Jared Polis in 2022 CO Governor's race

On Drugs: Signed law allowing mass pardon for minor marijuana offenses

A new law will go into effect giving Colorado's governor the ability to mass-pardon those convicted in the state of possessing two ounces or less of marijuana. When he signed the bill Governor Jared Polis confirmed that he would be using his new power. "We hope that this measure will be the first step toward new opportunities for thousands of Coloradans who should not be living with a cloud over their heads simply because they were a little ahead of their time," he said at the signing ceremony. Source: Denver Westword on 2022 Colorado gubernatorial race Sep 25, 2020

On Environment: Renegotiate Colorado River Compact via cutbacks in CA/NV/AZ

On water policy in the drying West: The Colorado River Compact governs how Colorado and six other states use one of the West's most important water sources. It's set to undergo major changes and negotiations as key guidelines expire in 2026. The two candidates described how they would lead efforts to renegotiate that agreement amid worsening drought throughout the West.

They both pledged to ensure Colorado gets the water it is due. "We're in a stronger legal position and also a stronger position because of the nature of water as an upper basin" state, said Polis. "The states that are going to have the harshest cutbacks are of course California, Nevada, and Arizona." Polis added that he does not support diversion of water from the Western Slope and across basins and that he would make sure that "one part of Colorado is not pitted against another part of Colorado."

Source: CPR News on 2022 Colorado Gubernatorial race Oct 26, 2022

On Local Issues: Connect our housing policy with our water policy

The two candidates described how they would lead efforts to renegotiate the Colorado River Compact amid worsening drought throughout the West. They both pledged to ensure Colorado gets the water it is due.

"When we talk about water, we have to talk about storage, storage, storage," she said. "We've got to store the water that's rightly ours. And you've got to have a governor who won't cede control to the federal government, but will hold firm and stand strong against the federal government and the other states who want to take the water."

"You can't store your way out of a drought," Polis shot back, "The water simply isn't there." However, the governor did also say increased storage is part of the solution. "But we also need to make sure that we have best practices in ag, increasing profitability for our farmers and ranchers who have more water efficient practices. And we also need to connect for the first time in Colorado, our housing policy with our water policy," he said.

Source: CPR News on 2022 Colorado Gubernatorial race Oct 26, 2022

On Technology: Infrastructure to allow remote work in rural areas

On economic opportunity in rural Colorado and addressing the rural/urban divide that exists in the state: Ganahl said if elected she would relax state regulations for residential construction, in an effort to create more affordable housing. Ganahl said, "We can go green. We can also provide affordable housing if we reduce regulations and provide innovations and new ways of doing housing."

Governor Polis said there are a lot of great economic opportunities in western Colorado and he wants to build on them by continuing to support the outdoor recreation industry, and to ensure the infrastructures in place to allow remote work to settle in rural areas. "Because many people want to live in and around the world class outdoor recreation areas of Mesa County, of Western Colorado," said Polis, "and be able to work for a major global company or in Denver. Those opportunities continue to increase."

Source: CPR News on 2022 Colorado Gubernatorial race Oct 26, 2022

The above quotations are from 2022 Colorado Gubernatorial race: debates and news coverage. Click here for other excerpts from 2022 Colorado Gubernatorial race: debates and news coverage. Click here for other excerpts by Jared Polis. Click here for other excerpts by other Governors.
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Page last updated: Feb 14, 2023