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Naquetta Ricks (i) Democrat
Residence: Aurora
Profession: State Representative
Education: Metropolitan State University, BA – Accounting; University of Colorado, MBA
Experience: Third-term State Representative for HD40, entrepreneur, and founder of the African Chamber of Commerce, turning lived experience into laws that expand opportunity for Colorado families.
What are your top three priorities, if elected?
My top three priorities are small businesses, immigrant families, and consumers and homeowners. I’ve spent my career backing entrepreneurs, and in the legislature I’ve fought to give small businesses real resources to grow. I’ve championed protections for immigrant Coloradans, from access to education to safeguards against ID seizure by employers. And I’ll keep fighting for consumers and homeowners: expanding accessible housing, cutting medical debt burdens, and stopping practices like credit-score-based insurance pricing and predatory free trials that quietly drain families’ wallets.
What specific actions would you support to improve affordability for Coloradans, whether aimed at housing costs, tax burdens or other impacts?
I support expanding the HOA reform work I’ve led to stop unfair fees and fines that drain family budgets, closing insurance loopholes that let credit scores drive up costs, capping medical debt collection practices, and cracking down on hidden subscription fees. On taxes, I back targeted relief for working families and small businesses rather than broad cuts that starve schools and services. Affordability means tackling costs families face every month, not just once a year at tax time.
Whether your party is in the majority or minority next year, where do you see actionable common ground with the opposing party?
Consumer protection cuts across party lines. Republicans and Democrats alike hear from constituents about surprise fees, predatory subscriptions, and insurance practices that punish people for factors unrelated to risk. I’ve found real partners across the aisle on transparency and accountability measures because nobody wants to defend hidden costs to their voters. That’s where I’ll keep building bipartisan coalitions: guardrails that protect consumers without picking economic winners and losers.
A new governor will take office next year. What opportunities are there for legislation or other changes that did not gain traction under Gov. Jared Polis?
A new governor opens the door on issues that stalled under divided priorities, including stronger protections for Coloradans from the health harms of oil and gas operations. I also see fresh opportunity to expand protections for homeowners in HOAs: pushing for greater accountability through licensing and transparency requirements, and making sure covenants and declarations are clear and accessible rather than buried in fine print that leaves homeowners in the dark about their own obligations. A new administration means a new chance to push bills that were previously slow-walked, and I intend to use it.
Clinton Porter did not return the questionnaire.
