizona’s Director of Policy & Research. For the past eight years he has worked in the Office of the Arizona Governor, most recently as Gov. Doug Ducey’s Chief Economist and a policy advisor. In that role he advised on issues of tax, fiscal, and regulatory policy, and was one of the Governor’s lead architects of his two major tax reforms. Mr. Farley has also led the budget team that produced the Executive revenue forecasts and caseload spending numbers that have helped ensure the longest run of conservative, structurally balanced budgets in State history. Mr. Farley has a Masters in Economics from Arizona State University’s WP Carey College of Business, as well as a B.S. from Arizona State University.

SPECIAL EPISODE: Coffee and Common Sense Arizona 5.2.23

Thu, 18 May 2023 13:29:18 -0600

In this special edition of Common Sense Digest Arizona, we feature discussion from one of our recent events. On Tuesday, May 2, Common Sense Institute hosted Coffee & Common Sense: A Conversation About Arizona's Changing Economy.

We welcomed an expert panel to discuss how Arizona's economy has transformed over the last decade, what's driving this, and what obstacles will policymakers need to overcome to ensure it continues to thrive.

Hosted by CSI Director of Policy & Research Glenn Farley.

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The 2023 Colorado Legilsative Session featuring Jordan Sanchez and Jake Zambrano

Tue, 02 May 2023 12:57:00 -0600

The Colorado legislative session wraps up imminently. The budget for 2023-2024 has passed, which outlines state spending totaling $41.1 billion. It’s a number larger than the GDP of Libya, Bolivia, Uganda, Iceland and dozens of other countries. $41.1 billion also represents a 4.2% increase over last year and the largest budget in Colorado history. As the legislature works fast and furiously to finish out the session, much debate remains on top issues pressing to Coloradans, including housing, crime, workforce, to just name a few.

Host and Chairman Earl Wright welcomes Owner and Principal Lobbyist at Sanchez Policy Works, Jordan Sanchez, and CSI's Director of Legislative Services, Jake Zambrano to recap this year's legislative session, discuss emergent themes, unpack fiscal policy, and delve into the key issues faced. What should Coloradans focus most pressingly on? What issues remain? And fiscal cliffs has the body faced as they seek to move Colorado forward? All of these questions and more will be answered in the latest edition of Common Sense Digest.

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Jordan Sanchez is the Owner and Principal Lobbyist at Sanchez Policy Works which specializes in fiscal policy lobbying. Services include tracking, monitoring, and active advocacy throughout the annual budget process as it unfolds within the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of Colorado. Additionally, Sanchez Policy Works monitors and advocates on policy implementation.

Is Colorado as Economically Competitive As It Used To Be? featuring Loren Furman and Lang Sias

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 00:01:00 -0600

For much of the last two decades, Colorado has been very highly ranked among U.S. states for being business friendly. This has been reflected in state-by-state rankings extolling Colorado's relatively low tax rates, highly educated workforce, and high quality of life. These positive factors reinforced patterns that increased the size and scope of Colorado's business community and workforce.

In 2023, however, the outlook has changed. On the one hand, there are certainly reasons to be optimistic about Colorado's business environment as recent job and business formation data suggest that our economy has rebounded quickly from the pandemic and as is weathering the storm amidst the battle to lower inflation. CNBC recently ranked Colorado #4 on its list of Top States for Business for 2022. On the other hand, beneath these positive indications, there are signs that the direct and indirect costs of doing business in Colorado are beginning to threaten our state's competitive edge.

Chairman and Host Earl Wright welcomes Loren Furman, President & CEO of the Colorado Chamber of Commerce, and Lang Sias, CSI's 2023 Mike A. Leprino Fellow. Together they discuss Colorado's competitiveness, net migration, recent policy initiatives, trends and much more. If you care about the future of Colorado from a business perspective, this is a conversation you will not want to miss. You can read our full report on the issue here.

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Loren Furman was named President & CEO of the Colorado Chamber on January 1, 2022. Prior to becoming President, she served as the Chamber’s Senior Vice President of State & Federal Relations since 2008 and led the Chamber’s engagement on all State and Federal governmental issues that affect businesses statewide. In that role she was the primary spokesperson for the organization, and as a member of the leadership team, was actively involved in operational issues including hiring and communications strategies, membership, and strategic approaches for the organization.

Lang Sias is the 2023 is a former Colorado State legislator, attorney and Navy and Air National Guard fighter pilot. As a Colorado State Representative from 2015-2019, Lang represented House District 27 in Jefferson County. The ranking member on the business committee, Lang also served on the education, public health and health exchange oversight committees, and was a member of the legislative tax simplification task force and the JeffCo school safety task force. Over 85% of the bills Lang sponsored were bipartisan. He focused on solving problems in the areas of education, health care and small business, and on government transparency and accountability. He played major roles in passing legislation expanding public school choice, increasing healthcare transparency and reforming the public pension system to benefit retirees and taxpayers. Lang currently serves on the legislative subcommittee that oversees Colorado’s state pension fund. He was the Republican candidate for Lieutenant Governor in 2018 and State Treasurer in 2022.

What’s New in Housing? featuring Peter LiFari and Adam Burg

Thu, 06 Apr 2023 12:15:29 -0600

According to CSI Housing fellow Peter LiFari’s latest housing report, as of 2021, 80% of Coloradans live in a county with an aggregate housing supply shortage. As a result, home affordability has decreased by 85% since 2015. Now, as of 2022, Colorado is the 8th most unaffordable state for renters in the country. Governor Polis and leaders in the legislature on both sides of the aisle have named housing a top tier policy priority issue this year and long-awaited legislation addressing state land use was just introduced last week (SB23-213).

