I served in the state legislature in 2015 to 2016 and was on the House Business Affairs and Labor Committee and the House Finance Committee. My experience in the public sector for over 30 years and serving on numerous boards and commissions includes working at Fort Carson and US Air Force Academy. I served on the Rocky Mountain Health Cares Board of Directors, Global Villages (now Thomas McLaren) Charter School Board of Directors, School District 11 District Accountability Advisory Board, Citizens Advisory Committees with Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments and the Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority, and 4th Judicial District Judicial Performance Commission. In professional work, I was a junior transportation planner drafting environmental assessments and conducting public stakeholder meetings. I was a senior land use planner doing consulting for the Dept of Defense throughout the US. I have a Masters, Public Administration which includes public policy and finance.
Affordable housing and employment. Working with many stakeholders, I would introduce legislation for affordable housing. I already am on record supporting CHFA and voted on projects for affordable housing grants. I recently held a summit that crystalized a path forward to address homelessness. I supported many workforce development bills, many became law and we are seeing the results even today. Working with education, employers and spreading the word is ideal. There is a 20,000+ workforce shortfall in trades in the state alone. I see great opportunity for continuing and strengthening the employer-education relationship and entrepreneurship. Continuing to advance workforce development is key in my plans. Finally, I seek to advocate for a hospital in the district. A hospital creates a job center and provides much needed access to health care not offered in clinics.
It’s an imperative - focusing on Medicaid expansion. The past four years our Medicaid match has outgrown what we have budgeted and directly impacted our budget for roadway infrastructure and education funding. A small bi-partisan group of legislators agree to work on this issue right after the election, including me. I’ve also agreed to reintroduce HB16-1212, which suggested a different way to handle this problem. The goal is to reduce the Medicaid pressure on the budget items, allowing us to fund education and infrastructure. Additionally, I did vote for the Hospital Provider Fee.
I believe the state can bring resources like CHFA to be part of the solution. I like partnering with different communities because they have different needs to address affordable housing. Some communities are destitute while others are doing better than two years ago. In Colorado Springs we are seeing several affordable housing projects in construction. I understand there is a federal, state and local role. Much of the directing legislation comes from the federal side, which can sometimes limit what we can do at the state. I attended the Community Breakfast on Affordable Housing in May this year. There were several great ideas moving at that time. I would like to follow up and see where we need necessary legislation.
Yes. A private business is not a government store. It obtains a license, adheres to local and state laws for business transactions and tax reporting. It competes for people to purchase its products and services. I do think that if we passed such a law, then it could, by extension disallow businesses and convenience stores to refuse to do business with people without shirts, not being able to bring in a backpack, and not having shoes on. It is a slippery slope of unintended consequences.
We need to look at alternate modes of transportation between Denver and the Springs. Ideally rail. There is better service in HD 17 but a city-wide transit ‘grid’ system is better. I want a hospital in southeast Colorado Springs. Not clinics - a hospital. I will protect Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements. I sponsored 12 workforce development bills and we can do more. We need varied ways to teach our children because one style does not always deliver the best results. I’d like school districts and businesses to continue to partner and make vocational training more mainstream.
Huge importance. Expression has so many positive attributes through the arts, and these, together, show our community’s character, creativity, and sense of innovation. Showing off in our arts and culture sector makes our town a place people want to live. I voted for the UCCS Performing Arts Center project, that’s how important the arts are to me. We have an unexplored future and I’m excited to see it unfold. Respect for our history and our past is also important, showing where we’ve come from and how we connect to this beautiful region. I donate monthly to the Pioneer Museum.
