"We the people"

newsletter

-Election Edition - 

 FROM YOUR 

ARAPAHOE COUNTY REPUBLICANS

Issue VII

October, 2022

 

 

Welcome to the Election Edition of our Newsletter

 

We are at the precipice.

Things are spinning out of control nationally and in Colorado. The trends are growing and becoming more extreme. The Democrats who control our federal and Colorado state governments have led us to this point.

 

Here in Colorado, raging inflation (we are the second highest in the nation) is eroding our spending power. Unprecedented crime waves have spread across our state. Colorado is number one in the nation in auto theft, number two in rising fentanyl death rates, number three in overall crime rate growth and number four in repeat crimes by the same criminals. And it's right here in Arapahoe county - read Next Door to get a glimpse of crime in your neighborhood. Gas prices are skyrocketing and we can only imagine how winter heating costs will soar. Our schools are failing as documented by plummeting core competency rates. Our state legislature is set on abolishing Tabor, raising taxes, imposing new fees and continually enacting legislation which further erodes our way of life. And this is only a short list of the damage the Democrats have imposed on us.

 

These trends can't continue.

Now is the time for change. Now we have the opportunity. Now we have the remedy. Now we have strong local, state and national Republican candidates who will work to turn this dangerous decline around. Now is the election!

 

In this issue, your candidates tell us what their first order of business will be after they are elected and what their top priorities are. We also give you the tools to become a Poll Watcher. We offer resources to make voting decisions on the Ballot Issues. Our state GOP chair informs us about Colorado's corrupt Secretary of State again putting her fingers on the scale of election fairness on behalf of her party.

 

This is the most important election in our lifetimes.

Because of all that is going wrong under Democrat leadership, or lack thereof, this may be the most important election in our lifetimes. We must dethrone Polis and the Dems in our communities, at the state level and in the US House and Senate.

 

We simply have to win or what is already bad will get much, much worse.

 

ELECTIONS MATTER!

 

This election will set the future course for Colorado...and for our nation!

 

CONTINUED DESTRUCTION?

OR

BEGIN RESTORATION?

 

It is up to you and those you can influence. Period.

 

Anne

Anne Rowland

Vice Chair

Arapahoe County Republican Party

     IN THIS ISSUE     

 

  • Message from the Colorado State GOP Chair 

  • Become a Poll Watcher - It's Quick and Easy

  • Guide to Ballot Issues

  • Our Candidates' Top Priorities - See Them Here

  • Betrayal - How Jarod Polis Betrayed Coloradans

  • "Connect - Engage - Strengthen" Our Website Supports You

 

   IN UPCOMING ISSUES   

 

  • Winners and Losers

  • The Candidate Connection - After the Election

     

 Message from the Colorado GOP Chair

- Kristy Burton Brown -

Partisan Hack Jena Griswold Continues to FAIL Coloradans

Sends 30,000 Non-citizens Letter to Register to Vote?!!

 The incompetence of Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold seems to have no bounds. It was recently revealed by Colorado Public Radio that the Secretary of State’s office sent voter registration notices to 30,000 residents who are not citizens.

 

If this sounds familiar it’s because something similar happened under Jena Griswold’s failed leadership coincidentally, right before our last election.

 

In 2020, Griswold’s office was called out by then Colorado GOP Chairman Ken Buck for sending taxpayer funded postcards to dead people and non-citizens encouraging them to register to vote so they can cast ballots.

 

It seems that Jena has once again become too focused on spending taxpayer dollars to boost her campaign instead of doing her job and overseeing her office so that these types of errors don’t happen.

 

This time, Griswold's mistake resulted in her office mailing 30,000 postcards to non-citizens living in Colorado “notifying them on how they could register to vote.”

OOPSY...

Jena Griswold, Colorado's Secretary of State

Griswold erroneously just sent “Register to Vote” reminders to 30,000 non-citizens in Colorado who by law are ineligible to vote.

 

There could’ve been legal repercussions for those non-citizens who received the postcard from Griswold, trusted her advice and tried to register to vote. They would’ve been legally liable, not Griswold. That’s concerning.

 

Jena’s continued malfeasance and oddly timed ‘errors’ undermine the trust in our system and create more problems for our hardworking county clerks.

