Steven Woodrow

Economy

We believe in the American Dream—the idea that if you work hard and play by the rules, you ought to be able to do better than your parents did. The current system is rigged. We believe in equality of opportunity and understand that economic justice requires a level playing field. We will fight for an economy that works for everyone and grows from the middle out, not just a system that repeatedly transfers wealth from workers to a privileged few. We understand that investing in our educational and healthcare systems and our energy and transportation infrastructure are integral to fueling a just economy. Learn more

Education

We recognize that strong public schools form the bedrock of our democracy and that a good education remains the best vehicle for upward mobility. We will fight for well-funded pre-K-12 public education that secures equity and the opportunity for all students to achieve their potential, compete in an increasingly global workforce, and participate in society as informed citizens. We support strong neighborhood schools and public-school teachers grounded in authentic community involvement and meaningful parent teacher engagement. We oppose vouchers, excessive testing, and the shuttering of schools to make room for charters. We will foster respect for teachers as professionals and expand their viability through better pay and benefits and a right to collectively bargain. Learn more

The costs of daycare (and healthcare and self-care) are all out of control. Fully funded pre-school is essential for ensuring all children have a strong start. In addition to curriculum enhancements designed to ensure that more graduates are ready for college, we also seek the immediate expansion of trades, vocational training, and apprenticeship programs paired with entrepreneurial courses. We seek increased funding for Colorado public colleges and universities on par with state flagship schools to broaden access to higher education across our state. Learn more

Environment / Energy

Man made climate change is real and represents a threat to our national security. Clean air, water, and soil are essential for our economic survival and the well-being of our communities. We need to expand community recycling and composting programs and work to develop appropriate end markets. We must also fight to conserve our natural resources and resist the auctioning off of our public lands to the highest bidder. We respect scientists and support efforts to promote renewable energy, energy conservation, and the transition to a green energy grid. Sustainable growth and modernizing transportation systems should be done with an eye on reducing our reliance on fossil fuels, increasing density, conserving limited water resources, honoring intersectionality, preserving our parks and open spaces, and ensuring a just transition for impacted workers and families. Learn more

Government Reform

Colorado consumers enjoy some of the weakest protections in the Nation. We need to fix the Colorado Consumer Protection Act so that it provides an actual avenue for relief for persons harmed by wrongful corporate conduct. We need to examine our procurement laws and process to ensure that entities looking to do business with the State of Colorado are not directly or indirectly promoting discrimination or anti-competitive conduct. We also need to repeal the penalty on filings, which requires that any consumer who loses a tort case on a motion to dismiss must pay the defendant’s legal fees. Learn more

Campaign finance reform, including publicly financed elections, is more necessary than ever. Just as important is that we fight back against the attempts to undermine our electoral system through false accusations of widespread voter fraud and conspiracy theories. We must continue to push for measures that make voting easy. We encourage laws that promote government of, by, and for the people and support participation by all citizens in local elections. We will also push to expand and improve our mail-in ballot system. Learn more

We fight to ensure that everyone receives equal treatment under the law and due process regardless of age, disability, economic status, ethnicity, gender identity, national origin, religion or sexual orientation. We support legislation guaranteeing equal treatment and protecting all individuals from discrimination, including laws that require entities seeking to do business with the State of Colorado verify that they, in turn, are not directly or indirectly supporting discriminatory practices. We oppose legislation that targets our LGBTQ and non-binary neighbors and renounce hate in all its forms. We support policies to redress institutionalized racism and historic disenfranchisement. We also support the First Amendment and recognize the invaluable check against authoritarianism that a vibrant, independent press affords. Learn more

Guns

I of course support an assault weapons ban. Learn more

Healthcare

Affordable healthcare is a human right and indispensable to the realization of the American Dream. We support universal healthcare coverage, whether delivered through Medicare for All, a public option, or another universal system. We must also improve our access to mental healthcare services. No one should go bankrupt or forgo treatment in the United States due to medical debt. We support initiatives aimed at reducing costs, including administrative costs and the costs of prescription drugs, while expanding choice, increasing transparency, and encouraging innovation for better patient outcomes. We also support doctors and other healthcare providers as well as initiatives designed to alleviate the administrative and financial burdens of practicing medicine. We support the State’s effort to reduce healthcare costs and provide a public option for all Coloradans. Learn more

Housing

I will continue to support renter protections, zoning reform, public financing/developer creation, and rent stabilization to make housing affordable across Colorado. Learn more

Immigration

We call for comprehensive immigration reform that keeps families together and provides legal status and a path to citizenship. Immediate protections should be provided to recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients. The State should protect sanctuary cities from Federal encroachment and refuse to allow State or municipal funds to be used to carry out the work of Immigration Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) officials. Learn more

Wages / Job Benefits

We also understand the struggle of living paycheck to paycheck and therefore fight for workers, equal pay, balanced trade laws, paid family leave, fair taxation, and affordable housing. We support the idea of an honest day’s pay for an honest day’s work and understand that the best customer of American industry is the well-paid worker. Workers must have the right to organize, and we must repeal the Orwellian-named Taxpayer's Bill of Rights, the Gallagher Amendment, and other obstacles that prevent us from investing in Colorado’s future. Learn more