Gov Polis explains where we are now and why

BY FREDA MIKLIN GOVERNMENTAL REPORTER

Colorado Governor Jared Polis opens every press conference, as he did on May 1, by acknowledging the bottom-line impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our state. As of May 3 (most current data obtained by The Villager), the Colorado Department of Health and Environmental Policy reported that there have been 16,635 cases and 842 deaths in our state due to the coronavirus so far.

Polis issued an executive order on May 1 cutting $229 million from the state’s budget over 16 departments. The largest hit was Medicaid, with a $183 million cut. Polis explained in the press conference that day that the reason Medicaid is being cut is that many people are not using available services for other health issues during the coronavirus pandemic, hence these previously budgeted funds are not needed.

On May 1, the governor’s safer-at-home order allowed personal service businesses, such as salons, dog groomers, and personal trainers, along with stores to reopen, subject to following social distance and hygiene guidelines. Beginning May 4, offices were permitted to open under the same conditions, with a maximum of 50 percent of their regular staff levels and strong encouragement for any and all workers who are able to perform their jobs remotely to continue to do so, particularly employees in the more vulnerable category (over 65 and those with certain medical conditions). These rules did not apply to Denver, Arapahoe, or Adams County, who remained shut down through midnight on May 8, per Denver Mayor Michael Hancock and Tri-County Health Department.

We certainly see the federal government as a partner (on personal protective equipment), we see other states with a good cooperative arrangement, but at that same time, this is also a global free-for-all…. It puts Colorado at additional risk if we were to talk about what was in the pipeline and what was being purchased before it got here. – Gov. Jared Polis

In his May 1 press conference, Polis explained that the philosophy behind safer-at-home is to function “in a sustainable way,” realizing that the coronavirus will not disappear any time in the foreseeable future. Specifically, his goal is to avoid “the spikes (in hospitalizations) that led to the emergency situation of almost two months ago here and nationally and internationally.” He emphasized several times during the 35-minute event that the state is continuously analyzing data from other states and other countries about how opening up various types of businesses and other organizations are impacting the number of new coronavirus cases and hospitalizations in other jurisdictions so as to gain more information to inform Colorado’s policies on how to proceed.

In a later interview, he again explained why he is opening up our state: “What the data and the science show us in the projections done by CU and others is that what matters a lot more than the date that the Stay-At-Home order ends is what behavior it’s replaced with that we can sustain for a period of time in May and June and July.” The bottom line is that we need to expect that social distancing and masks may not be going away until there is a reliable vaccine available against this virus.

During the press conference, Polis talked about the steps the state Department of Labor has taken to lessen the time it takes to approve unemployment applications, pointing out that they have added 80 agents and 70 temporary workers to handle the huge influx of requests they continue to receive. He also reminded listeners that they can get directed to emergency services through the “Dial 211” hotline.

The governor recommended that Coloradans continue to recreate within ten miles of their home because some mountain communities are not quite ready for the impact of visitors to their local stores and gas stations. He even mentioned that “SlingTV” is (temporarily) offering free premium content for Coloradans.

In response to a question from Bloomberg News, Polis said that the state’s budget director, Lauren Larson, is looking at the possibility of utilizing the Federal Reserve Bank’s “new lending facility for states and local governments” to see if it could be beneficial to Colorado taxpayers. A question about whether Polis was considering raising new revenue given his announced budget cuts drew this response from the governor: “This would obviously be the wrong time to raise taxes, in a recession. We have been focused on extending tax deadlines.”

The subject of keeping purchases of personal protective equipment secret until they are on the ground in Colorado was raised by a local TV news reporter. Polis confirmed that that is indeed the state’s policy, explaining that it is done to ensure that the federal government doesn’t cut off Colorado’s purchases “at the manufacturer, during the supply chain, or during customs,” resulting in “items that we’re buying being taken out from under us,” putting Coloradans “at a disadvantage by allowing our own federal government or other states to purchase things that Colorado had already purchased.” He continued, “We certainly see the federal government as a partner (on personal protective equipment), we see other states with a good cooperative arrangement, but at that same time, this is also a global free-for-all...it puts Colorado at additional risk if we were to talk about what was in the pipeline and what was being purchased before it got here.”