Colorado Politics ran a “final lap” profile on Gov. Jared Polis’ end-of-term priorities, and the Polis 2026 agenda is basically a greatest-hits album: housing rewrites, education victory laps, energy deadlines, and another round of “trust us” governance. The piece describes housing legislation to allow “lot-splitting” so an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) can be sold separately, plus a new “HOME Act” pitched by Polis and Rep. Andrew Boesenecker to put affordable housing on underutilized land owned by schools, community organizations, local governments, and more. Also on deck: possible changes to Colorado’s 100% zero-emission electricity goal timeline, competency law fixes, and new money ideas for RTD and rail.
And of course, Polis says they’re “batting about a thousand.” Sure, and Colorado’s totally “more affordable” now. That line belongs in a museum of political gaslighting.
Polis 2026 agenda: Housing, but make it mandatory
- Colorado Politics reports “lot-splitting” legislation is expected for 2026 to allow selling an ADU separately.
- The “HOME Act” would let schools, community orgs, and local governments build affordable housing on underutilized lands.
Polis and his allies keep selling housing as “empowerment,” but the play is simple: centralize land-use power, bulldoze local control, and pretend paperwork is the only reason families can’t buy a home. Then they’ll backpedal when cities panic and neighborhoods revolt, because this stuff is always marketed as voluntary right up until it’s not. This is a top-down rewrite, not a market fix.
They’re not freeing the market; they’re rigging the board.
Zero-emission electricity: deadline laundering in real time
- The state goal is 100% zero-emission electricity generation by 2040.
- Colorado Politics notes the deadline may be adjusted in 2026 to extend to 2050.
We’re supposed to applaud the same politicians who jammed a timeline now quietly floating a 10-year extension like it’s “new technology,” not political failure. Environmental groups cheer; critics call it unreasonable and a burden, especially for low-income families—because when rates spike, ideology doesn’t pay the bill. Watch the lobbyists monetize the transition while families get told to “adapt.”
They mandate first, then panic, then rebrand the damage.
Competency law: “Don’t release dangerous people” (after years of chaos)
- Polis said, “We need to make sure nobody dangerous is released on the streets.”
- He said funds to fix the law are in the budget and cost is part of the equation.
This is what accountability looks like in Colorado: set up a broken system, watch it fail, then announce “common sense” like it’s a brand-new discovery. Colorado Politics doesn’t detail what the fixes are—so we can’t evaluate whether they’ll actually stop repeat offenses or just shuffle people into another expensive bureaucracy. But we can read the incentive: spend money, claim compassion, dodge blame.
They’re laundering responsibility through the budget.
TABOR surplus, senior exemption, and the Pinnacol cash-out tease
- The state has a “small projected TABOR surplus,” Polis said a downturn could erase it.
- He hoped surplus could cover the nearly $200 million cost of the 2026 senior homestead exemption.
- Polis’ budget proposal suggested about $400 million could come from privatizing Pinnacol Assurance.
Here’s the late-term magic trick: warn about a fragile surplus, float new costs anyway, and then dangle a one-time asset sale as the solution. Privatizing a quasi-government insurer to grab about $400 million sounds like a payday, not a plan—especially when the article doesn’t explain the mechanism, timeline, or who absorbs the risk afterward. One-time money for ongoing promises is how governments trap taxpayers.
They’re monetizing the state to fund the next press release.
We’re the ones who live with the results: $600,000 “average” metro home prices Polis cites, longer commutes, more rules, and the constant threat of “new funding streams” for RTD that somehow never mean cutting bloat. We want safe streets and affordable living, not another round of mandates dressed up as “livability and mobility.” We don’t need a governor “batting a thousand.” We need one stopping the bleeding.
Polis is heading to private life soon, according to Colorado Politics, but his policy machine is trying to cement itself for the next governor. What part of this agenda are you already paying for—and what part do you think will hit your wallet next? Share this and tag the friend who still believes Denver slogans are a housing plan.
Source: Colorado Politics
Just Stop It
