10/19/2026
COLORADO'S FUTURE — MY POLICY ANSWERS
1. What would you do about excessive regulations?
Folks, every regulation should have to pass a common-sense test: Does it protect people? Is it necessary? And is the benefit worth what it's costing Colorado families and businesses?
I'd direct state agencies to review their regulations, starting with those that have the greatest impact on housing, energy, small businesses, and job creation.
I'd require agencies to identify outdated, duplicative, and unnecessarily expensive rules and recommend which ones should be changed or eliminated.
We'd publish the findings so Coloradans could see what we're doing.
I'm not against reasonable regulation. I'm against regulation that drives up costs without delivering meaningful results.
The goal: Lower compliance costs, faster approvals, and a business environment where people can grow and create jobs.
2. How do we make housing more affordable?
We need to make it easier and less expensive to build homes without sacrificing safety.
I'd work with local governments to identify permitting delays, unnecessary fees, and regulations that add costs to construction.
I'd propose tying certain discretionary state infrastructure grants to measurable improvements in local permitting, while respecting local decision-making.
I'd also work with builders and communities to expand starter homes, workforce housing, and other affordable housing options.
And we'd measure the results: permitting times, construction costs, and the number of new homes being built.
The goal: More housing choices, fewer unnecessary delays, and lower government-imposed construction costs.
3. What about rising healthcare costs?
Healthcare is one of the largest financial pressures facing Colorado families, and Medicaid is a major part of the state budget.
My first step would be to commission a comprehensive review of Medicaid spending, including administrative expenses, payment accuracy, contracting, and program integrity.
We need to identify fraud, waste, duplication, and unnecessary bureaucracy while protecting access to essential care.
I'd also work to improve healthcare price transparency so patients understand what they're paying before receiving treatment.
And I'd bring healthcare providers, rural hospitals, patient advocates, and caregivers into the discussion.
We must be careful not to confuse legitimate care for vulnerable people with waste.
The goal: Protect essential healthcare, reduce unnecessary costs, and make every taxpayer dollar work harder.
4. How do we keep energy affordable and reliable?
Colorado needs energy that's affordable, reliable, and environmentally responsible.
I support an all-of-the-above approach that includes natural gas, oil, nuclear, renewables, and emerging technologies.
Before retiring a major power facility, I'd want a clear assessment of whether replacement generation and transmission capacity can meet demand reliably and affordably.
I'd also ask state regulators to examine how major energy policies affect household utility bills and business costs.
We need realistic timelines, reliable infrastructure, and transparency about the costs of energy decisions.
The goal: Reliable electricity, affordable utility bills, and a responsible transition that doesn't leave families paying the price for poor planning.
5. What about data centers and artificial intelligence?
Colorado cannot afford to fall behind in technology, but innovation must come with responsibility.
Large data centers should be evaluated for their effects on electricity demand, water supplies, infrastructure, and surrounding communities.
I'd support requiring major energy users to pay their appropriate share of infrastructure upgrades rather than shifting those costs onto ordinary households.
Local communities must have a meaningful voice in land-use decisions.
When it comes to artificial intelligence, I believe we should address demonstrated harms, including fraud, exploitation, and risks to children, without imposing unnecessary restrictions on an entire technology.
I'd also examine responsible ways to use AI to improve state services and identify administrative inefficiencies, with human oversight and privacy safeguards.
The goal: Encourage innovation, protect consumers, and ensure taxpayers aren't subsidizing costs that major private developments should bear.
6. How do we fix Colorado's roads?
Colorado's roads and bridges are essential to our economy, public safety, and quality of life.
I'd begin with a thorough review of transportation spending and the state's overall budget to identify opportunities to redirect existing resources toward essential infrastructure.
We need a transparent inventory of road and bridge conditions, deferred maintenance, and the projects that would provide the greatest benefit.
I'd prioritize maintenance, safety improvements, and congestion relief based on documented needs.
I'd also require clear project budgets, completion schedules, and public reporting so taxpayers can see where their money is going.
And if the available funding is insufficient, we need to be transparent about the remaining gap rather than pretending audits alone can solve every problem.
The goal: Safer roads, responsible spending, and infrastructure investments that deliver measurable results.
MY GOVERNING PHILOSOPHY
I believe government should be able to answer three simple questions:
What are we spending? What results are we getting? And is it making life better for Coloradans?
I believe in responsible government that protects people, provides essential services, respects taxpayers, and measures its results.
That's what I mean by:
AFFORDABLE. SAFE. ACCOUNTABLE.
Victor2026.com
photo Mike Sweeny CPRNews