On this episode of Common Sense Digest, Chairman and Host Earl Wright welcomes Peter LiFari, Vice President of Government Affairs for the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce Adam Burg, and CSI's Vice President of Policy & Research Chris Brown to discuss the recent developments in housing, what bills are before the state legislature, and ideas to make housing more affordable for Coloradans. There is no single silver bullet to solve the issue, but rather a coterie of solutions that could make a substantive impact.

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Adam Burg is Vice President of Government Affairs for the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce. Burg most recently served as legislative and government affairs senior advisor for Adams County. Before joining Adams County in 2017, Burg spent two years working for Joint Budget Committee Chair Sen. Dominick Moreno, D-Commerce City, when Sen. Moreno was the assistant majority leader in the House. Burg also co-founded a political consulting firm, L&B Strategies, LLC, in 2015 with a focus on political consulting, government relations and business strategy.

Navigating the Benefits Cliff and Incentivizing Work in Colorado featuring Tamra Ryan and Juan Pena

Tue, 28 Mar 2023 00:01:00 -0600

In the coming weeks, CSI will release a report focused on how minimum wage policy and other benefits like Medicaid impact the state, employers, and workers. More than 1 of every 4 Coloradans, is currently on Medicaid. We believe this research that will help us better quantify the costs to the state’s growing budget and how we can ensure policy incentivizes work rather than trapping individuals in dependency and benefits from the government.

Chairman and Host Earl Wright welcomes new Economic Mobility Fellow Tamra Ryan and Chief Program Officer of Cross Purpose Juan Pena to the show to discuss these issues. In a loaded episode, the three discuss how the system unintentionally disincentivizes work, the dignity of work, and how to help our citizens avoid the "benefits cliff." Issues like these are complex, therefore a nuanced and deep discussion is warranted.

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Juan Pena is the Chief Program Officer of CrossPurpose, and is passionate about helping Denver families escape poverty and pursue their dreams through our six-month career and community development program. Juan received his mechanical engineering degree from the University of Massachusetts and his Master of Divinity from Baptist Bible Seminary in Clarks Summit, P.A. While attending seminary, Juan worked as an engineer and planted a multiethnic, socioeconomically diverse church in the Poconos. In 2008, he moved to Denver to be a part of the elder team at Providence Bible Church.

The Economic Impact of Arizona’s Sports and Tourism Sector featuring Kim Sabow and Glenn Farley

Fri, 24 Mar 2023 09:05:15 -0600

The Arizona Sports and Tourism Authority estimated the impact of hosting the Super Bowl in 2015 to be $719.4 million. By all accounts, the upcoming 2023 event should be even larger. The entire sector of sports and tourism in Arizona, however, adds billions of dollars and thousands of jobs annually and independent of major events like the Super Bowl. This brief will give an overview of the impact the whole sports and tourism sector has on Arizona’s economy throughout the year and its prospects for future growth.

$24.2 billion: Contribution of the sports and tourism sector to Arizona’s Real Gross Domestic Product in 2022 (6.4% of the state’s economy).
$13.7 billion: Direct sales by Arizona’s hotels, casinos, performance venues, and other components of the state’s sports & tourism sector in 2022.
347,500: Number of people directly and indirectly employed by Arizona’s sports and tourism sector, or 11% of the state’s total workforce.
3.0%: Projected average annual growth rate of the sector over the next decade.

Sports and tourism, as a sector composed of various shares of NAICS classification industries, is no small share of the Arizona economy, and recognizing the impact of these industries can help encourage the adoption of public policy that enables the continued growth and development of this area. You can read our report on the total economic impact here.

On this episode of Common Sense Digest, Host and Chairman Earl Wright welcomes Kim Sabow, President & CEO of Arizona Lodging & Tourism Association, and Glenn Farley CSI Arizona's Director of Policy and Research to discuss CSI's recent report, how big a share of the state economy is comprised of sports and tourism, and their wish list for policymakers to embolden and grow the industry.

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SPECIAL EPISODE: Eggs & the Economy - March 7, 2023

Tue, 14 Mar 2023 00:01:00 -0600

In this special edition of Common Sense Digest, we feature discussion from one of our recent events. On Tuesday, March 7, Common Sense Institute hosted Eggs & the Economy which featured an in-depth conversation on the upcoming local election and the facts you need to know on issues that matter most - crime, housing, workforce and homelessness. The panel was moderated by Ed Sealover and features the following panelists:

Kelly Caufield - CSI Executive Director

Mitch Morrissey - CSI 2023 Early-Owens Criminal Justice Fellow

Tamra Ryan - Economic Mobility Fellow

Chris Brown - Vice President of Policy & Research

Peter Lifari - CSI Housing Fellow

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

Is K-12 Education Moving Forwards or Backwards in Arizona? featuring Lisa Graham Keegan and Glenn Farley

Thu, 23 Feb 2023 12:14:06 -0700

For decades, the number one policy issue that’s been top-of-mind for most Americans is education. This comes as no surprise as our nation’s north star for leadership is sustainability: mentoring and empowering the next generation of leaders. And lately, Common Sense Institute Arizona has been delving into crucial issues revolving around education policy in the 2020 decade – especially after the ripple-effects of a global pandemic and subsequent political shifts in state legislatures across the nation. Please see our report School Facilities & The Accumulation of District Space Since 2007 for further reading.

Joining Host and Chairman Earl Wright on this episode to discuss whether our Southwest states, particularly Arizona, may be moving backwards as it relates to educational excellence is Lisa Graham Keegan, Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors at the Common Sense Institute Arizona and Glenn Farley, CSI Arizona's Director of Policy & Research. The conversation provides abundant data, insight, recommendations, and a deeper understanding of the realities of Arizona's educational system.