 

Jena Griswold continues to make easily avoidable errors just before ballots go out. She has spent four years serving as a taxpayer-funded partisan hack and MSNBC analyst instead of serving as a fair, unbiased Secretary of State.

 

In a few days, Coloradans are going to elect Pam Anderson — a serious, competent, respected, and professional leader as Secretary of State.

 

Let's Win!

 

Now is the time to unite behind our candidates and win in November. Please don’t forget our most important issues; crime, education and affordability.

 

Thanks everyone!

 

Kristy

Kristy Burton Brown, Chair

Colorado State Republican Party

 

Click Here to Go To Our Website To Become A Poll Watcher

The Ballot Issues

Perspectives and Recommendations

Here are two Republican perspectives on the 2022 Ballot Issues

Click on these links to see the full list on each of the websites.

We hope this is helpful!

Colorado State GOP

The Independence Institute

“Those who vote decide nothing, those who count the vote decide everything.”

- Joseph Stalin, 1922

 

"It's no longer about who gets to vote...it's about who gets to count the vote."

- Joseph Biden, 2022

YOUR CANDIDATES' PRIORITIES

We asked all Arapahoe County-related Candidates, to tell us;

1. If Elected What will be your first official action in office

2. What are your top 3 priorities to accomplish in your first year  

Here are the candidate responses addressing our questions.

JOE O'DEA - US Senate

 

My First Order of Business When I Take Office

 

Our country and state are headed in the wrong direction. When I’m meeting with families in Arapahoe County I hear story after story about people worried about the cost of groceries, heating bills, and falling behind. Working families are getting squeezed. Earlier this summer, we saw jaw-dropping prices at the pump. This fall, parents were stuck between paying for school supplies or paying for food and rent. Joe Biden’s reckless spending has hurt our economy. Inflation is near a 40-year high. 

 

Despite warnings from economists that Biden’s spending proposals would worsen the inflation crisis, in March of 2021 one party in Congress went ahead and voted to pump $1.9 trillion additional dollars into the economy. Rather than prioritizing the needs of Coloradans, Washington put partisan interests ahead of working people.  

 

As a result, Colorado is tied for having the highest inflation rate in the country. The Denver-metro area is one of the most expensive areas for renters in the entire country. Grocery prices are up over 13%. Rent is up over 6%. Electricity is up almost 16%, the largest increase since 1981. Meanwhile, the Fed hiked interest rates for the fifth time this year to fight inflation, as more jobs and buying power are lost. 

 

The first thing we must do to address this crisis is stop the reckless spending. We need to shrink the size of the federal bureaucracy and lower the deficit. The American people have watched in disgust while both parties have run up the debt over the last 25 years, and it’s time for change.

 

The Three Most Important Things I Will Accomplish in My First Year

 

The three most important issues I will address in my first year in addition to spending and inflation are; energy independence, crime, and the deadly fentanyl crisis at the southern border. 

 

1. We must establish American energy dominance to fight this inflation crisis. Higher energy prices are the primary driver of inflation, making food, gas, and manufacturing more expensive. 

 

We need a government-wide focus that embraces American energy production of all kinds — wind, solar, nuclear, natural gas, and oil. This allows us to leverage innovation to continue to drive down emissions to address climate change. At the same time our oil and gas is produced with tougher, smarter regulations than anywhere else in the world. Flooding global markets with clean, American natural gas can bring down emissions worldwide and help struggling families. 

 

2. Coloradans are reeling from crime in our communities and the humanitarian crisis at our southern border. Colorado leads the nation in car thefts, small businesses are concerned about rising crime, and too many Coloradans don’t feel safe in their own homes anymore. This is unacceptable. I support our law enforcement heroes because Coloradans deserve to live in safe communities. 

 

3. Along with rising crime, our communities are afflicted by the fentanyl crisis — a national crisis. Nearly 2000 Coloradans lost their lives to drug overdose in 2021. This poison comes across our border, right up I-25 and gets distributed to the rest of the country. If we want to get serious about fighting this crisis, we must secure the border. When I’m in the Senate, I’ll fight for legislation that secures our border and addresses our broken immigration system. 

