What are your top three priorities for the next legislative session?
My top three priorities will be to support our police officers to help ensure fair sentencing for offenders to fix our obscene fentanyl, auto and catalytic converter theft that have gotten out of control. I will vote for laws that ensure law and order to keep our communities safe. Inflation is high and families are suffering. As a mother of three kids, I know firsthand how much people must stretch their budgets. I will vote to lower taxes on gas, food, and other essentials to ensure taxpayer money is spent appropriately. Lastly, in the area of education. I will vote to ensure our kids get the programs they need to read, write and do math at grade level, our teachers have the pay and resources they need and lastly, parent transparency
The chamber may see split Democrat-Republican control next year. On what issues do you see common ground with the opposite party?
From conversations with the opposing party, we agree on many of the main problems facing Colorado. Some major areas we could find common ground are the environment and water. I agree that we need to protect our natural environment. We also need to tackle the water shortage in the west head on and be prepared to make tough choices.
What perspective or background would you bring to the chamber that is currently missing?
As a wife, mother of three kids and a lifelong Coloradan, I know how hard people have had to work to stay in Colorado. Fresh eyes, listening to my constituents, and a lifetime of experience living in my district will allow me to truly be the people’s representative. I prioritize my faith, family, friends and my constituents and am here for you.
What more can the state legislature do to ease housing costs across Colorado?
Our housing crisis is a result of high demand and low supply. To solve it, we need to make it easier to build housing in Colorado. The State Legislature can cut unnecessary regulations and red tape that drive up the cost of building new housing. We can also incentivize developers to build more housing through tax incentives for new houses, condos, townhomes, and apartments. The Legislature needs to work more closely with county and city governments to make sure we can build more housing in a smart and sustainable way.
Do you support the current law on fentanyl possession and resources for treatment?
Fentanyl is exceptionally dangerous. The ubiquity and lethality of fentanyl requires us to have a swift and serious response. That means stricter penalties for distribution and more money for treatment. HB 19-1263 was an unforced error with deadly consequences, and this year’s HB22-1326 was a good start towards fixing that problem. I will vote to do more to protect our kids, innocent and to educate.
What are your top three priorities for the next legislative session?
Some of my top priorities are addressing the incredible cost of housing, protecting our air and water, and improving funding for our K-12 schools.
The chamber may see split Democrat-Republican control next year. On what issues do you see common ground with the opposite party?
As a local elected official, I know that getting results is more important than partisanship. I think most people, regardless of their politics, want the same things, strong public schools, safe communities, and economic security. Specifically, I would love to work with the members of both parties next year to continue improving apprenticeship opportunities for high school students and improving our public infrastructure.
What perspective or background would you bring to the chamber that is currently missing?
I bring a few different perspectives to the General Assembly. I have experience getting tangible and bipartisan results in local government. I grew up in a broken home in poverty, and I understand what it’s like to need a hand-up under challenging circumstances. Finally, I would be one of the youngest members of the Colorado House of Representatives, which would give me a different perspective on many of the issues facing our state.
What more can the state legislature do to ease housing costs across Colorado?
Many seniors are struggling to downsize, first-time homebuyers can’t break into the market, and renters have faced unprecedented increases in cost in the last few years. On Broomfield City Council, I helped create Broomfield’s Housing Authority and have tried to bring a diversity of housing options into our community. We need to do more as a state and a region to make housing more accessible and affordable by meeting the market demand for new housing units and ensuring those new units are diverse in type and price point.
Do you support the current law on fentanyl possession and resources for treatment?
Last year, the Colorado General Assembly tried to balance providing resources to people struggling with addiction, increasing criminal penalties on fentanyl dealers, and improving community awareness of the risks of fentanyl. I want to work on continuing to expand access to treatment for those who need it and ensuring law enforcement and public health experts have the resources to continue fighting this public health crisis.
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.