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Lisa is an unmatched expert in K-12 education policy and dedicated public servant. For over 17 years, she’s been Principal Partner at the Keegan Company, where she leads numerous projects on emerging innovations in American education and has developed a national reputation as a strong advocate for student-based education policies. Previously, in 2000 and 2008, she was education advisor to the John McCain Campaigns for President, and was interviewed in 2000 by President-Elect Bush for the job of US Secretary of Education.

And Lisa spent a decade from 1991 – 2001 serving Arizona communities as an elected official, first in the Arizona House of Representatives and then as state school superintendent. During her tenure, she championed clear and challenging academic standards and publicly transparent assessments, and fought successfully for the implementation of school choice, including Arizona’s landmark free open enrollment, charter school and tuition tax credit laws.

Glenn Farley is CSI Arizona’s Director of Policy & Research. For the past eight years he has worked in the Office of the Arizona Governor, most recently as Gov. Doug Ducey’s Chief Economist and a policy advisor. In that role he advised on issues of tax, fiscal, and regulatory policy, and was one of the Governor’s lead architects of his two major tax reforms – the 2018 tax overhaul that established the State’s first remote sellers sales tax and dedicated the proceeds to a major simplification and overhaul of the individual income tax, followed by the 2021 income tax omnibus which phased in a 2.50% flat tax (the lowest in the country).

Evolving How We Transport Our Kids To School featuring Kelly Caufield and Jason Gaulden

Wed, 15 Feb 2023 00:01:00 -0700

The state of Colorado reimbursed $62 million to K–12 school districts for transportation costs last school year. This was just 21% of the $290 million it cost districts to get students to and from school. Some districts are working hard to modernize and streamline their services, but school transportation today does not look significantly different than it did 50 years ago. It’s hard to innovate when funding is so severely limited, and because the state plays no role in equalizing transportation funding based on need.

Our recent report Roadblocks in Getting Kids to School: Trends, Insights, and Recommendations for Improving Colorado’s School Transportation System foregrounds this episode of Common Sense Digest. Chairman and Host Earl Wright welcomes one of the report's authors, Jason Gaulden, and Executive Director of CSI Colorado, Kelly Caufield, to discuss this interesting dilemma. Listen in to hear more about the past, present and future of how we transport our students to school.

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

Kelly Caufield is the Executive Director of the Common Sense Institute. In this role, Kelly is the key management leader of CSI and oversees the administration, strategic plan, and programming for the organization. Kelly brings nearly 20 years of policy, research, and advocacy experience to CSI.

Jason Gaulden is the 2022 CSI Education Fellow and has spent his professional career working at the intersection of the business and nonprofit sectors. He is a partner at Oak Rose Group, a strategy consulting firm specializing in education, workforce development, and economic mobility. He draws upon 25 years of professional experience in varying roles: executive leadership, philanthropy, communications, grassroots advocacy, research and writing, fund development, and nonprofit board development.

The 2023 Free Enterprise Report featuring Kelly Caufield, Chris Brown and Evelyn Lim

Thu, 19 Jan 2023 00:01:00 -0700

Colorado faces a crossroads as it emerges from a long economic winter and works to reopen businesses, support job creation, and regain a sense of normalcy for its residents. As restrictions loosen and people return to their everyday lives, Coloradans must grapple with how best to steer the state forward and continue to grow. The answer is the same as it has always been: embrace the principles of the free enterprise system. In times of immediate crisis, people naturally look to lawmakers for decisive action and leadership, but as the country moves onward, one constant throughout history has been that individuals working to provide for their families as well as businesses striving to meet the needs of their community—together, and free from intrusive oversight—lead to fuller bellies, bigger paychecks, and greater economic prosperity. A return to those principles can help lead the state through the challenges ahead and back to its full potential.

Joining Chairman and Host Earl Wright on this episode to discuss both free enterprise broadly, and the 2023 Free Enterprise Report in specific, are CSI Executive Director Kelly Caufield, Vice President of Policy & Research Chris Brown, and 2022 Mike A. Leprino Fellow & 2021 Terry J. Stevinson Fellow Evelyn Lim. They discuss the challenges and opportunities facing Colorado heading into 2023 in earnest.

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

The Bright Future of Common Sense Institute featuring Kelly Caufield and Katie Ratlief

Tue, 29 Nov 2022 00:01:00 -0700

Since its inception in 2010, Common Sense Institute's mission has been to examine the fiscal impacts of policies, initiatives, and proposed laws so that Coloradans are educated and informed on issues impacting their lives. CSI employs rigorous research techniques and dynamic modeling to evaluate the potential impact of these measures on the Colorado economy and individual opportunity.

We have grown and evolved since then, and our future is brighter than ever. Joining Host and Chairman Earl Wright are President & CEO Kristin Strohm, and two new incoming Executive Directors, Colorado’s Kelly Caufield and Arizona’s Katie Ratlief. Earl asks each of them how they see the past, present and future of CSI, what their plans are once implemented, and key issues they see affecting their respective states.

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

Kelly Caufield was the Vice President of Government Affairs at Colorado Succeeds, where she oversees the policy agenda, government affairs, and advocacy strategy. In this role she helps to lead statewide coalition building efforts that bring diverse business, education, and community partners together in collaborative ways around a shared policy agenda. She is passionate about strengthening the business commitment to improving public education, which guides her approach in leading the Policy Committee that approves the policy agenda, examines ballot measures, and advises on other key advocacy strategies for business engagement.

Katie Ratlief has over a decade of experience in economic development and public policy, including six years at the Office of the Arizona Governor where she leads strategic development, state policy/budget initiatives and legislative relations. In her current role as Deputy Chief of Staff at the Office of the Arizona Governor, Katie is responsible for leading the Governor's Office advocacy efforts on impactful policies positively affecting Arizonans.

