Search Results

< Back Majority Leader Esgar: Celebrate Pueblo Pride - but don’t forget the work yet to come Aug 25, 2022 See more The following op-ed was published in the Pueblo Star Journal. Happy Pueblo Pride! It’s time for another year of celebration for the LGBTQ community here in Pueblo. We take time every August to celebrate the achievements we’ve made as a community and to remember the work we still have ahead of us. As an integral part of Pueblo, the LGBTQ community’s presence has grown over the past two decades and our voices are louder than ever. We’ve worked hard to achieve all that we have, but we haven’t done it alone. I’m also so proud to say that Pueblo is home to many allies – allies who continue to show up year after year. In the early 2000s, I was working as a barista at Wireworks coffee house when a small but proud group of folks attended a modest gathering of solidarity and called it Pueblo Pride. Fast forward to this year, when the festival encompassed the majority of Mineral Palace Park with close to 100 vendors, a day full of entertainment, and thousands of folks attending. The event has grown every year thanks to the all-volunteer board of the Southern Colorado Equality Alliance, southern Colorado’s LGBTQ advocacy organization. I was proud to join the SCEA board shortly after coming out in the mid 2000s. It was a way to connect with our community and begin the work I have made the focus of my life. While serving on the board, we re-started the LGBTQ youth group OutFront and grew the Pride event. OutFront was necessary because at the time there were no gay-straight alliances in a Pueblo high school. OutFront continues to exist today and I’m incredibly proud of our youth in this town. Many GSAs have started in our local high schools since. Pueblo PULP was a monthly independent newspaper full of local articles written by an amazing group of people who cared about this town. I was humbled when I was asked to write a monthly column called Inside Out to be sure our LGBTQ voices could be heard. Through this medium, I was afforded the privilege to share my experiences from the LGBTQ community with anyone who wanted to read about them. The column helped folks understand that we are here, in many different parts of the community, and we deserve to be treated as equals. Before marriage equality was being debated at the state level or became the law of the land in the United States, in Pueblo I helped lead one of the first campaigns to help city employees achieve same-gender domestic partner benefits for health care coverage. A group of LGBTQ folks and our straight allies fought City Council and won this benefit for our city employees. We even managed to stop a petition designed to take away our victory. In 2013, when civil unions passed at the state level, our local county commissioners and county clerk helped the SCEA organize a mass ceremony for those seeking that right. Bo Ortiz was one of the first county clerks to offer marriage certificates to couples in Colorado before the Colorado Supreme Court cleared the way for full marriage equality in our state in 2014. Pueblo has a history of acceptance and allyship for our LGBTQ community, but we also have a strong history of pride and perseverance when it comes to the rights we’ve had to fight so hard for. When we take a moment to celebrate those wins at the annual Pride event, it’s well deserved, but we must also continue the work we’ve done as a queer community and the allies who love us. Our transgender family is attacked, even murdered, in this country and is fighting every day for the rights they deserve. And with the fall of Roe vs. Wade, we know, because Justice Clarence Thomas wrote so, that the Supreme Court is looking to end marriage equality next. We can’t afford to sit back and rest. Our allies will continue to be called on to help us keep the rights we all deserve. State Representative Daneya Esgar is the Majority Leader of the Colorado House of Representatives. She is wrapping up her fourth and final term serving Pueblo County as the Representative for House District 46. Born and raised in Pueblo, Esgar is the proud granddaughter of steelworkers, a product of Pueblo City Schools, and a graduate of Colorado State University Pueblo. She lives in Pueblo with her wife, Heather, daughter, Marlo, and their two dogs, Bella and Huck. Previous Next

< Back Rep. Dylan Roberts: The 2022 legislative session concludes with progress on many fronts May 17, 2022 See more The following op-ed was published in The Steamboat Pilot & Today. We just concluded one of the most impactful and bipartisan legislative sessions in recent memory. We responded to Colorado’s most pressing needs and passed legislation that will move our state forward. This session focused on saving Coloradans money, improving public safety, building a healthier Colorado and investing in our students. As always, the bills I introduced and led to passage were based on the ideas directly from Eagle and Routt counties residents. Here is some of what got done: Historic investments in housing Ensuring that all Coloradans have an affordable place to call home was my top priority this