STEVE MONAHAN - US House of Representatives

 

My first action after being elected:

 

I will be to hire a proactive, dedicated, and connected staff that is ready to work hard and be involved in the community on day one. Back home, I want my district staff to be at events, accessible, and communicating what is happening in our district back to myself and my DC staff. There are so many things that Congressional staff can be helpful with from passports to tax returns, and I want my caseworkers to be finding solutions, not excuses.

The same goes for DC staff. I will hire DC staff who are experts in their respective field with an attitude of service to our district and our country. I want to be sure that a culture of communication and teamwork between district and DC staff and that we are able to not only get things done, but also communicate them to our constituents.

 

Within my first year in office:

 

1. I want to pass an actual budget – not just a continuing resolution, secure the border, and pass legislation to enshrine Title IX protections to women and girls. Within this budget, there are obviously programs that we need to continue funding – this is called mandatory spending. I would hope we could find common ground and solutions to fund the remaining programs in a bipartisan manner. That being said, I believe the spending of the U.S. Government needs some serious checks because the monstrous spending over the last few years has given way to the inflation we see today.

 

2. One of the main things I hear on the campaign trail is we just need to secure the border. It is unfathomable that we are sitting by while these atrocities occur to women and children at our border in the name of humanitarianism and welcoming immigrants. I want to welcome immigrants, but having a system in place to receive them and make sure they are taken care of is the much more humanitarian way to do it – not just allowing free flows of migrants with no order.

 

3. I want to pass legislation that would instruct the Department of Education to administer Title IX in sports with respect to biological sex so we can protect the next generation of females and their opportunities to compete in fair and safe sports. The lunacy on the left cannot take away sports from girls and women. There is a biological difference between men and women and we must protect that within sports for fairness, safety, and prosperity of girls everywhere.

 HEIDI GANAHL - Governor of Colorado

(Priorities listed on his website)

 

Colorado is at a crossroads. The problems we are facing are not insurmountable.

 

The solution lies in who we pick to lead our state back to the Colorado Way of Life we all know, love, and need.

 

Since I launched my bid for governor, my message has been clear - we must:

1) lower our cost of living, 2) lower crime rates, 3) address the nonsense being taught in schools, 4) deal with our mental health crisis, and 5) respect rural Colorado.

 

1. Lower our Cost of Living. Colorado's inflation rate is 9.1 percent, above the national average. Polis’ liberal tax and spend policies are fueling that inflation, which is costing each of us $8,700 a year. In the last 10 years, under Democratic governors, the size of our government has doubled. Polis has added 83 new taxes. He just signed a record $36 billion budget that created two new state agencies and added 12 hundred government jobs.

 

As governor, I will be a fierce defender of your tax dollars. I led the battle to protect TABOR by chairing No on Proposition CC.  I am a fiscal hawk.  I know how to manage large budgets. I built a $100 million brand from scratch, and created thousands of jobs as the founder of Camp Bow Wow. I will bring us to zero percent income tax, cut the gas tax in half and still fix the roads, and shrink the size of our government by 10% each year I’m in office.

 

2. In 2019, Colorado's violent crime rate rose by nearly double the national rate. We now have the worst rate of car theft in the nation and property crime and assault are not far behind. I will be a law and order governor by getting our law enforcement the training and resources they need, returning to truth in sentencing, ridding our parole board of those who put criminals before victims and personal recognizance bonds

 

3. I'm a Mom on a Mission. Education and protecting our kids is a top priority. I have taken the fight for Colorado Freedom to the most liberal place in Colorado - CU. As Regent, I have passed free-speech legislation, gotten rid of safe spaces on campuses, fought to keep tuition flat, and put civics back into the curriculum.

 

I will use the same passion and dedication to fix our K-12 education system. As a parent, I was a founding member of two charter schools.  And, when my own elementary school kids were learing sex education I was uncomfortable with, I tried to start another charter school. Unfortunately, Jared Polis and his liberal friends blocked my kids and the 700 others that had signed up for this school.

 

We need true school choice to ensure that 60 percent of our kids are no longer reading below grade level. If we fund the student, not the system, parents will have the choice to find a better solution because each child learns differently. We need transparency in the curriculum that allows parents to know how and what their children are learning.

 

4. And when it comes to rural Colorado, we need to give them a voice. We need to get our energy workers back to work, fight for our water, and get rid of all the extremists Polis has placed on the boards that oversee ag and ranching issues.