Our military and civilian citizens overseas struggle to get their ballots in on time. We’ve discussed changing the last date for items to be finalized on the ballot to allow more time for mailing the ballot. Create an ombudsman for citizens with disabilities. Citizens with disabilities often face challenges voting, including transportation to the post office, or the ability to review the ballot, like the visually impaired or a reading disability. Expand non-partisan, education groups’ access to low income folks working several jobs. They may not have access to a computer, so they cannot research information only available on-line.
kitroupeforhd17@gmail.com www.kitroupe.com 719-238-4656 Education: MPA, BSBA Occupation: Insurance, Pet care
I have a deep understanding of what makes our community so great, and what struggles we face, because I have lived in this district for almost my entire life. I have been serving my community for over 40 years, as a volunteer basketball coach, an umpire for youth softball, and as a firefighter. After retiring as a Battalion Chief of the Colorado Springs Fire Department, I continued my public service by running for office. Together with my fellow legislators, I worked to make Colorado Springs, and our state as a whole, a better place to live. Now, I’m ready to continue my work here in our community and up at the Capitol, to make Colorado Springs the best it can be.
Infrastructure: Colorado is a growing, opportunistic state that is attracting more new residents each year. As such, it’s taking some of our community members twice, even three times, as long to get to and from work each day, and more traffic means more damage to our roads. The county and city cannot forget about SE Colorado Springs when considering infrastructure improvements. We need improved roads, bridges, and sidewalks, as well as investment into community spaces such as parks. Jobs: Coloradans are hard workers. Still, as we bear witness to an ever changing and increasingly competitive job market, many willing to work can’t find and employment, and those that are employed aren’t earning enough to survive. Investing in job training opportunities means creating more jobs. This is especially true for those without four year degrees and for our veterans returning home from their service. We also need to address wage stagnation.
The state legislature needs to prioritize funding to issues that Coloradans care most about: education, infrastructure, housing, and healthcare. Because of TABOR, tax increases are decided by Coloradans at the ballot box. Now more than ever, Coloradans need to keep as much of what they earn as possible, so it’s a smarter move to look for sources of funding that do not involve trying to raise state income tax. For example, as long as we protect public ownership of infrastructure, public-private partnerships can be an excellent source of revenue.
Creating and sustaining quality, affordable housing is of high importance in my district. That’s why as Representative of HD17, I fought to protect rent and heating assistance for low-income seniors, as well as to cut property taxes on small businesses and homeowners. We also need to address the issue of wage stagnation. Housing prices are increasing at levels that far surpass the average person’s yearly salary increase, and many are barely able to make their mortgage or rent payments each month. With more money in their pockets, Coloradans can have a secure place to live while also reinvesting their extra income into our economy through purchase of goods and services.
As a man of faith, my religion is important to me and a prominent aspect of my life. In fact, it is because I am religious, and because I have faced discrimination because of the color of my skin, that I am against the idea of people using their religion as an excuse to be bigoted. I believe it is critical that we continue to fight to protect our first amendment rights, but I believe our community should be a safe, inclusive place for everyone.
I want to work for reduced college tuition benefits for veterans, as well as job training opportunities for when they return home from service. Our seniors need the assurance they can live safe, independent lives with access to safety nets when they need them. We need to actively fight against irresponsible cuts to Medicare. No one should go without their medication because the cost is too high. Additionally, reliable, far reaching public transportation is important so all of our community members can affordably get to and from work and leisure activities.
The arts are critically important, and they should be a priority in funding decisions, not the first place to receive funding cuts. In schools, learning about all of the arts are just as important to nurturing intelligent, happy, well rounded children as learning math and having accessibility to sports programs. Creative industries contribute greatly to economic growth, and the various arts and cultural sectors make our community special, and that makes them worth protecting.
By utilizing online registration, mail in ballots that give Coloradans weeks to vote, and by having the ability to preregister at age 16, Colorado already has better accessibility to voting than many states. Still, there are ways we can improve. We can increase the number of polling locations, so that our community members can easily drop off their ballots if they miss the mail-in deadline. We also need to recognize the diversity of our community and have ballots available in other languages, such as Spanish.
tony@tonyexum.com www.tonyexum.com 719-661-4910 Education: Palmer High School; University of Southern Colorado, BS in Social Science Occupation: State Representative, House District 17
I have been a volunteer for over half my life, serving as President of the Military Council of Catholic Women, recognized as a distinguished volunteer on Fort Carson and serving several years on non profit boards and Parent Teacher Organizations. Additionally, I have worked in several areas of the Private Sector to include Automotive, Education and Intellectual Property. I bring a fresh perspective to this seat and a willingness to represent my community as a whole.
