Common Sense Institute is a non-partisan research organization dedicated to the protection and promotion of Colorado’s economy.
Colorado
Joined April 2015
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What could Front Range passenger rail cost Colorado's economy?
CSI's DJ Summers joined the radio to break down new research on Ballot Issue 7A, which proposes a permanent sales tax increase to fund passenger rail expansion.
CSI's economic modeling projects $1.23 billion in cumulative GDP losses and 417 fewer jobs statewide through 2036, even after accounting for new transit spending.
Learn more: bit.ly/4yfYVXS
Colorado’s electricity demand is projected to increase 111% by 2050. And that forecast doesn’t include potential new data center demand, which could push electricity needs even higher.
As Colorado plans for the future, understanding how demand may change is essential. Learn more at bit.ly/4jpBMi1
Could nuclear energy help lower Colorado's future electricity costs?
New CSI research finds nuclear power could cost 21–24% less than a wind-and-solar mix when accounting for grid reliability costs.
Under CSI's modeled scenarios, that could mean 8.2-9.5% lower monthly electricity bills compared to the wind-and-solar alternative.
Explore what nuclear energy could mean for Colorado's energy future in CSI's full report: bit.ly/4jpBMi1
Colorado’s starter home problem isn’t just “housing is expensive” - it’s zoning, regulation, and a system that keeps saying yes to big homes and no to first-time buyers. Tune in for the latest episode of Common Sense Unfiltered for a breakdown of why starter homes disappeared - and what cities can actually do about it, featuring Don Elliott and Heidi Williams.
LISTEN: bit.ly/3VQkIYO
🎙️ What’s shaping Colorado’s business climate?
CSI’s DJ Summers joined The Business Signal to break down the latest economic data and discuss how these issues are impacting businesses, workers, and Colorado’s economic future.
TUNE IN ⬇️
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcas…
What could nuclear energy mean for Colorado's economy?
New CSI economic modeling projects that expanding conventional nuclear power to meet future electricity demand could support:
- 18,800 additional jobs through 2050.
- $244.7 billion in cumulative economic output through 2050.
As Colorado plans for growing electricity demand, CSI examines the potential economic impact of different clean energy sources. Learn more: bit.ly/4jpBMi1
Your 2026 ballot is packed with measures that could have major impacts across Colorado.
What could they mean for you and your community? CSI’s new Colorado Ballot Guide breaks down the costs, potential impacts and key facts behind the issues voters will decide this November.
Read the guide: bit.ly/4yGVASR
What a day at CSI’s Free Enterprise Summit! We brought together leaders from across Colorado to celebrate principled leadership, bold ideas, and the power of free enterprise.
From an inspiring conversation with Bryan Leach, founder and CEO of Ibotta, to recognizing this year’s honorees, the day was full of big ideas and meaningful connections.
Thanks to the generosity of our attendees, we met our $25,000 match goal and exceeded it. We raised a record-setting $90,000, and we want to keep going!
Can you help us reach $100,000 by the end of the day? bit.ly/4m06X1Z
Thank you to everyone who made today possible.
Here are a few moments from today! 📸
ALT Two people are shaking hands and smiling on a stage. One person is wearing a gray suit and the other is in a black suit. They stand in front of a gradient blue and pink backdrop.
ALT Three individuals are seated in large armchairs on a stage with a red and blue-lit background. They appear to be participating in a panel discussion, engaged in conversation.
ALT A large audience sits at round tables in a dimly lit event venue, focusing on a stage. Two speakers are engaged in a "Fireside Chat" with images of them projected on a screen above. The atmosphere is formal, with attendees dressed in business attire.
IT’S HERE!
CSI’s signature Free Enterprise Summit kicked off this morning and the room is PACKED! Time to dig into the data 📈
Stay tuned for more from the Summit!
Nearly 1 in 3 residents would pay a new rail tax without living within five miles of a planned station. 🚆
CSI estimates roughly 900,000 residents in the Front Range Passenger Rail District live more than five miles from any proposed station.
Ballot Issue 7A would establish a permanent sales tax increase to help fund the Colorado Connector passenger rail system.
What would the measure mean for Front Range communities?
