Liz Rosenbaum
How does your experience make you qualified to represent the people as State Representative for District 21?
Fountain Valley has been our home since the Army brought us here in 2000. We raised our two children here through the Widefield School District where I was also a high school history teacher for a short time. I am an entrepreneur like many people in my district, so I fully understand the joys and struggles of small businesses. Small businesses are the backbone of our communities and we take care of each other, fund student activities, and pay our household expenses. I embraced the role as a community leader when the national news released devastating news that our drinking water systems were contaminated with PFAS chemicals. Since then I have worked on seven PFAS bills, national funding, and EPA enforceable restrictions. Through my outreach, our community was selected for multiple environmental studies to include the Center for Disease Control’s two-year health study. For seven years I attended Colorado Dept of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) meetings, advocating for justice and funding for rural areas not only in my community; but, also across Colorado. Recently my rural water district secured $410,000 in grants to test three pilot programs for a whole system solution. This funding is a direct result of the bill I worked on in 2019 with many legislators, non-profits, and impacted working families.
Since 2018 I have been a health insurance broker so I could do more for people living in the Fountain Valley as they sought out care they need for health conditions they are experiencing from PFAS in our water. We live in a sacrifice zone, a place without a hospital, minimal health care offices, and multiple water contaminations. Our water districts are maxed out on filtering all of the past contaminations. I have shown up for my community as a problem solver and advocate for meaningful policy and as a person who holds chemical companies responsible for the injustice they have placed on our families. I am dedicated to what we all need to be successful here. I follow every legislative session with a focus on health, water, education, and cost of living. When I win this election, you will be guaranteed an elected state representative who will work for our best interests and hold town halls to ensure all of our voices have the positive impacts we have all been wanting to see.
What are your top policy priorities as State Representative for District 21?
I have several top priorities:
1) Lower healthcare costs, more preventative coverages, and ambulance services included in the
no-surprise billing package. I have participated in successful healthcare bills for tax time open enrollment, funding for Connect for Health, reproductive rights, and special enrollment periods for pregnant people. Ambulance companies were not included in “no surprise billing” and this has affected me personally and countless others. In a life-threatening situation when we call 911 and we have health insurance it is unreasonable and extremely expensive to carry the additional burden of medical expenses from an ambulance on top of our max out-of-pocket deductibles for the rest of our medical care. When we call 911 we do not have the time or the option to ask for an in-network ambulance when we are taken to a hospital, and that is what is happening to people in rural areas.
2) Continuing fully funding public education. Public education was fully funded for the first time in twenty years. We cannot grow our economy through debt to our children. They need to have opportunities for a well-rounded education so they can have successful careers.
3) More protections for drinking water systems, and justice for sacrifice zones and areas polluted for profit. Polluters need to be held accountable for damages done to surrounding communities. Placing the onus on companies to have their own solutions for their waste at their sites is not unreasonable.
What will your approach and thoughts on how we will address immigration issues facing our country and Colorado?
This is a federal issue first and Republicans blocked the reform bill that made it a bigger crisis. This put more pressure on individual states to problem solve and use resources already designated for other community services. Immigration is a complex issue which can’t be solved by one person. Several generations ago my family came to the United States during the British government-sanctioned potato famine in Ireland. They became farmers, teachers, union members, and elected officials. Our state’s constitution was written in five languages so the people living here could all read it. Welcoming newcomers to the state of Colorado is not a new issue and it should never be considered a problem but rather a challenge to welcome people into new communities and participating in our growing economy.
Coloradans are feeling the pinch for the cost of living because of skyrocketing inflation. What do you think needs to be done to help families?
Large corporate businesses are hoarding their wealth and increasing the cost of goods globally, especially in our country, and that is what’s hurting all of our working middle-class families. I’d like to have equitable tax relief for small businesses as a priority over large corporations. Tax breaks should never result in schools, libraries, and emergency services to not be paid during the bargaining meetings. When local municipal and county tax breaks are given out it places a larger burden on our state budget to supply funds for the shortfalls in property tax collections. In my district, the new Amazon distribution center was given a five-year tax break which resulted in the local school district not receiving property tax funding. We cannot place this financial burden on our children to fund the global economy, we can all see how the bailouts to the banks in 2009 didn’t result in anything going to our local economies.
Much of our district is suburban with little industry or employment opportunities. While it’s true we have Fort Carson and an Amazon facility right next door, professional jobs paying a living wage are difficult to find. At the state capitol, I will work to bring career-track job opportunities to Fountain Valley and surrounding areas, creating pathways to home ownership and greater financial security in our communities.
What role do you believe the state government has in addressing gun violence? What are your
ideas on implementing gun policies?
As a responsible gun owner, I support 100% compliance with background checks. All dealers need to be licensed, and all concealed carry needs to be licensed with a mandatory certified training course. Red Flag laws need to be enforced. We have responsibilities to ourselves and our neighbors to prevent deadly mass shootings, domestic violence, and suicides. Gun owners need to secure their firearms so they are kept away from children, vulnerable people, and criminals.
Do you have any ideas on what can be done on the state level to increase affordable housing?
Colorado Department of Local Affairs has three programs that offer grant money and other forms of state assistance to local governments. Local governments then have an opportunity to make the zoning decisions, building permits, and delegate affordable housing in large complexes. Along with affordable housing is access to services, grocery stores, gas stations, sustainable middle-class incomes, and public education. I am committed to solving the lack of affordable housing for our community so we can increase the supply of affordable housing where 30% of your income goes to a family’s housing. This will also alleviate the harmful cycles of generational and situational poverty too many of our families are experiencing across Colorado. We don’t have mobility in our housing from a starter place to a single-family home. We also need to expand the Homestead Act for retired people to downsize to a smaller home without losing the tax break they have earned by living in Colorado for an extended period of time.
