Common Sense Institute is a non-partisan research organization dedicated to the protection and promotion of Colorado’s economy.
Colorado
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Hunting and fishing are an economic lifeline for Colorado’s rural communities. A 2017 study estimated that 75.5% of their economic output occurred outside the state’s Metro region.
For one Durango-area outfitter interviewed by CSI, hunting season accounted for about 80% of their annual income.
Read CSI’s report to explore what participation means for local livelihoods. Learn more here: bit.ly/4yHszpl
Your ballot is complicated. The facts don’t have to be.
What could this year’s measures mean for your taxes, community and Colorado’s economy?
The Common Sense Institute’s 2026 Colorado Ballot Guide breaks down the data and potential impacts so you can understand what’s on your ballot before you vote.
Get the facts before you vote: commonsenseinstituteus.org/r…
ALT The image is an announcement for the "Colorado 2026 Ballot Guide" by the Common Sense Institute. It features a mountain silhouette, the institute's logo, and a button that says "Read the Guide.
What do Colorado’s election results mean for the state’s economy and competitive edge?
Join Common Sense Institute for a post-election conversation on how ballot outcomes could shape growth, jobs, and Colorado’s economic future.
📅 Tuesday, November 10 | 7:30–9:00 a.m.
📍 The Dome at AMG National Trust Bank, Greenwood Village
Save your seat: bit.ly/4Bq2myi
Colorado’s unemployment rate rose to 4.1% in September, up 0.3 percentage points from a year ago. After holding steady through the first seven months of 2026, the rate has increased by 0.1 percentage point in each of the last two months.
Explore the latest Colorado labor market data from Common Sense Institute: bit.ly/4BgmWB3
When it comes to breast cancer, early detection can make a difference. 🎀
But new CSI research finds 58 of Colorado's 64 counties fall below the national median for mammography screening.
Across the U.S., counties with the highest screening rates also have 13% lower breast cancer mortality rates than those with the lowest.
Where does Colorado stand? CSI breaks down the latest data on screening, survival, and outcomes. Learn more: bit.ly/4yZJvbG
Amendment 87 could have a bigger impact on Colorado businesses and taxpayers than you might think.
CSI breaks down 13 potential effects of the proposed income tax changes, including:
📈 Higher tax rates for some earners
🏠 Impacts on married couples and property sales
💼 Higher taxes on certain business profits
💰 An estimated $154 billion net tax increase through FY 2050, under CSI's model.
With Election Day approaching, get the facts on what Amendment 87 could mean for Colorado. Learn more ➡️ bit.ly/3THqxXG
Colorado is making progress in the fight against breast cancer. 🎀
New CSI research finds breast cancer mortality rates have fallen 27% since 1999, averting an estimated 3,400 deaths through 2024.
But diagnoses are rising, and progress has slowed. This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, CSI is examining what the data tells us about Colorado's progress and challenges ahead.
Learn more: bit.ly/4yZJvbG
ALT The image is an infographic with a pink background and a pink ribbon symbolizing breast cancer awareness. It states: "COLORADO IS MAKING PROGRESS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST BREAST CANCER. 27% LOWER MORTALITY RATE SINCE 1999. Estimated 3,400 lives spared through 2024." The logo of the Common Sense Institute is in the top right corner. The website commonsenseinstituteco.org/colorado is at the bottom.
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
