2022 Colorado General
El Paso County Commissioner
CANDIDATES
DISTRICT 1 & DISTRICT 5
DISTRICT 1
HOLLY WILLIAMS
Republican Candidate Information
Campaign Website URL: www.HollyForColorado.com
Email Address: HollyForColorado@gmail.com
Occupation/Vocation: County Commissioner
Resident of El Paso County: 30 years
Experience
What experience (personal, professional, other) would you bring to your role as Commissioner that will benefit our county?
Elected as your El Paso County Commissioner in 2018 with 70.2% of the vote. I enjoy serving El Paso County citizens, advocating for District 1 residents, and supporting our military service members. I am pro-life, pro-family, support our right to keep and bear arms, and support our Constitution.
Republican volunteer since 1994 from precinct leader to office manager. Selected by the Republican Party as the Republican of the Year. Master of Public Administration from UCCS. Governor Bill Owens appointed me as El Paso Public Trustee for eight years.
I have been married for 35 years and have four children. Jesus Christ is my Savior and I pray for his tender mercies and grace.
Vision
What is your vision for being one of our County Commissioners?
I will protect and enhance our quality of life by keeping taxes low, funding transportation, protecting private property rights, and supporting public safety.
I have fought for our conservative values at the local, state, and national levels including fighting for 2nd Amendment rights against Chicago Democrats, and taking positions on 26 bills – fighting for constitutional rights and against unfunded mandates and attacks on law enforcement.
I successfully fought for transportation projects including the Powers/Research intersection and for the Voyager Parkway/I-25 exit. I will advocate for funding to complete Powers North. El Paso County added $13.1 million in permanent funding to roads and an additional $24 million in one-time funding.
County Commissioner's Role
What are the roles, rights, and duties of an El Paso County Commissioner?
As a Commissioner, I take an oath to uphold the US and Colorado Constitution. My primary responsibility is to represent the citizens of my district and to ensure efficient use of taxpayer dollars. During the COVID emergency, I fought to open closed religious’ institutions and opposed mask and vaccine mandates.
We consistently adopt a balanced budget that meets TABOR. I monitor state legislation that affects county services especially when it diminishes our ability to enforce the law, risks community safety, or creates an unfunded mandate. We also fund maintenance for 4,400 lane miles of roads in unincorporated areas.
Building and Development
Considering our limited water and energy resources, to what extent and in what manner should the County be encouraging building and development?
I support American energy independence and private property rights. I evaluate new developments based upon the El Paso Master Plan, the Water Master Plan, and the land development code. I support the 300-year water rule that requires new development to have 3x’s more water availability than the State of Colorado requires. I support our special district policy limiting mill levy rates and our road impact fee.
I support state legislation that reduces regulations and support affordable and attainable housing. I oppose legislation that benefits trial lawyers at the expense of Coloradans seeking to buy homes
Departmental Budgets
What is your experience in regard to understanding and managing large and complex departmental budgets?
As a Commissioner, I’ve continued to ensure that El Paso County has a balanced budget and the state’s lowest cost per citizen. In 2021, County government cost each citizen $306, the mill levy was 7.692 and the property tax per citizen was only $73.04. The closest county to that is more than 50% higher at 12 mills.
We pride ourselves on excellent customer service with a limited budget. When Governor Polis shut down the State economy due to COVID in April 2020, many employees did not miss a day of work and all employees were working remotely within a week. Our productivity during this time frame increased.
TABOR
What is your position on The Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR)?
I support the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights. I believe that limiting the growth of government as well as requiring voter approval for tax increases has placed El Paso County in a very good financial position as the economy starts to grow. I support limiting the growth of government and believe that tax increases require voter approval.
Improving County Services
If new resources became available, what single area of County services do you believe most needs additional funding. and what do you suggest that money be used for to improve the lives of El Paso County citizens?
Road maintenance. El Paso County maintains more than 4,400 lane miles of roads. During the Great Recession, El Paso Commissioners made the tough decision to cut funding to roads. With normal inflation and required increases in services, our roads continue to be underfunded. In the past four years, I have supported increasing the road maintenance budget by $13.1 million in ongoing revenue.
