*FAMILY *COMMUNITY *SERVICE

Building tomorrow through economic strength and educational choice

• A free society must have quality education
• Educational choice is a necessity for Colorado parents
• Choice is an avenue for further parental involvement
• Healthy competition increases quality
• Common high standards through a common language of instruction, English proficiency is a critical must
• Discretion and responsibility with Colorado's purse strings
• More business opportunity through less wasteful spending
• More friendly business environment through less regulation
• Increased capacity for small business through lower taxes
• A perpetual stimulis package
• Strengthen the Tax Payers' Bill of Rights (TABOR)
• Support constitutional reform to reduce mandated spending
• Return the citizens' power in the management of their money
• Energy security
• Allow energy companies reasonable access to drilling in Colorado
• Streamline permitting requirements for new alternative energy power plants

The current climate of economic uncertainty is foremost on the minds of voters. Many people are concerned about basic need matters such as the cost of healthcare, food and gasoline.

Regarding healthcare, I support a free market approach. It is my belief that small businesses should be allowed to band together to get the same health care rates that larger corporations and their employees benefit from. I believe socialized medicine is dangerous to our economy. I oppose linking health care coverage to auto insurance policies. We need to stand firm for consumer choice.

There is an urgent need for state government to help parents understand the correlation between parental involvement and academic success. We are not preparing our students for higher education! I remember an experience I had working as a college freshman academic advisor. Students were required to complete their class schedules between 1 and 5 in the afternoon. By 5 o'clock, one young man was left in the room. He looked despairing. I said, "We've been here for 4 hours and you have not entered one thing in your fall schedule of courses, what is the problem?" He said, "I can't read it." "How did you fill out your college application?" I asked. He said, "My coach did it."

This is a travesty in Colorado to have young man graduate from high school who couldn't read. There is no substitute for literacy.