The Future of Water in Colorado and the West featuring Jennifer Gimbel and Eric Kuhn

Tue, 01 Nov 2022 00:01:00 -0600

As Colorado continues to grow, one of the key issues the state faces is the reliable availability of water. When investing in our state, developers, businesses, and even the general population all face apprehension with what the future may hold with this key life-giving resource. Water is the lifeblood of any community and how the resource is managed is a subject about which interested entities fight, negotiate, and discuss.

On this episode of Common Sense Digest, Host and Chairman Earl Wright welcomes Terry J. Stevinson fellows Jennifer Gimbel and Eric Kuhn to discuss the history, evolution and future of Colorado water. An old saying, incorrectly attributed to Mark Twain, says, "Whiskey's for drinking, water's for fighting." True enough, but the history, reality and path forward for water in Colorado and the West is much more nuanced and fraught than that. Tune in for more detail.

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

Jennifer Gimbel is a Senior Water Policy Scholar and former Interim Director and at the Colorado Water Center. Jennifer has experience in law and policy on national, interstate and state water issues. She was the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Water & Science at the Department of the Interior, overseeing the U.S. Geological Survey and Bureau of Reclamation. She also was Deputy Commissioner for the Bureau of Reclamation and Counselor to the Assistant Secretary. Jennifer was the Director of the Colorado Water Conservation Board, the water policy agency for Colorado. As a water lawyer, she worked for the Attorney General’s Offices in Wyoming and Colorado. She has over 35 years of experience on water issues

Eric Kuhn is the retired General Manager of the Colorado River Water Conservation District and co-author with John Fleck of Science Be Dammed: How Ignoring Inconvenient Science Drained the Colorado River, University of Arizona Press, 2019.

The Colorado River District is the largest and oldest of Colorado’s four conservation districts. It covers most of the Colorado River Basin within Colorado. Almost two thirds of the flow at Lee Ferry originates in or flows through the district. Eric started employment with the Colorado River District in 1981 as Assistant Secretary-Engineer. In 1996 he was appointed General Manager, a position he held until his retirement in 2018.

Fentanyl’s Impact on Arizona featuring Glenn Farley and Jobe Dickinson

Fri, 28 Oct 2022 00:01:00 -0600

With the decriminalization of the possession and use of illegal drugs in some jurisdictions, the surge in migrant encounters along the U.S.-Mexico border, and the recent increase in fentanyl overdoses in Arizona, Common Sense Digest explores what impacts these events may have to law enforcement and the Arizona economy. With more than 2,000 fatal opioid overdoses occurring in Arizona in 2021, it is evident that there is a drug crisis in Arizona.

Joining Host and Chairman in this conversation are report author and Director of Policy and Research of CSI, Glenn Farley, and President of the Border Security Alliance, Jobe Dickinson. To view the report, Fentanyl, Crime, and Arizona's Southern Border, please click here.

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

Glenn Farley is CSI Arizona’s Director of Policy & Research. For the past eight years he has worked in the Office of the Arizona Governor, most recently as Gov. Doug Ducey’s Chief Economist and a policy advisor. In that role he advised on issues of tax, fiscal, and regulatory policy, and was one of the Governor’s lead architects of his two major tax reforms – the 2018 tax overhaul that established the State’s first remote sellers sales tax and dedicated the proceeds to a major simplification and overhaul of the individual income tax, followed by the 2021 income tax omnibus which phased in a 2.50% flat tax (the lowest in the country).

Jobe Dickinson is a retired law enforcement officer of the Tucson Police Department. During his tenure with Tucson Police, he served as a patrol officer, undercover surveillance officer, auto theft investigator, field training officer, patrol sergeant, and Special Events Sergeant. As an auto theft investigator, Jobe worked on several cases with border crimes nexus, including human and drug smuggling.

The 2022 CSI Colorado Ballot Guide featuring Evelyn Lim and Chris Brown

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 00:01:00 -0600

From affordable housing to an income tax reduction, this November Colorado voters will face 11 different questions on their 2022 statewide election ballot. City & County of Denver residents will face 3 unique questions on their 2022 election ballot. Unfortunately wading through the ballot language of these measures does not always provide clear choices. Political ads and campaign rhetoric make casting a vote even more daunting. The 2022 Common Sense Institute Ballot Guide outlines the facts and provides an objective analysis of the economic impacts – without the spin. Based on economic models and comprehensive fiscal analysis, each issue is presented in a clear and concise manner that gives voters the information they need to make educated and informed decisions on each question.

On this episode of Common Sense Digest, Host and Chairman Earl Wright welcomes CSI's Vice President of Policy and Research Chris Brown and CSI 2022 Mike A. Leprino Fellow Evelyn Lim to discuss four measures, of which CSI has done analysis. Those measures are:

Proposition 123: Dedicate Revenue for Affordable Housing Programs
Proposition 121: State Income Tax Rate Reduction
Proposition FF: Healthy School Meals for All
Denver Ordinance 305: No Eviction Without Representation

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

SPECIAL EPISODE: On the Road to $1 Billion in Vehicles Stolen

Fri, 16 Sep 2022 00:01:00 -0600

Common Sense Digest proudly presents this special episode titled "On the Road to $1 Billion in Vehicles Stolen: The Data Trends Behind Colorado’s Motor Vehicle Theft Crisis." This follows our recently released report of the same name found at the link. Despite the complexity of the issues surrounding motor vehicle theft, there is a crystal-clear trend in the Centennial state. Theft rates continue to rise, and Colorado maintains its unenviable distinction as the number one state in America for car theft. Common Sense Institute (CSI) Criminal Justice Fellows Mitch Morrissey and George Brauchler explore the data and trends through the first six months of 2022.

You will also hear from CSI Senior Economist Steven Byers and President of the Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police, David Hayes.

