Colorado’s path to ruin: How bad policy created crisis and dependency

By Christopher Richardson | Commentary, Substack

Colorado stands at a crossroads. For too long, state policy has ignored the basic truths of economics and public safety, and we are now paying the price. The upcoming general session must be more than another exercise in partisan talking points—it must be an honest debate about how we got here, and how we can get back on track.

The warning signs are everywhere. Overregulation and endless legal risks have driven businesses out of Colorado. Entrepreneurs hesitate to expand, while larger firms look to friendlier states. The result? Job growth has shifted almost entirely to government payrolls, leaving fewer private-sector opportunities and stagnant wages for working families.

At the same time, rising crime has made Colorado less attractive to both employers and residents. Businesses will not relocate to a state where their storefronts are vulnerable to repeat theft and their employees don’t feel safe. Safety is not only a public good—it is an economic necessity.

These failed policies have real fiscal consequences. When jobs vanish and wages stagnate, more families turn to government assistance. The recently enacted Family Affordability Tax Credit, though well-intentioned, is projected to cost nearly $740 million annually. That figure reflects not prosperity, but decline—a poorer citizenry relying on the state because opportunity has been pushed out of reach.

And still, the legislature spends more. Subsidies for those here illegally, sanctuary policies that block federal enforcement, and new entitlements that lure additional undocumented residents all add to the fiscal burden. Meanwhile, taxpayer protections under TABOR are chipped away, with billions in refunds erased to fuel government expansion.

This is a vicious cycle: bad policy breeds economic weakness, weakness fuels dependency, and dependency drives unsustainable budgets. Unless we confront these truths, Colorado will continue down the road to fiscal ruin.

The upcoming general session offers a chance to break this cycle.

READ THE FULL COMMENTARY AT CHRISTOPHER RICHARDSON’S SUBSTACK

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