Progress Now Action

http://cbs4denver.com/local/obama.speech.tickets.2.788901.html

NO--not--Obama vs McCain

BUT Udall vs Schaffer

get your tix now and ask questions--all info on this link:

http://www.9news.com/rss/article.aspx?storyid=94369

After many years of living there--I am in Denver now--this place has changed. And through much hard work. I am proud of JAN'S responses!

Read this from the Tri-Lakes Tribune.....


06/12/2008
District 20 candidates sound off on key issues
By Danny Smith , Staff Writer

Health care, renewable energy and economic growth likely will be at the forefront of the race for the House District 20 representative slot this election year.

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Incumbent Republican Rep. Amy Stephens will again run against Democrat opponent Jan Hejtmanek, who recently announced her candidacy for the 2008 election.

During her two years in office, Stephens has helped pass legislation allowing spouses of active-duty military access to get unemployment benefits, eased transition process for military spouses working in education who move to Colorado and pushed through legislation creating a School Safety Resource Center - intended as a coalescence of security information at public schools in Colorado.

Hejtmenaek ran unsuccessfully against Stephens in 2006, and will try to turn the tide this November with a campaign focusing on sustainable growth, attracting new business, renewable energy and health care.

The candidates' views differ sharply on health care issues.

Stephens co-sponsored a health care transparency bill that passed this year, requiring hospitals to post prices for 25 of the most common inpatient procedures and insurance companies have to post the reimbursement amounts for their most common 25 inpatient procedures.

The bill, according to Stephens, follows her belief in consumer-directed health care.

"I want to continue drawing consumers in to make their own choices in health care, and [work] with insurance so we make that possible," Stephens said. "I really like to explore how we can give consumers more choice. Now, that is tough because your opponents are going to go 'well, do we need this mandate or that mandate?' The more mandates we put on health insurance, the more we are driving up prices and the tougher it is for people to get access."

A state-run health care plan is favored by Hejtmanek.

"Gov. Ritter's 208 Commission recently concluded its research of the top five most viable options for universal health care coverage in the state," Hejtmanek said, "by recommending a single-payer health care system as the most financially efficient means of providing health care for all Colorado residents. Though it is unlikely that any new health care program will be initiated this year, it remains a top priority for this governor and his administration, which I fully support."

Health care legislation would aid small business, Hejtmanek said.

"I think it would alleviate a lot of problems in small businesses," Hejtmanek said. "It supports small business by allowing them to be more competitive. It would be far more efficient and less costly in the long run."

During this year's legislative session, numerous energy bills were passed, many in support of renewable resources. While both candidates support the use of renewable energies, they have divergent views of how to go about supporting it.

"Redirecting the massive coal and gas industry subsidies into renewable energy development will ensure prosperity equaling that of the outmoded energy industries; nurture fledgling industries that have been long ignored; and cultivate the kind of innovation and entrepreneurship for which the United State is world renowned," Hejtmanek said.

Stephens said that redirecting the subsidies effectively means more regulation on energy companies and thinks that the cost of funded research gets balanced on the backs of citizens and individual energy efficiency and stewardship should be the initial step for citizens.

"I don't think there is any problem researching alternative energies as long as we look at how long it's going to take and what the end result is going to be," Stephens said. "When the average consumer looks at how they save energy in their home, what are the things on a personal stewardship level that we can do to make our homes more energy efficient? We don't have enough families who are doing everyday things on a stewardship level. I am not a proponent of the 'nanny state' I don't believe big government should be in every aspect of our lives."

The popular support of renewable energy use was touted by Hejtmanek who cited a Colorado Springs Utilities survey.

"The survey done last year by Colorado Springs Utilities indicated that people are very much in favor of developing renewable energies, and are willing to pay for it," Hejtmanek said, "More than 80 percent who responded were willing to pay more than $1 additional a month on their bill, and around 60 percent would be willing to pay more. I think there is a need, as well as support for it."

To encourage economic growth, Hejtmanek proposes revisions of the 1982 Gallagher amendment to the State Constitution.

"Though the amendment was fair and appropriate at the time, the formulaic complexities of the amendment, combined with a pattern of growth in the past 25 years, has caused business owners to carry an increasingly heavier burden of taxation that is both cumbersome and repellant to businesses," Hejtmanek said.

Stephens was on the Business Affairs and Labor Committee and considers supporting businesses a priority and she said that knowing all the consequences of legislation is of crucial importance when deciding what to support.

"I don't pick up haphazard legislation - that has been a motto of mine. I like to think how it will affect my district," Stephens said.

For more information on Hejtmanek, visit www.janhejtmanek.com. For more information about Stephens, visit www.amystephens4hd20.com/.