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: The minimum wage should apply to all employees in its entirety. Tipped workers should be entitled to receive the full $12.00/hour on top of the tips that they earn through their job performance, being a good worker shouldn't be deducted from your paycheck. Instead we should reward them for the demanding and often frustrating jobs that they work by giving them the full minimum wage plus whatever tips they earn.
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: Anyone in Colorado who loses their job through no fault of their own should have access to unemployment benefits. Especially in the midst of COVID we should support unemployment access for every worker in Colorado.
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: It's important that we foster a community throughout the state that encourages people to come forward with information that the public needs to know.
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: With the budgetary shortfall we're facing, any viable solution is on the table. I'd have to see the specific numbers on a bill like this one in order to make a final decision, though.
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: TABOR consistently leaves our state services woefully underfunded. As a former teacher I've seen firsthand what TABOR has done to our classrooms and it is unacceptable.
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: I think this would be a great step that would move us towards universal healthcare coverage while providing Coloradans with good, cheap options for their healthcare.
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: I'd wholeheartedly support lowering the cost of prescription drugs. I am a proud supporter of buying state drugs in bulk with other states so as to reduce the cost of prescription drugs for Coloradans. I will support any viable measure that further reduces that price for our citizens.
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: Businesses who operate negligently during a global pandemic shouldn't get a pass because of the public health crisis, if anything the punishments for acting negligently should be increased. In this vital time we cannot allow working class families to be taken advantage of by the few bad apples in the business industry. Colorado is blessed with businesses and employers who respect their employees and take good care of them but we must ensure that all of our businesses operate in that manner during these uncertain times.
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: Low-income voters and voters of color are the most often disenfranchised and must be protected. The right to vote is essential and fundamental to any working democracy and we should do everything we can to make sure voting is safe and easy for everyone.
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? Oppose
Comment: There are no hard and fast rules for representation at this convention and I worry that certain demographic groups would be underrepresented or not at all.
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: All campaigns should have contribution limits to keep special interests at bay. Especially when the race is to determine the future of our education system we should ensure campaigns are run on an even footing.
