Colorado Springs: From the Desk of Mayor Yemi: Mayoral State Legislative Priorities

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The below letter was written jointly by Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade, Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman and Denver Mayor Mike Johnston. The letter is addressed to the Governor Jared Polis and members of the Colorado General Assembly and outlines several of the mayors' key priorities as the 2025 legislative session gets underway.

Dear Governor Polis, Senate President Coleman, Speaker McCluskie, and members of the Colorado General Assembly:

As mayors with varying political affiliations representing the three largest cities in our state, we are writing to share several key priorities aimed at protecting and improving the quality of life for Coloradans. With the 2025 legislative session beginning, issues around public safety, housing, and economic vitality remain the most important concerns facing our cities.

Juvenile Justice

All three of our cities continue to see juvenile offenders commit more serious crimes at a higher frequency. This issue is exacerbated by a lack of funding and cap on the number of juvenile detention beds. Reduction in bed space has caused violent youth offenders to be re-released based on who has committed the least violent offense. These offenses are often related to gun violence, aggravated assault, gang violence, and other violent crimes. By increasing bed spaces, we can ensure youth are removed from situations that may cause additional harm and instead connect them to social services and programs to help, thereby decreasing the rate of re-offending. We support the Governor's budget proposal to increase funding for bed space to ensure they are in a place where they can receive needed services and support.

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Construction Defect Litigation

We know the attainability of housing is an issue statewide, especially in large cities. For far too long, politically motivated construction defect legislation has eviscerated any ability for the building industry to build condominiums, which are a prime entry point for home ownership. Overly onerous construction defect liability is depriving young homeowners of the American dream. It is time to implement reasonable legislation that will provide builders with the right to cure, thereby protecting both buyers and sellers and returning this vital housing option to our residents.

Safe Cities

Governor Polis is dedicated to positioning Colorado as one of the ten safest states, building on two years of declining property and violent crime rates. We commend these efforts and look forward to collaborating with the Governor and General Assembly to ensure our communities continue to have sufficient flexibility to combat crime. Cities must retain the ability to implement solutions that are responsive to community concerns and assign appropriate sentences when crimes are committed. It is only through continued cooperation between state and local governments that we will sustain and build upon the progress already achieved.

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We thank you on behalf of our more than 1.5 million residents for listening to the needs of our cities and constituencies.

Mayor Mike Johnston, Denver

Mayor Yemi Mobolade, Colorado Springs

Mayor Mike Coffman, Aurora

Filed Under: Government, City
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