​ ​The Lopez Administration will protect the Colorado Ag industry, the powerhouse industries of rural Colorado. Greg fully understands the Colorado Ag industry is vital to the overall health of the state’s economy as well as the local economy, contributing approximately $47 billion each year and employing more than 195,000 people, not to mention international exports, which total around $2 billion annually. The “MEATOUT DAY” Proclamation signed by Governor Polis on March 20, 2021, was nothing more than a slap on the face to the farmers and ranchers of Colorado. In the first 100 days, The Lopez Administration will appoint a Colorado Ag Commissioner that has a full understanding and knowledge of agriculture production (Denver 7, 2021). Greg’s administration will work with the State Board of Education to encourage a curriculum in our public schools that embraces the agricultural industry. Our schools need to educate our children that the Colorado families that make a living on the thousands of farms spread across millions of acres are essential to the well-being of our state. Colorado's farmers and ranchers work at an unforgiving pace to produce food and commodities for our state and our country. Denver 7. (2021, March 16). 26 Colorado counties sign “meat-in” proclamations to counter Gov. Polis’s “meat out” announcement. Yahoo News. https://news.yahoo.com/26-colorado-counties-sign-meat-051652169.html

The Lopez Administration is going to instruct the director of the Office of Economic Development and International Trade to reallocate funds within the budget to increase funding to the Colorado Small Business Development Program. In addition, my administration will work with the local U.S. Small Business Administration to ensure that the services they offer are available across the entire state. Small business is the heart and soul of our communities and with a stroke of a pen, Governor Polis shut down over 653,000 small business 99.5% of businesses across Colorado in 2020. As the former U.S. Small Business Administration Colorado director, I can tell you that not only was that ill-advised, but it was reckless. I share with you that 30% of those businesses are gone and will never return. His action has had a devastating impact on the quality of lives of hard-working men and women in urban Colorado but more devastating in rural Colorado. The irresponsible actions of our current governor have destroyed the quality of lives of thousands of families. Greg and Lisa own a small business, and know firsthand the many challenges that small business owners face every day. Economic development is how local government improves the quality of life for all individuals within the community. He unilaterally and intentionally undermined the quality of life of hundreds of thousands of individuals across the 64 counties of Colorado by closing small businesses while allowing big businesses to stay open in 2022. A Lopez Administration will never close small businesses.

Capital Construction is vitally important to address the needs of state departments and institutions of higher education for capital construction. However, it is equally important to first determine if the funds allocated to Capital Construction are a “need” or a “want”. This is the primary question the Lopez Administration will always ask when approving funds to the Capital Construction Fund.

Foster care, childcare, child welfare, domestic violence, crimes against children, the juvenile justice system, and public-school safety are the issues that impact our precious children. The Lopez Administration, especially Lisa, in her pursuits as First Lady, will always fight for all of Colorado’s precious children, youth, and families. Children are society’s most precious asset, and must be protected from abuse, mistreatment, and cruelty. The Lopez Administration will ensure that the children of Colorado are protected.

Civil Law is the foundation of our legislative system. Citizens are trusting lawmakers write laws to govern disputes between individuals. It is imperative that individuals are elected to the Colorado General Assembly that understand that their first duty is to be faithful to the second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”

“Colorado is sectioned into 22 Judicial Districts encompassing all 64 counties” (Colorado Judicial Branch - Home, 2022). There are numerous stories from individuals in all 64 counties that have expressed their frustration with the courts and how they have been ignored and mistreated. The governor is responsible for appointing judges in the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, and district and county courts. Greg will select appointments by reviewing evidence that clearly reflects their complete and true understanding of the “Rule of Law: legal predictability, continuity, and coherence; reasonable decisions made through publicly visible processes and based faithfully on the law. Colorado Courts and the Judicial system is not living up to its mission of providing fair and impartial justice. Greg has firsthand experience in courts and the judicial system exercising its power in bullying people to accept unfounded accusations and turn a blind eye to providing fair and impartial justice. Colorado Judicial Branch - Home. (2022). Colorado Judicial Branch. https://www.courts.state.co.us/

The quality of life of all Colorado citizens is my top priority and public safety is one of the keys to rebuilding our communities. The Lopez Administration will remind the citizens of Colorado that our police officers are the individuals that stand in the gap between good and evil in our society. The current wave of unwarranted, irrational hatred of cops by leftist radicals, demagogic politicians, and the liberal media is making our communities unsafe. We now live in a state where legislators believe that reducing incarceration rates is more important than the public safety of our communities. The prosecution of criminals is an essential public responsibility vital to good government. The Lopez Administration will support the men and women in blue and will be the voice to counter the rhetoric of defunding the police.