Learn more: bit.ly/4yfYVXS
ALT A graphic by the Common Sense Institute features a "Did You Know?" banner. It states that nearly 1 in 3 residents would support a rail tax despite living more than five miles from a planned station. CSI estimates around 900,000 residents in the Front Range Passenger Rail District live beyond five miles from proposed stations. The Colorado Ballot Guide logo is included.
Would Front Range passenger rail actually reduce I-25 traffic?
CSI estimates the fully operational Colorado Connector would replace less than 0.3% of annual vehicle miles traveled along I-25 between Pueblo and Fort Collins, assuming an average rail trip of 40 miles.
CSI’s new Ballot Issue 7A analysis examines the proposed rail system and its potential effect on traffic congestion.
Learn more: bit.ly/4yfYVXS
How much would Boulder’s proposed vacancy tax actually raise?
Ballot Issue 2J estimates $6 million in revenue, but CSI’s analysis finds the initial $4,000 tax applied to the city’s estimate of 500–1,000 vacant homes would generate $2 million to $4 million annually.
And that’s before exemptions, nonpayment, administrative costs or changes in owner behavior. Learn more in the full report: bit.ly/4dvKTKp
Could a Boulder homeowner owe a vacancy tax on a home they’re actively trying to sell?
Under Ballot Issue 2J as currently written, yes.
The measure does not provide an exemption for homes actively listed for sale. If a home remains unoccupied long enough to meet the vacancy threshold, its owner could face the $4,000 tax even while trying to return the property to occupied use.
CSI’s latest Ballot Guide report breaks down what the measure could mean for Boulder homeowners and the housing market. Learn more: bit.ly/4dvKTKp
Amendment 87 could have a significant impact on Colorado small businesses.
CSI estimates more than $460 billion in pass-through income would be taxed from 2026 through 2050, including income not distributed to business owners in the year it is earned.
What could that mean for Colorado businesses? Dig into the data: bit.ly/3THqxXG
Shoplifting is driving Denver’s nuisance crime trend.
From 2023 to 2025:
• Reported shoplifting increased 73.1%
• Shoplifting arrests increased 48.7%
By 2025, Denver’s shoplifting rate had climbed to 1.41X the national rate.
Since 2024, shoplifting has accounted for 34% of all nuisance crime arrests in Denver, more than any other category.
Check out CSI’s latest research to learn more: bit.ly/4xRVF4R
⏳ We’re officially ONE WEEK away from Common Sense Institute’s marquee event of the year!
Join us at the Free Enterprise Summit to celebrate principled leadership, bold ideas, and Colorado’s future—with keynote speaker Bryan Leach, founder and CEO of Ibotta.
🎟️ Time is running out! Register today to reserve your seat: bit.ly/3S0GU0S
What could Amendment 87 mean for Colorado taxpayers?
CSI estimates the measure would increase income taxes by a net total of $154 billion through FY 2050, before accounting for behavioral responses.
CSI’s new report breaks down potential outcomes of Amendment 87: bit.ly/3THqxXG
Just 10 of Denver’s 78 neighborhoods account for 45% of all nuisance crime arrests since 2024.
And the data show different neighborhoods face different challenges. In Central Park, 83.4% of nuisance arrests are for shoplifting, while Civic Center’s arrests are driven primarily by public disorder offenses.
Read CSI's new report to learn more: bit.ly/4xRVF4R
Denver is on pace for its highest number of nuisance crime arrests since 2020. After falling nearly 49% from 2019 to 2023, nuisance crime arrests increased 27% from 2023 to 2025. At the current pace, CSI projects nearly 3,200 arrests in 2026.
But that’s only part of the story. CSI’s analysis finds arrest totals reflect not just underlying crime, but changes in enforcement priorities, police staffing and policy.
What’s driving the shift? Check out the latest data to learn more: bit.ly/4xRVF4R
The Denver Gazette Editorial Board highlighted new CSI research on the economic impact of hunting and fishing in Colorado.
CSI found these activities generate $6.1 billion in economic activity, support more than 25,000 jobs and generate more than $1.5 billion in personal income across the state.
The Gazette points to the findings as Colorado voters consider Amendment 83 this November.
Read the report: bit.ly/4rjJZGC
Read the article: bit.ly/4rDioAc