As I walk throughout my community, I continually hear concerns about Public Safety and Education. Neither of these situations have an overnight fix, but I would start by introducing legislation which would fix the discrepancy between federal and state treatment of 529 plans. We must also work with our local school districts to ensure that state funding is going directly into the classroom and into the paychecks of our hard-working teachers, rather than administrator’s salaries. I would also focus on legislation that would support communities in dealing with public safety issues. We have a responsibility to ensure that our law enforcement organizations have the tools and resources they need to keep our communities safe. In addition, we must increase the availability and accessibility of mental health and substance abuse programs.
Our top budget priorities should include Transportation/Infrastructure, Education, Public Safety and Healthcare. I believe that the necessary funds are already available in the general fund if the legislature will reprioritize the budget accordingly. One thing is certain, we should not raise taxes on our hard-working Colorado families.
The state should encourage programs that ensure that affordable housing is available, but the market should decide what that is. On the state level, we need construction litigation reform to encourage developers to add more attainable, entry-level housing options in the marketplace.
While I support the right to choose how one’s talents are showcased, I recognize that it is a slippery slope to allow for the refusal of service due to such conflicts.
While we have many opportunities for traditionally underrepresented and underserved communities, I would encourage educating members of the community on these opportunities. Reaching out for community partnerships to do this with schools, churches and other involved organizations would be one option.
One of the things my children and I love the most about Colorado Springs is the ability to attend Third Fridays at the Fine Arts Center. I believe that art opens the mind up in ways that other mediums will not.
Colorado has the highest voter registration percentage in the nation. I support the continued effort for automatic voter registration tied to drivers’ licenses.
fabianforcolorado@gmail.com www.fabianforcolorado.com 561-714-9532 Education: Some College Occupation: Consultant
During my over 20 years of public service in the Pikes Peak Region I have learned from the ground up what our districts needs are and how to effectively address those needs in a bi-partisan and community inclusive manner. I have been elected 5 times and served 12 years on the Manitou Springs city council. In my 6 years as mayor it was my great honor to lead the city through very difficult times including the Waldo Canyon fire and the resulting flooding. I have served on over a dozen regional boards and commissions, including the PPACG board (2015 chair), the PPRBC (chair), the EPC Board of Public Health and the PPRTA board. I have literally cast thousands of public votes and voted on approximately $1.5 billion in local budgets. I have a public service record that you can trust and will be ready from day one to represent HD-18!
The two most pressing issues that we face are the lack of adequate funding for education and transportation infrastructure and the growing environmental threats to our natural and man-made environment. The rigid draconian “ratchet down” provisions in our state constitution prevent state revenues from keeping pace with our expanding state economy and growing population. We need meaningful tax reform! As your legislator I will fight to prioritize education and transportation funding in the state budget. We must increase funding for our schools and teachers and invest in vocational/ apprenticeship programs that will give our students the skills needed for today and in the future. Addressing our backlog of transportation needs and planning for a sustainable future direction will improve our safety, grow our economy and enhance our quality of life. It is our moral responsibility to proactively protect our land, water and air and state matching funds incentivize local leadership.
My state budget priorities and funding preferences are: increased education funding within the current budget and Gallagher reform for long term sustainability; increased transportation infrastructure funding within the current budget and TABOR reform for long term sustainability; a healthcare “public option” available to all Coloradans to create economies of scale that will reduce costs and improve outcomes; reduce DOC costs through criminal justice reform that utilizes rehabilitative and restorative practices , provides skills training and reduces recidivism; redirect state economic development funds toward fostering small business sustainability through increasing access to capital and reducing regulatory barriers.
