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Colorado State House District 55 / Cámara de Representantes

The State House of Representatives is made up of 65 members who are elected by voters in their district for a two-year term. They are limited to serving four consecutive terms in office, but after a two-year break, they are eligible to run again. Every two years, all 65 seats are open for election. The legislative branch of the Colorado state government is composed of the State House and the State Senate. Their legislative authority and responsibilities include passing bills related to public policy matters, approving state budget spending, raising and lowering taxes, and voting to uphold gubernatorial vetoes. Scroll for Spanish Translation. La Cámara de Representantes del Estado está compuesta por 65 miembros que son elegidos por los votantes de su distrito para un mandato de dos años. Están limitados a servir cuatro períodos consecutivos en el cargo, pero después de una pausa de dos años, son elegibles para postularse nuevamente. Cada dos años se convocan elecciones para los 65 escaños. El poder legislativo del gobierno del estado de Colorado está compuesto por la Cámara de Representantes y el Senado. Su autoridad y responsabilidades legislativas incluyen la aprobación de proyectos de ley relacionados con asuntos de política pública, la aprobación del gasto del presupuesto estatal, la subida y bajada de impuestos y la votación para mantener los vetos del gobernador.

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  • Candidate picture

    Rick Taggart
    (Rep)

Biographical Information

What is the top issue(s) facing constituents in your district and what legislation would you champion to address it?

What would you do to reduce household expenses?

What role should the state government have in enforcing federal immigration laws? Please explain.

What legislation or action would you support to improve Colorado's energy production?

What is your stance on access to abortion and reproductive health care?

What is your opinion of the current integrity of elections?

The top issue facing my constituents is housing affordability, both in homeownership and rental markets. Inflation has driven residential prices up by over 50%, mortgage interest rates to around 7%, and property taxes to increase by more than 40% in some cases. On the rental side, a shortage of available units and rising rents are burdening renters, with many spending over 50% of their income on housing. As a legislator, I have championed property tax reform, sponsoring SB24-233 and HB24B-1001 to reduce assessment rates and limit property tax revenue growth. I've supported grants for Accessory Dwelling Units and Affordable Housing while avoiding excessive regulation. I expect revisions to Construction Defect legislation to help developers and contractors build more affordable condominiums, a critical option for first-time homebuyers.
Housing is the biggest household expense, as I mentioned earlier. As legislators, we can help reduce household expenses by limiting government spending, which can add inflationary pressure, and by reducing regulations on businesses. Additionally, we must encourage competition in the marketplace. Fair and open competition leads to higher-quality products and services at lower prices for consumers, ultimately helping to reduce household expenses.
The Colorado State Government has limited influence over federal immigration policy, but we will continue to pressure our Congressional representatives. Unfortunately, this has not been very effective so far. The lack of federal legislation, including a failed bipartisan bill this year, places an undue burden on state and local funds. In the General Assembly, we allocated significant additional funding to healthcare and education this year, but this is not sustainable and diverts resources from services for Colorado citizens. The federal government must prioritize this issue and develop a bipartisan solution—it's unfair to place this burden on state and local governments.
We critically need a balanced, comprehensive energy policy. While renewables are a crucial part of energy production, oil and gas are equally important. Colorado has some of the cleanest oil and gas reserves globally, and we should utilize these resources rather than rely on imports. Currently, the oil and gas industry is overregulated, affecting severance tax revenue that is vital for local infrastructure investments. I will continue to support legislation that promotes a balanced approach to energy production, ensuring both renewable energy and traditional sources are part of our energy strategy.
I firmly believe this is a decision for a woman, her family, and physicians, and the government has no role in that decision-making process.
The integrity from my perspective is absolutely fine. We have great clerks across the county and state who do a great job at securing our elections.