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

Will Proposition 123 Help the Affordable Housing Issue in Colorado? featuring Peter LiFari and Chris Brown

Thu, 15 Sep 2022 00:01:00 -0600

Housing affordability is one of the hottest topics in Colorado, and is likely to remain so. On this November's ballot Colorado voters will decide on the fate of Proposition 123, titled, “Dedicate Revenue for Affordable Housing.” To discuss this measure Host and Chairman Earl Wright welcomes CSI's Vice President of Policy and Research Chris Brown, and CSI 2022 Housing Fellow to discuss what issue the measure hopes to solve, how it would be implemented, its potential limitations and much more.

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

Peter LiFari is the 2022 Housing Fellow & 2021 Terry J. Stevinson Fellow and is the Executive Director of Maiker Housing Partners, a socially conscious public housing authority based in Adams County, Colorado. In his role as Executive Director, LiFari leads a passionate team committed to ending the cycle of generational poverty by providing individuals and families with access to affordable housing, support programs and by engaging in community development. LiFari is a compassionate visionary whose leadership style is grounded in treating individuals with empathy, warmth and grace.

Dollars and Data: Education Funding and Achievement featuring Jason Gaulden and Brenda Dickhoner

Tue, 13 Sep 2022 00:01:00 -0600

As the COVID-19 pandemic recedes, it leaves in its wake declining public school student enrollment and achievement, local, state, and federal dollars continue to flow to Colorado school districts in ever-larger amounts. Despite this, student achievement made only a modest recovery in English Language Arts (reading and writing) in 2022 after a huge plunge in 2021, and fewer than four in 10 Colorado students can perform grade-level math proficiently.

To discuss these issues and much more including teacher pay and innovation in the classroom, our Host and Chairman Earl Wright welcomes CSI’s current and former education fellows. Brenda Dickhoner was CSI’s Mike A. Leprino Free Enterprise Fellow in 2021 and is now the President and CEO of education advocacy group Ready Colorado. Jason Gaulden, is this year's CSI Education Fellow and the author of the latest Dollars and Data report.

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

Brenda Dickhoner is the President and CEO of Ready Colorado, an education advocacy organization. Brenda has spent her career working in education policy at the national and state level. She has previously served as a policy expert at the Colorado Department of Education, helping design and implement programs to help improve the state’s lowest-performing schools and districts. Brenda also supported education policy efforts at the Colorado Department of Higher Education and the National Conference of State Legislatures. Brenda earned a Ph.D. in Public Policy at the University of Colorado Denver's School of Public Affairs and a B.A. from Duke University.

Jason Gaulden, 2022 Education Fellow at Common Sense Institute and Partner at Oak Rose Group, a strategy consulting firm specializing in education, workforce development, and economic mobility. From 2015 to 2020, he worked with America Succeeds, a national network of business leaders focused on modernizing the nation’s education system. He co-authored the report The Age of Agility: Education Pathways for the Future of Work. The initiative empowers business leaders, educators, and policymakers to better prepare students for the new workforce and economy. Jason served as the program officer for education at Daniels Fund from 2005 to 2009, and before that, a Senior Fellow at El Pomar Foundation from 2001 to 2005. Jason is a graduate of the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology.

The Impact of New Energy Codes on Colorado’s Fraught Housing Market Part 2

Fri, 19 Aug 2022 00:01:00 -0600

Following Part 1 of this series, we re-join Host and Chairman Earl Wright, CEO of the Colorado Association of Homebuilders and CEO of the HBA of Metro Denver, Ted Leighty, Founder of Confluence Companies Tim Walsh, and CSI 2022 Mike A. Leprino Fellow and report author Evelyn Lim. They continue their conversation about the state of the Colorado housing market, the goals of recently passed energy code legislation, the increased costs those new codes will result in for builders (and ultimately homebuyers and employers), and what challenges exist in implementing them.

Our recent report The Uncertain Future Cost of Colorado’s Energy Infrastructure and Housing Affordability, foregrounds this discussion as our experts dig into the cost of implementing recently passed legislation that requires the adoption of a new energy code for buildings as well as what electrification of the built environment could cost Coloradans.

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

In addition to being the CSI 2022 Mike A. Leprino Fellow, Evelyn Lim is the Former Region 8 Director at the US Housing and Urban Development and is now the Director of Policy and Research at the American Cornerstone Institute.

Tim Walsh is the founder of Confluence Companies which plans, designs, develops, and provides construction management services here in Colorado. Since its founding, Confluence has managed the development and construction of over $750 million in projects including 2,000 multi-family residential units.

The Impact of New Energy Codes on Colorado’s Fraught Housing Market Part 1

Fri, 19 Aug 2022 00:01:00 -0600

The issue of housing is one we tackle repeatedly on Common Sense Digest because it touches every single Coloradan in some way and impacts the overall economic health and well-being of the state. Building off our recent report The Uncertain Future Cost of Colorado’s Energy Infrastructure and Housing Affordability, this first in a two-part series on Common Sense Digest discuss the cost of implementing recently passed legislation that requires the adoption of a new energy code for buildings as well as what electrification of the built environment could cost Coloradans.

Joining Host and Chairman Earl Wright are CEO of the Colorado Association of Homebuilders and CEO of the HBA of Metro Denver, Ted Leighty, Founder of Confluence Companies Tim Walsh, and CSI 2022 Mike A. Leprino Fellow and report author Evelyn Lim. In Part 1, the four discuss the state of the Colorado housing market, the goals of recently passed energy code legislation, the increased costs those new codes will result in for builders (and ultimately homebuyers and employers), and what challenges exist in implementing them.

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

SPECIAL EPISODE: Affordable and Accessible Child Care: Colorado’s Workforce Challenge

Fri, 22 Jul 2022 13:53:58 -0600

This special episode of Common Sense Digest is brought to you by Colorado Politics and the Denver Gazette and hosted by Common Sense Institute and EPIC.