Wage stagnation, ineffective landlord regulations and rapidly rising housing costs are increasingly denying many individuals and families the opportunity to afford suitable housing. As a legislator I will fight to ensure that all hardworking Coloradans have an opportunity to earn a living wage and to enjoy a good quality of life. We must enact a meaningful Tenant’s Bill of Rights! The state should allow local communities the flexibility to adopt affordable housing requirements in their development codes. We should invest state matching funds to incentivize local communities to explore local approaches to increasing the stock of affordable housing. Our best ideas come from the ground up and rarely from the top down. The state should promote the development of universally designed housing to the greatest extent possible to foster affordability, increase accessibility and allow people to age in their home as long as possible.
No. Every individual has a right to freely practice whatever religion they so choose. However such legislation would invite arbitrary discrimination and would violate the Colorado and US Constitution’s guarantees of equal protection and non-discrimination. We must continue to support and protect the good work of the Colorado Civil Rights Commission. Colorado’s public accommodation laws promote a more fair, just and equitable society. Adopting such legislation would be a step backwards and potentially lead us down a slippery slope that could eventually lead to laws similar to those from the Jim Crow Era.
We must prioritize revitalizing disadvantaged communities by investing in vocational and apprenticeship programs in high school so that our students have the skills to succeed. It is imperative that we improve our public transportation infrastructure to increase access to jobs and services. A healthcare public option is the only way to insert competition into the marketplace and force private providers and insurers into competitive business practice. We must reform our criminal justice system to one that does not disproportionately devastate our minority communities. As your legislator I will advocate for these policies and demand measurable results.
The arts and cultural sector contribute $ 153.3 million to our regional economy annually. This sector enhances our quality of life and helps us attract and retain a diverse array of talented individuals. We should all be proud that House District 18 is home to two state certified creative districts! These and other arts and cultural centers make our district a fun, exciting and vibrant destination for locals and visitors alike. We all benefit from being in a culturally rich community and I hope everyone can participate in Arts Month this October. Let’s get out and enjoy!
We must guard against and defeat again if necessary legislation that seeks to deny voter access and voting rights such as photo identification for voting and proof of citizenship for voter registration. We must support legislation that increases access to voting such as motor-voter, early registration for 16 year olds and same day registration. Voting centers and ballot drop off boxes must be fairly and equitably located to insure that all communities have equal access. Finally, we must enact additional measures to insure voter access for disadvantaged peoples such as those with disabilities and the elderly.
marc@electmarcsnyder.com www.electmarcsnyder.com 719.233.1292 Education: B.A. in Political Science and B.A. in Economics from Emory University; JD Law Degree from Emory University School of Law. Occupation: Attorney
After almost 20 years at IBM, I had general management responsibility for a $35 million business unit when I chose to leave and start my own management consulting business. In 1998, I added personal wealth management and financial planning to my practice, and now manage over $30 million in client assets, in addition to providing comprehensive financial planning for individuals, businesses and non-profits. My service to the Colorado Springs community includes serving as president of the Rotary Club of Colorado Springs, Reach Pikes Peak board member, El Paso County CSBG Advisory Board member, loaned executive for Pikes Peak United Way, and Fund Allocation team lead for Pikes Peak United Way. The leadership skills developed during my IBM career, along with the perspective gained from being a single mother since I was 18 years old, have served me well in my community service and business leadership roles.
● Education funding: My top three priorities for public education legislation are the funding shortfall, teacher shortage and vocational, technical and secondary education costs and availability. This includes the need for smaller classroom sizes, better teacher pay, and students’ access to up-to-date technology. No child should miss out on opportunities because of their zip code. Skyrocketing college tuition rates hamper access to higher education for deserving students striving to lift themselves out of poverty. Fixing TABOR should also be on the table, for the long-term benefit of the state. ● Access to affordable healthcare: Ballot initiatives to force more healthcare billing transparency are a start. No one should lose everything they own just because they get sick. In addition, healthcare is one of the biggest expenses for a small business. Addressing healthcare and ensuring our neighbors are protected is not just good policy, it is sound economics.
