Republican:  El Paso County, CO

HOUSE DISTRICT 16 CANDIDATES

LISA  CZELATDKO

Candidate Information

House District:       16

Email Address:       ElectLisaC@gmail.com

Occupation/Vocation:       Commercial Broker

Resident of the El Paso County:       17 years

Experience

What experience (personal, professional, other) would you bring to your role as Representative that will benefit our state?

I am the single mother of four daughters and a businesswoman. In 2011, because of faith and determination, I ran for City Council and defeated a seasoned politician. Gazette reported my successes and that I had developed a reputation “as someone willing to ask hard questions about thorny issues and not afraid to challenge the status quo.” My board service has included Colorado Springs Utilities Board of Directors, Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments, and Colorado State Transportation Advisory Committee. I have volunteered for the American Heart Association, CASA as a court-appointed advocate, TESSA, and have graduated from Leadership Pikes Peak, the Air Force Space Command Community Relations, and the Center for Creative Leadership programs.

Vision

What is your vision for being a Colorado State Representative?

I am tired of Compromisers in Denver and are ready to fight for people’s freedoms and take back control of our lives.

  • Taxpayer Relief. In my livelihood, I see how high taxes hurt business. The wall I want to build here in Colorado is the one between the People’s pocketbooks and government theft.
  • Government Overreach. Colorado can breathe easier when I’m in Denver fighting against government intrusion such as mask and vaccine mandates. I will be vigilant in protecting our individual freedoms and private property from government interference.
  • Public Safety. I have family filled with law enforcement, first responders and veterans and know the risks they take to protect us. These heroes fight for us; I will fight for them.

Election Reform

Do you believe that elections in Colorado should be conducted differently? Should voters in Colorado be required to verify their identity and residential status in the respective counties in which they vote? Are you in favor of a single-day, in-person voting system consisting of all-paper ballots? Why or why not?

I am a proponent of limited federal government and having more power dispersed to the states. We are seeing a limiting of power for Colorado to run its own elections and a trampling of our First Amendment protections. Asking for proof of identification in order to vote should be a no brainer. I agree we need election reform and support measures that will better ensure election security and integrity. We need to fight for a system where votes are fairly counted or we have lost our democracy.

TABOR

What is your position on the Taxpayers Bill of Rights (TABOR)?

I am strongly in favor of keeping TABOR in place. As a commercial broker, I witness how high taxes hurt business. As I said previously, the wall I want to build here in Colorado is the one between the people’s pocketbooks and government theft. I see the chilling effect of high tax rates and believe that we must cut taxes and protect our hard-earned money from the long, intrusive arm of government.

Education

As a State Representative, what will you do to improve the education of our K – 12 students? What is your position on parental authority in education, including school choice?

I agree that parents have the fundamental right and responsibility for determining how their children are educated. As a former teacher and counselor, I understand the difference parental involvement makes and school choice is the starting point to parental control. Additionally, I would support legislation that would restrict the system’s interference with our parents’ teachings and values.

Government Authority

Do you believe that the government has the legal power and authority to dictate what a person does with his or her body? If so, how?

I am pro-life at the time of conception, and otherwise believe in limited government.

1st Amendment

What will you do as Colorado State Representative to protect our 1st Amendment rights to: the free exercise of religion, freedom of speech, peaceably assembly, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances, all of which are becoming more difficult to exercise in America (and around the world)?

Religious liberty and freedom of speech are rights we inherently possess and protected by our nation’s Constitution. I am concerned that the government is increasingly taking control of our lives as religion, morality, and the limitation of independent thinking are being restricted. As a representative in Denver I will not back down when it comes to standing up for our rights and liberties. Time and again I have proven that I am not a wallflower but a warrior for freedom.

2nd Amendment

Do you believe that gun ownership is a civil right, and what are your positions in regards to red flag laws, magazine capacity bans, legislation that regulates gun storage, and permitless “Constitutional carry”?

I absolutely believe that gun ownership is under attack.  There is an agenda to remove our Constitutionally-protected civil rights, criminalize gun ownership, increase regulations and set up us gun owners for a registry and eventual, seizure. I am opposed to any legislation that would limit the People’s rights to own and carry guns.  The Second Amendment is fundamental to

Americans’ public safety. 

Infrastructure Spending

How do you believe that tax revenue in Colorado should be best utilized to improve our infrastructure?

I will strive to balance infrastructure safety with cutting taxes, which is a top priority.

DAVE  DONELSON

Candidate Information

House District:       16

Campaign Website URL:       DaveDonelson.org

Email Address:       DaveDonelson18@gmail.com


Occupation/Vocation:       Colorado Springs City Council District 1

Military Background:       US Army Veteran, former Green Beret

Resident of the El Paso County:       30 years, except for military deployments and training

Experience

What experience (personal, professional, other) would you bring to your role as Representative that will benefit our state?

