Representative Randy Fischer
Colorado House District 53
STATE CAPITOL UPDATE
Colorado Democrats Do More With Less
We Cut Spending, Support Your Family & Your Business, Create Jobs
Facing the most difficult economic environment in decades, Governor Ritter and the Democratic state legislature cut $2 billion in government spending, balanced the budget, reduced taxes for 30,000 small businesses, and fostered economic growth that created 20,000 renewable energy jobs. Additionally, overcoming the challenging national economy, we expanded health coverage, improved bridge and road safety, reformed education by creating higher standards, expanded educational opportunities for kids, and preserved the safety net at a time when people need it most. And best of all, we created jobs and kept our unemployment rate 3 points lower than the national average.
We Democrats continue to stand up for you, your family and small businesses.
Advancing Green Energy, Creating 20,000 Jobs
• We advanced Colorado's globally recognized New Energy Economy, creating an economic environment that produced 20,000 new renewable energy jobs and making renewable energy and energy efficiency more affordable for all Coloradans. Democrats bucked the national trend: unemployment in the US is 10.2%, and in Colorado unemployment is 6.9%.
Supporting Small Businesses
• We initiated the most aggressive economic-development legislation in decades, establishing incentives for companies to create jobs, providing businesses with access to credit, and strengthening job-training programs at community colleges.
• We cut the Business Personal Property Tax for more than 30,000 Colorado small businesses.
Fixing Health Care
• We enacted the most significant healthcare reform in 40 years, providing coverage to more than 100,000 uninsured Coloradans and curbing cost-shifting -- without raising taxes.
• We saved tens of millions of dollars by aggressively pursuing health care fraud and abuse.
Repairing Roads
• We created the first new sustainable funding source for transportation in nearly two decades, allowing for the repair of unsafe bridges and the upkeep of aging roads and highways. This is good for business and good for your family’s safety.
Educating Kids
• We enacted nationally recognized education reforms aimed at improving high school graduation rates, cutting the achievement
• We passed the Dual Enrollment bill so high school students can earn both a high school diploma and an Associate’s degree in five years, getting into the workforce faster.
• We made the most substantial commitment in the history of Colorado to rebuild and repair K-12 schools, providing $1 billion to build new schools statewide and repair crumbling roofs and failing electrical, heating and plumbing systems in aging schools.
• We expanded preschool and full-day kindergarten for tens of thousands of children.
Balancing the Budget
• We made the tough choices necessary to balance a recession-era budget while maintaining investments in education, healthcare, public safety, job training, and other vital community services. No debt, no deficit, no new taxes.
Helping Struggling Families
• We helped struggling families by extending unemployment benefits, creating job training programs, and providing a foreclosure "time-out" for responsible homeowners.
Planning for the Future
• We convened a bi-partisan coalition to address Colorado's outdated and conflicting fiscal mandates, doubling
Job for Veterans
• We provided financial incentives for our returning troops to become teachers, strengthening our economy and our education system — especially in rural and high-needs areas — and supporting our military veterans.
Healing the Environment
• We implemented Colorado’s first Climate Action Plan, with goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050. This is more than just the right thing to do – this growing sector creates lots of good jobs.