The high cost of child care acts as a barrier for parents, particularly women, seeking to return to the workforce, exacerbating Colorado’s labor shortage. Join industry experts and policymakers in exploring ways to create better access to quality and affordable child care for working families.

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

SPECIAL EPISODE: Eggs & the Economy - Affordability

Fri, 24 Jun 2022 00:01:00 -0600

The following is a special episode of Common Sense Digest. On June 21, 2022, Common Sense Institute hosted Eggs & The Economy, a quarterly symposium featuring guest speakers on a variety of public policy issues highlighting the most pressing issues Colorado is currently facing. Our most recent event featured discussed the issue of affordability in Colorado. This podcast captured audio from the event in full, and features remarks from Chairman of the Board Earl Wright, and the following panelists:

Senior Economist Steven Byers

Mike A. Leprino Fellow Evelyn Lim

Vice President of Policy & Research Chris Brown

Representative of Colorado’s 35th District Shannon Bird

Luigi Del Puerto, Managing Editor of Colorado Politics (Moderator)

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

What Makes a Great City? featuring Mayor John Suthers and Councilman Dustin Zvonek

Fri, 24 Jun 2022 00:01:00 -0600

The state of Colorado is facing a housing affordability crisis, inflation, dealing with soaring crime rates, and homelessness. The list of challenges Coloradans are facing is daunting. But across our great state local leaders are digging in, rising to the challenge and coming up with innovative ways to create opportunity for their residents.

On this episode of Common Sense Digest, Host and Chairman Earl Wright welcomes Mayor of Colorado Springs John Suthers and Aurora City Councilman Dustin Zvonek to the show to discuss how each municipality is approaching the complex and intermingling challenges of housing affordability, homelessness, crime, economic opportunity and much more. They share ideas, opportunities and roadblocks to the creation of cities in which we all thrive, prosper and find happiness in the face of wicked problems and entrenched thinking. It's a wide ranging and informative conversation featuring two leaders working to shape the future of two of Colorado's most prominent cities.

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

John Suthers was re-elected to a second term as Mayor of Colorado Springs by an overwhelming majority in April of 2019. Before being elected Mayor, Suthers served as Attorney General of Colorado from 2005 to 2015. Under Suthers' leadership, the Colorado Attorney General's office earned a national reputation for excellence. Prior to being Attorney General, he was named by President George W. Bush in 2001 to be United States Attorney for Colorado and he was unanimously confirmed by the US Senate. In 1999, Suthers was appointed by Governor Bill Owens as Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Corrections, based in Colorado Springs. In that position, he managed an organization with 6,000 employees and a budget in excess of $500 million.

In 1988, he was elected District Attorney of the 4th Judicial District, which includes El Paso and Teller Counties.

The 41st mayor of Colorado Springs, Suthers’ first term began in May of 2015. Dustin Zvonek is the President and founder of Zvonek Consulting, an executive management consulting firm, and a Partner and Senior Advisor at Rising Cloud, a first to market tech start-up. Dustin was elected to the Aurora City Council in November of 2021 to a four-year term as an At-Large Member. On Council, Dustin is currently the Chairman of the Public Safety Committee and the Vice Chairman of the Planning and Economic Development Committee. Dustin also serves as the Chairman of the Red Tape Reduction Committee and is a member of the Management and Finance committee.

Unpacking the Colorado and Arizona Housing Markets with Glenn Farley and Steven Byers

Fri, 03 Jun 2022 00:01:00 -0600

Housing prices are frequently at the forefront of policy discussions because they impact so many other aspects of the economy. On this episode of Common Sense Digest, Host and Chairman Earl Wright welcomes CSI Arizona's Director of Policy & Research Glenn Farley, CSI's Senior Economist Steven Byers to discuss the housing markets in Arizona and Colorado, respectively. They dive deep into what led us to the current situation, attempt to forecast where things are headed, and prescribe their fixes for bringing the cost of housing down. Whether it's talent recruitment and retainment, the overall health of the economy, or personal wealth building, this is an episode that has implications for all.

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

Glenn Farley is CSI Arizona’s Director of Policy & Research. For the past eight years he has worked in the Office of the Arizona Governor, most recently as Gov. Doug Ducey’s Chief Economist and a policy advisor. In that role he advised on issues of tax, fiscal, and regulatory policy, and was one of the Governor’s lead architects of his two major tax reforms – the 2018 tax overhaul that established the State’s first remote sellers sales tax and dedicated the proceeds to a major simplification and overhaul of the individual income tax, followed by the 2021 income tax omnibus which phased in a 2.50% flat tax (the lowest in the country).

Steven Byers, Ph.D. is the new Senior Economist for Common Sense Institute. Prior to joining CSI Steven spent three years working for the Coalition for a Prosperous America, a nonprofit organization consisting of manufacturing, agricultural, labor, consumer, and citizen interest groups, where he conducted research on the U.S. economy, international trade, and tariffs. Highlights of this research include a paper titled, “Decoupling from China – An Economic Analysis of the Impact on the U.S. Economy of a Permanent Tariff on Chinese Imports” for which he and a co-author won the National Association for Business Economics Edmund A. Mennis Contributed Paper Award.

The Wicked Problem of Fentanyl in Colorado featuring George Brauchler and Mitch Morrissey

Thu, 02 Jun 2022 07:57:04 -0600

In April of 2022, Common Sense Institute released a report titled Fentanyl’s Increasing Toll on the Colorado Economy which detailed the evolution of the opioid crisis, the 2019 legislation that exacerbated the problems of the opioid crisis, and highlighted the unique deadliness of fentanyl in particular.

