Issues

Every Coloradan should be able to live peacefully and without fear of crime.  Sadly, this is no longer the case.  Our fair state continues to top the charts - and not in a positive way.  In Colorado:

• The number of crimes increased in 7 major categories: robbery, arson, motor vehicle theft, buying stolen property, vandalism, prostitution/pandering, and drug possession/sales.

• We rank 1st in motor vehicle theft in the nation. The motor vehicle theft rate has increased by another 13.6% in 2022. At this rate, car thieves will steal 48,000 vehicles in Colorado this year alone.

• We rank 2nd in crimes against property in the U.S and 4th in violent crime.

Our citizens are not safe. Yet, Colorado’s General Assembly continues to pass bills that reduce the penalties that criminals face and promote easy access to illicit drugs. 

Each year, law enforcement seizes exponentially more illicit fentanyl than the last. According to the Colorado State Patrol, the state is experiencing a 10-year drug trafficking record. Although there has been a decrease in cocaine and methamphetamine trafficking, the amounts of fentanyl and illegal marijuana seized have been significantly higher. The increase in fentanyl is alarming, given its potency. As a lethal dose of fentanyl is a mere two milligrams, hundreds of pounds seized each year is enough to kill the entire population of Colorado - many times over The total number of drug overdose deaths has gone up in each of the past three years and opioids, fentanyl in particular, claimed the most lives.

This increasing leniency on drug use and distribution and other crimes has led to surge in illegal activity, extending beyond metropolitan regions to affect rural areas.  Legislative measures emphasizing rehabilitation over incarceration have emboldened offenders and contributed to a sense of lawlessness. Metropolitan areas, once considered relatively safe, have witnessed an uptick in various crimes, including theft and violent offenses. Alarmingly, this trend is now extending its reach into rural communities, raising concerns about public safety across the state.  The results of the controlling party’s “soft on crime policies” clearly point to the need for stricter enforcement and penalties to deter criminal behavior.

The General Assembly must give Law Enforcement and Prosecutors back the tools they need to fight crime.  Judges need the freedom to set or withhold bail to keep criminals from reoffending before they even see trial for previous offenses and sentences for those found guilty must provide strong enough penalties to adequately punish and deter others.  

To have the civil society we deserve, we must no longer tolerate lawlessness in Colorado.

The condition of rural highways in Colorado is unacceptable.  This poses significant safety risks to motorists and hinders the movement of the agricultural goods that is critical the economy of House District 56. Many of these highways lack essential features such as properly maintained shoulders, passing lanes, and climbing lanes.  This increases the likelihood and severity of accidents.

As a co-chair of Colorado's Eastern Transportation Planning Region and former member of the State Transportation Advisory Committee I have had a front row seat to the failure of CDOT to meet its mission to ensure that Colorado has a safe and efficient highway system by building and maintaining interstates, U.S. and state highways. 

CDOT must be held accountable for their failures.  While they plead poverty, no efforts have been made to increase the efficiency of their operations.  Maintenance crews and regional offices do as much as they can while those in the new $70M Denver headquarters focus on Bike Lanes, Trains, EV Chargers, and Climate Change.  

An audit of CDOT's bidding processes is needed. Several issues have been raised regarding the Colorado Department of Transportation's (CDOT) construction bid processes.  The legislature must direct the following shortfalls be fixed. 

• Lack of Transparency:  The bidding process must be improved. Concerns have been raised about the clarity of bid requirements, evaluation criteria, and the selection process.  Without transparency at all stages, favoritism or bias is inevitable.

• Lengthy Procurement Timelines: CDOT's procurement timelines for construction projects are lengthy, which delays critical infrastructure projects.  These lengthy processes increase administrative costs for both CDOT and contractors.  These costs are ultimately borne by taxpayers.

• Complexity and Bureaucracy: The bid process for CDOT projects is complex and bureaucratic, particularly for smaller contractors or businesses. Excessive paperwork, requirements, and regulations discourage many contractors from participating in bids, limiting competition and inflating the ultimate cost of projects that do get done.

• Inflexibility in Contract Terms: Many contractors have expressed concerns about the inflexibility of CDOT's contract terms, including payment schedules, change orders, and project timelines. Rigidity in contract terms lead to disputes and delays during project execution.  Again, this increases the cost of projects.

• Communication and Feedback: Contractors cite challenges in obtaining timely and meaningful feedback from CDOT regarding bid submissions and project proposals. Improved communication and transparency in the feedback process could enhance trust and collaboration between CDOT and contractors.

