State & Local Issues

We are now less than a month away from the 2008 legislative session and House Republicans are once again committed to working diligently to protect Colorado’s economy, our children and our future.
We have heard plenty of promises and have had plenty of time to study: It is time for real solutions.  The following is just a brief look at how we intend to better our state. Some of our first goals involve our youngest residents.

Republicans are proposing higher standards, more options for parents and students, and improvements to make our schools safer.

You’ll see proposals from us this year to create a statewide standard for math and science, to require high school students to pass a proficiency exam to graduate, and to require students to demonstrate proficiency in English to graduate.

These proposals would mean significant reform for our public education system, but they improve upon a system we all support.

We also need to make sure our students can continue their education.  House Republicans will introduce proposals to give taxpayers the assurance their higher education dollars are being put to good use.

Other proposals would dedicate a portion of the proceeds from responsible development of Colorado’s natural resources toward higher education, and make the cost of a college degree more predictable.

We would also like to make transportation funding more predictable. A healthy transportation system is vital to a strong economy, a strong business community and a high quality of life. Our system needs some attention.

A proposal by Rep. Glenn Vaad would ask the Colorado Department of Transportation to re-evaluate our state highway system and make sure that local streets are funded at the local level.

Our highway system has developed in such a way that people on the Western Slope pay for streets in Denver. Let’s keep logical ties between the spenders and their projects.

Ties are also important when it comes to our community. You will see a bill that would check the immigration status of all detainees during the booking process. Another bill would deny bail to illegal immigrants with a history of felonies or driving under the influence.

One of the great rights of our citizens is the right to vote.  Reps. Ken Summers and Frank McNulty will write bills to keep that right exclusive by making sure only United States citizens can cast votes in our state.  To deny that standard is unfair.

We also want fair handling of the world around us.  While some special interest groups would like to see budget-breaking handouts, we want real solutions.

Through our proposals, we will empower businesses and citizens. We will remove red tape and offer incentives to promote responsible environmental stewardship.

Reps. White and Lundberg will wage war on the Mountain Pine Beetle through a multi-pronged approach that will mitigate the damage already done to Colorado’s forests.

And we can’t forget to safeguard our physical well being.  Our health care system is far from perfect, but it is still the best in the world. We cannot, and should not, hand that system over to an inefficient and unsympathetic government agency.

Our proposals focus on wellness, prevention and affordability by decreasing government interference.

A bill by Rep. Swalm will give Coloradans an option so they can afford to get the coverage they need.

Our proposals would help address some of the pressing challenges we face in Colorado, without increasing the cost to taxpayers, and without harming the majority of Coloradans who currently have access to quality health care.

We must also protect the wallets of Colorado.  Last year’s property tax increase hit seniors and businesses the hardest. We saw many bills that increased fees, imposed regulation and favored well-funded special interest groups like labor unions.

This type of governance is unacceptable – the people of Colorado deserve better.

Placing unions between the taxpayer and those in public service is an injustice to both groups.  They should never be able to be blackmailed or held hostage through a strike.  People depend on the services provided through their tax dollars and the state.

There is much for us to do this year and many challenges ahead that we must rise to meet. Coloradans deserve a government that is prepared to meet these challenges head on. We are gearing up for a very busy session. I am hopeful that we can accomplish meaningful legislation this year and ensure that we are meeting these challenges.