Governor Polis Marks 2 Years in Office
DENVER - Two years ago today, Governor Jared Polis was sworn-in as the 43rd Governor for the State of Colorado.
“Two years ago today I was sworn in as the 43rd Governor of the great State of Colorado. It has been an incredible honor to serve as your Governor and work to make this state a better place for all of us. When I became Governor, it was hard to imagine the difficult times we would face together, like the devastating wildfires, a federal government shutdown, a powerful ‘Bomb Cyclone’ winter storm, the first teacher’s strike in 25 years in Colorado’s largest school district, the horrific STEM School Highlands Ranch shooting where we lost Kendrick, and, of course, the COVID-19 pandemic which we continue to deal with today. But I’m so proud of the progress we’ve made in just two years,” said Governor Polis.
Governor Polis is committed to helping save people money on health care which is why the administration established a bipartisan reinsurance program to lower the cost of health care by 20% or more for thousands of Coloradans over what premiums would have been without the program. Ended the pernicious practice of out-of-network or “surprise” billing. Colorado became the first state in the country to cap the price of insulin at $100 and launched the Behavioral Health Task Force which led to the Behavioral Health Blueprint.
The Polis administration has focused on education and created free full-day kindergarten and voters approved a measure backed by the Governor to provide universal preschool -- the biggest expansion of early childhood in our state’s history. The administration unveiled the Roadmap to Making College More Affordable; Announced $44 million in Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) funding for school districts, schools, and institutions of higher education, and other education-related entities to address the impact of COVID-19.
“This past year was difficult but there is hope on the horizon and 2021 is looking hopeful with vaccines arriving in our state. The end of the pandemic is in sight and we will build back stronger than before, together. I cannot thank Marlon enough for being by my side and Lieutenant Governor Primavera for serving with me and her work on saving Coloradans money on health care. My staff and the thousands of hardworking state employees who have been putting in long hours, showing their dedication to Colorado during the pandemic,” Governor Polis added.
The Polis administration unveiled the roadmap to 100% renewable energy by 2040; Signed an executive order putting Colorado on a path toward putting more zero-emission vehicles on Colorado’s roads; Opened Fishers Peak State Park, the second-largest state park in Colorado.
“And, of course, thank you to the great people of our state who make Colorado the best state in the country. We’re not done yet - we’ve got more work to do. Thanks for giving me the honor to serve as your governor,” Governor Polis concluded.
The Polis administration released the Rural Economic Blueprint to help grow the state’s rural economy and improve health care; helped level the playing field and gave tax relief to 144,000 businesses including every small retail business in Colorado and voters approved reducing the income tax for everyone from 4.63 to 4.58%.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the Polis administration has sought an aggressive balanced approach to saving lives while allowing for the maximum amount of economic and social activity. Governor Polis and legislative leadership stepped up to the plate when Congress faltered by providing aid and tax cuts for restaurants, small businesses, relief for renters, food banks, and more organizations impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Governor launched the Colorado COVID Relief Fund which went on to raise $24 million to support communities across the state; Secured a 17-month contract for N95 masks for health care workers and took bold action in partnership with legislative leadership to distribute $375 to 435,000 Coloradans who were on unemployment as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.