year. I am thrilled to say that this legislative session represents Colorado’s largest single-year investment in affordable housing. Over the past year, I was honored to chair the Affordable Housing Task Force — a bipartisan panel of legislators, housing experts and local officials tasked with making policy recommendations on housing — and every single one of our recommendations passed with bipartisan sponsorship. In total, we allocated $428 million for housing projects in local communities, with dedicated funds for our rural and rural-resort communities who are grappling with the housing crisis most acutely. Additionally, one of my priority bills to allow counties — with voter approval — to use lodging tax revenue for housing and other workforce needs was signed into law in April. Saving Coloradans and small businesses money In January, we set out to save Coloradans money. We did just that. Because of our work, Coloradans will receive a refund check of close to $500 for single filers and $1,000 for joint filers in September. We lowered property taxes for residential and commercial properties by over $700 million, saving the average homeowner $274. Families will save thousands of dollars a year with free universal preschool and with more affordable child care — a product of my first bill this year, which was an idea directly from my district. We also reduced fees for professional licenses and businesses and took action to save people money at the DMV and the gas pump. I also sponsored and passed a bill allowing restaurants to keep $70,000 of their sales taxes this summer. Protecting our environment We all know that wildfire is a constant threat to our communities. That’s why we continued — and expanded — our support for wildfire mitigation and response measures while taking significant steps to combat climate change and protect our air quality. I also furthered my work protecting our Western Slope water. From investing in interstate compact compliance to a statewide program incentivizing municipal turf replacement, I am proud to continue leading the charge to protect our state’s most precious resource. Public safety I worked very hard on several bills seeking to make our communities safer. My bills cracking down on retail theft, protecting victims’ rights and increasing funding for police and EMS providers all passed. We also passed a comprehensive bill tackling the nationwide fentanyl crisis, which will drastically increase penalties for those who deal fentanyl and dedicate desperately needed resources for addiction treatment, Narcan supplies and more. While this bill is not perfect, it is a necessary step in addressing this lethal drug’s impact on our communities. Historic education investments As I wrote last month, this year’s state budget represents the largest investment in our K-12 system in over a decade, resulting in increased teacher pay and more support for our students, educators and education staff. Mental and behavioral health This year’s session made transformational investments to improve Colorado’s mental health system. In total, $450 million was dedicated to mental health services, which includes assembling the new Behavioral Health Administration, additional mental health beds in our rural communities, recruiting behavioral health professionals, and legal updates making the system more accessible. Standing up for rural Colorado I have always worked to make sure that our region does not get left behind in the halls of the Capitol and this year was no different. One of my passed bills invests $15 million into transitioning communities like Hayden, Oak Creek and Craig, so they can attract businesses and help workers with the energy transition and keep good jobs right here. We also passed bills supporting our agriculture producers, fought for increased funding to help ranchers mitigate the impact of the voter-imposed reintroduction of wolves, and I supported efforts to encourage more geothermal energy development right here in rural Colorado. I now look forward to being home and spending time with family, friends and all of you. As always, I invite you to contact me with feedback, questions, or if you need assistance with your state government. Join me for an upcoming town hall meeting or reach out directly at 970-846-3054 or Dylan.Roberts.House@state.co.us . Previous Next

< Back Speaker McCluskie: Perspective: 2025 Legislative Preview Jan 5, 2025 See more This story was originally posted in the Gazette here . Fighting for working families Democrats are back once again with an overwhelming majority in the Colorado House because we deliver results for the working people and families of our great state. Under our watch, wages are rising, and unemployment and inflation are lower than the national average. Housing and medical costs are falling, and so are violent crime rates. Coloradans trust Democrats to govern because we have worked hard to lower the cost of housing and prescription medications, boost funding for K-12 schools, preserve our clean water and air, and protect our freedoms. As we shoulder this immense responsibility, we will put problem solving ahead of partisanship and work across