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Testimonials

CSI has been a strong research partner asking the right questions about education spending in Colorado. Where is the funding going and what should be prioritized? CSI research has shown that spending in Colorado has continued to rise, but a declining share of funds are going to teacher salaries. At the same time, overall student performance has been stagnant for years, and many students experienced steep learning losses during the pandemic. We are proud to partner with CSI on this important research as we work to identify solutions to change this trajectory for Colorado students.

Brenda Dickhoner

President & CEO, Ready Colorado

Solving problems and evaluating new initiatives starts with the facts. CSI is a critical resource for the data and facts we need to drive common sense solutions on the issues that impact our state. Their work on health care has been absolutely critical to the debate.

Jim Smallwood

State Senator, Colorado

When the Common Sense Institute approached us regarding a study on the future of water resources and its effect on the future of business and the economy,  Eric and I jumped at the chance to educate a new audience regarding the challenges regarding competition for water in the future. The wonderful thing about discussing water is that big “P” politics does not usually interfere with finding solutions to the challenging issues in water.  Although we came from different perspectives, we knew collaboration and finding regional solutions are important to sustain water supplies for solid economic future.  Working with Terry J. Stephenson and the CSI team helped us to think about the issues in business and economic context.  CSI provided us resource support that was invaluable to our report.  They put together a thoughtful and experienced advisory team to brainstorm possible solutions.  Thank you for trusting us to write this report.

Jennifer Gimbel

2022 Terry J. Stevinson Fellow

CSI was among the first to identify the she-cession and ring the alarm bell. Their work has helped identify obstacles for women returning to the workforce and sparked policy makers to address challenges like child care. We are proud to partner with them on this important work.

Nicole Riehl

President & CEO, Executives Partnering to Invest in Children (EPIC)

There are several reasons to celebrate and acknowledge the Terry J. Stevinson Fellowship on transportation. But foremost among them, it represents exactly what philanthropic and civic engagement are meant to embody. Through this Fellowship, Ben Stein and I were able to bring hard facts and years of direct experience to a discussion that in Colorado has for too long been the victim of political inertia and damaging rhetoric. In a time when speaking up about taxes or fees means risking the wrath of social media or even one’s political career, Mr. Stevinson and the Board of the Common Sense Institute gave Ben and me a blank canvas and full editorial control of our paper – consequences or popularity contests be damned. It is this courage and leadership that to me are exemplary and it was an honor to be a part of it.

Henry Sobanet

2020 Terry J. Stevinson Fellow

Common Sense Institute is at the forefront of essential policy discussions affecting Colorado. CSI provides policymakers and voters with unbiased facts and data that allows for informed discussions and decision making regarding Colorado’s economic health. As a provider of housing for all, we are proud to support CSI’s important work and pleased to be a member of the Leader’s Circle.  

Renee Zentz

CEO, Housing & Building Association of Colorado Springs

I am looking forward to being a stronger voice this next legislative session for pragmatic, thoughtful policymaking that brings people together. There is so much more we can do when we work together than when we are pushing an agenda. Nothing we do should be a zero-sum game. And that will be my goal to make sure the policy we pass brings Colorado together and brings us forward.

Shannon Bird

District 35 Representative, Colorado House of Representatives

From jobs and the economy to water, Colorado Business Roundtable actively partners with CSI to ensure high quality, data-driven facts, research, and analysis are widely disseminated and known by business leaders in all regions of the state. Armed with the right information on the state’s most pressing issues, businesses can thrive locally, expand operations, and increase our state’s overall economic competitiveness.

Debbie Brown

President, Colorado Business Roundtable

Common Sense Institute once again brought the issue of Homelessness to the forefront  to show the magnitude of funds that are being spent to address this very complex issue. The purpose was not to say that good things are not being done to address the problem, but to point out that spending keeps going up while the Homeless population continues to rise. It is time to try new things and collaborate better to make sure the dollars spent have measurable outcomes.