Colorado’s current Governor’s policies on education are teaching our children that America is the villain and that our values are unfair and immoral. He demands that personal choices of sexual lifestyle become part of the school curriculum in all 178 school districts, in 1,888 schools. Colorado is now a state where over 53,000 teachers and 3,200 administrators are forced to influence the minds of 905,000 public school students with extreme ideology creating confusion, instead of academic subject matter that defeats ignorance and moves society forward. o Critical thinking has been replaced with “Critical Race Theory”. o Home economics have been replaced with hyper-sexualized sex-ed. o Metal/Woodworking shop classes are replaced with gender studies. This is wrong and immoral. This ends with the Lopez Administration. Greg will work with school boards, teachers, schools, and parents to reverse the “Dark Agenda of Governor Polis” to destroy and undermine the role of the public schools. Public schools bear the responsibility of educating students either for college or to enter the workforce. Parents in the inner cities and rural Colorado know that public schools and the curriculum teachers are being forced to teach is failing our children. The current public school curriculum is producing essentially illiterate individuals based on the scores of even the simplest standardized tests in reading comprehension, writing and basic math skills. School choice is a benefit to all Colorado families who truly know the best way to educate their children.The Lopez Administration is dedicated to working with parents and schools to serve the best interests of Colorado's children.

Redistricting has been manipulated and abused by both major political parties to retain power and control. Redistricting should never be allowed to become politicized and controlled by the elite and powerful. Colorado citizens deserve to have complete confidence in elections in Colorado. The Lopez Administration will ensure that within the State any concerns with election integrity are addressed and are thoroughly investigated. If Colorado is going to maintain the status of being the “gold standard” of election integrity, it has to be managed and audited in a way that justifies that title. The Lopez Administration will issue an Executive Order that directs state agencies identified in SB19-235 to stop transferring records to the Secretary of State for the automatic voter registration of individuals. It is wrong for the state government to force a citizen to register to vote; that is an individual choice that should not be imposed by the government. Redistricting is a process undertaken after each Census (every 10 years). It is the civic duty of Colorado residents to participate or be aware of the redistricting process as this will affect quality-of-life issues.The fairness of the final redistricting maps lies in the hands of the Colorado Supreme Court, it is their responsibility to ensure that districts are drawn with a focus on community interests and political subdivisions, such as cities and counties, and then to maximize the number of competitive congressional seats to the extent possible.

Colorado has abundant energy resources—from renewables: wind, solar, hydroelectricity, and geothermal; to fossil fuels: oil, natural gas, coal; along with uranium. The State of Colorado owns 2.8 million surface acres and over 4 million mineral estate acres, which are managed by the Colorado State Land Board (SLB). Leasing and royalty revenue from mineral and energy fuel activities on these lands are deposited into the state’s Public School Permanent Fund, which was created to help finance public primary education. The Colorado Energy Office is under the purview the governor’s office. The governor does have authority over the energy sources and utilization within the state of Colorado. The Lopez Administration will re-evaluate all programs and initiatives that were implemented by the governor and General Assembly to determine if they are balanced and improve the overall well-being of both local and state economies. Governor Polis has launched a vicious, unfounded, and unyielding attack on the oil and gas industry. Greg’s administration will reverse course to ensure that these vital and essential industries continue to operate and thrive in Colorado. Greg will work to rebuild the communities across the state that our current governor has damaged, often for a lack of knowledge of their needs or way of life. He will be visiting with local community leaders to promote, protect, and preserve their communities and their ways of life. Numerous counties rely on the Severance Tax that is paid by the energy sector, and it is wrong to undermine the quality of life of the families that live in the communities of these counties which are then distributed on a per student basis to the school districts through the School Finance Act.

The Lopez Administration will ensure that the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) is being effectively utilized by the civic institutions that provide financial services such as Banks, Trust Companies, state licensed money transmitters, etc. throughout the state. These institutions play a critical role in building communities and enhancing the quality of life of families living within the communities they serve. Restoring the quality of life for all Colorado families is paramount in rebuilding communities. The credit needs of the communities, including low- and moderate-income (LMI) neighborhoods, must be met and not ignored any further. Small businesses need lines of credit to get them through the difficult financial situations, such as those during COVID, when our Governor shut them down without any consideration for their survival.