 

My conservative credentials are clear. I am pro-life. I believe in the First Amendment, Second Amendment, state's rights, free markets and the rule of law. As governor, I will trust the people and follow the Constitution and the only thing I will mandate is freedom.

 

At the end of the day, it’s about electibilty. I am a lifelong Republican, but my message resonates with the 44% of Undecideds living in our state. We must unite as a state to access the Colorado Freedom we all want. I can and will unite Colorado.

 

I can and will defeat Jared Polis. I’ve won against far-left Democrats. I’m ready to do it again right now. Let's do this together!

PAM ANDERSON - Colorado Secretary of State

(Priorities listed on his website)

 

I have concrete plans when elected Colorado Secretary of State to solve problems and restore excellence for Coloradans.

 

My opponent is far more concerned with politics and advancing her own career, rather than doing what is best for all Colorado citizens. I want to be Secretary of State because I understand how important this office is to Colorado citizens. This office is not a steppingstone for me, it is a destination. I will take this role seriously. I will work each day to advance Colorado, not myself.

 

The following are just some of the priorities I will immediately set on taking office:

 

1. Assess the department and align the agency with the goal and mission to stabilize service and support Coloradans in their day-to-day interactions with the Department of State.

 

2. Recruit and retain a collaborative team to enable excellence, efficiency, and innovation in business, commerce, and elections.

 

3. Invest scarce resources where the citizens demand dictates, not to advance my political profile.

 

4. Foster an inclusive and intelligent culture of leadership and decision making by embracing the ideas and work of dedicated and mission-driven public servants within the office and industry stakeholders from outside the office.

 

5. Never require a political appointee to sign a non-disclosure agreement upon leaving the office.

 

6. Increase the state reimbursement to counties to fully fund the federal and state elections

 

7. Require that no less than 75% of federal grants funds are fairly allocated to impact direct operations for the counties

 

8. Improve operational quality assurance processes to improve voter list maintenance, signature verification, data input, transparency, and customer service.

 

I will create a Professional Code of Conduct for the SOS to regain Public Trust and I will rebuild the Leadership, Organization, and Management of the Office to better serve the people of Colorado.

JOHN KELLNER - Colorado Attorney General

(Priorities listed on his website)

 

These are my priorities after taking office:

 

1. FIGHTING COLORADO’S CRIME WAVE

Colorado’s violent crime rate is at a 25 year high. And at roughly 50%, Colorado’s prison recidivism rates are some of the worst in the country. As our Attorney General, John will work to establish tougher penalties for repeat offenders and keep violent criminals behind bars where they belong.

 

2. STANDING UP FOR COLORADO’S CITIZENS

John will not stand by as our families are endangered. He will ensure victims and law-abiding citizens are prioritized over offenders.

With deadly fentanyl flowing across the southern border unchecked, Colorado’s next Attorney General must be willing to take the fight to the federal government, regardless of which political party is in power.

 

3. SUPPORTING THE POLICE

Colorado’s law enforcement put their lives on the line to protect us every day and they deserve to know we support them. We should be funding and supporting the best possible training for our police, rather than demoralizing and delegitimizing them. As a career prosecutor John has built strong relationships with countless police officers, sheriffs, and troopers to promote safer streets and communities.

 

4. HELPING COLORADO RECOVER

At the height of the pandemic, Colorado paid out $100 million in fraudulent unemployment claims. Now, Colorado’s hard workers face a hit to their paycheck to replenish the unemployment fund. And with crime at historic rates, Colorado has plummeted from 11th to 29th in “business friendliness.” I will always fight to hold the scammers and fraudsters who prey on Coloradans accountable.

TOM KIM - Colorado State Senate

District 27

 

My first actions in office:

 

Working in our State Senate is a team-effort, but I think the Republican team (and soon to be majority party in the Senate!) will support my interest in reversing excessive fees, taxes and regulations that are a major component in inflation.  I think one area to focus on is the reversal of SB21-260, called the “Sustainability of the Transportation System” bill.  This bill focused on improving Colorado’s transportation network but proposed to fund the improvements with five enterprises which receives funding through fees, not taxes, likely in violation of TABOR.  What happened was legislative sleight of hand.  My belief is that if the initiative is worthwhile enough, our legislature should be able to agree and then submit the proposal to a vote of the citizens of Colorado, in compliance with TABOR.