Larry Yonker

The Schuck Foundation

CSI’s crime study is a tremendous contribution to public policy in Colorado. Fellows George Brauchler and Mitch Morrissey developed a thoughtful analysis that put the magnitude of this problem in perspective for policy makers, elected officials and citizens across the state. Thanks to CSI, there is a drive for fact-based policy solutions on the legislative agenda this year.

Bill Owens

Governor of Colorado

For anyone who follows public policy in Colorado, the research produced by the Common Sense Institute is a must-read. When looking at a proposed bill or ballot measure, CSI does an amazing job of explaining and quantifying the impacts on the economic sector being targeted. But then the staff and fellows at CSI go further, by showing how those impacts will be felt across other economic sectors and even how state and local tax revenues could be impacted.

Businesses and working families in Colorado are all interconnected. Whether the impacts are positive or negative, what happens to one industry will impact many other industries, the overall business climate and the broader state economy. Without CSI, this critical context would be largely missing from public policy discussions in Colorado.

Lynn Granger

Executive Director, American Petroleum Institute

The Independent Bankers of Colorado (IBC) are proud to join CSI and support their mission to bring data and unbiased analysis to the policy debates facing our state. We pride ourselves on being good community partners as well as good community banks and engaging in the public policy debates that impact our customers is one of the most important things we can do as an organization.

Mike Van Norstrand

Executive Director, Independent Bankers of Colorado

Without a doubt, Common Sense Institute (CSI) is at the center of the biggest public policy discussions facing our state. CSI’s analysis of crime was thoughtful, groundbreaking and ultimately shaped the debate in the legislature and at city hall. We need more of what CSI provides –  data, evidence, and diverse points of view.

Paul Pazen

Former Police Chief, Denver, Colorado

CSI is an unbiased source for the data and research we need to implement smart, thoughtful public policy in our city and our state. From water to education to homelessness, CSI has served as the spark to generate data driven solutions and make Colorado the best place to live, work and raise a family.

Dustin Zvonek

City Councilman, Aurora, Colorado

Common Sense Institute (CSI) is leading the way on the most challenging public policy issues facing our state. CSI did what no one else could. They delivered the facts with thoughtful, unbiased analysis. Thanks to their work we can move toward solutions and address one of the most heart-breaking and challenging issues of our time, homelessness.

Mike Coffman

Mayor, City of Aurora

CSI and the Scrivner Institute share a common vision on developing practical solutions to the most pressing public policy challenges. CSI’s commitment to data driven analysis delivers input without partisanship and the basis for thoughtful and constructive policy discussions.

Naazneen H. Barma

Director of the Doug and Mary Scrivner Institute of Public Policy, University of Denver

Denver South is both an organization and a region that believes non-partisan, pro-business public policies are the foundation that underpins a vibrant economy. Today, more than ever, those policies must be driven by data and facts, not conjecture and opinion. Common Sense Institute’s use of data-driven tools like the Regional Economic Models Inc. (REMI) model offers policymakers unbiased—and otherwise unavailable—insights into the full cost and economic impact of proposed legislation.

Tom Brook

CEO, Denver South Economic Development Partnership

Without the factual analysis provided by the Common Sense Institute, Coloradans would be faced with supporting an insolvent state-run program. Thanks in part to CSI’s research, elected officials and policymakers paused the debate on SB 19-188 and stopped the passage of a family medical leave program that would have stifled business and placed an enormous burden on our state budget. The study issued by CSI changed the conversation and proved to be a catalyst for a more thoughtful examination of the fiscal issues posed by this legislation. CSI fills a void with much-needed facts and data that is not found in partisan politics. In other words, when CSI weighs in with research, people listen.

Loren Furman

President & CEO, Colorado Chamber of Commerce

As the mayor of one of the fastest-growing cities on the front range, the need for quality research is mission-critical to our decision-making process. The Common Sense Institute is consistently my go-to source for reliable, in-depth data that drills down to the local level. Their non-partisan approach to tackling tough issues is a breath of fresh air in today’s political climate.

Benjamin Huseman

Mayor, Commerce City