Colorado’s spending is careless and is negatively impacting the quality of life for all our citizens, but the impact is devastating for the poor and minority communities. The Lopez Administration will find a balance between tax rates and public spending. All of Colorado’s hard-working men and women, middle-class families know that “fees” are just another name for taxes. Greg will focus on eliminating or reducing all fees being paid by Colorado residents and preserve and protect the Taxpayers Bill of Rights (TABOR). The people of Colorado deserve a governor that will not sidestep their wishes as outlined in the TABOR by establishing enterprises and authorities. The inflation that every Colorado household is experiencing is being deliberately ignored by the Governor as he is a strong supporter of President Biden and all of his incomprehensible incompetence. They are both responsible for the high inflation Colorado families are experiencing. The more they increase the amount of money in the economy by giving out “free money” will eventually result in a decrease in the value of money—meaning that it would take more money to buy something that has not changed in value.

The Lopez Administration will ensure that the Colorado Department of Revenue is transparent in how the revenue from these three activities are being allocated and that the people of Colorado have a clear understanding on how the money is being spent. These activities were approved by the voters because a promise was made by the State that the revenue was going to enhance the quality of life for all Coloradans. Sports betting was approved by the Colorado voters in 2019 to fund state water projects. (Review, 2020). Water projects are vital to the future of rural Colorado and so it is vital that the revenue be allocated to rural Colorado and not the urban corridor. Greg is firmly rooted in the belief that “promises made – promises kept” are sacred between a governor working in service for the People. As the Colorado population grows, so too will revenue continue to grow, and we must ensure that the money is being used correctly so that we can eliminate all fraud, waste and abuse that is occurring within Colorado’s revenue streams. Review, S. (2020, June 22). Colorado Voters Legalize Sports Betting in Narrow Vote. Sportsbook Review. https://www.sportsbookreview.com/news/colorado-voters-legalize-sports-betting-narrow-vote-85455/

In the first ten days of the Lopez Administration, Greg will ask both the majority and minority leadership of the Colorado Assembly to meet on the 7th floor of the Denver Public Library in the Commission Room around the Legacy table that was used by the world leaders during the Summit of Eight in 1997. This table was built by a Colorado firm and what is unique about the Legacy Table is that it is round and does not have a left side or a right side. This will serve as a reminder of the sacred promise made by all elected into representative leadership to work to enhance the quality of life for all Colorado residents. It is the Governor’s solemn responsibility to work closely with the General Assembly to ensure that the bills that are being passed are in alignment with the unalienable rights of the people. It is imperative that individuals elected to the Colorado General Assembly understand and remember their first duty is to be faithful to the second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence: We hold these truths that to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. – That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, depriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. “The General Assembly consists of 100 members - 35 Senators and 65 Representatives. Senators serve four-year terms, while Representatives serve two-year terms. All members are limited to serving for eight consecutive years in their chamber - four terms for Representatives and two terms for Senators. As of the 2010 census, State Senators serve an average of 143,691 residents and State Representatives serve an average of 77,372 residents” (Legislators, 2021). In the 2021 Legislative session the General Assembly passed 502 bills, in 2020 they passed 326 and in 2019 they passed 454 bills for a total of 1,282 new laws that Colorado residents must adhere to. All laws have the inherent potential to infringe on the rights of individuals and it is imperative that we do not allow those types of laws to be established. It is a responsibility of the Governor to determine whether a law being introduced or passed by the General Assembly infringes on the rights of the People. Greg will inform the People of the proposed legislation, and utilize the governor’s veto authority, if necessary. Legislators. (2021). Colorado General Assembly. https://leg.colorado.gov/legislators

The Lopez Administration will collaborate with different private sector organizations to determine how to best reduce the high cost of health care premiums, premiums for Medicare supplement plans and prescription drug costs. Unemployment is amplifying the burden on already overwhelming medical costs. It is time for health care providers to be more accountable, more efficient, more valuable, and more affordable. There is a health care crisis in Colorado, and no one is talking about it. And that is medical staff shortages that health care providers are experiencing. This is the new health care crisis that we should all be talking about. Not who is vaccinated and who is unvaccinated. The current governor has added fuel to the fire of staffing shortages. Blinded by his internal desire to have all 5.8 million people in the state vaccinated, his mandatory vaccine for all healthcare workers is intensifying this healthcare crisis and staff shortage. The Lopez Administration will reallocate COVID19 relief money to the health care providers by providing grants to hire additional nurses for the next 12 months, under the condition that there is not a mandatory vaccine requirement. They must also have a plan in place in 6 months to improve their management practices, scheduling of shifts, in an initiative to treat employees like human beings which includes reasonable shifts instead of the current 14 -16 hour shifts, which are driving essential workers out of their jobs.

