Kirkmeyer, the choice to empower Latino families in Colorado’s 8th district

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By Angel Merlos

Senior Advisor for The LIBRE Initiative Action

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Rising prices are putting the American Dream out of reach for many Hispanics in Colorado. Stocking the refrigerator and filling up the gas tanks are much more difficult than they were even a year ago, making it harder to save for college or a down payment on a home. The Hispanic community in Colorado needs a champion who will work to stabilize prices and empower families to thrive.

The LIBRE Initiative Action believes that Barbara Kirkmeyer is that champion for all of Colorado’s 8^th congressional district.

Irresponsible government policies from Washington have pushed the economy into a tailspin, while longstanding policy challenges only exacerbate the problems facing families right now. Barbara Kirkmeyer’s track record in local and state government demonstrates that she has the policy acumen and political courage to take on these challenges in ways that empower Hispanic families, and all Coloradans, to pursue the American Dream.

When she was a commissioner for Weld County, her home for 35 years, she demonstrated her commitment to responsible money management, as the county was the only large county in the state with no long-term debt. What’s more, the county was one of the few without a sales tax. Kirkmeyer will bring that commitment to low taxes and fiscal responsibility to Washington, where the skyrocketing debt is saddling our children and grandchildren and making it more difficult for our community to live out the American Dream.

She has also sought to reduce burdensome regulations, freeing families and businesses to seize the opportunities that are in front of them. As a county commissioner, she pushed to reduce onerous permitting requirements, while as a state representative she sponsored efforts to make government regulation more transparent and accessible.

These are the economic conditions that will result in increased jobs and economic opportunity.

As a long-time resident of Weld County, which has proportionally more Hispanics than the rest of Colorado, Kirkmeyer also knows firsthand the valuable place of immigration in our state and country. She knows that immigrants not only strengthen the workforce but also bring entrepreneurial vigor to the economy, so she supports expanding legal immigration while providing security for children brought to the United States without documentation through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy. She also supports year-long visas for agricultural workers – a needed predictability that will allow families to put down roots in their communities while providing employers more stability.

As a state senator, Kirkmeyer fought to limit government intervention into health care and to empower families to pursue the care they need. She opposed proposals that would give the government more control over prescription drug prices and health insurance options – policies that would hurt the development of lifesaving treatments and innovative care models. And she not only sees how Medicaid is failing the poor in our communities, but she sees a way to fix it that empowers individuals and families while limiting costs.

In education, too, Kirkmeyer seeks to empower families. She knows that every child is unique and that parents know their children best, which is why Kirkmeyer supports educational freedom so that families are able to customize an educational plan that works well for them.

LIBRE Action wants everyone to have the opportunity to succeed in Colorado, but government policies too often get in the way. Particularly now, choices in Washington are making everyday necessities more expensive, forcing families to work harder just to stay where they are.

We’ve talked with Latino families in Colorado’s new congressional district, and they feel the challenges facing us today. They want a representative in Washington who will fight for them and not take them for granted.

Barbara Kirkmeyer sees the problems that are facing Hispanics in Colorado, and she supports solutions that will empower families and allow communities to thrive. She knows that the strongest part of America isn’t our government in Washington, but the hardworking families here who are pursuing the American Dream.

For the sake of our pocketbooks, jobs, families, and future, Barbara Kirkmeyer is the right choice for Colorado this November.