Would you look at Colorado, leading the country on a host of fronts this year after what could be the most extraordinary legislative session on record.
State lawmakers should take a bow after trading stagnation, mundanity and politics as usual for a 90-day lawmaking session that saw the creation of gay civil unions, increased gun regulation, monumental changes in health care, legalized marijuana regulations, school finance reform — and most important, the creation of jobs.
Jobs? Oh sure, there were a handful of bills in both houses that were marketed as being able to create paychecks for Colorado residents. Although some may actually do that, economic development experts will tell you that bringing business to Colorado has much less to do with tax credits than it does with education, roads, lifestyle, credibility and trust.
It makes sense. When you’re looking for a new place to live, the actual house you choose is just part of picking a home. Neighborhoods, schools, amenities, health care, other neighbors and public safety are equally as important to most Colorado residents in choosing a place to live.
Businesses are no different. Employers that create enviable payrolls are most interested in the state of public schools and especially higher education. Successful businesses depend on solid roads and infrastructure, responsive government, dependable tax policies, stability and amenities that draw the best employees looking for happy, successful lives.
That’s us. This year, Colorado became an even more enviable place to live and open a business. State lawmakers and Gov. John Hickenlooper created laws that will enhance public school funding to ensure schools and students that need the most help will get it. Colorado pushed aside generations of hysteria and bigotry by creating civil unions for same-sex partners. Hickenlooper bravely signed meaningful gun-regulation bills that by themselves can’t solve gun violence problems, but as part of other firearm and mental health care reforms can go far in helping prevent the senseless daily loss of life caused by gunfire, and the tragic massacre that has forever scarred Aurora.
State lawmakers wisely pushed Colorado’s historic Amendment 64 into action, ending dangerous and senseless marijuana prohibition so that this multi-million dollar industry is legalized, taken back from criminals and treated like the questionable-but-undeniable reality that it is. The actions of voters, lawmakers and the governor on this issue attest to Colorado’s spirit of courage, ingenuity and good sense.
These and so many other gains made at the Capitol this year, many led by Aurora lawmakers, pushed the state into the forefront of the world business community as the progressive and enviable community this is.
Issues that grabbed fewer headlines but demonstrated creativity were measures that will reduce the number of dogs killed by police, help the poor get and keep jobs, increase personal privacy rights and even reduce the number of unwanted pets in shelters.
The work is far from done. Left off the table this session were serious questions about Colorado’s higher-education albatross. The state severely underfunds its remarkable state college system, pushing financial woes into the checkbooks of students and parents with endless tuition hikes. It’s an unsustainable economic model that has become a critical, one that will ruin the colleges and hurt Colorado students and families. Since higher education is often seen as the most important aspect of economic development, college funding and budgetary prudence will be a top job for Hickenlooper and state lawmakers next year.
But for now, Colorado residents and lawmakers deserve to bask in the state’s famous political sunshine, setting the bar high for the rest of the country, and for ourselves again next year.
I did not notice who wrote this editorial, however I disagree with his term “meaningful legislation”. I believe many of the laws enacted were meaningless, backwards and probably unconstitutional. Many people do not to want to adhere to the U.S. Constitution these days, and I hope they someday pay for this. I don’t want to get into a debate here about the individual laws, you figure it out.
Come to the land of fracking where no company will be fined for polluting our water and where Colorado decides what kind of business they like and don’t, And this coming from a Dem…..