 

My top priorities:

 

1.  I will work with my Senate colleagues to reduce State Government interference with free enterprise, prioritize public safety and improve our public school system by enhancing school choice and parental involvement in their children’s education. 

 

2. I would ask that the State Legislature send a firm message supporting law enforcement in Colorado.  I believe that incidences of police misconduct are the exception, not the rule.  But, in the wake of the sickening and very graphic examples of police misconduct, the Democrat majority in the Colorado legislature created an unfortunate presumption that misconduct is the rule, not the exception.  In the aftermath of these legislative efforts, we’ve witnessed wide-spread efforts to defund police departments, launch broad-based disciplinary investigations and unfounded public mistrust in all law enforcement agencies.  Predictably, this has led to an abnormally high rate of early retirements and departures and an abnormally low rate of hiring.  Consequently, our law enforcement departments are understaffed.  We must address this immediately. 

 

3. I would also ask that the State Legislature send a firm message in support of public-school choice and reforms aimed at increasing opportunities for competitive public schools.  Our State public school system includes mechanisms for competitive public schools to form – most often referred to as charter schools.  By state law, exclusive charter authority is held in the school districts themselves, with one recognized alternative, the Charter School Institute.  CSI is the only statewide charter authorizer in Colorado.  In 2015, I had the opportunity to work for a CSI authorized school which was failing (and ultimately failed). 

 

I learned firsthand that charter schools do not automatically succeed - it takes smart and dedicated leaders (just as all businesses do) to succeed.  If district public schools were subjected to the type of scrutiny that charter schools are, I believe that many of them would be given a failing grade and would be subject to special oversight.  But they are insulated from this type of scrutiny. 

 

Authorizing more properly established and managed charter schools is the only way to return our public school system to excellence.

LANG SIAS - Colorado State Treasurer

(Priorities listed on his website)

 

I believe that State and Federal policies are stoking inflation and making Colorado increasingly unaffordable. Spending is at unprecedented levels, and we are not paying enough attention to what we are getting for our money.

 

I will:

  • Protect Taxpayers

  • Fight Inflation

  • Responsible Stewardship of Colorado’s Investments

Working collaboratively with the professional staff in the Treasurer’s office, I will protect taxpayer funds by adhering to the mandated policy of making investments that are safe, liquid, and generate yield that equals or exceeds appropriate benchmarks

 

Three Priorities for Year 1

 

1. PERA - As a Board member of our Colorado’s pension fund (PERA), I will continue to fight to ensure that retiree pensions are secure and that the burdens on school districts and taxpayers are reasonable.

 

2. Support Small Business.

 

3. Educate Our Children - I have kids in Colorado’s public schools right now, so he understands how important it is to listen to parents and spend wisely to get children back on track after COVID. I fought hard in the legislature to pass bipartisan legislation expanding funding for public school choice, including for our most disadvantaged children, and he will continue to advocate for robust public school choice for all Colorado families.

MOLLY LAMAR - State Board of Education

Congressional District 6

 

I will be the only mom on the State Board with children in our schools. I am a former bilingual teacher and have an active substitute license. 


First Actions in Office:

 

After being elected and before being sworn in, my first official action will be to schedule several listening sessions to hear from parents, teachers, and community members about their priorities for the State Board of Education. To be a great Representative it is my plan to stay very connected to members of our community and ensure I bring these voices and priorities to the State Board. 

 

Top Priorities for Year 1:

 

1. In my first year, I will review the safety measures being taken by districts to ensure the appropriate investments are being made in our buildings to ensure physical safety of students and staff. This is a priority because our first expectation is our children will be safe at school; I will help ensure this is true.

 

2. I will focus on what is needed to improve student achievement. It is unacceptable that 60% of our students are not meeting academic grade level standards. As a teacher I know that excellent teachers, using proven resources, focused on the basics, and taking politics out of classrooms will lay the foundation for far more students to meet grade level standards. This is a priority because our students deserve better, they need to learn the basics so they can live independent lives. We also need well educated people to ensure our Republic, and to ensure a strong economy.

