Marc Snyder
How does your experience qualify you to represent the people of State Senate District 12?
I have 20 years of local and state-level government experience. I served on a myriad of local boards and committees, including the El Paso County Board of Health, the Pikes Peak Rural Transit Authority, and the Regional Building Commission. I was also honored to chair the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments. I served on the Manitou Springs City Council for six years and later was elected as mayor of Manitou Springs. I then ran for State House Representative for HD18 where I have served for the past six years. I plan on bringing that experience to the Senate and provide quality representation to residents in Manitou Springs, Colorado Springs Westside and Old North End, the Broadmoor, the Fountain Valley, and to every community contained in this newly drawn district.
What are your top policy priorities for State Senate District 12?
My top policy priorities for SD12 are to ensure that we fully fund public education, that our economy is robust and sustainable, and that we reduce healthcare costs. The Colorado Legislature
eliminated the budget stabilization factor (otherwise known as the BS Factor) that will allow for full
funding of our public schools. It is imperative that we do not backtrack on this commitment. Our
economy is strong, but we still need to add more better-paying jobs so that Coloradans can enjoy
everything that our beautiful state has to offer. Healthcare costs are still too high for many families
and that must be addressed in our upcoming legislative sessions. In the southernmost part of
SD12, there is no civilian hospital and very few medical offices. These Coloradans live in a
healthcare desert and are struggling to access healthcare without a lengthy commute.
What will your approach and thoughts on how we will address immigration issues facing our country and Colorado?
It is shameful that Congress refused to pass and enact meaningful immigration reform. It was more important to them to politicize this issue than it was to solve it. Immigration is a federal issue and a foreign policy matter. As a state, Colorado does not have the authority to enter into any agreement with another country. Since President Biden enacted new policies in June, we have seen a decrease in undocumented crossings. What is up to Coloradans is how we treat those who find themselves in our state. We have to confront immigration with a combination of toughness and compassion. Not everyone who comes here can stay here and that is always going to be a difficult decision. Some will be granted asylum, or they may have migrated here via legal means. Either way, these human beings should be treated with compassion and dignity.
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?
My heart goes out to families who are struggling in this economy. It is disappointing that so many families are still feeling squeezed from the effects of the pandemic and its economic aftermath. Fortunately, inflation appears to be cooling down in our country and our state. It is true that we are still seeing rising prices at grocery stores but some of these price increases are due to specific causes, such as bird flu, that has affected our egg supply several times in the past few years. Consumers are also seeing beef prices much higher than in the past. Ranchers have reduced the number of cattle in the U.S. due to increased costs, much of which is due to drought. Some of the market forces affecting increased food prices are simply the ability of corporations to charge what they want for goods and services.
The most important thing we can do in the Colorado Legislature is to ensure that Coloradans have greater opportunities to succeed and thrive. This means helping the business community create jobs in Colorado. Finding a balance that enables businesses to thrive and remain responsible partners in our community is crucial to the economic health of our state. I am proud to have been the only SD12 candidate endorsed by the Colorado Chamber of Commerce for the general election. I will continue working with the business community to create a stronger Colorado.
What role do you believe the state government has in addressing gun violence? What are your
ideas on implementing gun policies?
Gun violence remains a horrific challenge, here in Colorado and across the country. I take a balanced approach when introducing or supporting gun policies in the legislature. We should always promote a culture of responsible gun ownership that is overwhelmingly accepted by gun owners and the public. For instance, closed carry permits should require more than a rubber-stamp certification course. In last year’s session, I sponsored a bill that established standards for concealed handgun training classes. The bill passed and the governor signed it. I am not interested in taking guns away from law-abiding citizens. Gun owners appreciate the fact that we must take measures to stem the gun violence in this state. Most Coloradans support universal background checks and commonsense gun safety laws. I measure gun safety laws by this standard; if it is a measure that has a real chance to reduce violence, I am all for it but if it unjustly infringes on gun owners, I will vote against it.
Reducing gun violence is going to require a holistic approach using a myriad of strategies, including universal background checks, red flag laws, and addressing the burgeoning mental health crisis in our country. We’ve heard it said for years that gun violence is a mental health issue. I am proud to have a 100% score from Mental Health Colorado. If we are going to blame gun violence on mental health concerns, then we must support legislation that addresses mental health.
Do you have any ideas on what can be done on the state level to increase affordable housing?
Too often when we talk about affordable housing, it brings to mind government-owned housing for low-income families. What we really need is attainable, affordable housing. When two gainfully employed adults, say a firefighter and a teacher, making well over $100k annually cannot afford a middle-income home, they end up in a home that would normally be purchased by a family of lesser means. This leaves little in the way of smaller, less expensive, affordable homes on the market.
The main issue in housing costs is the lack of available inventory. This is due to many factors, one of them being that too many residential homes are being used as short-term rentals. I think this is one area where we need to consider how we zone for residential housing. If a home is being used as a commercial asset, it should be taxed as one. These de facto lodging units should also be regulated in the same manner as hotels. Additionally, big corporations have been buying up residential homes for investment purposes, oftentimes just leaving them sitting empty. Corporations hold on to these properties hoping that their value will continue to rise, and they can sell them later for a profit, artificially inflating housing costs across the country. This corporate hoarding of residential properties needs to be addressed at the state level.