I have been married to my wife for 31 years and we have raised our children in House District 16. I understand the challenges and concerns of parents raising their families. Our state government should not make that harder.
I served my country for 21 years in the Army – as a Special Forces NCO (Green Beret), in military intelligence, and as an Officer and Physician Assistant. I am an Iraq War Veteran. I understand what it means to put others before yourself.
I have been the Center Director of a Men’s Health Clinic and understand the challenges of small business.
I currently serve you on City Council where I have a proven record of fighting for conservative values.

Vision

What is your vision for being a Colorado State Representative?

Serve the People. That is my vision. Just like when I ran for city council – it isn’t about me. Right now, too many of our elected officials think their job is to impose some kind of agenda on our citizens. That isn’t their job. Their (my) essential job is to provide our citizens with excellent Public Safety, Infrastructure (think roads), and Public Schools – and not violate our constitution while doing it. It is not the government’s job to weaken our police, ignore our roads, and try to undercut parents’ values in our schools.

Election Reform

Do you believe that elections in Colorado should be conducted differently? Should voters in Colorado be required to verify their identity and residential status in the respective counties in which they vote? Are you in favor of a single-day, in-person voting system consisting of all-paper ballots? Why or why not?

Yes, elections in Colorado should be conducted differently. American citizens have to have confidence in their elections. Requiring voter ID and residential status is a no brainer. Try getting on a plane without ID. I am in favor of a single-day, in-person voting system consisting of all-paper ballots. The reason why is that it would provide a result the American people would have confidence in. We would be able to address concerns about electronic manipulation of the vote. It would also end ballot harvesting.

TABOR

What is your position on the Taxpayers Bill of Rights (TABOR)?

I support it. Our state government should not try to circumvent it by calling taxes fees.

Education

As a State Representative, what will you do to improve the education of our K – 12 students? What is your position on parental authority in education, including school choice?

I am a strong supporter of parental authority in education and school choice. My children attended Corpus Christi Elementary School, and then graduated from Vanguard Charter School or Saint Mary’s High School.

Funding in schools needs to be shifted away from bloated school administrations and used to increase teacher salaries to attract more teachers and compensate them for the critical role they have in teaching our children. Divisive issues like CRT and sexual identity don’t belong in our schools.

Government Authority

Do you believe that the government has the legal power and authority to dictate what a person does with his or her body? If so, how?

I think this question is about the COVID debacle we just went through. On the El Paso County Board of Health I led the fight against mandates and led the fight against a resolution “in support of voluntary COVID vaccinations”. It was a typical government, one size fits all solution (even after it was clear there were serious side effects, and it wasn’t effective at preventing infection). Mandating that citizens had to get that shot, even though they may have had antibodies, was and is wrong.

If we can’t decide what is injected into our bodies, are we really free?

1st Amendment

What will you do as Colorado State Representative to protect our 1st Amendment rights to: the free exercise of religion, freedom of speech, peaceably assembly, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances, all of which are becoming more difficult to exercise in America (and around the world)?

I will uphold the constitution. I didn’t serve 21 years in the Army, part of that time as a Green Beret, to be intimidated into giving up our constitutional rights. I will vote against anything which I think violates or undermines any of these rights. I will be proud to sponsor or support bills which promote these rights. I will speak out, as I did on the EPC Board of Health, when I think citizens rights are being violated.

2nd Amendment

Do you believe that gun ownership is a civil right, and what are your positions in regards to red flag laws, magazine capacity bans, legislation that regulates gun storage, and permitless “Constitutional carry”?

I am a NRA life member, concealed carry permit holder, member of a shooting club, former Green Beret and serve on the board of the Pikes Peak Firearms Coalition. Would you like to guess my position on 2A issues? The problem isn’t law abiding citizens with 30- round magazines, it is criminals with any weapon – a knife, hammer, or gun. We need to stop reducing penalties for crimes, and punish criminals for breaking the law. Regulating gun storage turns honest citizens into criminals.

Infrastructure Spending

How do you believe that tax revenue in Colorado should be best utilized to improve our infrastructure?

When I ran for city council the top two priorities for me were public safety (police and fire), and infrastructure. There are only a few things that most citizens really want their government to focus on – but those are two of them. It is like focusing on blocking and tackling in football – the fundamentals bring success. We have to make infrastructure – roads, bridges, dams, airports, wastewater, etc. a top priority.

Currently our government is focused on too many other issues – like decreasing penalties for criminals, and trying to force cities, businesses and individuals to adopt green energy options. We have to stay focused on delivering the fundamentals.

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Christian voting

Voting is a simple, yet significant way to do something about public policy in our country. As people of faith, we will be held accountable for our actions, as well as our lack of action. (Luke 12:48)

Biblical worldview

By diligently learning, applying, and trusting God’s truths in every area of our lives, we can begin to develop a deep comprehensive faith that will stand against the unrelenting tide of our culture’s non-biblical ideas.

Vote your values

The issues of the day change. Political parties and platforms change. God’s Word never changes. The vote of every Christian should be based on the principles of Scripture and not persuasive personalities.

Electing righteous leaders

Bad governance and our loss of freedom is the direct result of the church’s failure to disciple. When the citizenry do not seek to be obedient to God’s Law, they vote in wicked and corrupt candidates, who then trample underfoot the God-given liberties of the people.