the aisle to make Colorado more affordable, improve public safety, and protect our rights and freedoms. My door is always open to constituents, advocates and lawmakers from both parties, and I am eager to work together once again. Too many Coloradans are still struggling with the high cost of living. We’ve led the charge to eliminate red-tape so we can build more homes Coloradans can afford. This year, we will work to bring down home insurance costs and make purchasing easier for new homebuyers. Lowering the cost of child care is a pivotal part of helping working parents afford to live in our state. That’s why Colorado Democrats have championed universal preschool, created more high-quality child care options, and cut taxes for hardworking people with the Colorado Child Tax Credit and Family Affordability Tax Credit. This session, we’ll continue to cut costs for working families, including reducing application fees for child care. Saving people money on health care is a top priority as well. The new Colorado Option health insurance plans we created are far from burdensome new regulation. In fact, they are extremely popular with consumers because they are lowering costs and covering the services people need. Colorado youth can now receive no-cost mental health counseling sessions, as well. When it comes to business, we’ve cut commercial property taxes, incentivized economic development for rural businesses and partnered with chambers of commerce to help fill jobs in critical industries so companies can grow and thrive. As Democrats, we’re always working to make higher education more affordable, whether that be a post-secondary degree or a certificate for skills in-demand trades that lead to good paying jobs. Last year, we made community college for the first two years of a four-year degree free for Colorado students. This year, we’ll continue to build on these efforts to offer students affordable options that set them on a path toward a career of their dreams. When it comes to safeguarding our rights and freedoms, Colorado Democrats have stepped up to protect reproductive care, access to voting and civil liberties. Through constitutional amendments, Coloradans have shown again and again that people should have the freedom to make decisions for themselves. As we wait to see what heads our way from Washington, Colorado Democrats will be on guard to protect your freedoms. As violent crime falls across the state, including in Denver, we know there is more that can be done to keep our communities safe. Reducing crime requires a multi-pronged approach that includes investing in mental and behavioral health, addiction and community-based services, creating good-paying jobs and expanding affordable housing. It’s great to see the sharp decline in auto thefts in 2023 thanks in part to bipartisan laws we passed. From outdoor recreation to agriculture, Colorado’s water is part of our western identity and essential to the future of our communities. I will continue to focus on what is best for Colorado agriculture and municipal water users to protect Colorado’s water rights and ensure future generations have access to the water they need. While we won’t always agree, Republicans and Democrats will need to come together this year to address Colorado’s budget shortfall. We are facing rising Medicaid expenses, largely driven by our aging population and people receiving more medical care, while at the same time our budget constraints mean we must find savings elsewhere. This will require us all, Republicans and Democrats, to put aside political grandstanding and work together to find solutions. I am a firm believer in the Western Slope Way – working together to solve problems, not wasting time on the distractions of extreme partisanship. I am hopeful that as we begin another session, we will find a way to work together once again to make Colorado more affordable, protect our rights and freedoms and build a state where everyone has an opportunity to thrive. Previous Next

< Back Michael Carter Rep. Michael Carter is proud to call Aurora home. His wife has taught in the community for over two decades, his three children attend Aurora Public Schools, and he practices law in Aurora to protect the community’s most vulnerable. Becoming a state representative is not his first experience in public service. Rep. Carter is a third-generation Army Veteran and he served as the Vice President of the Aurora Public School Board of Education. After receiving his law degree from the University of Denver, he worked as a public defender and a private criminal defense attorney. From safer schools for our students to affordable housing for working families, Rep. Carter is committed to developing policy solutions that work for all Coloradans and move our state forward. He will utilize his experience in the criminal justice system and K-12 public education to improve public schools and uphold the values of justice. Rep. Michael Carter is the representative for House District 36 serving Adams and Arapahoe counties and he serves as the Vice-Chair of the House Judiciary Committee and a member of the State, Civic, Military & Veterans Affairs Committee.

