Colorado ballots have been mailed out and Election Day is coming up real soon.
News5 is helping you prepare for Election 2020 with guides to find out what's on the ballot, what it means to you, and where to deliver your ballot across the region. Click here for our Election Guide.
The candidates in this upcoming General Election for House District 18 are Marc Snyder (D), George Rapko (R), and Nathan Foutch (L).
We sent out a questionnaire to the candidates regarding the recovery of COVID-19 economic impacts, legislation they hope to introduce and what they think should be done to help fund our schools. Here are the responses:
Marc Snyder
Q: How should the General Assembly work to recover from the economic impacts of COVID-19?
A: To help combat the many disasters caused by the pandemic, we lawmakers passed more than a dozen pieces of legislation: providing $270 million in grants and loans to small businesses; channeling tens of millions of dollars into direct housing assistance, utilities support, and mental health assistance; ensuring access to paid sick leave for Colorado workers; and expanding unemployment benefits, helping hardworking Coloradans make ends meet.
Q: If elected, what is one piece of legislation you hope to introduce and why?
A: There isn’t just one pressing issue facing the people of Colorado, there are several, and they all need immediate attention. Which is why I won’t have just one top priority in the next legislative session, I'll have many: 1. Fixing whatever damage is still being done by the coronavirus crisis, by improving healthcare coverage and affordability, expanding small business and worker protections, and creating safer school systems for students and teachers. 2. Rebuilding a good state budget, to make up for the massive cuts we had to make this year. 3. Finding sustainable sources of funding for public education and transportation/infrastructure needs. 4. Addressing further issues of systemic racism, pushing for racial justice, equality, and equity. 5. Continuing to support environmental protections and combating climate change – which these massive wildfires prove is still an ever-present and ever-growing threat.
Q: School funding has become a topic of discussion in recent years- what do you think needs to be done to fund our schools?
A: For many years, school districts were funded mostly by local property taxes, with some money coming from the State. But for a while now, school districts have been mostly funded by the State, with some money coming from local property taxes. These funding ratios have reversed, and that’s been bad for public school funding. The State simply cannot afford to be the primary payer for all public education in Colorado. We need to find ways to better balance these funding dynamics – and fixing TABOR, Gallagher, and Amendment 23 are three very obvious and effective ways to begin improving the funding situation for public education.
George Rapko
Q: How should the General Assembly work to recover from the economic impacts of COVID-19?
A: We need to cut unnecessary functions of the government.
Q: If elected, what is one piece of legislation you hope to introduce and why?
A: I would like to restrict the emergency powers of the Governor to 60 days. I would require the governor to request specific powers from the legislature if the emergency requires a longer than a 60-day response.
Q: School funding has become a topic of discussion in recent years- what do you think needs to be done to fund our schools?
A: The school funding in House District 18 is adequate and should remain in the hand of the local government.
Nathan Foutch
Q: How should the General Assembly work to recover from the economic impacts of COVID-19?
A: They should remove all mandates and guidelines previously created for COVID. Give the power back to the citizens, and allow individuals to live as they were. I'm a firm believer that the numbers were inflated for an agenda. We would never have known about COVID if it weren't for the media's hype. Your station included.
Q: If elected, what is one piece of legislation you hope to introduce and why?
A: Decriminalizing all scheduled substances. The War on Drugs is a failure and should be dissolved. This could simultaneously defund police and reduce police brutality reports. The police have used the War as an excuse to violate peoples' rights for far too long. They have become "road pirates", rather than remaining "Peacekeepers" as they were once known for. You own your body, not the State. To claim vices illegal makes the State the owner of your body.
Q: School funding has become a topic of discussion in recent years- what do you think needs to be done to fund our schools?
A: Take State and Federal funding out of the equation. It has been proven that all tax-funded schools have "dumbed" our children down compared to the schools of my parent's enrollment. Besides, they're nothing more than propaganda and indoctrination centers for the State. Wondering as to why your child became a communist or an Authoritarian? Blame the school. The funding given by the government comes with a price...they learn what the State wants them to. Memorization and repetition are all they gain. No critical thinking nor problem-solving skills. Is that what you want for your child?
