On The Issues
Colorado Workers and Economy
1
This year, Colorado raised the state minimum wage to $12/per hour. However, no more than $3.02/per hour in tip income may be used to offset the minimum wage of tipped employees. Do you support or oppose action changing how tip income is treated for minimum wage purposes and why?
Support
Comment: My parents owned a restaurant in Montana. I learned very quickly that relying on tips as a consistent source of income is dangerous. 3.5 million parents work as tipped employees, 1 million of those are single mothers. The unreliability of tips places many of these workers in poverty. We need to start demanding a livable wage for everyone, no matter where they work.
2
A 2018 NPR/Marist poll revealed 20 percent of all American workers are contract workers hired to work on a specific project or for a fixed period of time. Do you support or oppose action that would provide gig economy workers access in Colorado to unemployment benefits, workers compensation, etc., and why? Support
Comment: Every worker needs to access unemployment, workers comp, and other social safety net programs. We need to ensure that true contractors have a way to do this, but more importantly, we need to end the practice of mislabeling workers as contractors when they aren't.
3
This summer, Governor Polis signed into law a bill that prevents an employer from discriminating, retaliating, or taking adverse action against any worker who raises a concern about workplace health and safety practices or hazards related to a public health emergency. Do you support or oppose enacting similar legislation to protect whistleblowers who sound the alarm about waste, fraud, abuse, corruption, or dangers to public health and safety from employer retaliation? Support
Comment: If businesses are acting inappropriately, it is the duty of employees to bring this to light. If we want them to do this, we must give them protections.
Revenue/Taxes
4
The coronavirus pandemic has upended state budgets across the country, including Colorado’s. Do you support or oppose efforts to decouple state taxes from federal taxes and change how Colorado taxes corporations to responsibly raise revenue and why?Support
Comment: The Great Recession and the COVID pandemic has exposed how TABOR and Gallagher have failed our state. If we want to have schools, infrastructure, and social programs for our communities, we must change our system of taxation.
5
The Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR) prohibits Colorado from raising taxes without voters’ consent. TABOR also prohibits Colorado from establishing a rainy day fund to weather tough economic times. Colorado’s spending on essential services like education and transportation has lagged behind the state’s economic and population growth. Colorado ranks 47th in the nation in per pupil spending. The state also currently lacks funds to enforce labor and other laws in any meaningful way. Do you support or oppose efforts to revise or get rid of TABOR and why? Support
Comment: As stated above, TABOR has failed us, we can see it in every school or road we look at.
Quality and Affordable Healthcare
6
This year, lawmakers introduced legislation to create a public health insurance option for our state. Do you support or oppose creating a public option in Colorado and why? Support
Comment: Health care and health insurance is in crisis throughout our country. By creating a public option we can begin the process of helping those that can't afford health insurance, though much more needs to be done.
7
One 2018 survey of Colorado adults found that more than half (53%) reported being either “worried” or “very worried” about affording the cost of prescription drugs. Do you support or oppose policies that would make prescription drugs more affordable and why? Support
Comment: We should never ask people to choose between feeding their family or buying their medications.
Keep Communities Safe during the COVID-19 Pandemic
8
At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, some states and localities rushed to grant businesses immunity from civil lawsuits related to the coronavirus. Do you think businesses should be shielded from lawsuits related to COVID-19? Oppose
Comment: We have no obligation to protect businesses that act in an unsafe manner. If they ignore scientists and medical professionals they should have to pay for any injuries they cause.
Voting Access and Constitutional Reform
9
Do you think Colorado should take additional action to protect low-income and voters of color access to vote? Support
Comment:
10
In past years, legislators have introduced legislation calling for an Article V constitutional convention to address a number of reforms. Do you support or oppose legislation calling for an Article V constitutional convention? Support
Comment:
11
This year, lawmakers introduced legislation that would place for the first time campaign contribution limits on school board candidates. Do you support or oppose this legislation and why? Support
Comment: Money is the number one indicator of success in an election. This needs to end. We need to create a system where someone is elected because of their policies, not because their war chest is bigger.