< Back Rep. Julie McCluskie: Delivering relief for hardworking Coloradans this special session Dec 8, 2023 See more The story was originally published in the Summit Daily on December 8, 2023 here . On Nov. 17, I gaveled the Colorado House of Representatives into the 2023 extraordinary session to pass an immediate, short-term solution to next year’s rising property taxes. We delivered results that will help the Coloradans that need the most help, especially in our mountain and rural communities that have felt the growing pressure from increasing housing values and the rising cost of living. After four days of robust discussions, we passed a package of bills that provide over $430 million in property tax relief without using TABOR refunds while also supporting hardworking Colorado families by increasing rental assistance, providing equal TABOR refunds and boosting tax relief for working families. Democrats put people over politics and brought ideas to Republicans that had broad bipartisan support. The main focus of the 2023 extraordinary session was SB23B-001, our property tax relief bill that now allows homeowners to exempt $55,000 of their home’s value from taxes. It also decreased the residential assessment rate from 6.765% to 6.7% for the 2023 tax year. The law provides responsible property tax relief while protecting funding for local services, like K-12 schools, fire districts and libraries. We had limited resources and tools to reduce taxes without cutting critical services like education. With this bill, we provided the largest tax reduction we could responsibly deliver without using TABOR surplus and without harming students, teachers or our schools. Our property tax reductions built off of similar legislation from the 2022 legislative session, which passed unanimously in the House with overwhelming bipartisan support. We listened to voters and delivered property tax reductions that protect schools without reducing what the state refunds to Coloradans under TABOR. Our package of bills put more money back into the pockets of hardworking Colorado families in a variety of ways, something that wouldn’t have been possible without a special session. By continuing popular equal TABOR refunds of $800 per filer, 2.3 million taxpayers and everyone making under $104,000 will see larger refunds, and lower income families will see hundreds of dollars more to help afford rent, groceries, health care, child care and other essentials. An identical law passed in 2022 with overwhelming support from Democrats and Republicans alike. Additionally, we doubled tax credits for working low-income families, boosting the incomes of over 400,000 hardworking Coloradans by $185 million. Currently, the state Earned Income Tax Credit is 25% of the federal credit, with the average family receiving a $521 tax credit. By doubling the state EITC, working-class families will see hundreds of additional dollars back in their pockets so they can better support their families. Similar legislation passed the House earlier this year by a bipartisan vote of 54-9 with the approval of many House Republicans. We know that renters are undoubtedly struggling to keep up with rising rent and the cost of living. We nearly doubled rental assistance funds to $65 million for the year, keeping Coloradans safely housed so they can break out of cycles of poverty, homelessness and financial insecurity. This boost in funding will prevent thousands of evictions while ensuring landlords don’t suffer from financial losses. Finally, we expanded the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer program to connect families with nutrition assistance during the summer months. Keeping kids well-fed is crucial so they can learn and grow. Now, families will receive added financial support to go towards groceries in the summer when school is not in session, saving them money on nutritious food. I’m proud of the work that we accomplished during the 2023 extraordinary session to provide immediate support for the Coloradans facing the brunt of the cost of living crisis. Our property tax relief legislation utilized the tools we have at the state level to help homeowners afford their property taxes next year, giving local governments more time to come up with an effective, long-term solution that meets the needs of their communities. This extraordinary session, we prioritized help to hardworking Coloradans in every corner of our great state, helping them combat our affordability crisis so they can better support themselves and their families. As I prepare for the 2024 Legislative Session, I’m committed to continuing our work in making Colorado affordable for everyone and working across the aisle to deliver results for Coloradans. Previous Next

< Back Lukens: Local Ideas Become 2024 Legisation Jan 25, 2024 See more This story was originally published in the Steamboat Pilot & Today . On Jan. 10, we started our 120-day session at the Colorado State Capitol. Alongside my colleagues from both sides of the aisle and as a member of the Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources Committee and Education Committee, I anticipate an exciting session as I bring forth initiatives that will revitalize the Western Slope that we call home. Economic prosperity I am pleased to announce that my priority bill to create jobs in rural Colorado — Reauthorization of Rural Jump-Start Program — was the first bill introduced in the entirety of the Colorado House of Representatives during the 2024 Legislative Session. While traveling throughout Routt, Moffat, Rio Blanco and Eagle counties over the past year, I have heard from many constituents about the need to support our workforce. For us on the Western Slope, small businesses are vital to the economy of our towns, which is why I am passionate about passing the Rural Jump-Start Program to provide financial incentives to our small businesses. Another priority in the next 120 days is boosting and strengthening our workforce. To continue to increase industry and education collaboration and support the needs of employees, I