The Lopez Administration will remove the State Historical Society out of the Department of Higher Education and place it under the Department of Local Affairs where it belongs on day one. The second thing my administration will do is enhance and promote community colleges as options. Third, Greg will promote the 10K college degree into the state’s Higher Education institutions. It is neither fair nor compassionate to deny high school graduating students from attending a higher level of education simply due to cost. The cost of a university education is limiting the prospects of too many high school graduates. A college degree is only one path an individual may choose to achieve the American Dream and experience upward mobility which is what all individuals aspire to. For higher education to better serve Colorado they must go through a fundamental change. It is time that the cost of Higher Education focuses on enhancing both job-specific skills and soft real-world skills that can allow a graduate to contribute to society quickly. To achieve this goal, we must have a mix of professors that have real-world experience with those that have spent their entire lives in academia.

Over the last 5 years Colorado has grown by over 80,000 people making it the 7th highest growth rate in the nation. The laws of supply and demand dictate that when housing demand outpaces supply, prices go up. In theory, supply increases in response to that demand and prices stop their climb. The cost of housing in Colorado has skyrocketed and it is preventing tens of thousands of people from buying a home. The median home price in Colorado is over $600,000. Research shows that stable and affordable housing has a positive impact on families and communities. (Svaldi, 2022) The Lopez Administration will have the Director of Local Affairs through the Division of Housing prepare a report outlining all the various costs in new construction of homes specifically focusing on the specific regulations that are driving housing costs up. As a former Strong Mayor in Parker, serving as both mayor and town manager, Greg knows firsthand the challenges that a community faces during exploding growth rates. Greg will have strategic working sessions with the Colorado Association of Home Builders to evaluate what is the best course of action for the construction of affordable housing consisting of 1,000 -1,200 sq.ft. which is adequate for a young couple without children or with one or two children (Opinion by Janneke Ratcliffe for CNN Business Perspectives, 2022). A focus will be placed on rebuilding communities and enhancing the quality of life for middle-class families, the hard-working men and women, and the working poor. The Lopez Administration will work with Counties and Cities to embrace “Smart Growth” to benefit these groups, improving the quality of life for all Coloradans. Health, schools, taxes, traffic, the environment, economic growth, fairness, opportunity—many of the things that concern the citizens of Colorado—are all affected by these decisions. From the length of daily commutes to the price of a new home to the safety of our neighborhoods—what, where, and how Colorado decides to grow and develop will have a major impact on the daily experience of every Coloradan. Opinion by Janneke Ratcliffe for CNN Business Perspectives. (2022, February 16). Opinion: How we can solve the nation’s affordable housing crisis. CNN. https://edition.cnn.com/2022/02/16/perspectives/affordable-housing-crisis/index.html Svaldi, A. (2022, May 12). Colorado’s median single-family home price hits $600,000 in April. The Denver Post. https://www.denverpost.com/2022/05/12/colorados-median-single-family-home-price-april-2022/

“Human services are all about helping people find stability and can include everything from providing for basic needs like food and shelter to offering guidance, counseling, and substance abuse treatment with the goal of promoting self-sufficiency and happiness in people’s lives" (Wilson, 2021). The Lopez Administration will evaluate the numerous programs of the Department of Human Services which is charged with the administration and supervision of all non-medical public assistance and welfare activities of the State to ensure that all fraud, waste, and abuse is identified and removed from the programs. Wilson, S. (2021). The Definition of Human Services. Human Services Edu. https://www.humanservicesedu.org/definition-human-services/

Greg Lopez firmly believes in LEGAL immigration, not ILLEGAL immigration. His concern with cities becoming Sanctuary Cities for illegal immigrants is rooted in the fact that it is an open profession that being in the United States illegally is not a concern of the government. Thus an individual who breaks the law is not held accountable for their actions. This type of attitude sends a confusing message to the public that laws that have been violated by illegal immigrants are exempt from accountability or prosecution. Entering the United States illegally is considered a misdemeanor for the first offense. These individuals are traditionally released back into their country of origin. A second offense is considered a felony and the individual is detained and prosecuted for violation of U.S. Federal Law.

