What are your top three priorities for the next legislative session?
Passing laws to protect the police, lower taxes and restore education accountability.
The chamber may see split Democrat-Republican control next year. On what issues do you see common ground with the opposite party?
There is common ground to be found in all issues as long as both sides are willing to have a discussion.
What perspective or background would you bring to the chamber that is currently missing?
I will bring a willingness to discuss hard issues.
What more can the state legislature do to ease housing costs across Colorado?
Local government is the proper entity to address community housing needs. However, part of the increase in the cost of housing is the over regulation of developers. Streamline the process and developers will be able to produce a “middle market” housing solution.
Do you support the current law on fentanyl possession and resources for treatment?
No. As the law reads (HB22-1326) “any amount” of fentanyl in a compound weighing more than 4 grams will be treated as a drug felony. As presently written, the bill leaves the possession of less than 4 grams of pure fentanyl unchanged and would remain a misdemeanor. Let’s close the door, like Arizona did, and make possession of any amount of fentanyl a felony.
What are your top three priorities for the next legislative session?
(1) Sustain or increase our investment in public education; (2) Continue progress on improving air quality; (3) Continue progress on modernizing health care delivery systems.
The chamber may see split Democrat-Republican control next year. On what issues do you see common ground with the opposite party?
There’s more common ground than most people think. Over my six years, I’ve worked across the aisle on numerous policies including hospital cost transparency, regulation of free-standing emergency departments, expanding behavioral health access, investing in broadband infrastructure, supporting people with intellectual, developmental, and physical disabilities, regulating tobacco vaping, and much more. I expect there will be many opportunities for bipartisan collaboration over the next two years.
What perspective or background would you bring to the chamber that is currently missing?
As a current legislator, I wouldn’t say my perspective has been missing. But as an engineer, I was trained to focus on details and I’ve been proud of how well I’ve used that focus to make better policy. I also think I can find something to like about almost everyone, so I’ve been able to build bridges with some of the least likely suspects across the aisle.
What more can the state legislature do to ease housing costs across Colorado?
This is such a tough one. We’ve made record investments to support the construction of more affordable housing, but there’s such a great need that I believe more investment will be needed. We’ve also made great progress on improving renters’ rights, but I still hear from my constituents about how their landlord jacked up their rent and they had no choice but to pay it because there was nowhere else to go.
Do you support the current law on fentanyl possession and resources for treatment?
I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve done to increase access to treatment and recovery supports, including in jail and prison. And I think some of the high-level law enforcement coordination work has been successful in cracking down on cartels and getting fentanyl off the street. But re-felonizing simple possession was the wrong thing to do. Increasing penalties for users who aren’t distributing drugs does nothing to make our communities safer, and only increases the likelihood of addicts overdosing rather than getting help.
How candidate order was determined: A lot drawing was held at the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office on Aug. 3 to determine the general election ballot order for major and minor party candidates. Colorado law (1-5-404, C.R.S.) requires that candidates are ordered on the ballot in three tiers: major party candidates followed by minor party candidates followed by unaffiliated candidates. Within each tier, the candidates are ordered by a lot drawing with the exception of the office of Governor and Lt. Governor, which are ordered by the last name of the gubernatorial candidate.