Addressing these issues will require CDOT to streamline and simplify its bid processes, enhance transparency and communication, and foster greater collaboration with stakeholders. By implementing reforms to improve efficiency, fairness, and accountability, CDOT can enhance the effectiveness of its construction bid processes and deliver better outcomes for Colorado's citizens.

Without any real assurance that our roads will improve, CDOT has requested a nearly 12% increase in spending authority in the upcoming year - an over $200 million increase. Efficient investment of these taxpayer dollars to improve our rural highways is imperative.  Legislative oversight of this executive department must be increased.  Citizens deserve roads they can travel safely. 

Colorado's controlling majority continues to trample parental rights, particularly in matters concerning education and healthcare.  Recent policies, such as comprehensive sex education, vaccination requirements, mental health surveys and treatment, and hiding a child’s gender confusion, infringe upon parental autonomy. Such policies undermine parental authority and involvement in their children's upbringing.  This must stop.  Unless judged unfit, the rights of parents to raise their own children must be protected – not undermined.   

As a parent of a young lady, I am appalled by the legislation that has been passed that allows schools to hide information about children from their parents.  Allowing children to opt in to survey's that parents have opted them out of, allowing schools to counsel 

Once elected, I will vigorously oppose any further erosion of parental rights and work to roll back the intrusion of the state into what are rightly family decisions. 

The controlling party works endlessly to eliminate the protections TABOR provides against unchecked growth of government.  TABOR was intended to limit government revenue growth to no more than the growth in population and inflation each year.  Not only fiscally wise, this limit on government power protects individual freedoms - for as government grows, individual freedom is lost.

Over the last two decades we have seen endless attacks on TABOR's limitations on government growth.  "Work arounds", like calling new taxes "fees", creating "enterprises" outside of TABOR caps, and multiple ballot measures that all ask for new programs and revenue have resulted in only roughly 20% of the states revenue being limited.  This was not what the people originally intended when TABOR was added to the state's constitution.  When first passed, over 80% of state revenues were capped.  We should strive to return to that ratio.

With a state budget that has ballooned from $30 billion to $38.1 billion (27%) over the past 5 years, and nothing has been cut.  New programs are added, existing programs become more expensive - and quality of services worsens.  We spend more.  Are our roads better?  Is crime reduced? Is education improving?  Is any service we receive from the state become measurably superior over the past five years?  The answer is a resounding, NO.

Colorado used to be better than this.  The legislature must increase its efforts to hold state agencies and offices accountable for their spending.  The intent of TABOR was to ensure disciplined spending.  Increases were only to be allowed if the voters approved.  Voter approval would be predicated by demonstrating the money the state already received was spent wisely.

Budget requests should be accompanied by justification for need, and plans to assess the success of the programs they fund.  No legislation should be considered that establishes new "enterprises" or allows collections of revenues over and above the TABOR limits.

TABOR surplus - taxes collected above the constitutional limit - should be immediately returned to taxpayers in the form of tax credits or refunds and tax rates should be lowered to prevent future over collection.  The current practice of over-collecting and then offering enticing new programs to be funded through misleading and deceitful measures referred by the legislature to the ballot must stop.

Our form of government is meant to serve the people, not rule them.  This simple maxim seems to have been forgotten.

As a County Commissioner, I led my colleagues in issuing Resolutions and Proclamations that:

• Declared Worship An Essential Public Function - Protecting Churches from State COVID Restrictions

• Established the County as a Second Amendment Sanctuary - Barring any use of Taxpayer Dollars to Enforce Red Flag Laws

• Proclaimed the County Government's Allegiance to the Constitutions of the the State & Nation

• Supported our Live Stock Producers - Asserted that Gathering for "Meat-In" Events are Protected Political Speech

• Resolved that Elbert County is not a Sanctuary County and urged Metro Governments to do the same

While the small examples of overreach are numerous, the states reaction to COVID-19 illustrates the harm that is done when a state government interferes with local control and individual freedoms.  Closing restaurants and churches, but leaving liquor stores and pot shops open.  Shutting schools but leaving Walmart to operate.  Ignoring local Boards of Health, and geographical differences.  Crazy decisions backed up with threats of government force.

In Kansas and Nebraska restaurants remained open, but counties bordering these states were forced to close businesses.  Customers simply drove to neighboring states to shop and dine.  No added protection was gained, but small businesses suffered.

In Elbert County, we lived as we generally always had.  Rural communities practice "social distancing" all the time.  "Fourteen people per square mile" was much more effective than "14 days" to stop the spread of illness.