Colorado is responsible for many insurance programs. One, that will be a focus for the Lopez Administration is the Unemployment Insurance Fund. The Polis administration lost at least one billion dollars of Covid-relief funds and tax dollars from job providers for unemployment.

“The Department of Labor and Employment (CLDE) is responsible for providing services to employers and job seekers, and enforcing laws concerning labor standards, unemployment insurance, workers’ compensation, public safety, and consumer protection.” (Legislators, 2020) https://leg.colorado.gov/ The Lopez Administration will appoint an individual to the Executive Directors Office that has an embedded willingness to protect the people's money. Unemployment Insurance (UI) Financial Reporting. The Department had not adjudicated all claims for UI benefits that were paid during Fiscal Year 2020, and therefore could not estimate the number of payments that had been made due to error or fraud. In addition, the Department did not have an adequate methodology for calculating and recording the estimated number of receivables and payables for UI payments, which resulted in unverifiable adjustments of $2.1 billion in the Unemployment Insurance Fund. Classification: MATERIAL WEAKNESS A MATERIAL WEAKNESS is the most serious level of internal control weakness. “A material weakness is a deficiency, or combination of deficiencies, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of the entity’s financial statements will not be prevented, or detected and corrected, on a timely basis” (2021). B. (2021, February 1). Risk of Material Misstatement for Tangible Asset. Accountinguide. https://accountinguide.com/risk-of-material-misstatement-for-tangible-asset/

Legalized marijuana is a danger to our youth and causes harm to many individuals and families across Colorado. As Governor, Greg will personally work alongside Smart Colorado to expose the perils of marijuana use. Today’s marijuana is averaging almost 20% TCH in potency while in the 1990s, the TCH averaged less than 4%. Parents have horror stories as to how marijuana is an addictive substance and the tremendous harm it has done to their children and family. The Lopez Administration will remind the public that “recreational” marijuana is “retail” marijuana. When young developing minds hear the word “recreational” they lose sight that it is an addictive drug and not safe.

Greg Lopez is the only candidate who has held both the Executive & Administrative position of a community at the same time, duties identical to the Governor. As a “Strong Mayor” (mayor and town manager) for the Town of Parker, he completely understands the challenges that local government experiences with unfunded mandates from the State government. He has firsthand experience with day-to-day operations of local government and how governors traditionally ignore local governments. This will not happen under the Lopez Administration. The goal of the Lopez Administration is to allow cities, towns, and counties to make their own decisions without State government interference. In the first 100 days of Greg’s administration, he will meet with the Metro Mayors Caucus and assure them that their voices matter and that he is available should they need him, or should they need assistance from the state on any challenges they may be facing.

The governor is the commander-in-chief of militia (military forces of the state – National Guard). The governor is responsible for the appointment of the Executive Director of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs which is a member of the Governor's Cabinet. The DMVA consists of the Colorado National Guard, the Division of Veterans Affairs, and the Colorado Wing of the Civil Air Patrol totaling more than 6,700 Soldiers, Airmen, State employees, and Volunteers. The Executive Director is responsible for the operation and management of readiness, fiscal, personnel, equipment, and real property resources of the Department, and ensures the training readiness of all personnel to accomplish both state and federal missions. As a U.S. Air Force disabled veteran, Greg understands the mission and purpose of the state’s military forces. The Lopez Administration will work to ensure that we adequately address the needs of Colorado veterans through both state and private organizations.

This Department is currently turning Colorado into California and requires a concerted focus. The Lopez Administration will make sure that Colorado remains a state we can all be proud of for generations to come. This department oversees Colorado's natural resources including: the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, the Division of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety, the Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, the State Board of Land Commissioners, the Division of Parks and Wildlife, the Colorado Water Conservation Board, and the Water Board Resource Division. Our current governor is weaponizing this department against Colorado, making the same mistakes California is currently suffering the consequences of. There are several coal mines scheduled to be closed with no consideration to the economic devastation the closures will cause to the families in the surrounding communities and to the entire state. It is wrong to sacrifice the quality of life for hard-working men and women in rural Colorado to prematurely eliminate an industry still heavily relied upon for energy, heat and modern life. The Lopez Administration will bring balance to the conversation of climate change and ensure that his administration does not negatively impact the livelihoods of the families throughout Colorado.

