John Hickenlooper on Welfare & Poverty Democratic Presidential Challenger (withdrew, Aug. 2019); CO Governor

Make the case that we can deliver an urban agenda

HICKENLOPER: The core value behind this country is that all people are created equal. We've fallen far away from that. I think the job is to make the case that we can deliver an urban agenda. When I was Mayor we got universal pre-K for every kid in the city. We did major police reform 10 years before Ferguson--why is it, 5 years after Ferguson, we still don't have anything? You've got to deliver a vision like that for the whole country.

Double the EITC (Earned Income Tax Credit)

FOUR CANDIDATES HAVE SIMILAR VIEWS: Cory Booker; John Delaney; Kamala Harris; Amy Klobuchar.

Harris is calling for a massive expansion of the EITC, including nearly doubling the income cutoff for eligibility. Hickenlooper and Delaney want to double the EITC. Delaney also wants to make it available to people without children. Booker would increase EITC income eligibility level from $54k to $90k, boost the credit for childless workers.

Use marijuana tax revenue to address chronic homelessness

We currently spend more than $40,000 per person to perpetuate lives of misery among the chronically homeless. But for less than a third of that we could invest up front in housing, wraparound supportive services and job training. In every booming economy in the country--like ours--homelessness of all types is a growing concern.

More affordable housing via construction defects legislation

Too many people and not enough units adds up to unaffordable rents and skyrocketing home prices. I've said it before: we need more affordable housing. Part of the answer is the construction defects legislation we almost passed last year and we WILL pass this year.

Involve businesses and faith org's to address homelessness

Part of this alignment of self-interests was possible because [we] made sure there were clear goals, and metrics to track our success. Sadly, the city had too often treated the indigent like criminals; our homeless citizens were arrested and imprisoned. That is incredibly expensive and solves nothing. The only way to come close to meaningful and enduring remedies was to provide our city's homeless not only with shelter, but also with wraparound services such as medical attention, counseling, and, where necessary, medications for addiction, and always job training. These individuals were almost always emotionally fragile, and desperately needed the structure and social support of a consistent workplace.

Denver's Road Home: wraparound services for homeless

One Congregation-One Family: churches mentor homeless

One Congregation-One Family: churches mentor homeless We continue to work closely with religious and community partners in metro Denver to bring this successful program to Colorado Springs, Grand Junction, Fort Collins and other communities.