Budget priorities should be: ▪ Infrastructure repair/investment ▪ Public Education ▪ Access to affordable healthcare I will do the following regarding funding: a. Look carefully through the current budget line-by-line, to find places to save/be more efficient. b. Be honest with voters regarding the current fiscal situation, and not use fees to hide a needed revenue increase that benefits the entire state. c. Only go to the voters for increased tax revenue when the first two steps have been completed, and, when doing so, will be prepared to make the case clearly and honestly to the voters.
Creating jobs, stimulating local economic growth, and transitioning out of homelessness is significantly hampered by the lack of affordable housing, and the state can play an impactful role in addressing the issue. Examples include: ● Place affordable housing high on the list of state government priorities and policy initiatives ● Allocate sufficient funds in the state budget to subsidize promising affordable housing initiatives ● Make grants to selected affordable housing initiatives ● Provide low-cost or no-cost loans for such initiatives ● Base local aid allocation upon the amount or percentage of new local affordable housing units, or upon related indicators of progress, in a given community ● Pass “anti-snob” zoning legislation, providing for possible state override of local zoning ordinances in communities where the affordable housing supply falls below a designated percentage ● Actively pursue federal housing grant programs for affordable housing initiatives
I am not in favor of legislation that gives businesses the right to refuse service based on religious beliefs. A fundamental freedom in this country is religious freedom. This means an individual/business cannot force their religious beliefs on me. If a business is open to the public, then it must serve all members of the public. Private membership clubs are an alternative for those organizations that don’t want to serve the public.
Having been a teenage single mother struggling to make ends meet, who ultimately became a long-time small business owner, I see clearly access to essential services is crucial to the economic and physical health of our underserved communities. As a result, I’ve been on the board of Reach Pikes Peak (formerly the Pikes Peak Community Action Agency) two separate times. Underserved communities need adequate public transportation that can help get them to their jobs, training programs and healthcare. I will tackle these issues by finding common ground among the stakeholders, proposing/supporting programs that increase access to these essential services.
I firmly believe in the value of arts and culture as part of a vibrant and growing community. There is significant existing evidence on the impact of arts and culture on our economy, health and wellbeing, society and education. As chair of the Rotary Club of Colorado Springs’ annual “Butterfly” fundraiser for four years, I saw the incredible impact the funds raised had on School District 11’s ability to provide a more rounded and effective education by financially supporting the arts curriculum.
Having voter registration automatic for citizens when they get a driver’s license, instead of something they have to agree to, may increase the number of eligible voters who are registered. Many people don’t vote because they don’t feel their vote matters. I have endorsed Fair Maps Colorado because I’m committed to ending the gerrymandering in Colorado to make seats more competitive. We must not be more concerned with staying in power than the best interest of the residents we are supposed to be representing. Certainly, there should also be continuous efforts to maintain the integrity of the Colorado voting systems.
maile@fosterforcolorado.com www.fosterforcolorado.com 719-428-5186 Education: Attended UCLA and Harvard Business School while employed fulltime at IBM. Completed CFP® program at Boston College Occupation: Investment manager and Certified Financial Planner® professional
Photo by Tamera L. Goldsmith (www.clickphotography.net).
I am a former mental health therapist with a master’s degree. I am also a former small business owner of Real Estate Company. I have the compassion side as I worked with children and adults from all walks of life. I understand the hardship of our citizens feeling disenfranchised because they are African American or are from the LGBT community. I listened to their heartaches as a therapist and experienced their stresses and sadness as a listening non judgmental person. Additionally as a small business owner, I understand the complexities of trying to run a business. From keeping staff happy to the hundreds of social norms and laws associated with small businesses I get the stresses in that area. I could serve in the legislature from those perspectives and hope to serve everyone to the best of my ability with all legislative issues by first listening then understanding the best options for our people and our state.
The funding of our public schools. I would support proposition 73 to raise the money needed for our schools. Secondly,-the roads in the residential areas especially the lower income neighborhoods are especially bad in our district. I would support legislation to increase funding for infrastructure and fight for monies to be designated for House District 15. Growth is another huge issue that needs to be addressed which dove tales with the infrastructure issue.