Local governments are much more responsive to the needs of their people.  We declared worship and essential public function and let our churches serve their flocks.  We did this long before the Supreme Court told the state they had overstepped.  We worked with restaurants to keep them open when the state would have preferred they close.  As a result, only one small dining establishment failed in our county during COVID.  The same can't be said for other areas of the state.  Where some closed schools, we respected the decisions of local school boards to make the the decisions they were elected to do.  We provided information and helped where we could.  In person graduations shouldn't need state approval when the entire graduating class is 11 students and the ceremony is outdoors.  (By the way, state approval was never granted - local approval was - no one got sick and irreplacable memories were made)

Our citizens should not be coerced or threatened to accept a vaccination or treatment.   The list related to COVID could go on and on.  Suffice to say, government should leave individuals to make decisions.  Their choices will be what is best for themselves, their families, and the neighbors.  Government should focus on support not superiority.  Government draws its power for the consent, not coersion of the governed.

No legislation should be passed, or power granted to an executive agency, that limits a citizens rights to live as they desire so long as they are doing no harm to others.  Taking action for the "greater good" usually has harmful results and results in unequal treatment of individuals.

Recent history has shown that the controlling party is dead set on violating our constitutionally protected right to keep and bear arms.  Just last year a so called, "assault weapons" ban was defeated and the sponsors have once again introduced it.  Increases in age requirements, roadblocks to concealed carry permit renewal, bans on standard capacity magazines, arbitrary restrictions on where firearms may be carried,  attacks on manufacture and sale of entirely legal firearms and accessories, and a plethora of other infringements are pursued.

In the name of safety, the law-abiding are stripped of the means of self-defense, while law-breakers are given a free pass.  

The Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution clearly states that the right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.  This protected right ensures The People will never be subject to tyranny.  Additionally, Article II, Section 13 of the Colorado Constitution states that “the right of no person to keep and bear arms in defense of his home, person and property, or in aid of the civil power when thereto legally summoned, shall be called in question." 

Many legislators would do well to study these two statements in light of their Oath of Office.  No bill should be considered that violates the rights protected by these constitutions and any legislator that introduces such unconstitutional bills should be censured.

From the arbitrary closure of small businesses during COVID to the most recent attempt to cripple our state's Oil & Gas industry, Colorado is becoming very unfriendly to commerce.

Winners and losers are being chosen based on climate ideology and an obvious lack of understanding of basic economics.  Amid a housing shortage and soaring home prices, laws that punish landlords simply for being landlords are being pushed through by the current legislative majority straight to the Governor's desk.  While some decry the growth of urban "food deserts", cost and complexity are rising on those who produce, transport, and sell food.  Even as the results of bad policy become obvious, legislators that are more devoted to progressive myths than to their constituents press forward policies that will further hurt our state.  This must stop.

Oil & Gas, Coal, and Cattle, our traditional industries, should be flourishing.  Colorado should be celebrating the fact that our extraction industries are the cleanest producers in the world.  Our ranchers and farmers demonstrate their expertise in husbandry and soil health daily.  Yet, these true conservationists are increasingly burdened by over-regulation and shifting standards that make long range planning impossible.

Each legislative session brings with it fresh new horrors that are pushing investment to neighboring states.  Our state government should be setting the conditions that will lead to industry success, not throwing up ever more difficult barriers.

Business owners I have spoken with express worries about the increasing complexity of regulations, affordability of wages and benefits, and the high cost of living, particularly housing affordability for employees. In many cases, these issues influence businesses to halt thoughts of expanding operations in Colorado. Legislators must be more careful in considering the impact of any new regulation and prioritize regulatory certainty to support business growth.

Key concerns I have heard include recent wage transparency laws, paid leave regulations, retail delivery fees, seemingly random “climate-driven” restrictions on use or purchase of equipment, and recordkeeping requirements. I will continue to engage with business leaders to ensure a full understanding of the impacts of all new legislation targeting the broader business community.

The cumulative impact of legislation over the past several has had a truly negative effect on the state’s economy.  It’s time to repeal and amend damaging laws.  We must prioritize measures that allow businesses, and therefore families and communities, to thrive.

The lack of medical care and behavioral health capacity in rural eastern Colorado poses significant challenges for residents in accessing essential healthcare services. Low population densities and limited resources contribute to a shortage of healthcare providers and facilities serving the eastern plains. Consequently, our citizens often face long travel distances and wait times to receive medical treatment, exacerbating health disparities and compromising timely access to care. Furthermore, the shortage of behavioral health services compounds these challenges, leaving individuals with mental health conditions underserved and without adequate support systems. Addressing these issues requires support for healthcare infrastructure, workforce development initiatives, and telehealth solutions to improve access and quality of care in rural eastern Colorado. Collaborative efforts between policymakers, healthcare providers, and community stakeholders are crucial to effectively address the healthcare needs of our rural population. 