am introducing a bill to continue investing into the Opportunity Now Program and establish a refundable tax credit. By solidifying the state’s investments into our local communities, we can sow the seeds of transformational change and help families regain their economic footing after the tumultuous last few years. Education and mental health In huge education-related news, the Governor’s budget request officially eliminates the Budget Stabilization Factor, which is a significant win for our students and educators. I look forward to the budget process during which school funding will be a priority. In my experience as a high school teacher and a lawmaker, I’ve noticed that students and teachers lack the resources to thrive both inside and outside the classroom. One of my favorite accomplishments in the past year was earning the Mental Health Legislator of the Year by Mental Health Colorado, and I’m proud to continue prioritizing mental health in schools through a few new bills. Teaching is not an easy job. The last thing our educators need is to feel unsafe in their own classrooms. Another piece of legislation I’m working on would create an Advisory Committee that focuses on reviewing and recommending safety improvements so that our kids and teachers can feel safe and welcome in their schools. Previous Next

< Back Rep. Barbara McLachlan: Bipartisanship Accomplishments May 13, 2022 See more The following op-ed was published in The Pagosa Daily Post. As we hit the 120th day of the 2022 session, I reflect on our accomplishments. After several nights working past midnight, then coming back to work early the next morning, survival right now feels like a major success. Some of our proudest bipartisan accomplishments include: Passing the School Finance Bill. It is a requirement every year, but this one felt great. It decreased the Budget Stabilization Factor by $182 million, which is now at its lowest amount since it started in 2009. Funding was raised on average $545 per student to a $9,559 per pupil total, and we paid our debt to Special Education. We know we have more to do, but we’re happy to keep this priority. Addressing the fentanyl crisis. Democrats and Republicans passed a bill with much tighter restrictions on drug possession. If a person is caught with more than 1 gram, they are now subject to a felony drug charge, but can turn that felony into a misdemeanor if they can prove they did not know any fentanyl existed. We appropriated money for test strips and lifesaving treatments, expanded addiction treatments in jails and added harsher punishment for dealers. The Senate and House agreed in a Conference Committee to pursue this strong, but compassionate language, and avoided unduly burdening the work of prosecutors and law enforcement. Supporting our county employees. Senate Bill 22-230, gives more than 36,000 workers the collective bargaining rights that private-sector and state employees in Colorado already have. Employees now have a seat at the table with Commissioners, and need to agree on their contract, giving them opportunities they did not have before. I ran one amendment exempting counties with populations fewer than 5,000 people, and voted to raise that number to 7,500. Lowering property taxes. With strong support, Senate Bill 22-238 passed, which will lower Colorado property taxes by $700 million over the next two years, saving the average homeowner $274 per year. The bill was crafted in response to several ballot measures which took much larger chunks out of the tax, but would have repercussions for the educators and local government employees who depend on it. Instead, this bill uses money from the general fund and TABOR surplus to save property owners money. Everyone who anticipated running ballot measures had to sign notarized documents saying they were standing down. Paying off a debt. Senate Bill 22-234 uses $600 million in federal pandemic relief funds to repay some of the money borrowed to support the unemployment insurance trust fund during the pandemic. This investment supports workers who lost their jobs through no fault of their own, saves lives and prevents an increase in fees to save businesses money. This is my last in-session column of the year. I thank our local newspapers for providing the platform to connect with constituents and appreciate the positive feedback I have received. Please keep in touch, as I look forward to our continued conversations and successes. Barbara McLachlan Previous Next

< Back Lesley Smith Representative Smith was elected to represent House District 49, which spans western Boulder and Larimer Counties plus Clear Creek and Gilpin Counties. She is a member of the House Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources and the Energy & Environment committees. Smith had a thirty-year career as a research scientist and a science outreach specialist at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Her research focused on the biogeochemistry of wetlands of large river systems, such as the Amazon, Orinoco and MacKenzie Rivers, as well as small alpine ecosystems in Colorado. She focused the latter part of her career on professional development of educators, graduate students and community college students all funded by the National Science Foundation. Smith was the first woman aquanaut to live and work in Aquarius, NOAA’s underwater research habitat. Smith has been a public servant for nearly twenty-years. She served eight years on the Boulder Valley School District, weathering the 2008 recession. She was appointed to the city of Boulder Water Resources Advisory Committee after the great flood of 2013. Additionally, she served as the University of Colorado Regent At-Large. Through her efforts, sustainability was added to the first-ever system-wide strategic plan, and she was a strong advocate for the state to allow out- of-state Native American students with tribal ties to Colorado to receive in-state tuition at all institutions of higher education. She will champion issues related to climate change, the environment and public education.