The budget priorities should be schools and infrastructure. Again supporting the initiatives coming on the ballot Proposition 73 raising funds for teacher/support staff pay Initiative 153 will be on the November ballot to raise sales tax by 0.62% bringing .our sales tax to 3.52% rather than putting the state into more debt. I would support that initiative for funding not only our roads but also a high speed rail system. SB-1 a bond inititiative is the states fall back plan this would transfer general funds to the infrastructure needs-$645 million initially to state highway fund and $250 million annually. Through 2022. This will be voted on in 2019 if another initiative is not voted in by our citizens.
Affordable accessible and appropriate housing is critical to making a community more livable for all its citizens. People with disabilities, mental health issues, and chronic health issues need support from its government in any compassionate society. The state should provide rental assistance like expand the Section 8 program, increase the supply of rental services like money to help with credit checks, greater use of Medicaid for supportive services to keep people in their homes, tax incentives to property owners to add supplies to the affordable list of housing. Any and all of these ideas are indicative of a healthy and empathetic state and society.
No that goes against separation of church and state I believe.
I would lower the cost of bus tickets for low income, increase the bus routes to cover more of the city system, develop an affordable high speed rail system, support single payer health insurance system, and increase state funding for job training programs to include social skills training.
A well funded arts program generals millions of dollars for the community. It supports and creates jobs for our citizens. It contributions to the quality of our citizens that are priceless by fueling imagination, developing emotional, creative, and social skills for people, and giving the community a sense of the heights, diversity and inspiration we often need to enrich all our lives.
I think we have it here in Colorado right now. Ballots are mailed out to our citizens which are a great way for everyone an opportunity to vote. I think there may need to be a reach out for citizens who can’t read support from the state or any support needed to read the ballot to vision impaired folks to help them read, understand, and get their ballots in. I would have to research it to see what services are currently available. But I think we have a great voter reach out here in Colorado.
brenda4housedistrict15@gmail.com www.electbrendakrause.com Education: Master Degree in Community Counseling UNC Occupation: Retired Mental Health Clincian and small business
I bring both professional and civic experience to the duties of State Representative. I have REAL practical business experience in the private sector as an investment executive for the Royal Bank of Canada for 31 years. I had a successful career in serving my client’s needs for quality investment advice. Over the last several years, I have been honored to serve the good people of HD-16. I am known as a reasonable and thoughtful legislator, who is able to get things done for the people of Colorado. People throughout Colorado Springs know me; they TRUST me and appreciate my service for them.
The two most important issues that have concerned the people of my district are probably the growth of UCCS and transportation issues. UCCS is in HD-16. I have successfully worked with the leadership of this fine institution to secure necessary funding for its growth and to help bring quality professors to educate the students at UCCS. Transportation is important Throughout Colo. Springs. I have carried legislation to foster the growth of our PPRTA, which has been very helpful for our local infrastructure needs.
I believe that one of the major budget priorities for Colorado should be to properly fund out roads and bridges. They have been neglected for the last 15 years and have been severely underfunded. I have supported legislation in 2017 & 2018 to help fund them. We have the money to fix our transportation needs; it just needs to be a priority. We do NOT need to increase taxes to fix our roads and bridges. Secondly, Medicare is a big problem for Colorado. It needs to be changed, or it will progressively take more and more of the state’s budget.
I don’t know that the state should take the lead for housing in Colorado. I think it should be up to the counties and the local communities’ to prescribe their own solutions for housing. I do support the concept of “Tiny Housing”. Good idea.
I do support the concept of business owners being able to serve the customers while they are holding to their personal religious beliefs. I believe that most all business owners will be very reasonable and judicious if and when they refuse service to those people that they disagree with due to religious beliefs.
I have consistently supported legislation that helps with public transportation, such as our local RTA. I also strongly support consumer choice as it relates to healthcare, such as increasing HSA’s for consumers and giving people the ability to buy insurance across state lines. In 2018, I supported several different bills to encourage job training.
