Common Sense Institute Podcast: Common Sense Digest
Common Sense Institute is a non-profit free-enterprise think tank dedicated to the protection and promotion of Colorado’s economy.
Our mission is to examine the fiscal impacts of policies, initiatives, and proposed laws so that Coloradans are educated and informed on issues impacting their lives.
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Injecting a dose of common sense into Colorado’s policy debates
When it comes to legislative proposals, ballot initiatives, or economic trends that could have a lasting impact on Coloradans and the state’s economy, where do you turn for unbiased facts and objective analysis? The Common Sense Digest is our regularly occurring podcast featuring policy experts discussing Colorado’s most pressing issues. Debuting the bi-monthly, Common Sense Digest’s lively discussions equip you with the most important tool to combat divisive partisanship and shrill rhetoric – Common Sense.
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Proposition HH Explained by Gov. Bill Owens and Chris Brown
On November 7, 2023 Colorado voters will approve or reject Proposition HH, Property Tax Changes and Revenue Change Measures. Proposition HH was referred to the ballot by the State Legislature following the passage of SB23-303. As the title suggests, Proposition HH is...

Quantifying the Cost of Crime in Colorado featuring George Brauchler and Mitch Morrissey
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...

The Economic Impacts of Colorado’s Sports and Tourism Industry featuring Kyle Dyer and Richard Scharf
Colorado boasts a wide array of natural beauty and tourist attractions which attracts millions of visitors to the state every year. Pristine nature, world-class skiing, and captivating sports teams all contribute to the robust inflow of tourists that Colorado...

SPECIAL EPISODE: Eggs & the Economy – June 13, 2023
In this special edition of Common Sense Digest, we feature discussion from one of our recent events. On Tuesday, June 13, Common Sense Institute hosted Eggs & the Economy which featured an in-depth conversation from the State House to the walls of local...

A Comprehensive Look at Public Safety and Fighting Crime in Colorado featuring Paul Pazen
It’s no secret that Colorado has been hit with a crime wave. Skyrocketing crime rates, fentanyl deaths, and the number one rank in the country when it comes to auto thefts, are all factors that have put Colorado’s economic future at risk and made Coloradans less safe....

CSI Mid-Year Wrap-Up featuring Lang Sias, George Brauchler and Kelly Caufield
As we near the year's midpoint, we take time to reflect on what we've accomplished and discuss where we go from here. It has been a busy year for Common Sense Institute, which means there is plenty of fertile ground to cover as we discuss the legislative session,...

The 2023 Colorado Legislative Session featuring Jordan Sanchez and Jake Zambrano
The Colorado legislative session wraps up imminently. The budget for 2023-2024 has passed, which outlines state spending totaling $41.1 billion. It’s a number larger than the GDP of Libya, Bolivia, Uganda, Iceland and dozens of other countries. $41.1 billion also...

Is Colorado as Economically Competitive As It Used To Be? featuring Loren Furman and Lang Sias
For much of the last two decades, Colorado has been very highly ranked among U.S. states for being business friendly. This has been reflected in state-by-state rankings extolling Colorado's relatively low tax rates, highly educated workforce, and high quality of life....

What’s New in Housing? Featuring Peter LiFari and Adam Burg
According to CSI Housing fellow Peter LiFari’s latest housing report, as of 2021, 80% of Coloradans live in a county with an aggregate housing supply shortage. As a result, home affordability has decreased by 85% since 2015. Now, as of 2022, Colorado is the 8th most...

Navigating the Benefits Cliff and Incentivizing Work in Colorado featuring Tamra Ryan and Juan Pena
In the coming weeks, CSI will release a report focused on how minimum wage policy and other benefits like Medicaid impact the state, employers, and workers. More than 1 of every 4 Coloradans, is currently on Medicaid. We believe this research that will help us better...