District 1
Why are you seeking public office?
I am termed out of the State Legislature after 4 terms. I want to bring my expertise to my home county to help with our unique needs. Three guideposts define me and differentiate me from my two opponents: accessibility, bringing people together to find common ground, and getting things done.
What will your top three priorities be if elected?
COVID 19, economic recovery, racial inequity
Should decisions about public health — such as requiring mask wearing — be made by elected politicians, local public health officials or a combination? Explain your answer.
Public health decisions should be made by public health experts based on science and facts — not through politics. Local public health officials should work closely with elected and other county officials.
Do you support efforts to cap growth at the county or regional level? Why or why not?
No I do not. Growth caps have effects and consequences such as unaffordable housing, congestion and increased traffic.
Do you believe SB 217, the state police reform bill, will improve policing and citizen safety in your county? Why or why not?
I fully support our law enforcement and 217 will eliminate implicit bias and increase citizen safety. Communities in JeffCo utilize innovative strategies such as homeless navigators and mental health corresponders. SB 217 protects all law enforcement through use of body cameras, increased transparency and accountability.
Why are you seeking public office?
I am a firm believer that we have a duty to serve the community we call home. We can all contribute to making our community a great place for all to live, work, and play. I am running to make Jeffco a place where everyone has a voice in what they want their community to be and can have the opportunity to live their American dream, whatever that looks like.
What will your top three priorities be if elected?
Health and Safety for all citizens
Finding the balance in recovering from COVID-19 safely and giving our businesses a fighting chance to survive
Finding out-of-the-box transportation infrastructure solutions
Should decisions about public health — such as requiring mask wearing — be made by elected politicians, local public health officials or a combination? Explain your answer.
The best decisions are made by people working together, using different perspectives, and utilizing the facts. Combining the public health perspective with the Board of County Commissioners, allows multiple viewpoints to form the best solutions, bringing about the best balance between health concerns and citizens’ concerns.
Do you support efforts to cap growth at the county or regional level? Why or why not?
When growth is capped it narrows who can afford a home to the wealthy, with the means to buy a home. I believe that home ownership is part of the American dream and should be available to everyone, willing to work for it. Placing artificial caps will make the existing product more expensive. It is the law of supply and demand. We need housing at all price points to make sure that more people have the opportunity to buy a home.
Do you believe SB 217, the state police reform bill, will improve policing and citizen safety in your county? Why or why not?
One of the core functions of our government is to keep all citizens safe. Policy reforms are a great time to reexamine what we are doing and we can improve. Sheriff Shrader, and the surrounding municipalities’ law enforcement departments, have implemented anti-bias policing standards that have been used as a national model and are highlighted in HB 217. Jeffco has proven these reforms work. Good government should always explore ways to further improve oversight of law enforcement and other government functions.
District 2
Why are you seeking public office?
Jefferson County is my home, having lived here since the 8th grade. My entire professional career is based here. I’m part of the tapestry of the community. We’ve always been “ladies and gentlemen doing business with ladies and gentlemen” but that has been steadily eroding. We’re seeing deep political divides. I’m respected across the political spectrum, have solid management experience, and love of community. I’m running to help bring us back together, to honor Jeffco’s heritage while strategically planning for its future, and to bring my management experience to bear on providing excellent county services in a fiscally prudent manner.
What will your top three priorities be if elected?
– Responsible, competent management of our taxpayer dollars.
– Community safety
– A flourishing business environment
Should decisions about public health — such as requiring mask wearing — be made by elected politicians, local public health officials or a combination? Explain your answer.
Emergency decisions, for a limited time, should be made by the public health director. Beyond a very short-term “emergency” situation (days not months), those decisions should be made by elected officials, who are accountable to the people, in consultation and with, and the advice of, the local public health director.
Do you support efforts to cap growth at the county or regional level? Why or why not?
I oppose growth limits and would not support such legislation in Jefferson County. Growth limits cause artificially inflated property values, resulting in higher property taxes for homes in that area, leading to the inability of seniors and others seeking affordable housing options to be able to move into our community. I believe that this artificial inflation of property values unintentionally leads to socio-economic discrimination. And, they do nothing to relieve congestion on our highways and roadways, reduce crime, or reduce the numbers of people moving into Colorado from out of state.