On this episode of Common Sense Digest, Host and Chairman Earl Wright welcomes CSI's Criminal Justice Fellows George Brauchler and Mitch Morrissey to discuss these issues in much more depth. Mitch and George detail their extensive history in how drug possession cases were handled prior to 2019, discuss the problems they perceive the recently passed and signed HB22-1326 "Fentanyl Accountability And Prevention" to have, why they think the problem will get worse before it gets better and much more. This episode is a fascinating deep dive into the world of criminal justice, and drug laws specfically.

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

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.

The Challenges and Opportunities of an Aging Workforce featuring Karen Brown and Alexa Eastburg

Fri, 06 May 2022 00:01:00 -0600

In celebration of Older Americans Month, Common Sense Digest explores the topic of Colorado’s aging workforce and the impact it will have on our state’s future. Older Americans Month is an annual event dating back to 1963, when President John F. Kennedy designated May as Senior Citizens Month, later renamed Older Americans Month, honoring older Americans, and celebrating their contributions to our communities and our nation. If you’d like to learn more about Older Americans Month, visit Administration for Community Living.

Pertinent to this discussion is the recent CSI report: Colorado’s Future: The Impact of an Aging Workforce. Chairman and Host Earl Wright welcomes the report's co-authors, Karen Brown, CEO and Ambassador of iAging and Aging2.0 Denver Chapter and Alexa Eastburg, Research Analyst with Common Sense Institute. They discuss their remarkable findings about the current labor shortage, the projected increase in older workers, what the government, corporations and individuals can do about it, and attempt to project a path for the future. It's an episode that impacts business in every single sector, so these insights are germane across industries.

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

Karen Brown CEO and Ambassador of iAging and Aging2.0 Denver Chapter, a catalyst for Gerontechnology and "Think Different" Aging Solutions. An advocate for the aging population with a mission to seek out, promote and assist in the development and funding of innovations and technologies that improve the lives of seniors, their caregivers, families, and society as a whole.

Alexa Eastburg is a Research Analyst with Common Sense Institute. She graduated from Coe College in May of 2021 with a B.A. in Economics, Managerial Accounting, and Business Administration. She is a Research Analyst at Common Sense Institute. Her experience covers analyzing workforce, crime, and education issues in the state of Colorado.

The Outstanding Debts of the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund and PERA featuring Loren Furman and Chris Brown

Mon, 02 May 2022 15:12:21 -0600

The topic of the state’s unemployment insurance trust fund has come up many different times in CSI’s work, including a previous episode of this show. Yet despite the tremendous amount of attention on the issue from external parties and business leaders, Colorado remains 1 of only 9 states with an outstanding federal loan balance to the US treasury, that was used to support the state’s unemployment insurance trust fund which went insolvent in August of 2020. That balance is just over $1B.

In 2020 legislators chose to not make the $225M payment to PERA required under SB18-200. A current bill under consideration proposes to make up for that missed payment plus the lost investment returns. Though not as substantive a transfer as we discussed in previous episode, this would go far in reducing some of the pending risk to taxpayers and PERA members. (found here).

With the 2022 legislative session winding down, Common Sense Digest welcomes Loren Furman, President & CEO of the Colorado Chamber of Commerce, and Chris Brown, CSI's Vice President of Policy & Research, on the show to discuss both issues. Host and Chairman Earl Wright presses both Loren and Chris about the current status of both UI Trust Fund and PERA, the three discuss proposed fixes currently before the legislature, and what to expect going forward.

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

The Realities and Pitfalls of the Presumed Energy Transition featuring Chris Wright and Evelyn Lim

Fri, 08 Apr 2022 06:00:00 -0600

A substantial portion of United States policymakers and citizens tout an accelerated "energy transition" away from fossil fuels. But what does this mean? What would it entail? What are the costs associated with such a transition? And is a transition even practical or realistic? Even if the United States (or the world) were to transition away from fossil fuels entirely for electricity generation, in what other ways do fossil fuels play an integral role in modern living? These questions and many more are answered in this episode of Common Sense Digest.

Chairman and Host of Common Sense Institute Earl Wright welcomes Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Liberty Oilfield Services Chris Wright and 2022 Mike A. Leprino Fellow & 2021 Terry J. Stevinson Fellow Evelyn Lim to the show to discuss the multiple factors at play regarding an energy transition. The three touch on issues including the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the state of permitting and exports in the United States, regulatory policy in the country and in Colorado specifically, and the ways in which fossil fuels impact our lives beyond electricity generation. For more illustrative information on these topics and more, please review Evelyn Lim's "Colorado Faces Economic, Technological, and Even Geopolitical Barriers to Meeting Its Aggressive Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Goals" and Liberty Energy's "Bettering Human Lives: 2020 ESG Report"

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

Chris Wright serves as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Liberty Oilfield Services. Additionally, Chris founded and serves as Executive Chairman of Liberty Resources, a Bakken-focused E&P company and Liberty Midstream Solutions. He has had a lifelong passion for energy and its role in human life. He has spoken on energy to the UK House of Lords, the States Attorneys General, Federal and State Judges, debated the merits of the shale revolution on TV and given over 100 talks.

Evelyn Lim is the 2022 Mike A. Leprino Fellow & 2021 Terry J. Stevinson Fellow, and she is the Director of Policy and Research at the American Cornerstone Institute. She was most recently the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Regional Administrator for Region 8 which covers Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota. In March 2020, she was detailed to Secretary Carson’s office to lead HUD’s coronavirus relief efforts and support the Secretary in his role on the White House Coronavirus Task Force. Prior to her appointment at HUD, she served as the Deputy Chief of Staff at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the third largest federal cabinet agency with over 240,000 law enforcement, military, and civilian employees.

