I’m proud to represent Senate District 18 and the community of Boulder as a bold, progressive voice at the Capitol. Over the past 3 years, I’ve focused most of my work around combating climate change, increasing access to our elections, ensuring equal rights for all Coloradans, and making higher education more affordable.
The economic, moral, and environmental ramifications of climate change are not just something we read about anymore–they’re now something we experience on an all-too-regular basis in Boulder County and throughout our state. Whether it’s a 100-year flood that leaves utter destruction in its wake, forest fires which threaten habitats and residents’ homes, the Pine Beetle epidemic, or a shortage of snowpack, climate change is a problem that requires aggressive intervention by our government to solve.
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I believe the fundamental building block of a strong economy and a vibrant democracy is our public education system. However, Colorado ranks right near the bottom in terms of level of investment in k-12 and higher education, and this must change.
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Higher education needs to not only be taken off the chopping block for budget cuts, but we need to double-down on the amount of public dollars available for further investment. If we continue to rely on only private dollars and repeated tuition increases, we’re only going to make higher education further and further out of reach from the average Coloradan. Runaway student loans with double-digit interest rates are not the answer and we need to make college more attainable for everyone.
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Access to quality healthcare is a fundamental human right. While 93.5% of Coloradans have health insurance, the problem is that coverage is simply too expensive for most families. We must address the existing coverage gaps across the state and examine methods to reduce costs.
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We’ve made huge strides in the past several years when it comes ensuring that every Coloradan is treated with dignity and respect, regardless of their gender, sexual orientation, race, or economic circumstance. However, discrimination is very much still a reality for many LGBTQ Coloradans and we need to be steadfast in supporting policies that create a more fair, just, and equal state for everyone.
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Although Colorado’s economy has been and continues to be performing better than most states across the country, it’s clear that it’s still not working for all of us. We need an economy that benefits not just the wealthy, but everyone.
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With our state’s population slated to double in the next 50 years, we need to be making forward looking investments in infrastructure and public transit.
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One would think we wouldn’t still be having the conversation about a woman’s access to birth control and the right to make decisions about what’s best for her health and family. But, we are. And with near abortion bans passing in states across the country, it is more critical than ever to have strong voices in the legislature ready to stop conservative politicians from getting in between decisions best left to a woman and her doctor. Further, we shouldn’t only be standing our ground, but also moving forward and expanding access to comprehensive birth control.
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Colorado has long been at the forefront of legalized and well regulated marijuana and hemp production. As your Senator, I am proud to have led the charge to ensure these important products remain a strong part of economy in a safe and healthy manner.
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In the wake of a seemingly endless number of mass shootings, particularly in our schools, we must take meaningful steps to keep our communities safe. We cannot continue forcing our students to be brave and protect themselves, rather we, as legislators, must pass common sense gun safety measures. I support safe storage laws to keep firearms out of the hands of children and unauthorized users. I also support implementing a 72-hour waiting period between when a gun is purchased and when it is received.
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There is no question that Colorado’s communities are better off because of contributions from immigrants. We must celebrate and embrace our diversity by standing strong to ensure everyone in Colorado feels safe and welcome here.
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With all the growth our state is seeing, especially along the Front Range, it is imperative that we are making investments in affordable housing so that long time residents can afford to live in the communities they call home. We must also strengthen the protections of renters in the face of predatory housing practices.
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