The arts and culture sectors play a wonderful role for any community. These sectors attract quality businesses and provide people a better quality of life. They should be paid for by the private sector and not at taxpayer expense though. The local Ent Center for the Arts is a good example of the private sector taking the lead.
I think we currently have a good system of serving all eligible voters. Ballots are currently mailed out to all interested voters at great expense to the local counties. If a person wants to vote, it is very easy to do so now.
llliston16@q.com Friendsoflarryliston.com 719-649-9742 Education: Graduate of Wasson HS, BS in Business Admin/ finance from Colorado State University in 1975; Masters Work for MPA at UCCS currently. Occupation: Worked for the Royal Bank of Canada for 31 as a Vice President of Investments, Retired in 2008. Currently serving as State Rep. for HD-16 2016-Present
I am qualified for this position because I have a genuine interest in helping all people and working with all people to pass the legislation we direly need to. I will vote based on the people and by being rational in every situation.
In House District 19, we currently have interest in infrastructure and environmental concerns. Fortunately, it is a funding matter for both. I would address the infrastructure issue by supporting Proposition 110 to ensure our roads and infrastructure are paid for without taking away from education and Medicaid. Also, in response to the additional lanes on I-25, I would suggest providing residents who already paid into the toll road a pass for traveling the road once built. In response to the environmental concerns, we must work towards a more sustainable environment by ensuring clean water for those out in desolate areas, focus on ways to conserve water and wildlife, and working with the community to decide what is best in the agriculture businesses.
The state should always prioritize resident’s interest over that of businesses. Therefore, education, affordable health insurance and medical drugs, infrastructure and affordable housing, and our lands/ environment must be our top priorities. I would suggest rearranging our budget and taxing where we (residents and legislators) agree to be the way we go about funding these priorities. Taxes aren’t our enemy, rich people who wish to decide what is best for us without our input are. We must be willing to do our research and support what is best for all.
I believe the state’s role in affordable and universally designed housing provisions is to ensure equal housing practices, be firm on fair housing costs, and to grant assistance to local governments with high populations of very low-income residents to ensure clean and safe housing environments.
I don’t support legislations that gives anyone the right to discriminate. I believe it is the right of a business owner to refuse service based on stipulations they deem necessary, (i.e. refusing service for vulgar language, inappropriate signs, or drug paraphernalia), though. Religion should not be used as a vice to discriminate.
We need to train more people to work in jobs we need- to include allowing and training felons to hold jobs they can make a living from. We must raise minimum wage higher and faster without increasing the prices on goods for a set amount of time, too. On top of that, we should increase our modes of transportation and create a single payer insurance program similar to what the military has. This will make it fairer for all residents to afford housing, transportation, and health related costs.
Arts and culture uphold pride within a community. Well-funded arts and cultural sectors within our local and regional economy would help to maintain a beautiful community, increase diverse businesses, and ensure a thriving and cohesive community.
We must stop trying to suppress voters. This is being done by lying and misinforming certain populations of vulnerable people. (i.e. saying their votes don’t count) We must get the word out sooner on voting in under-represented communities, ensure local governments aren’t shutting down polling locations without replacing them, and register voters automatically.
asiazandersforhd19@gmail.com www.asiazandersforhd19.com 772.475.9036 Education: Associates in Sociology and Political Science, Bachelors in Political Philosophy (In progress) Occupation: Full Time Student
War Veteran, Senior Executive for 2 manufacturing companies and owner of two small businesses. Husband, father and grandfather. Resident of Colorado for 25 years.
Expansion of I-25 between Monument and Castle Rock is proceeding, but with toll lanes both north and south. These should be FREE. Healthcare, allowing anyone to join PARA+ (state healthcare program) and requiring those without healthcare to use walk-ins before ERs (ERs are mandated by Federal law and are 20 times more expensive).
