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PUBLIC EDUCATION

Having been involved in improving schools in Jefferson County for over 20 years, I have seen firsthand how vital a good education is in shaping a child’s life. From kindergarten through college, Colorado’s children deserve the best possible foundation for their future.

Sadly, an excellent education isn’t available to all kids in our state as some neighborhood schools remain severely under-resourced. I am dedicated to addressing these educational disparities and ensuring that our K-12 schools have the funding they need to give students the tools to thrive. 

Beyond our K-12 schools, I am also committed to combating the skyrocketing costs of higher education. I believe that everyone should be able to go to college or trade school without having to incur mountains of debt. As your Representative, I am working to make college affordable for all, regardless of their socioeconomic background. Because future generations shouldn’t have to begin their life with crippling financial burdens. 

 
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ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY

37 years ago, my husband Mike and I moved to Colorado. As we experienced the breathtaking diversity of the state’s landscape, we came to realize we were staying. Over the decades, I have seen increasingly hot temperatures, worsening air quality, and shrinking ecosystems threaten this beautiful place we all call home.

I know man-made climate change is the most serious and impending crisis we face. With devastating wildfires and floods on the rise, it is clear that unless we take real steps to become a more sustainable society, our children could face unrecoverable consequences.

I am fighting against companies who seek to pollute our air, buy up our land, and contaminate our water just to line their own pockets. Our natural resources are precious and must be protected from those who want to exploit them for personal gain. That’s why I support tighter regulations and higher fines for bad actors that endanger the health of our communities.

I am also fighting to create a green economy that stimulates high-paying jobs in the renewable energy sector. Sustainability and economic growth are not at odds with one another, but rather inseparable partners if we hope for a prosperous future.

 
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HEALTH CARE

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, far too many Coloradans were facing unmanageable healthcare costs – leading people to face impossible choices between getting the care they need and providing for their families. Many Coloradans are underemployed or unemployed and don’t have access to health benefits. Additionally, families are living in fear that one bad health incident could lead them to financial ruin. 

I believe that Coloradans deserve access to quality affordable healthcare regardless of their employment status. 

I will fight to ensure that insurance and its benefits are more accessible and affordable, and that people with pre-existing conditions can not be denied coverage. 

With new, innovative solutions that prioritize people over profits, we can provide quality care to all Coloradans without forcing them to choose between their own health and bankrupting their family. While COVID-19 has laid bare the structural inequalities in our healthcare system, I believe that now is the time to work toward a fairer, more just system that gives everyone access to necessary care.

 
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EQUALITY

The unjust killings of George Floyd, Elijah McClain, Breonna Taylor, and countless other Black Americans at the hands of law enforcement, is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to systemic racism in this country. For centuries, the abuse of Black and Brown communities has been cultivated, protected, and at the same time, denied – making it dangerously difficult to achieve change. 

As a white woman, I know that I will never fully understand what it’s like to be Black or Brown in America, but I am committed to listening, learning, and standing in solidarity with community leaders fighting for racial justice. 

One of the most immediate ways I believe we can create a safer, more equitable society is to end racially-motivated police violence. So, during the 2020 Legislative Session, I co-sponsored SB20-217, the Enhance Law Enforcement Integrity Act, which holds police accountable when they use excessive force and combats abusive trends in law enforcement by permanently removing bad actors from the force.

While SB20-217 is an important first step, I realize that there is still mountains of work to do in eliminating institutionalized racism that has oppressed people of color for generations. As your Representative, I will continue to address the ways in which Black and Brown people have been mistreated by removing barriers to political participation, expanding economic opportunity, and exposing the implicit biases present in structures of power.

 
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CHILD CARE

Child care is critical to the well-being and success of Colorado families and children. However, it is often in a child’s earliest years that families have the least support and face the most hurdles to accessing care. Meanwhile, the pandemic has further exacerbated child care challenges by causing instability in staffing and enrollment, even forcing some programs to close altogether.

I believe we should increase accessibility and affordability of early childhood care, making sure every Colorado family has the opportunity to benefit from these critical services. With innovative thinking and creative solutions, we can deliver quality early childhood care that meets the needs of working families and provides the experiences that lay the foundation for children’s long-term success.