 

3. I will support parent/teacher partnerships. Engaged parents are key to student success and for too long their voices have been left out of education conversations. Additionally, teachers need the resources to do their jobs. Far too much funding has gone into administration and needs to be in classrooms. It is time that parents are respected, and teachers have the resources and support they need to do their jobs. 

PAUL ARCHER - Colorado House District 37

 

Of course, the very first thing I’ll do is thank everyone who worked and volunteered and contributed and voted for me to get to an election win.

 

Then I will attend new Representative Training.  There are 2 sessions, 1.5 days each, the week after the election.  The nuts and bolts of the legislature are presented, like the state budget and budget process, writing bills, parliamentary procedure etc which are vital.

 

Three Most Important Accomplishments in my First Year in Office Will Be:

 

1. Crime bills – restore qualified immunity to police officers, criminalize auto theft, property theft, and drug dealing.  Regarding drugs, we need to address the fentanyl scourge and do something about it, unlike the symbolic, and meaningless, ineffective legislation passed in 2022 session.

 

2. Increase transparency to parents about what is being taught in public schools.  Increase parental choice where money follows kids to wherever the parents choose to educate them.  It’s unlikely that we’ll get choice done the first year, but, we’ll introduce it, champion it, communicate the value of it, and move the ball toward innovative and effective educational options that all parents can afford.

 

 3. Create a climate where housing starts increase and get to completion faster, and re-energize our energy industries.  Objective here is to make Colorado more affordable.

 

 4. And here is a fourth!  Limit the governor’s emergency powers.  We should never again let a governor shut down the entire economy for an extensive period of time.  Any such future shut-down should require legislative authorization.

JAYLEN MOSQUEIRA - Colorado House District 38

 

Our communities are now feeling left behind by our current elected leaders. House District 38 deserves, better leadership. People deserve to feel safe in their homes, to have an education system that works for their children, and to live in a community that promotes and helps their family thrive, not just survive.

 

They deserve someone from their community who wants to take the time to fight for their community. I am running to be a leader that gets Colorado back on track.

 

As your State Representative, I will fight to empower our parents and students, repair our broken economy and protect our neighborhoods. Here are my

priorities:

 

1. Education is my top priority. Our children are the foundation of our community. Colorado’s education system has failed our children. I will fight for them by:

  • Funding students, not systems

  • Getting back to the basics of reading, writing and math

  • Raising teacher pay and eliminating wasteful administrative costs

 

2. Improve Our Economy. I will work to ensure Colorado’s economy bounces back stronger than ever by:

  • Cutting red tape and needless government intervention

  • Combating the rising cost of living by lowering taxes and fees

  • Enhancing workforce development across the state

  • Protecting TABOR (Taxpayer Bill of Rights)

 

3. Reducing Crime. I will keep our communities safe by: 

  • Reforming bail bonds to keep violent criminals out of our community

  • Overhauling sentencing laws to keep Colorado families safe

  • Fully funding law enforcement and pushing back against anti-police rhetoric

"We do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate."

- Thomas Jefferson

LE SELLERS - Colorado House District 40

 

My first official action after I am elected:

 

Introduce/sponsor/co-sponsor two bills that will

  • Make all vehicle thefts felonies

  • Make the use of a stolen vehicle a sentence enhancement of up to ten years in prison that cannot be pled down or not prosecuted.

     

The three most important things I will accomplish in my first year in office:

 

1. Change the funding of education so that the money follows the child into whatever school or instructional method the parents choose; and to encourage greater parental participation in instructional methods and curricula.

 

2. Mandate that 60% of school funding be directed to the classroom for increased teacher pay, improved schools security, and better classroom support for technology and direct instructional support.

 

3. Mandate “truth in sentencing” laws that require no less than 80% of a sentence be served in prison.

 

Each of these laws would assure law-abiding citizens that their streets and homes are safe and that their money is spent wisely in the courtroom and in the classroom.

STEPHANIE HANCOCK - Colorado House District 41

 

The first thing I want to do is to establish a non-partisan District 41 Citizen Advisory committee (CAC).  This committee's mission will be to act as a communication bridge between all of the constituents of HD41 and their house representative. The CAC will keep the community informed and engaged on pending legislation that is in committee.

