Rachel Zenzinger

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?
Oppose
Comment: I agree that we need to address the wages of tipped employees, but I have not yet seen a proposal that has earned bipartisan support yet, so I believe we have some work to do in order to find a compromise.
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:
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:

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:
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:

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: Although, I was not supportive of the 2020 bill that would have created a public option. I did support the bill that created the task force to study the issue and make recommendations, and I do support the concept of a public option, but there were several policy issues in the bill that I did not support. I am hopeful that we can work through some of those concerns so that we can provide more affordable healthcare for people without health insurance or for those who are under-insured.
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:

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?
Support
Comment: I don't support a full business immunity shield law, but I do support what other states have adopted, which is a narrowing of the liability. But I also don't feel that businesses who are not in compliance with public health orders should be allowed to open and if there are any businesses that are found to be in gross violation of public health standards/orders, then they need to be held accountable.

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?
Oppose
Comment: As it stands now, no one has been able to clarify for me whether or not the convention would be limited in scope or confined to the parameters of what the convention was called for, and therefore I cannot support it. However, if someone could demonstrate to me that the convention would indeed be limited in scope to the identified area, then, depending on the area, I would be open to it.
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:
Rachel Zenzinger
Running For: Colorado State Senate District 19
Affiliation: Democrat
Why are you running for this public office?: I am seeking re-election because of my strong commitment to public service. I have a proven record of achieving real results for my community over the last four years, and I'd like to continue delivering on those results for the next four. The last two years, in particular, I have served as a member of the Joint Budget Committee, and in this last session I helped balance the state budget in the midst of a pandemic. Currently, we are facing extremely difficult challenges due to the Coronavirus. I believe I have the right skill set to continue working in a bipartisan and collaborative way to meet those challenges head on, and to continue providing good representation at the Capitol.
Other information

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