Why are you seeking public office?
I am running for re-election because I want to continue helping all Coloradans earn a good life for their families. Campaigns are not merely a path to public service — done right, campaigns are public service itself. The relationships we build during campaigns is what allows me to bring my neighbors’ stories and priorities with me to the Capitol.
What will your top three priorities be if elected?
Stopping the spread of COVID, getting Coloradans back to work so our economy comes back even stronger than before, and protecting funding for K-12 public education.
Do you support some type of public option health insurance or Medicare for All at the state level? If so, which and why? If not, why not?
Every Coloradan deserves to access to affordable healthcare, and no Coloradan should ever have to choose between buying groceries and seeing their doctor. I supported legislation to investigate the costs and benefits of a public option, and I sponsored and passed legislation to automatically enroll any Coloradan who qualifies into Medicaid — the more people who have healthcare the lower the costs for all of us. To further cut costs, I co-sponsored a bill to create a reinsurance program that has already reduced prices on the individual market by 18%, and co-sponsored legislation to bring more transparency to pricing at hospitals and for prescription drugs.
Have your views on policing and racism in Colorado changed this year? If so, how?
Systemic racism has plagued our state and our country for generations. As a legislator, itap my responsibility to do everything I can to eliminate discrimination against black and brown Coloradans. As the only state legislator with a divinity degree, I believe this is not just a civic duty, it is also a moral imperative. I was proud to be an original sponsor of SB217, and I’m incredibly proud of our legislature for passing it with near-unanimous bipartisan support. All those who break the law must be held accountable — especially including those sworn to uphold and defend the law.
Do you place a greater importance on addressing climate change or preserving Colorado’s oil and gas industry? What steps would you take on these issues as a lawmaker?
Climate change is real, it’s caused by humans, and as a state that will be hit hard by climate change, we have an even greater responsibility to act. That’s why in 2018 I sponsored the most aggressive climate change bill in Colorado history, which passed the following year in 2019 year with bipartisan support. Not only is clean energy good for the planet, itap good for our economy. Increasing wind and solar production means more good-paying jobs for Coloradans, and a healthy environment we can all enjoy.
Should Colorado consider any new gun laws? If so, which do you support?
A friend of mine hid in the choir room at Columbine High School for three hours. I walked the hallways as a student at Arapahoe High School where Claire Davis was later killed. The STEM School shooting and the shooting of Douglas County Sheriff’s Deputy Zack Parrish both took place just steps outside of my Senate district. And I serve alongside a colleague who lost his son in the Aurora theater shooting. My life and the lives of my constituents have been touched by gun violence. I strongly support — and I believe we have a moral obligation to enact — reasonable, evidence-based laws that will keep our community safe. Thatap why I sponsored the Extreme Risk Protection order bill, support universal background checks, and safe storage of firearms.
Why are you seeking public office?
I believe the people of Colorado are better served by a split legislature. When both chambers and the Governor’s seat are in single party control we don’t function collaboratively. In my years in municipal government, I served on numerous regional and state-wide boards, such as the Executive Board of Colorado Municipal League, Chair of Denver Regional Council of Governments, Mile High Flood District, The Water Now Alliance and a Governor appointee to the Regional Air Quality Council. These prepared me well for this role and have given me unique insights into many of the issues the citizens of Arapahoe County and Colorado find important.
What will your top three priorities be if elected?
Getting Colorado re-opened and our economy back on track. We have to create the right atmosphere, through less regulation and easier processes, to allow businesses to succeed. And then get out of the way and let them do what they do best.
Support and protect the women and men who ensure Colorado’s safety and security. Give them the ability to keep our streets safe and our businesses and residents from harm.
Work on an initiative that would allow, and encourage, kids who may not want to pursue a traditional four-year higher education the ability to succeed in the trades.
Do you support some type of public option health insurance or Medicare for All at the state level? If so, which and why? If not, why not?
No. Government run healthcare and the government setting price points is not a good solution. If we go that direction, I believe that many insurance companies will abandon the Colorado marketplace. And it is even more problematic in rural parts of the state. I would support an alliance of insurers, healthcare providers and consumers negotiating a total cost system. That system would include published prices so a consumer can shop for health services just like we do for everything else.
Have your views on policing and racism in Colorado changed this year? If so, how?
No.
Do you place a greater importance on addressing climate change or preserving Colorado’s oil and gas industry? What steps would you take on these issues as a lawmaker?
I do not believe that these are mutually exclusive. I am a supporter of the Oil and Gas Industry. But I am also an “all-of-the-above” person, believing that if we continue to pursue innovations in wind, solar and geothermal, in addition to O&G, we will be in a much better situation. As a former member of the Regional Air Quality Council as well as a LEED Accredited Professional, I understand sustainable energy sources and designs but still know that harvesting and using our natural resources is important. As is protecting our environment by using best management practices in all of those pursuits.
Should Colorado consider any new gun laws? If so, which do you support?
No. When a crime is committed with a firearm, the perpetrator is already breaking the law. I believe it is foolhardy to believe that if we pass another law, it will cause someone to change their mind and their heart.
Marc Solomon has not returned the questionnaire.
