On The Issues

State Senator Mike Kopp

Committed to strengthening the Economy
Protecting Colorado’s natural resources
Standing up for Colorado’s Western Values

Strengthening the Economy:

Job growth:
The best way to strengthen the economy is to allow the free markets to create more jobs.

Government must get out of the way and allow businesses and entrepreneurs to grow their bottom lines through low tax policy and by eliminating government red tape that reduces their profitability and investment potential.

Reducing Taxes and Spending:
To stimulate job growth in the economy, taxes must be low, fair and transparent, and government spending must be reduced.

I was a leader in exposing Governor Ritter and the Democrats as they tried to sneak through hundreds of millions of dollars of in tax increases disguised as fees.

I’m proud to say that I successfully fought to reduce taxes on small business to the tune of between $10 and $15 million annually and one of the state’s only business tax cuts to become law during the past four years.

Protecting our Resources

Wildfire Preparedness:
The best way to protect mountain communities from devastating wildfires is to harness federal, state and local resources to mitigate the fire danger around our mountain communities before devastating wildfire strikes.

With a focus on keeping our communities safe, I’ve successfully passed legislation to help address agency coordination, volunteer fire fighter retention and fire protection district leadership issues. I’m proud to say that I’ve worked outside of the box to pass much needed legislation without increasing taxes.

Stronger Schools:
Our Education dollars are best spent in the classroom not on the bureaucracy. Great teachers should get paid more than their peers when they demonstrate high performance. Poor teachers should be let go. Parents, teachers and students should have access to the same real time student academic data so that problems and opportunities can be detected early and often.

No single school can adequately provide for the learning needs of every unique child. I remain committed to advancing a wide range of educational options, like traditional neighborhood schools, public charter schools, online options and home schooling.

Advancing sensible energy production:
Colorado’s abundant energy resources should not be held hostage by special interest driven politics. Our state’s energy policy should not favor one industry over another. We should drill for more Colorado natural gas and oil. We should make the most of our coal and oil shale resources. These resources are vital to our economic recovery. We should support the free market use of commercially viable renewable energy sources.

Standing up for Colorado’s Western Values

The Right to Self Protection:
The Second Amendment is an individual not a community right. As a Senator, I have a record of defending the constitutional right of law abiding citizens to keep and bear arms, and will always defend the right of law abiding citizens to carry concealed firearms to defend themselves.

Defense of Family Values and Life:
I agree with Ronald Reagan that “all great change in America starts at the dining room table.” Despite the thinking of many politicians, government social programs cannot be viewed as able substitutes for moms and dads teaching and modeling values like individual responsibility, integrity, hard work, citizenship and charitable giving. I believe in traditional marriage and that human life has inherent value, and I am proud of my record of defending life at all ages and stages.

Immigration Reform:
I have been a leader in calling on Congress to fully and expeditiously enact the Secure Fence Act of 2006, and to get on with completing the fence on America’s southern border. I have successfully carried legislation requiring the state to keep the bond money of illegal immigrants who skip their hearing.

I’ve worked to raised minimum bond amounts on meth traffickers who are often connected to illegal immigration activity.

I support the use of e-Verify and the expanded use of Colorado’s law enforcement officers in cracking down on those illegally present in Colorado.

Smaller, Better Government:
I believe that for liberty to flourish, government must be lean, effective and transparent. Decisions that can be passed down to local governments and individuals should not be made by out-of-touch politicians in Denver.

I have sponsored and will continue promoting legislation with a goal of reducing the cost, size and complexity of the state’s bureaucracy and regulatory system.

Under my leadership, every statehouse Republican spoke out against the federal government’s takeover of our health care system. My legislation to put the state’s check register online so that tracking government spending and holding it more accountable is easier than it was before was signed into law by Governor Ritter.