People across Colorado have horror stories about probate, trust, and fiduciary institutions and individuals within these institutions have mistreated them and their families. This is more common with middle-income families and the poor than upper-income families. This ends under the Lopez Administration. It is morally wrong to mistreat any person regardless of socioeconomic status or upbringing and Greg’s administration will ensure that any complaint which comes to the governor’s office concerning these functions will be thoroughly investigated.

The most powerful people in government are not the elected officials but rather bureaucrats who set the rules and standards of operation for every business in Colorado. The Lopez Administration will reduce the number of rules and regulations that are choking the success of small businesses across the state. “The Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) is the state's umbrella regulatory agency, charged with managing licensing and registration for multiple professions and businesses, implementing balanced regulation for Colorado industries, and protecting consumers. “Nearly 600 employees are dedicated to preserving the integrity of the marketplace and promoting a fair and competitive business environment throughout Colorado” (About DORA | Department of Regulatory Agencies, 2022). Unfortunately, this agency is bloated and unwieldy and will be optimized under the Lopez Administration. About DORA | Department of Regulatory Agencies. (2022). Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies. https://dora.colorado.gov/about-dora

Colorado’s state government claims that everything they do is to protect the public health of the state. This approach allows bureaucrats to use the term “public health” like a badge of honor that needs to be respected and feared. The Lopez Administration will make sure that the public health aspect of the issues impacting the state are dealt with by the private sector not the government. Greg’s focus will be to maintain a healthy balance of doing what is in the best interest of public health. The current Governor has proven that the State Government knows little to nothing about truly protecting the public health of the state and everything the state does just compounds the issue 10 times. The current administration is a “problem observer not a problem solver” and because of that the only thing they throw money at the problem and hope it will go away. The Lopez Administration will not waste the People’s money on strategies and tactics that do not address the core problem of the issue.

The Lopez Administration will not waste the People’s money on strategies and tactics that do not address the core problem of the issue. The State Government is too big. Fraud, waste, and abuse of the taxpayer’s money is hitting the unimaginable mark of 40% of the state’s budget. If you ever hear “I’m from the state government and I’m here to help” you better run like the wind. State government has proven its incompetence regarding best practices to serve communities or individuals of the state. It does, however, excel in its ability to materialize the positive illusion that they are doing good. That’s it, nothing more. This is because 80% of the individuals elected to State Government positions and 90% of state employees are not interested in doing the right thing and working hard for the people of Colorado; they are interested in collecting a paycheck. The Lopez Administration will clean the swamp within the State Government.

There is too much fraud, waste, and abuse with the Taxpayers hard-earned money. The State budget of Colorado is over $32 Billion, that’s right billion with a “B”. The Governor is allowed to present a proposed budget to the General Assembly’s Joint Budget Committee (JBC). The Lopez Administration will take the effort necessary to craft a budget proposal that serves the best interest of Colorado. It is the discretion of the JBC to determine if any agree or disagree with any line item of the proposed budget. The biggest problem with the State Budget is the fact that it is a “baseline budgeting system.”

Our society is heavily dependent on telecommunications and information technology. The Lopez Administration will work diligently to ensure that all 64 counties across the state have access to strong internet connections. With Zoom meetings, tele-medicine, and long-distance learning these tools are essential for enhancing the quality of life of all Colorado families.

The $5.4 billion Transportation Sustainability Bill that was signed by the Governor is nothing but “smoke and mirrors”. This bill hurts the hard-working middle-class families and the poor more than any other group across Colorado. The Lopez Administration will work to educate the public about what is in this bill and the long-term negative impacts it will have on Colorado families and communities.

There is an old saying “Whiskey is for drinking; water is for fighting”. Water coordination is important not only within the state but also with the inter-state compacts what we are a part of. To Colorado’s native people, water was life. Today, all Coloradans’ need to recognize how essential water is to life, home, health, and property. The Lopez Administration will ensure that we find a “balance” between Municipal, Industrial, and Agriculture use. I am not going to allow any of these uses to dominate or harm the other two.