Agriculture is a $40 billion dollar industry in Colorado.  It is one of the top three economic drivers alongside Oil & Gas/Mineral Extraction and Tourism.  As such it should be respected, nurtured, and celebrated.  Unfortunately, over the past several years it has come under attack by our Governor and his legislative majority.

The urban-rural divide in Colorado is real and the gulf between those that work the land and those in the Denver/Bolder metro area keeps widening.  In his six years in office, the current Governor has repeatedly slapped the face of all Coloradans that make their living directly or indirectly in the livestock industry.  His declaration of a “Meat Out” day in 2021 was just an opening shot.  Urging a healthy diet is one thing, urging a meatless one is not.

Silence on the PAUSE Act (A livestock industry destroying ballot initiative), selecting animal rights activists for key positions on the state’s Veterinary Board, supporting the re-introduction of wolves, and signing labor rights bills that allow union organizers to access farmers and ranchers land without notice – to legally trespass.  These are but a few of the most egregious measures that have need inflicted on our agricultural communities.

With many legislators living within 10-15 miles of the I-25 corridor and only two who have active farms or ranches, it is imperative that our way of life be understood by those who make our laws.  As a commissioner of a county where steer greatly outnumber people and with experience with the issues facing our rural communities, I will work to educate those who don’t understand how their one-size-fits-all legislation not only rarely helps, but usually harms those that feed them.

Water  - both in sufficient quantities and acceptable quality are crucial for rural areas.  This is particularly true in high desert regions like Colorado where agriculture plays a significant role in the economy. Adequate water resources are essential for irrigation, livestock watering, and other agricultural activities that sustain rural livelihoods. Additionally, clean water is vital for human consumption, sanitation, and maintaining ecosystem health in rural communities.

Preventing "buy and dry" water speculation is essential for safeguarding water availability in rural areas.  This practice has severely impacted rural economies by reducing water availability for agricultural production, leading to decreased crop yields, loss of agricultural jobs, and diminished rural prosperity.

Colorado must continue to support robust water management strategies that prioritize sustainable water use and distribution. Water rights protections for agricultural users, implementing water conservation initiatives, and promoting collaborative water-sharing agreements between urban and rural stakeholders should be.

Furthermore, investing in water infrastructure projects can help improve water availability and quality in rural areas. This includes upgrading irrigation systems, constructing water storage facilities, and implementing watershed management programs to enhance water conservation and enhance water quality.  These are appropriate areas for state action – but action in cooperation with property owners, those who hold water rights, and local governments.

Ensuring water availability and quality in rural areas is not only essential for supporting agricultural livelihoods but also for maintaining the overall well-being and resilience of rural communities.  Our state’s water challenges cannot be ignored. 

Uncontrolled illegal immigration is having a significant negative impact on our state.  Legislation that barred local law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration authorities and several large metro area cities declaring “sanctuary” status have combined to draw an influx of illegal aliens to our state.  Draft the Resolution unanimously adopted on Feb 14, 2024 that formally established Elbert County as county that did not accept illegal aliens and would not provide sanctuary.

In 2017. Denver City Council passed an ordinance prohibiting city employees from collecting information on immigration or citizenship status, prohibiting the sharing of any other information about individuals for the purposes of immigration enforcement, and prohibiting the use of city resources for immigration enforcement.  The outcome of this policy – in January of this year, Denver counts the highest number of illegal aliens per capita of any large city in the nation, and the Mayor has declared that there now “a humanitarian crisis for the individuals that are arriving, and … a fiscal crisis for the cities that are serving [them].”   Recently, the Mayor announced cuts to citizen services to provide resources to those that crossed our nations unsecured southern border.

The problem is real.  The problem is big.  The potential for this influx to overwhelm the capacity of Denver and then negatively impact the citizens of House District 56 is clearly evident. Metro areas are clearly a draw to those arriving as they have services to provide and represent potential employment – legal or illicit.  If nothing changes, the densely populated areas of Adams, Arapahoe, and El Paso counties will face the same challenges as our capital city.  This will inevitably stress resources that now serve the rural parts of these counties.   Elbert, Lincoln, Kit Carson, and Cheyenne counties will no doubt suffer as well – especially if the state continues to treat the symptoms of illegal immigration vs. demand the federal government address the cause.

State statute must be amended to direct, not bar, the cooperation of state and local law enforcement agencies with federal immigration authorities.  Further, state funding for any local agencies that do not cooperate with federal agencies should be withheld.