Do you believe SB 217, the state police reform bill, will improve policing and citizen safety in your county? Why or why not?
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department and the municipal police departments in the County are very well trained in incident de-escalation. There has not been a claim of police brutality in the Sheriff’s Department in over 30 years. Much of what SB 217 requires, such as on-duty body cameras, is already the practice in Jefferson County, therefore I do not think it will have much impact in our community. While I understand that there may be systemic problems in large, inner-city departments across the country, or even in our state, this does not appear to be the case in Jefferson County.
Why are you seeking public office?
I’m running to make sure that Jefferson County remains one of Colorado’s best places to live, work, play, and raise a family. My experiences as a teacher across Jeffco’s school system and through twelve years of service in the state legislature have given me the unique knowledge and collaborative leadership skills that we need to fight for our environment, small businesses, and working families in Jefferson County. We’re lucky to be home to a large population of hardworking people spread across our mountain and metro communities. They deserve commissioners whose life experiences look a lot like their own, and who work for everybody — not just wealthy and powerful interests.
What will your top three priorities be if elected?
Public Health — While I’m proud of much of Jefferson County Public Health’s response to this challenge, this crisis has made clear that we need to adequately fund our public health system such that we can staff it with the best, most qualified individuals.
Wildfire Mitigation — Jeffco’s cherished foothills are at extreme wildfire risk, and receive less than their fair share of state and federal resources for adequate fire mitigation. I’ll raise this issue to the forefront to protect our public lands, homes, and health.
Affordable Housing — Our communities are better when our teachers, firefighters, grocery store clerks, and everyone else are able to live close to where they work. As commissioner, I’ll fight so that our zoning, growth, and county budget decisions reflect that vision.
Should decisions about public health — such as requiring mask wearing — be made by elected politicians, local public health officials or a combination? Explain your answer.
It’s a combination. At the end of the day, our elected commissioners will be held to account for the people they hire, the actions they take, and whether their decisions are made using science and data. Dr. Mark Johnson had been Jefferson County’s Director of Public Health for two decades, and was preparing to retire in early 2020 when this pandemic started to spread around the world. Dr. Johnson’s expertise, leadership, and swift decision-making helped Jeffco make smart choices to suppress the spread of the virus, and our Commissioners were wise to take his guidance in enacting mask orders, social distancing guidelines, and business reopening plans. When expert guidance proves to be controversial, itap on county commissioners to explain their decision-making to their constituents.
Do you support efforts to cap growth at the county or regional level? Why or why not?
I oppose artificial growth caps, and helped lead the opposition to Lakewood’s Initiative 200. Caps do nothing to solve growth problems. In fact, they make affordable housing and congestion problems worse, while adversely impacting our small businesses. Growth and development is essential for a strong economy, and they need to be balanced with environmental concerns to ensure our legendary quality of life. But that same quality of life is better when we welcome people into our community instead of turning them away while saying, “I got mine.” Commissioners must develop an expertise about each proposed new development. Jeffco’s Comprehensive Master Plan does a good job in balancing growth with its impacts to schools, jobs, parks, and neighborhoods, and I look forward to making it even better.
Do you believe SB 217, the state police reform bill, will improve policing and citizen safety in your county? Why or why not?
I do, and I don’t think I’m alone in that belief: The vote in the Colorado Senate was nearly unanimous, and included Republicans with unique insight into law enforcement issues, including Senator John Cooke, a former Weld County Sheriff. Fundamentally, SB217 ensures that a jurisdiction’s law enforcement is accountable to the people who live in that jurisdiction. We’re all safer when we know that the rules that apply to people also apply to police. Nobody should be afraid to call the police, and nobody should perceive their local law enforcement officials as antagonists. SB217 does much to rebuild community links to law enforcement, especially in line with what many communities need during this historic moment in social justice. I look forward to seeing how we move forward in the future.
