As a small business owner and entrepreneur, Karl will create the conditions for small and franchise businesses in our district along Powers Blvd to thrive without the burden of ‘over regulation’ and defend against federal rules that seek to lay heavy burdens on our business owners like the issue of “joint employers.” A condition where you, the franchise and business owner, would be liable for actions of an independently owned and operated business just because they bought your branding!
LIST OF ISSUES
2nd Amendment~
I support it unequivocally. As a veteran of over 22 years of military service as an Army Green Beret, I understand the oppression that run away governments can impose on their people who have no means to resist. Strategically, it is the safeguard that our founding fathers wanted to be enshrined in our Constitution and our Republic to ensure the people have the means to resist a tyrannical government. Tactically, as a concealed carry holder in every state I’ve lived save California, I don’t consider it a right to defend oneself but a moral obligation to resist criminality and to always have the means to resist and win an encounter where one’s life, lives of others, or property are at stake. A firearm is a great equalizer.
Marijuana~
we definitely need to be careful how we further legislate in regards to this topic. We must ensure laws on the books do not have negative 2nd and 3rd order affects. We know today that Colorado is the number 1 state exporter of marijuana due to the black market growth and sales of the drug. In El Paso County there is an average number of approximately 650 illegal grow operations at any given time. In HD 15, we have a good share of those that not only bring crime, but damage property and homes and raise infrastructure costs for those around them. We must work with federal and local authorities to disrupt these illegal activities. I support the reduction of the number of plants an individual may grow at any one time and we should reduce the number of ‘medical’ card holders who are allowed to purchase Marijuana at the age of 18 and at non-taxed prices. We can safely assume that there are those who legitimately need marijuana based products for medical issues and we should support them. I recognize that the people have voted to legalize marijuana and do not dispute it. The implementation and regulation of its legal acceptance must be done so with the best interests of the people in HD15 as a whole. I heard the gunshots last year from a drug deal gone bad just a few streets over from my home at which one person was killed and another seriously wounded. The rounds fired could have easily travelled to my home where I was playing with my kids. My intent is to legislatively ensure that never happens again in my neighborhood and or HD15.
Economy~
HD 15 is home to multiple engines of economy to include: St. Francis Penrose Hospital, the Colorado Springs Airport, several large defense contracting firms, as well as Peterson, AFB. Reducing unnecessary, redundant, and burdensome regulations at the state level is paramount to allowing these entities to grow and thrive. I will work for state legislation that does not impede but ensures smart economic growth. When necessary, I will advocate and share with our federal representatives any concerns I have that federal laws may be negatively impacting our same constituents. The Oil and Gas Industry provide for over 200,000 jobs in Colorado and is a 30 Billion Economy and provides over 60 million in taxes to our counties each year. Not to mention the income for those job holders.
Education~
I’m an advocate for school choice and allowing parents to make the best decisions regarding their kids education. Parents are focused on their kids and that is where the money must go-to the kids. It must follow the kids and not the schools. Schools that do well will draw more kids, those schools will grow and succeed.
Illegal Immigrants~
We should follow the fine example in El Paso County of Sherriff Bill Elder’s legal approach to this issue. The adherence to the DHS I-247 program is a sensible and legal means to address illegal immigration. Any attempt to promote or enact legislation such as the Colorado Politician Accountability Act should be derided as antithetical to Republican values. Limited government is not inviting the Federal Government to come to our sovereign state to arrest and or charge our elected officials with crimes for conducting the business of our state. There will be natural friction between the Federal and State government now and in perpetuity. Furthermore, it is unconscionable to me that a political leader would be charged with a crime and or be sued civilly for a conscious criminal act conducted by a third party about whom, the political leader has no knowledge. Any act or attempt to further legislation of this design may well have 2nd and 3rd order effects on our 2nd Amendment and other rights. Again, it would be inconceivable to hold a political leader criminally or civilly responsible for a criminal act conducted by a 3rd party with a firearm. The Colorado Politician Accountability Act proposed last year lacks maturity, depth of understanding of law, and would most assuredly open the Pandora’s box of impractical solutions to serious issues. You can expect my advocacy for practical solutions to the challenges we face.