This year, I supported dedicating $24 million in one-time revenue for roads. I will continue to support additional ongoing revenues for roads as well as adding additional one-time revenues each year.
Enforcing Mandates
What is your position in regard to enforcing “mandates” issued by governmental or non- governmental officials or agencies? How will you use the power of your office as County Commissioner to defend the Constitutional rights of El Paso County citizens?
During the COVID emergency, El Paso Commissioners did not support or enforce a mask mandate and, by resolution, I specifically stated that I do not support vaccine mandates.
When the state overreached on COVID, I supported the effort to immediately open churches for worship service that had been unconstitutionally shut down by Governor Polis. When we received money from the federal government, we quickly dedicated amounts to help ensure critical services were provided and small businesses were protected.
Additional federal funding is being distributed with very specific guidelines so that businesses have equal opportunity to apply for these funds. When the federal government allowed relief funding for roads, I immediately supported dedicating the maximum amount to roads.
Protecting the Most Vulnerable
As a County Commissioner, how would you seek to protect the most vulnerable in our county, including the lives of the unborn, the trafficked, and the elderly?
I am pro-life and will protect the lives of the unborn. Because illicit massage parlors are frequently used by human traffickers, the City of Colorado Springs recently adopted an ordinance requiring all massage parlors to be licensed. I would like to pursue a similar ordinance for El Paso County. We have pursued several pieces of legislation to protect the elderly, including legislation requiring elder care facilities to allow for visitation by family members during pandemic circumstances. Finally, I support legislation to make the senior homestead exemption for property taxes portable so that seniors may easily downsize into a home in later years.
RYAN LUCAS
Democratic Candidate Information
Campaign Website URL: www.RyanLucasForColorado.com
Email Address: Ryan@RyanLucasForColorado.com
Occupation/Vocation: IT Consultant
Resident of El Paso County: 3 years
Experience
What experience (personal, professional, other) would you bring to your role as Commissioner that will benefit our county?
Besides having worked in electoral politics and issue advocacy for many years, I have worked with and for organizations and companies, large and small, to bring ideas into fruition through tenacious advocacy. I am also an avid promoter and supporter of others, focusing my energy on helping people achieve their goals by converting ideas into action – I’ve started companies and organizations to lift others’ voices.
Vision
What is your vision for being one of our County Commissioners?
For better or worse, the County is in the midst of significant change. What I believe the County needs at this time is transitional leadership that can help mitigate that change through collaboration – someone that is not afraid to discuss difficult topics with those they don’t always agree with. My vision for this role is to be the most accessible County Commissioner.
County Commissioner's Role
What are the roles, rights, and duties of an El Paso County Commissioner?
Roles and rights are all well-defined and the power of the County Commission comes from the state – but the duties of the Commissioner I see as being far more malleable as a leader among people. A good County Commissioner should be helping residents to take charge of their own capacity in creating a community that is good for all our neighbors.
Building and Development
Considering our limited water and energy resources, to what extent and in what manner should the County be encouraging building and development?
Encouraging development and encouraging smarter development are two very different things. If our county is going to continue to grow and we’re going to welcome new neighbors, we have to balance current resident promises with increasing demand on community resources. This means holding developers accountable to supporting growth, rather than current need.
Departmental Budgets
What is your experience in regard to understanding and managing large and complex departmental budgets?
As an executive for a private company, I have managed multimillion-dollar budgets with complexity around planning for OpEx and CapEx as well as underwriting ongoing and one-time costs. These are all skills/experience that are important in the County Commissioner role.
TABOR
What is your position on The Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR)?
TABOR is the law of the land and while I disagree with it myself, I anticipate no major changes to that in the near future. I would much rather see the flexibility of Commissioners to be able to make decisions with a budget cycle rather than be hamstrung in decision- making by putting those decisions to voters every time. If you don’t trust your elected officials to make those decisions for you, what good is a representative democracy?
Improving County Services
If new resources became available, what single area of County services do you believe most needs additional funding. and what do you suggest that money be used for to improve the lives of El Paso County citizens?