< Back Rep. Mike Weissman: ‘Dobbs’ anti-abortion decision joins shameful Supreme Court rulings Jun 25, 2022 See more The following op-ed was published in The Aurora Sentinel. “I am no longer a person”. “I cried for hours this morning.” “I don’t know what it is to be American.” These were the reactions of several women friends I talked to about to the radical, dangerous Dobbs decision by the U.S. Supreme Court last Friday. In overturning 50 years of settled law, the Court did two kinds of grievous harm: first, to every woman in our country and second, to its own legitimacy. The first harm is obvious. By throwing out long-standing law that the U.S. Constitution protects abortion rights, Dobbs instead subjects women to the whims of politicians in state legislatures, some of whom are even more radical and dangerous than the Court’s decision itself. “Trigger” bans are already going into effect, extremist laws have recently been passed in states like Oklahoma, and vigilant enforcement mechanisms have been passed in states like Texas. These are not laws that women should be subjected to in any free society. It is important to note that abortion remains legal, available and safe in Colorado. Fortunately, this is the case in some other states as well, states whose laws respect women’s autonomy. But Dobbs means that a woman’s right to control her own body and life now depends on what state she lives in. The radical justices who overturned Roe may believe their decision will reduce abortions. However, their decision will mostly make access to abortion less equal. Women with means living in restrictive states will travel to other states to exercise their right to bodily autonomy. Women with lesser means may rely on financial support from abortion funds, which have attracted much new notice for precisely this reason, or may have to self- manage an abortion without support from a medical professional. Even in the least trying of circumstances, women in restrictive states will pay for the Court’s decision in time away from home and work and certainly in emotional turmoil for being put through such travails by their own government. That travail and turmoil is the basis of the second grievous harm of the Court’s decision – to its own legitimacy. We’ve been here before, and the injuries have been very slow to recover from. The 1857 Dred Scott case helped precipitate the Civil War. The 1896 Plessy case upheld the Jim Crow-era “separate but equal” doctrine. Numerous early 20th century cases exemplified by the Lochner decision struck down worker protection laws during a period of rapid industrialization and dangerous working conditions. During World War II, Korematsu upheld internment of Japanese Americans in camps, some of which were here in Colorado. More recently, Bowers v. Hardwick upheld criminalization of consensual sexual activities between adults. Dobbs now joins this shameful history of cases that have departed from our nation’s core principles. Americans’ opinions about abortion rights vary, but very few people would agree with the idea that the U.S. Constitution should offer zero protection at all, leaving the matter entirely to the whims of radical state politicians who could criminalize medical providers, those who assist women in obtaining abortions, or even pregnant women themselves. Yet in substituting their own feelings about abortion rights for decades of settled law, that is exactly what the Court majority has done. A Court that acts in this way cannot be counted on to safeguard other rights that Americans enjoy. For example, last week, days before Dobbs, the Court’s Vega decision weakened the landmark, decades-old, Miranda case concerning the right against self-incrimination. The most radical members of the Court are, at least, not hiding the ball. In a concurring opinion, Justice Thomas explicitly urged reconsideration of cases affirming the Constitutional rights to use contraception, to consensual sexual activities between adults, and to marriage equality. In the face of a Court bent on eliminating Constitutional rights, state legislatures matter more than ever. In Colorado, our legislature acted this year to protect abortion rights in state law, and I was proud to support this. In Colorado today, women still have sovereignty over their own bodies and lives. Tragically, this is not true in all other states. In the face of decisions like Dobbs, I’m sure my friend isn’t the only one struggling with “what it is to be American” right now. She added, “my heart is in pain” due to the decision. Mine is too. But as a man who believes women are his equals under the law, as an attorney, and as a state legislator, I will find resolve in that pain for the struggles that now lie ahead. State Rep. Mike Weissman, D-Aurora, represents House District 36. Previous Next

< Back Monica Duran Majority Leader Representative Monica Duran is House Majority Leader and represents House District 23,of Lakewood, Lakeside, Applewood, and Mountain View. Previously House Co-Whip, Majority Leader Duran fights to ensure that our most vulnerable do not slip through the cracks. As a survivor of domestic violence, she has championed legislation related to domestic violence, animal welfare, and supporting working families. She has led legislation to raise the minimum age to purchase a firearm to reduce gun violence in our communities in addition to legislation to improve wages for home care workers, support survivors of crime and violence and protect children.