 

I will champion and pass:

 

1. Legislation that will improve public safety. 

 

2.  Legislation that would fund dollars following students and parental school choice. 

 

3.  Legislation that would provide tax credits to renters and increase the tax credit  exemption limit for Senior homeowners.

 

These things are critical to improving the safety and well-being of all citizens of Colorado including HD41.

CORY PARELLA - Colorado House District 42

 

My first official action for the 2022 election has already been done. 

 

I established my presence among the Opposition that I will never again allow them to run unopposed during my lifetime.  And now my first actions in office will include setting expectations and milestones. I want everyone on my team to know what to expect. 

 

My three top priorities for my first year are:


1. Establish my (our) presence in the House by declaring my long term goals and expectations. Acclimate to the campus at the start of Session. To my fellow constituents: Get comfortable being uncomfortable. 

 

2. Use local TV news media to my (our) advantage. I know how to use the media. Many words describe me, but “boring" is not one. 

 

3. Dramatically improve our ability to do important work and pass meaningful legislation in the State House.  

MARK GOTTO - Arapahoe County Commissioner

 

My first actions in office:

 

I have been running on a "Ready on Day 1" Campaign. The first order of business will be prepping for all future meetings and taking the time to read every detail of every issue/decision packet.

 

The county can't afford to have a County Commissioner making poor decisions because of lack of preparedness. I will ensure that the important issues like Public Safety, the Health Department, and infrastructure are protected and moved forward during these meetings.  

 

 My top three priorities in Year 1:

 

1. Crime rate will start to decrease. Auto and property theft will be less of a concern. The reason why is because I will work with the Sheriff to allocate funding to ensure we are staffed appropriately and have all the resources needed to place/keep criminals in jail.

 

2. Infrastructure projects that are shovel ready will start construction. The reason why is because I will help guide the budget of federal dollars to not go to new projects, but existing ones that have already been approved.  

 

3. The homeless and mental health crises will see major improvement. The reason why is because I will guide the budget committees to ensure mental health is funded accurately so residents that are less fortunate have a chance to succeed. 

KEVIN EDLING - Arapahoe County Sheriff

 

My first action after taking office:

 

Immediately reinstate the ACSO detective back to the Metropolitan Auto Theft Task Force (MATT) to address record high auto thefts and collaborate effectively with our federal partners. (Sheriff Brown pulled out our detective during the height of auto thefts in our county).

 

My Top Three Priorities:

 

1. Lead the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office to become a proactive law enforcement agency instead of reactive policing. We must use common-sense policing strategies that prevent crime from occurring through enforcement of our existing laws and high visibility patrols in high crime areas.

 

I plan to reduce our auto thefts significantly within the first year and share transparency on our efforts.

 

2. Mental health training is a critical skill. Currently ACSO is not meeting the industry standard of Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) across their force. This skill-set greatly improves the deputy’s ability to deal with people in a mental health crisis and often results in saving a life.

 

3. Create Homeless Outreach Team (HOT) – ACSO does not have a dedicated Homeless Outreach Team. I know first-hand, that having officers who are subject matter experts in dealing with homeless issues is a win-win for our communities. These officers have special training and are hand-picked police officers that are tasked with linking homeless individuals — particularly the chronically homeless — with appropriate services and addressing unsafe encampments. Often, these teams operate in conjunction with social workers, outreach workers, and nonprofits serving the same population. 

MARSHA BERZINS - Arapahoe County Treasurer

 

After I am elected, the first official action I will take is to meet with our state legislators and strongly request they increase the limits from $200,000 to $400,000 for our Senior Homestead Exemption and Disabled Veterans Exemption. I will also ask them to review the ten-year rule in those regulations. This exemption has not been changed since 2002.

 

I believe when we can help our seniors and disabled veterans stay in their own homes, it is a win-win for all. I look forward to testifying at the Capitol on this issue.

 

I will make the Treasurer’s office consistently friendly and efficient by:

 

1. Always having someone answer the phone, instead of a machine where you push button after button,

 

2. Keeping the office available for walk-in constituents while continuing to make appointments for those who prefer an appointment, and giving options for paperwork in different languages,

 

3. Make it easier to pay taxes by increasing drop boxes and work with the Clerk & Recorder to let people pay their taxes in the DMV offices. 

