Common Sense Digest

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. 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. 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.

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.

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.

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 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 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 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.

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.

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.

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. 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. 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.