Remember when you could take the family to a movie for forty bucks? In 2018, the average movie ticket ran $9.16. A few tickets, a couple of sodas, and you walked out having spent less than most people now tip at dinner. Today that same night out costs $50 to $80 just to get through the door, and that’s if you’re staying local. If you were ambitious enough to fly the family to Disneyland, the top ticket in 2018 was $135 a person. Today it hits $224 on a peak day — nearly $900 for a family before you pay for parking, food, or the privilege of not waiting two hours in line, which Disney now charges up to $449 extra per person for.
It’s not just the fun stuff. The median Colorado home in 2018 cost around $400,000. Today it’s north of $537,000, and the Colorado Chamber of Commerce just ranked this state third most expensive in the country and 48th in housing affordability. Gas that ran $2.50 a gallon in 2018 now costs $5 in Colorado Springs. A sit-down dinner for a family at a mid-range restaurant will run you $200 before you leave the parking lot.
Colorado didn’t get here by accident. Over the next several weeks we’re going to show you exactly how it happened — bill by bill, vote by vote. Then we’re going to name the legislators who made it happen and show you their record in full. That full investigation is available to paid subscribers at the High Country Advocate. Subscribe now at https://highcountryadvocate.substack.com/subscribe and be ready when it drops. Because votes have consequences, and these are yours.
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