Common Sense Institute Colorado

Happy National Agriculture Day! Today, we celebrate the vital contributions of the agricultural industry, which plays a crucial role in supporting the economy of every state. Agriculture not only provides food and raw materials but also drives job creation, supports rural communities, and fosters economic growth.

A decrease in crime has economic benefits. In Aurora, minimum sentencing for auto-theft has allowed for a 6% decrease in crime. A 6% decline in crime statewide for all reported criminal offenses would have equated to $1.8 billion in economic savings in 2024, or roughly $774 per Colorado household. Read our report to learn more: https://bit.ly/4irzCei Read the article: https://bit.ly/4kRDqHr

March Madness is coming to Denver! ?? Ball Arena will host several NCAA tournament games this month, bringing an estimated $13 million to $23 million boost to Denver’s GDP through attendee spending. Learn more in the full report: https://bit.ly/3DXtwmY

There continues to be a gap between talent and employers. In CSI's latest jobs report, Colorado’s private sector grew by 1,800 jobs and the government employment grew by 2,100 jobs in January. Despite this growth, Colorado unemployment hit 4.7%—the highest since Sept. 2021. To learn more, read our report: https://bit.ly/41SmQhX #ColoradoEconomy

CSI Public Safety Fellow, Paul Pazen, MA, joined KOA-AM to talk about CSI's most recent report on auto theft. In July 2022, Aurora’s City Council approved new mandatory minimum sentences for convictions related to stealing a car. These mandatory minimums led to a 6% decrease in auto theft by December of 2024. Read the report to learn more: https://bit.ly/4irzCei

?? Feeling lucky? In 2024, St. Patrick's Day raked in a record-breaking $7.2 BILLION in consumer spending, according to the National Retail Federation! It’s no surprise—St. Paddy’s is the biggest day of the year for bars and restaurants across the U.S. Cheers to that! ???? #StPatricksDay #LuckySpending

If Aurora’s experience is indicative of the potential savings of a similar statewide approach to crime, a 6% decline in crime statewide for all reported criminal offenses would have equated to $1.8 billion in economic savings in 2024, or roughly $774 per Colorado household. Read more in the full report: https://bit.ly/4irzCei

?? Missed our Eggs & the Economy: Over Easy or Over Priced event? We've got you covered! Catch the podcast version of our expert panel on the rising cost of living in Colorado featuring: ? Tamra Ryan – CSI Coors Economic Mobility Fellow ? Lynn Granger – President & CEO, Colorado Oil & Gas Association ? Ross Kaminsky – CSI Free Enterprise Fellow ??? Moderated by Vince Bzdek – Editor-in-Chief, Colorado Springs Gazette ??Tune in now: https://lnkd.in/gK87YUJy ?? Bummed you missed out? Us too… but don’t worry—we’ll be frying up more fresh ideas at our next Eggs & the Economy event on June 3rd. Don’t chicken out—get your tickets today! ?? https://lnkd.in/gED4vnQE #EggsAndTheEconomy #CSICO #EconomicGrowth #ColoradoPolicy

Did Aurora's mandatory minimums on auto theft save the city money? A 6% in auto theft decline equates to $16.3 million in economic savings for Aurora from August 2022 through December 2024. For the largest city in the state, Denver, the economic savings would be $37.3 million over the same 29 months. Learn more in CSI's full report: https://bit.ly/4irzCei

With a few tweaks Denver could be a leader in housing abundance and affordability. Those tweaks don't come easy tho... Happy to see that recently Denver has announced a process of engaging it's constituents in increasing zoned capacity across the city. Couple that with streamlining approval processes to 90 days or less and the city can turn this pesky unaffordable housing market around so that Denverites can thrive. #AffordableHousing #Denver #Colorado #HomeBuilding Common Sense Institute Colorado https://lnkd.in/gYtx_QQu