SPECIAL EPISODE: Eggs & the Economy on Crime

Tue, 29 Mar 2022 15:17:46 -0600

On March 29, 2022, Common Sense Institute hosted Eggs & the Economy. Eggs & the Economy is a quarterly symposium featuring guest speakers on a variety of public policy issues. At each event, CSI highlights the most pressing issues Colorado is currently facing. This is an opportunity for CSI to share current research, as well as hear from dignitaries and the experts working on them. The purpose of this event is to inform lawmakers and Coloradans so that they can make informed decisions with fact-based research.

At this quarter's event, we dove into the crime wave hitting Colorado and featured a panel of experts to discuss its many aspects. This podcast captured audio from the event in full, and features remarks from President & CEO of CSI Kristin Strohm, and the following attendees:

George Brauchler, Criminal Justice Fellow

Mitch Morrissey, Criminal Justice Fellow

Dave Hayes, Police Chief, City of Louisville

Jon Haubert, Publisher, ColoradoBiz Magazine (Moderator)

Thanks to our generous event sponsor: Amazon

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

The Key Issues Facing Arizona as CSI Expands featuring Glenn Farley

Mon, 21 Mar 2022 00:01:00 -0600

In Part 1 of our series about Common Sense Institute's expansion into Arizona (Common Sense Institute Announces Its Expansion Into Arizona), we discussed why Arizona was chosen for expansion, introduced you to our Board Chair and Strategic Advisor, and discussed briefly some of the issues facing Arizona.

In Part 2, Chairman and Host Earl Wright is joined primarily by Glenn Farley, former Chief Economist for Governor Doug Ducey. Glenn discusses with Earl everything from drought to workforce development to housing prices as he provides a snapshot of the opportunities and challenges of Arizona's present and future. He also discusses the need for non-partisan, evidence-based research in crafting sound public policy. It is a stimulating conversation that will provide any listener with a solid understanding of the lay of the land of Arizona.

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Common Sense Institute Announces Its Expansion Into Arizona

Tue, 08 Mar 2022 00:01:00 -0700

Common Sense Institute is proud to launch its expansion into Arizona! After the 2020 election, Arizona was identified as a top swing state target for expansion due to the state’s history of electing common sense leaders and new challenges like incredible growth in the population and economy. Due to many members of the CSI Board having connections in Arizona, additional synergies were realized quickly. CSI also seeks to fill a void in Arizona where no other non-partisan think tank exists that can offer the legislature, policymakers and populace cutting-edge research. CSI has played that role in Colorado, and we look forward to doing so in Arizona.

Joining Chairman and Host Earl Wright are Scott Martin, who will serve as CSI Arizona Board Chair, and Daniel Scarpinato, CSI Arizona's Strategic Advisor. On the first of a two-part series, Scott and Daniel talk about the origins and need for establishing CSI Arizona. The two discuss the opportunities and challenges of the state, the current lack of nonpartisan research, and much more as we get underway with this exciting endeavor.

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T. Scott Martin is managing partner of Rivercrest Capital Management and chairman of Rivercrest Royalties and a director of Kimbell Royalty Partners. He is also non-executive Chairman of Bear Mtn. Resources. He began his career in oil & gas exploration and production working for AMOCO while attending Engineering school at CU. Mr. Martin founded three successful independent oil & gas companies which were later sold to Occidental Petroleum, Exxon-Mobil and SandRidge Energy respectively. Mr. Martin is a founding member of the Common Sense Institute of Colorado and has sat on the CSI board since its inception in 2010.

Daniel Scarpinato served as Chief of Staff to Arizona Governor Doug Ducey, helping to lead the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the distribution of the vaccine, management of billions of federal dollars, and passage of landmark legislation including the renegotiating of tribal gaming compacts and the lowest flat tax in the nation. Previously, Scarpinato served as National Press Secretary for the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) in Washington, D.C., as Republicans won their largest House Majority in more than 70 years. In 2012, Scarpinato served as Western Regional Press Secretary at the NRCC.

The Causes and Impacts of Inflation featuring Steven Byers, Ph.D. and Chris Brown

Thu, 03 Mar 2022 17:26:33 -0700

The United States is on the path of recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, while experiencing inflation at levels not seen in the past 40 years. Colorado has not been immune from these effects. The factors contributing to high inflation are multitudinous, and Coloradans find themselves in the difficult position of finding their increase in earnings cancelled out by loss of purchasing power.

Chairman and Host Earl Wright welcomes Chris Brown, Vice President of Policy & Research for CSI, and new team member Steven Byers, Ph.D., who joins as Senior Economist, to the show to discuss the multiple facets of both inflation and Colorado's general economic situation. The three discuss what has led to inflation including global issues such as the supply chain, and discuss Colorado's interesting trends in issues such as taxable sales. The issues are complex to unpack, which is why CSI leads the way with unparalleled research and actionable insights for business leaders and elected officials.

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Steven’s experience as an economist spans twenty-three years, including work at federal regulatory agencies (SEC, CFTC, PCAOB) and quantitative economic analysis supporting international trade litigation cases brought before the U.S. International Trade Commission. His work at CSI is an extension of his graduate work studying the Colorado economy. His Ph.D. dissertation topic was based on a computable general equilibrium model (CGE) he developed to evaluate the economic impact of regional tax incentives in a Fort Collins, CO.

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

Fri, 11 Feb 2022 00:01:00 -0700

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

Fri, 17 Dec 2021 00:01:00 -0700

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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SPECIAL EPISODE: The 1st Annual Free Enterprise Summit

Fri, 17 Dec 2021 00:01:00 -0700

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

Fri, 10 Dec 2021 12:04:18 -0700

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

Fri, 19 Nov 2021 00:01:00 -0700

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.

Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.

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

Fri, 22 Oct 2021 00:01:00 -0600

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

Fri, 08 Oct 2021 00:01:00 -0600

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.

Thank for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here.