House Bill 1313 uses goals tied to HUTF funds to give local communities incentives to build more housing near transit < Back Reps. Jodeh & Woodrow: The state can and should encourage housing near transit with legislation this year Feb 28, 2024 See more This story was originally published in the Denver Post here . House Bill 1313 uses goals tied to HUTF funds to give local communities incentives to build more housing near transit Every day, Coloradans grapple with the harsh realities of our housing crisis. Finding an affordable place to rent or buy feels like a dream out-of-reach for many. Recent polling shows that 95% of Coloradans say the cost of renting or buying a home in Colorado is a problem. You read that right; a January poll conducted by Keating Research of 1,277 registered voters in Colorado said 95% said affordable housing was a problem – ninety-five percent. Of the homes people can afford, they are farther and farther away from their jobs, the communities they grew up in, and the places they want to live. It’s time for action. Increasing the supply of housing close to transit is an important piece of the solution. Building near existing, new, and expanded public transit systems, safe biking and walking corridors, and job centers will save Coloradans money while protecting our environment. It’s a win-win for Colorado and critical to the future of our State. Enter House Bill 1313, a crucial bill that builds on the successes some localities have enjoyed in fostering transit-oriented communities. This bill is the product of months of participating in housing tours across the state and meeting weekly with a large group that included affordable housing advocates, transportation experts, local governments, city planners, environmental advocates, realtors, chambers of commerce, non-profit organizations, developers and policy experts (We like to call these meetings TOC Tuesdays). As a result, this bill is a thoughtful pathway to constructing housing Coloradans can afford in close proximity to transit and employment centers, thereby reducing housing costs and pollution while promoting vibrant, walkable neighborhoods. It’s a tangible way to ensure that the people we care about can continue to call Colorado home. Support for this initiative is overwhelming. According to the Keating poll, 68% of Coloradans back a hypothetical state law that promotes housing development near transit and commercial hubs. This sentiment resonates across party lines and in urban, suburban, and rural areas alike, underscoring the statewide urgency for action. There are many recognizable and successful transit oriented communities around the state and this bill will help more communities replicate that success. A few examples include Olde Town Arvada, served by the G Line commuter rail and includes a mixed-use district with multi-family residential, hotel, and retail. Sheridan Station, served by the W Light Rail Line, is in a residential district with multi-family homes, townhomes, and single-family homes. City Center & Ridgegate Stations in Lone Tree are served by light rail, which are in mixed-use districts with multi-family homes, office, and retail. By eliminating barriers to smart growth, the bill empowers local governments to address their housing needs effectively while providing financial incentives for municipalities that embrace this vision. At its core, the bill establishes locally-tailored goals, setting reasonable targets for jurisdictions to increase housing stock near transit and urban centers. Flexibility is key, allowing communities to meet these goals while preserving their unique character. Moreover, communities that work to achieve the goals of the bill will benefit from a new Affordable Housing Tax Credit, which mirrors federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) funds, and will also get access to a Transit-Oriented Communities Infrastructure Fund. These resources support affordable housing construction and essential infrastructure development, ensuring that our communities thrive. The bill gives local governments a long runway and financial support to meet their goal, but if they struggle to reach their goal by December 1, 2026 the state can withhold Highway User Tax Funding (HUTF) from them. However, communities can apply for an extension if they demonstrate a plan to achieve their housing goals. They have until December 31, 2027, to meet these targets, after which they’ll be considered out of compliance with state law. If local governments don’t meet their goal, housing costs will rise, pollution will worsen, and traffic congestion will increase. That’s why this bill links HUTF with these forward-looking objectives. We recognize that development can carry a heightened risk of displacement. The bill includes strategies to promote affordability while mitigating the challenges created for existing residents. Through careful planning and state support, we can ensure that progress doesn’t come at the expense of our most vulnerable neighbors. It’s time for action. By expanding housing options near transit, we pave the way for a more sustainable and equitable future where Coloradans don’t need to drive hours every day to work. HB-1313 aligns our priorities with the bright future Coloradans deserve, incentivizing local governments to lead the charge. Let’s seize this opportunity to build a Colorado where everyone can afford to thrive, where housing is accessible, and where our environment is safeguarded for generations to come. Iman Jodeh represents District 41 in the Colorado House and Steven Woodrow represents District 2 in the Colorado House. Previous Next

Learn about career opportunities with the Colorado House Majority. Careers Applications for the Colorado House of Representatives Majority Office will be considered on a rolling basis for the following positions. We will contact you once positions become available. Legislative Aide Legislative Intern