 

The Treasurer is responsible for serving the taxpayers by the collection and distribution of tax revenues according to state statutes and the our state Constitution.

 

I want the Treasurer’s office to be transparent to the taxpayers and stay focused on service and the safety of your tax dollars including only investing excess funds in safe and secure investments. 

CAROLINE CORNELL - Arapahoe County Clerk and Recorder

 

This election is about bringing professionalism and competency back to the Clerk & Recorder's office. The Clerk must be professional, collaborative, nonpartisan, and strategic.  I will immediately work with our county staff to rebuild the team and teamwork and restore trust and mutual respect in all our team members.

 

My first responsibility will be to work with our county personnel to address workplace culture so we can improve staffing levels and job satisfaction, stop turnover and retain our experienced and highly valued employees.

 

I have led numerous initiatives to make organizations more efficient and effective. These real-world skills will improve services and functionality of the clerk's office.

 

I believe the key to rebuilding and restoring a first-class customer experience is a team that enjoys working together and focuses on our mission. 

 

As Clerk I will:

 

1. Check partisan politics at the door. This office is not a political position, but rather an administrator who must understand how to oversee a complex organization that's charged with executing over a million marriages, mortgage, and motor vehicle (and more) transactions each year plus oversee elections in Arapahoe County.  

 

2. Reopen DMV services to same-day, drop-in convenience. Arapahoe is an outlier in Colorado with appointment-only DMV access.  While this system works well for some customers, the system doesn’t work for most residents. This creates problems every single day for DMV and for YOU who the office should better serve.  We need an all-of-the-above plan to bring service levels back up.

 

3. Restore trust and confidence in election processing. Arapahoe can improve transparency in elections. Posting ballot scans (like other counties do so ballots can be reviewed by anyone for free), enhancing signature verification audit practices, and advocating for ballot harvest regulation so all parties are informed, are actions the clerk can take to help ensure continuous improvement in election administration. 

 

I am the only candidate in this race with deep experience in planning and executing complex projects and building teams who can accomplish this.

RON BOUCHARD - Arapahoe County Coroner

 

My first official action in office:

 

I will halt the rubber stamping of COVID-19 as the cause of death. In all "Undetermined deaths" or "COVID-19 Suspected" deaths I will order a "Molecular Autopsy" to be performed. This procedure will be paid for with Federal COVID relief funding, not County tax dollars. These sophisticated "Science based" tests will provide further evidence to elucidate the cause of "Undetermined deaths". We will publish each of these reports on the Arapahoe County Coroner's website. 

 

Goals for my first year in office are as follows:

 

1. To bring transparency and accountability to the office of the coroner.  We will establish a clear, evidence based and publicly available portal for reporting all causes of death. This will include fentanyl poisoning related deaths affecting our precious youth. The Arapahoe County Coroner office will be the trusted source of information reporting on death investigations preformed. Our purpose will be to best inform the public of what is impacting the health and wellness of our communities. 

 

2. To investigate fully and thoroughly each unsuspected death. Then no family member or loved one will be left in doubt of what caused their loss. Community engagement to help them cope with their loss. And most importantly, follow-up with those affected by the loss of a loved one who may still be grieving and in need of further assistance.

 

3. Open business opportunities Countywide. My first day in the office will be the open season for all business surrounding the end of life. From Churches to Funeral homes to mortuaries to couriers; every business will have a voice and an opportunity to engage with the Arapahoe County Coroner's office.

 

As your County Coroner and elected public servant, "I will represent the living, but speak for the dead."

"Bad officials are elected by good citizens who don’t vote.”

- George Jean Nathan

Polis's Phony Promise

"We will Make Colorado a TOP 10 Safest State in the nation."

 He's funny isn't he!

Well Jarod, congratulations - we not only made the TOP 10

but the TOP 4!

Colorado Holds the TOP 4 Rankings in the Nation in Crime and Death Rate Increases:

#1 in Auto Theft

#2 in Fentanyl death rate increase in last 2 years (up 382%)

#3 in fastest increasing Crime Rate

#4 in Recidivism Rate (repeat offenses)

 

THANKS JAROD!

“"The future of this republic is in the hands of the American voter."

- Dwight D. Eisenhower

Connect - Engage - Strengthen 

 

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