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: Both businesses that employ tip workers and tip workers have been negatively impacted by the pandemic. This question is unclear about what proposed legislation would be. It is important to recognize that the restaurant industry has been especially hard hit by the pandemic. With narrow margins, many restaurants haven’t reopened, have closed, or may close. I wouldn’t support a long- term change in the law requiring tip workers to increase their tip contribution amount to meet minimum wage status. Also, I think that a one size fits all approach to this is difficult. Tip workers’ wages vary widely as does the income of restaurants. Tip workers shouldn’t be penalized because of the pandemic.
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: I totally support providing gig economy workers access in Colorado to unemployment benefits, workers compensation, and other benefits. During the pandemic, this group of workers was the largest group of constituents that reached out to me looking for supports. As this sector of employment grows, it is important that these workers have access to the benefits they need as part of their employment otherwise employers will continue to expand this sector of employment without providing needed benefits and protections.
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 is essential that major corporate polluters be uncovered and whistleblowers should be protected from retaliation. Employees need to be able to report what they know without retaliation.
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: We will face a second year of significantly reduced state revenues and overwhelming budget balancing challenges due to the pandemic’s effect on the economy and the ongoing impact of TABOR. We should decouple state taxes from federal taxes since recent federal tax changes benefited the wealthiest. As we have seen for the most part the wealthiest citizens have grown in wealth during this pandemic. The federal tax changes didn’t benefit the middle class either, they received no benefit, minimal benefit, or increased taxes. Additional revenues should come from large corporations not working individuals and small businesses.
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: I support efforts to eliminate or revise TABOR. We are the only state with such a law, other states considered implementing a similar law and saw its negative effects and didn’t move forward. We have seen the devastating effects TABOR has had on our budget, leaving us without a measurable rainy- day fund for this pandemic and leaving us in a much more difficult position to meet the educational, transportation, and human service needs of the citizens of our state.
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 support the introduction of a public health insurance option if it can be structured to be fiscally responsible during these especially difficult budgetary times. I especially support this, if the ACA is not supported by the Supreme Court. I believe all Colorado citizens should have access to health care and insurance is currently key to accessing health care.
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: Access to affordable prescriptions is part of access to health care which I believe all citizens should be able to obtain. If you can’t afford your heart medicine, insulin, anti-seizure medicine, psychotropics, etc. you aren’t really getting health care. There have been steps taken to achieve more affordable prescriptions in Colorado, but the work isn’t done.
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: I think it is important to protect workers in a way that doesn’t subject small businesses to unsupported lawsuits.
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: Since the 2013 law which established that all registered voters in Colorado would receive a ballot at their home, voter suppression has decreased. This bill has gone a long way to stave off voter suppression, but there are still issues for low-income families and voters of color. Such as their ability to change their voter registration and ensuring that voting centers are accessible and in areas that are perceived as safe.
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? Comment: At this time, I don’t support an Article V constitutional convention, the state has a very full plate addressing the pandemic and the resulting budget shortfalls. In the future, with the right agenda, I would consider this option.
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: Recently significant outside money has been contributed to several school board elections. School board elections should be local and not unduly influenced by the ability of certain supporters to apply large dollar amounts to influence the outcome. At a very grass root level, this leaves low-income families with less ability to influence the election.
