OUR Values

AFFORDABLE HOUSING

Housing is a human right. Coloradans across all income spectrums are experiencing our affordable housing crisis. In my time down at the Capitol, I have been laser focused on sustainable housing abundance, tenants’ rights, and solutions to address homelessness. I’ve sponsored legislation to reform local zoning codes through state preemption, working in tandem with housing partners on Transit Oriented Development, Middle housing, and small lot reform. I’ve sponsored legislation to regulate Parking Minimums and best practices on pricing parking, district sharing, and management. We pushed forward the conversation on Algorithmic Price setting and the cartel like behavior of the landlord lobby. I've ran bills that have allocated over $650 million in federal relief dollars to the construction and conversion of affordable housing units, the preservation of existing affordable housing, a $105 million grant program for local governments and nonprofits to tackle homelessness in their areas--including money for shelter space, transitional housing, permanent housing, mental and physical health services, training and employment centers, and outreach. I support stronger Warranty of Habitability Rights for Tenants and Mobile Home Parks. 

I’ve also served on the Affordable Housing Transformational Task Force. I advocate for well built, modern building & electric code compliant housing, mixed income and equitable climate mitigated communities. I support policy for a Public Housing and Land Bank, external and project revolving loan funds, paid for Inclusionary Zoning, Private Developer- Housing Authority Partnerships, and Community Land Trusts. Zoning liberalization by the state is a continuing project of my office. I support by-right ADU and middle housing property rights wherever residentially zoned, Mixed use neighborhoods, banning parking minimums for all real property, Single stair reform, and furthering the rights of community partners like our churches, synagogues, and mosques to build affordable supportive housing. We have a lot of further work to achieve to bring attainable housing options to all residents of Colorado. 

GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION

As a Nation, gun violence has been a horrific policy failure. Since coming into the legislature I have sponsored and helped pass multiple gun violence prevention bills including safe storage of firearms at home & vehicles, reporting lost and stolen guns, the repeal of state-level preemption of local gun laws, the creation of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention, the closing of the so-called “Boyfriend Loophole” and my bill, which closed the “Charleston Loophole” and expanded Colorado’s background check system to include violent misdemeanors. This past session I voted in support of every gun violence prevention bill, ran a bill on Firearms Liability Insurance Requirements, and will continue to advocate for the strongest and proven policies to limit accidents, senseless violence, and tragedies across our state. 

We must do more. I support a statewide and federal Assault Weapons Ban (see the chart below and note that we allowed the federal AWB to expire in 2005). Such a policy requires sustained and overwhelming Democratic majorities in the State House and specifically the Senate. I was happy to see the continued progress we had this session with the initial passage of the policy by the House. 

PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT AND PROMOTING ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Man made climate change is real and represents a threat to our national security and livelihoods. Clean air, water, and soil are essential for our economic survival and the well-being of our communities. I supported the passage and implementation of the Extended Producer Responsibility program and policies working to develop appropriate end markets and circularity. We must also fight to conserve our natural resources and resist the auctioning off of our public lands to the highest bidder. We respect scientists and support efforts to promote renewable energy, energy conservation, and the transition to a green energy grid. Sustainable growth & modernizing transportation systems should be done with an eye on reducing our costs and negative externalities, increasing density for public transit and walkability, conserving limited water resources, honoring intersectionality, preserving our parks and open spaces, and ensuring a just transition for impacted workers, families, and communities.  

While at the Capitol I have supported bans on single use plastic in grocery stores and restaurants, banning PFAs in consumer products, extending recycling and compost incentives to consumers and business, tax incentives for EVs, e-bikes, heat pumps, solar, wind, and other renewables, stricter Utility consumer protection policies, stronger oil and gas permitting & regulations, GHG reduction planning, air quality permitting & ozone monitoring, fees and fines on polluters, and increasing state funding for transit and active transportation. Land Use and energy efficiency through more dense communities and VMT reductions is a major component of my climate work. 

FIGHT FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION AND PUBLIC EDUCATORS

We recognize that strong public schools form the bedrock of our democracy and that a good education remains the best vehicle for upward mobility. We will fight for well-funded pre-K-12 public education that secures equity and the opportunity for all students to achieve their potential, compete in an increasingly global workforce, and participate in society as informed citizens. We support strong neighborhood schools and public-school teachers grounded in authentic community involvement and meaningful parent teacher engagement. We oppose vouchers, excessive testing, and the shuttering of schools to make room for charters. We will foster respect for teachers and support staff as professionals and expand their viability through better pay & benefits and a right to collectively bargain. I support the elimination of the Budget Stabilization factor indefinitely and the New Public School Finance Formula to benefit students of all needs & upbringings. 

The costs of day and childcare are all out of control. Fully funded pre-school is essential for ensuring all children have a strong start. In addition to curriculum enhancements designed to ensure that more graduates are ready for college, we also support the expansion of trades, vocational training, and apprenticeship programs paired with entrepreneurial courses. We seek increased funding for Colorado public colleges and universities on par with state flagship schools to broaden access to higher education across our state. I support free community college, funding increases to Higher education to limit student debt obligations, and expanding educational opportunities for at-need workforces. 

I support teacher & student safety, free school lunches, librarian & library funding, bussing, school counselors & aides, SAFE2TELL, clean air & facilities, and accountability.

REFORM OUR VOTING AND CAMPAIGN FINANCE LAWS

Campaign finance reform, including expanding publicly financed elections, is more necessary than ever. Just as important is that we fight back against the attempts to undermine our electoral system through false accusations of widespread voter fraud & conspiracy theories. We must continue to push for measures that make voting easy. We encourage laws that promote government of, by, and for the people and support participation by all citizens in local elections. We will continue to expand and improve our mail-in ballot system.

I’ve supported expanding voting rights in jails, increased best practices on election security and transparency, protecting elections administrators, expanding multilingual ballot access, and non-partisan economic,demographic notes, and greenhouse gas impact on ballot questions. I will continue to protect our democracy and call out malicious actors looking to subvert the will of the American people and the basis of our nation.