That would depend on what size of resources suddenly became available. If we’re talking large-scale infrastructure dollars, I would begin work on an intercommunity public transit plan that would set up communities El Paso County to become less dependent on personal transportation. With smaller budget, I would focus on improving health and human services to begin to tackle poverty.
Enforcing Mandates
What is your position in regard to enforcing “mandates” issued by governmental or non- governmental officials or agencies? How will you use the power of your office as County Commissioner to defend the Constitutional rights of El Paso County citizens?
The County Commissioners are, first and foremost, an extension of the State – meaning that those mandates are, by extension, mandates of the County, under current law. It is incumbent on the board to follow those mandates in the same way that a police officer should not inconsistently enforce a seat belt law. Leadership, formal and informal, in supporting the law through education and outreach are the aforementioned duties of a County Commissioner.
Protecting the Most Vulnerable
As a County Commissioner, how would you seek to protect the most vulnerable in our county, including the lives of the unborn, the trafficked, and the elderly?
Again, Health and Human services become particularly important when it comes to this topic. Providing a prosperous and healthy community that supports our citizens in achieving their dreams in whatever way and timeline they choose while protecting those most vulnerable to abuse. It is the critical juncture of multiple jurisdictions and governmental functions requiring a balance between individual freedoms/rights and appropriate safeguards. It should be the position of any County Commissioner to respect the law for those wishing to avail themselves of it; and use the law for those wishing to break it.
DISTRICT 5
JOHN JARRELL
Democratic Candidate Information
Questionnaire was sent to the Candidate both for the 2022 Primary and General Elections, and he never confirmed receipt, though we sought to contact him multiple times and by various methods. Therefore, we do not know if the Candidate is even aware of the opportunity to participate in the Voter Guide, or whether he is aware and chose not to participate.
Campaign Website URL: www.ElectJarrell.com
Candidate Email Address: Info@ElectJarrell.com
CAMI BREMER
Republican Candidate Information
Campaign Website URL: www.CamiBremer.com
Email Address: Cami.Bremer@gmail.com
Occupation/Vocation: El Paso County Commissioner
Resident of El Paso County: 20 years
Experience
What experience (personal, professional, other) would you bring to your role as Commissioner that will benefit our county?
Prior to being elected El Paso County Commissioner in 2018, my professional roles involved bringing multiple stakeholders together for solutions-based results for our community. That experience prepared me well for serving our community the last three years. There’s no better experience than actually having done the job before, particularly during a time of unprecedented attention on elected officials. I have been responsive, respectful, and principled in stressful and tenuous situations, advocating always for citizens and local control, and drawing on my faith and commitment to limited roles of government. In addition, the story of our 7-year old son highlights my commitment to life and family values, as well as brings a unique perspective of health and human services issues.
Vision
What is your vision for being one of our County Commissioners?
Since 2018, I’ve delivered on a bold vision of government entities working together to better and efficiently serve El Paso County residents. With a passion for ensuring the county remains a safe and desirable place to raise families like mine, I’ve pursued planned growth and development, public safety and emergency preparedness, and fiscally-responsible management of tax dollars to benefit citizens for decades to come. My common-sense conservatism has brought cooperation and results to the County Commission. I am committed to listening to your concerns and making responsible decisions based on my beliefs and all evidence available. I would be honored to continue effective Commissionership by prioritizing families and businesses, limiting government overreach, and building a strong and sustainable community.
County Commissioner's Role
What are the roles, rights, and duties of an El Paso County Commissioner?
The role of a County Commissioner is to protect our Constitutional rights on a local level. Throughout my term, we have pushed back on attempts to erode those rights. In addition to standing up for rights, we defend our most vulnerable citizens, create a thriving economy, upskill our workforce, end dependency on government handouts, create efficiency and transparency, and provide public safety and public infrastructure. We also support our Nation’s defense by making our region a better place for men and women in uniform and their families. And we do it all for the lowest cost per citizen of any large county in the state, with a fundamental understanding that it’s our responsibility to spend your money wisely.
