Addressing the Issues

So Future Generations Can Have Theirs Too

Role of State Government

  • These services include public health, social services and critical safety net programs and public safety.   We will focus on the fair distribution of critical infrastructure improvements and modernization not just along the urban corridors of the front range but for all of Colorado.  We recognize that the best government is that which is closest to the people and will respect and support local control to include county and municipal governments. When facing challenges, we will listen to all viewpoints and will develop collaborative solutions that work for today and in a sustainable way for the future.  We will work for all Coloradoans and not be swayed by extreme views of any interest group or single issue.  We will provide clear, unambiguous leadership across all of our agencies and departments.  We will uphold the laws of Colorado and the United States and respect local government jurisdiction.

Equality of Colorado Residents

Public Safety and Crime

  • The focus of this administration will be on the safety of our residents and not on policies which excuse criminal behavior or “de-criminalize” crime.  Illegal drug use, illegal immigration, human trafficking and violent crimes including murder and rape must no longer be tolerated.  Our goal will be to take Colorado from the 3rd most dangerous state in the country to the safest state.  We will work with our federal and local law enforcement agencies and reinstate the rule of law.

Housing

  • The price of building materials, land, interest rates and tariffs all play a role in affordability and the state has little to no control in that regard.   Where the state can play a role is in the commonsense application of building, energy, and WUI codes. Current mandates and overreach by our legislature have resulted in the current non-affordability of housing in Colorado.   Local governments have already streamlined processes including zoning and public processes and the state must re-examine its roll in having caused the current situation.   After that is accomplished, market forces will come into play.   We are already beginning to see a movement by some to leave the state.  The role of government should not be to encourage or discourage people to move to our state – it should be to care for those who chose to live here by providing the essential services and public safety that makes Colorado a desirable place to live.

Homeowner Insurance Crisis

  • In rural Colorado thousands of our residents have lost fire insurance and are now living with great risk and uncertainty and hundreds are receiving cancellation notices or dramatic rate increases daily. Along the front range, in places like Arvada, insurance challenges have tripled in the past 5 years. This is a statewide problem. Unless this crisis is addressed soon Coloradans will face the same outcome and heartbreak as those living in Los Angeles in the aftermath of our next fire. I will address insurance shortfalls and this crisis immediately by forming a task force to review the conditions and situation in each of our 64 counties. We will review our current legislation, which is woefully inadequate, and work with a new insurance commissioner and members of the legislature to protect our homeowners, in particular those on fixed incomes. There is a complete lack of understanding currently on what is rural, what is wildland urban interface, the capabilities of our volunteer fire fighting organizations and a host of other factors that need to be examined. Residents losing insurance due to the failure of Colorado to recognize this crisis is unacceptable. This will be one of my top priorities

Water

  • Colorado is a member of the 1922 Colorado River Compact.  Failure to address this immediately and effectively will have an impact on our ability to control our own future if the Federal Government has to step in.   Unregulated growth in Colorado must be changed into smart growth.  The availability of water and the ability to process wastewater and the potential threat to our ranching and agricultural communities must be considered prior to any additional growth.   Unfettered growth has had negative consequences for Colorado to include a housing shortage and has strained state provided resources and programs as a result of the explosive growth and is unsustainable.

Energy Policy

  • Wind, Solar and Geothermal are providing a critical component of our energy needs but cannot in of themselves sustain the growing need of Colorado and other energy grid beneficiaries.   Oil, Gas and other fossil fuels need to be sustained along with clean energy systems in the foreseeable future.  Modern modular nuclear power holds considerable promise for Colorado and must be integrated if we are to sustain our current level of use on the grid and in the future.

Education

  • While there are shining examples of success, many rural and inner-city districts need additional resources in order to realize their full potential.   Early childhood education has not been a priority and due to the rising costs of programs and the low rate of pay of teachers needs immediate attention.   Both trades and traditional college programs should receive equal grant funding and opportunities.

Urban-Rural Divide

  • The rural-urban divide is real in Colorado.  Our administration will recognize and fully support the needs of all 64 counties and will maintain awareness of the top needs of each county through DOLA oversight, being briefed on a quarterly basis.   This support will be fair and tailored regardless of political affiliation.

Budget Deficits

  • Critical essential services such as law enforcement, firefighting, road and infrastructure, public health and social services must take priority over partisan or extreme programs with little actual benefit to the public at large.

Law Enforcement

  • This has been caused by the focus on criminals rather than a focus on law abiding residents in our state.  Our administration will change this focus, honoring those that protect us all by letting them do their jobs and reverse statues and policies do not support this end state.

Immigration

  • Sanctuary policies will not be allowed.   Legal immigrants and cooperation with legal immigration systems and policies developed by the federal government will be welcomed and policies complied with.

Unfunded Mandates

  • Producing bills with no ability to execute them invariably hurt local and municipal governments and make them unable to comply with the statute, policy or law.

Veterans

  • Our veterans serve at every level of our government, are often leaders in their communities and have a special role to play in our state as examples and along with our military bases have a huge economic impact.   We will do all we can to support them.

Wildlife Management

  • We are against “ballot box biology” and would seek a constitutional amendment to end that practice.

Forest Health, Fire Safety, Mitigation, Wildlife Urban Interface (WUI)

  • Our forests are in benign neglect and pose a serious fire hazard to our residents and communities without a reprioritization of resources and effective relationship rebuilding and agreements with our federal partners.   Only by grouping limited resources at the federal and state level will we be able to keep Colorado safe and our forests healthy.  We will build sawmills in critical locations on state land immediately to remove both low-grade slash for mitigation and to scientifically harvest high quality timber.

If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.

-John Quincy Adams