DENVER ~ In his final State of the State Address as Governor of Colorado, Jared Polis stood before the Colorado General Assembly to reflect on the progress made during his seven years in office and outline his plans for the future.

Governor Polis acknowledged the challenges faced by the state, including a once-in-a-century pandemic, inflation, destructive wildfires, and an unpredictable federal landscape. However, he emphasized that despite these obstacles, Colorado has remained strong and resilient.

During his speech, Governor Polis highlighted some of the key issues that Coloradans care about most. One of these is the high cost of housing in the state. He celebrated Colorado's efforts to break down government barriers that hinder new home construction and save people money. The Governor also called for continued action to address this issue and make housing more affordable for all Coloradans.

He specifically mentioned recent progress made in allowing homeowners to build accessory dwelling units on their properties, expanding access to housing near transit and job centers, legalizing single or smart stair apartments, encouraging modular housing, and jumpstarting condo construction. Governor Polis urged the legislature to continue this work by opening up unused or underutilized land owned by higher education institutions, nonprofits, transit agencies, school districts, and housing authorities for more housing development. He also proposed allowing Coloradans to subdivide their properties and tackling rising homeowners insurance costs.

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Governor Polis also addressed Colorado's efforts to defend itself against an increasingly punitive federal government. He highlighted successful efforts in defending millions of dollars from being cancelled or withheld and expressed concern over HR1's potential impact on the state.

Another important issue discussed by Governor Polis was public safety. He reaffirmed his commitment to making Colorado one of the top ten safest states in the nation through smart investments in law enforcement and crime prevention strategies based on data analysis. The Governor cited a recent report showing a decrease in violent crime by 13% and property crime by 18% in the past year. He also noted a 61% decrease in auto theft and a 95% decline in catalytic converter theft in Denver. However, Governor Polis acknowledged that there is still work to be done to ensure all Coloradans can live in safe communities.

Education was another key topic addressed by Governor Polis. He emphasized the importance of fully funding schools and preparing students for success through investments in classrooms and expanding access to career pathways that lead to high-paying jobs. The Governor recently announced actions to streamline workforce services from the state to better connect students with resources for job opportunities.

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In conclusion, Governor Polis expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to serve as Colorado's Governor and his optimism for the state's future. He encouraged all Coloradans to continue working together towards a Colorado that is strong, resilient, loving, kind, innovative, free, and full of promise for all. The full text of his speech can be found on his Facebook page.

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