Healthcare solutions. US and Colorado spend twice as much per capita for healthcare compared to any other developed county – but our mortality rate is one of the worst. If the money paid to for profit insurance went to a single payer system, it would cost less and we would live longer.
Colorado should fund the design(s) and then offer tax incentives for builders to use them.
No. That is no different than allowing businesses to refuse service to black or Latinos, simply because the business owner is a bigot.
That’s a lot of questions and only 100 words. Quick two suggestions: Colorado should expand internet access to all areas of the state; second Community Colleges and High Schools should offer skilled trade courses – not just college courses
Art and music both increases cognitive abilities (many studies show this), but also allow students and adults that may not have high success in academics, to flourish in art, theater and music.
Actually, Colorado has a great system, which includes registering voters in high school and mailing ballots to all registered voters. Can it be better? Sure, but compared to states that have found ways to prevent minorities and the poor from voting, we’re not bad.
kent@KentJarnig4HD20.org www.KentJarnig4HD20.org 303-618-6131 Education: BS Univ of MN Occupation: Small Business Owner
I have lived in the Widefield and Security areas for over 15 yrs. My husband and I raised our two children here. My educational background is Secondary Education with a focus on Social Sciences and Anthropology. My husband and I have owned several small businesses together as well. In 2016 I started the Fountain Valley Clean Water Coalition so our community would have a voice during our water contamination crisis. Working with my community has always been a priority.
Our schools are drastically over tested and under funded, e.g. classroom supplies, technology, teacher salaries. As a prior teacher I understand the struggles and successes in our classrooms, and I will fight for better funding. Our community also faces a multitude of water contaminations and we have had enough. I will work hard to sponsor legislation that requires polluters to pay for contaminations and mandates safe chemical levels for clean drinking water as a priority for everyone in the state.
Our state needs to fix / adjust the way we fund our schools, the Gallagher Amendment coupled with TABOR has put our children at a severe disadvantage in their k-12 education. Our state’s infrastructure is crumbling and clean safe drinking water is threatened. I will focus on our health and education and make sure our state’s citizens have their voices heard.
Our state needs to encourage builders to create housing communities that are affordable. By only building high priced apartments and homes we are not creating a place where we can all be successful within our means. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness cannot happen if we cannot find an affordable place to live. I’d like to see equity in the issuance of building permits so all needs can be met for housing. As our population ages, we will require more universally designed homes. Adding universal design into our residential building codes will help to alleviate senior housing shortages in decades to come.
No. Keeping church and state separate is the only way to preserve religious freedom, for profit companies cannot / should not be allowed discriminate against community members under the cloak of their own personal religious beliefs. Communities that recognize and celebrate diversity in their neighborhoods and businesses are vastly more successful than those that allow discrimination.
We must begin teaching trades in our school systems again; healthcare techs, electricians, plumbers, builders, computers, etc. Our current workforce is severely understaffed right now and if we don’t fix it in our public education system it will only worsen. We are not setting up our young people for success in obtaining a career after a high school. Long term careers make our economy grow, not just filling a job. We need careers and long term institutional knowledge to make our economy grow successfully.
The saying “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” is a reminder to all of us to be creative and to enjoy the world around us, either creating our own art or appreciating someone else’s talents. Positive mental health of our neighbors and creative expression allows us to create beautiful communities to live in and the economic benefits as well. Our culture and society thrives when we love where we live and we have included ourselves into our communities.
When our young people are 16, they have the option for early voting registration. When people get new driver’s licenses and ID cards they are asked about adding in a voter registration. Now that we have mail in ballots, we still need to inform people how this works. We need to continue informing our community by adding in Public Service announcement commercials on T, and other online ads which then meets all of us where we are already getting our information. I want to have an inclusive outreach program rather than a restrictive one.
2LizRosenbaum@gmail.com www.LizRosenbaum.com 719-661-5108 Education: Secondary Education, Social Sciences, Anthropology Occupation: Small business owner
Citizens Project is the watchdog that ensures a robust and transparent public process in local government for our community. - Gary Fornander, Community Advocate