Building and Development
Considering our limited water and energy resources, to what extent and in what manner should the County be encouraging building and development?
Our region continues to be an attractive place to live, work and play. With that comes complexity of ensuring quality of life including housing availability, recreation opportunities and preservation of traditional land uses. Growth is inevitable, so it must be approached in a strategic, planned and managed way. I have and will continue to make decisions that maintain conservative principles of limited regulation and utmost protection of private property rights, while also balancing free-market principles and complying with statutory code. Our new comprehensive master plan includes preservation of agricultural lands and zoning, expands traditional approaches to water conservation, and brings focus to future land use development decisions that residents can depend on as they make their own private property decisions.
Departmental Budgets
Departmental Budgets: What is your experience in regard to understanding and managing large and complex departmental budgets?
As a County Commissioner, I have not only allocated the unrestricted portion of our $500 Million budget, but also taken responsibility of receiving, allocating and distributing $265M in federal funding sent to the County since 2020. Managing a budget is a critical part of serving as a Commissioner, as Commissioners must ensure that the 30% of unrestricted funding in our discretion is put towards efforts that serve our County best. Our general fund expenditures now include a 5-year outlook and assurance that each line item aligns with our Strategic Plan. Most importantly, I’ve had a keen eye on public process and transparency, and ensuring accountability for every dollar of our citizen’s hard- earned money.
TABOR
What is your position on The Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR)?
I love that TABOR ensures citizens have the final say over the amount of taxes they pay to the government. This protection is crucial to keep the size and scope of government in check. As someone who chose to live in this area, I can tell you that TABOR makes governments on every level think harder about how to allocate scarce resources. I also respect the will of the voters when they vote on TABOR related questions. I have honored the will of the voters, returning over $14M in revenue exceeding TABOR caps in 2019, 2020 and 2021.
Improving County Services
If new resources became available, what single area of County services do you believe most needs additional funding. and what do you suggest that money be used for to improve the lives of El Paso County citizens?
This could be a 3-word answer, based on what government CAN AND SHOULD DO: Roads and Infrastructure, with a focus on long-term planning that aligns with growth models and the master plan upon which decisions are being made. Although we have put an ADDITIONAL $60M into roads since my term began, we have hundreds of millions in road needs that will only increase in this inflationary time. We must also include broadband, wastewater and water infrastructure as we plan large transportation corridor projects.
Enforcing Mandates
What is your position in regard to enforcing “mandates” issued by governmental or non- governmental officials or agencies? How will you use the power of your office as County Commissioner to defend the Constitutional rights of El Paso County citizens?
I fervently believe in local control – it’s why I took such a large role in getting variances for our local businesses. I am proud that your Commissioners never supported any state mandate, nor did we create one on the local level. I will use all legal and statutory tools I have to fight unconstitutional mandates. I’ve fought against COVID-19 restrictions and vaccine mandates, as well as attempts to roll back the 2nd Amendment, and extremist environmental policies that would destroy our economy. I strongly believe that individuals and business owners are in the best position to make their own decisions, and I will continue to fight for their right to do so.
Protecting the Most Vulnerable
As a County Commissioner, how would you seek to protect the most vulnerable in our county, including the lives of the unborn, the trafficked, and the elderly?
I am fervently pro-life, a belief made even stronger through personal experience. Our son was born with both our lives at risk – he was 3 months early, weighing just one pound. Miraculously, he’s now thriving, and I’m still here impacting the community he’s growing up in. I strive to promote family values and the sanctity of life – at all ages. Your County Commissioners are advocating for the state to push back on illicit spas, which often enable human trafficking. Through PPACG and DHS, we ensure the safety of vulnerable adults and children. Additionally, my background in healthcare has shown me the difficult end-of-life decisions families make, forever ingraining a tenacity to advocate for life from the beginning to end.
JANET TURNER
Libertarian Candidate Information
Candidate Chose Not to Participate
Campaign Website URL: JLittleGirlJT.Wixsite/website
Candidate Email Address: JLittleGirl.JT@gmail.com
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