Author: Kelly Caufield
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PERSPECTIVE: Spending more on fewer students
Many Colorado voters will vote on school board candidates this fall. As voters look for resources to understand better the health and wellness of their school district, new data on spending, enrollment and proficiency trends could be a helpful resource. For years, the Common Sense Institute has conducted a comprehensive analysis of district-level spending, revenue, pay and…
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Perspective: Financial fraud’s true cost
Colorado’s financial fraud is getting worse, following a national trend at the worst possible time. The state’s population of fraud-susceptible seniors is growing. Economic headwinds are not as strong as they were. State and local budgets are not as robust as they were. Financial fraud is a full-blown economic crisis in Colorado — one that…
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Perspective: Unsafe schools, absent kids
Colorado’s K-12 schools have a behavioral problem. More than just student safety and general decorum are at stake if schools cannot address it. Colorado needs not only to refresh its population growth but make the most of the population it has. Schools are the incubator for the future workforce in Colorado’s new, highly lucrative knowledge…
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Perspective: Colorado’s population — losing steam
Like it or not, Colorado’s future as an economic leader will depend on repeating the massive influx of residents that characterized the 2010s. Let’s lay out Colorado’s economic reality. In the late 2000s and early 2010s, Colorado’s fortunes began to change in earnest. Droves of young workers poured in at the dawn of the tech…
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Perspective: Losing momentum
No one is moving to Colorado. So said headlines across the country when U-Haul released the latest national U-Haul Growth index. Colorado had the worst year-over-year drop in the nation. The 40th-place ranking is a colossal fall from 2023, when Colorado ranked ninth in the nation. According to U-Haul, no other state saw a bigger…
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PERSPECTIVE: Colorado’s growing regulatory burden
The rising cost of living in Colorado is top of mind for everyone. Whether it’s housing, energy or food, the cost of being a Coloradan is quickly growing out of reach for many. Want to order a pizza? To have it delivered now comes with a $.27 fee — before adding the pepperoni. Checking out…