| EDUCATION: Bill will work to raise Colorado's high school graduation rate from among the lowest in the country to among the highest. He will make teachers AN ALLY in reform efforts and not treat them as enemies of the state. Most importantly, Bill will work hard to support and invest in our institutions of higher learning.
CHILDREN: Bill's campaign for governor is about the future - we are the future. As a parent of four children, Bill is committed to enrolling more at risk 3 and 4 year-olds into early childhood education programs, increasing the number of children who are immunized, and improving pre-natal care for Colorado moms.
JOBS: If Colorado wants to grow its economy and remain competitive, it must invest in its workforce. Bill will build a strong, highly skilled workforce that meets the needs of businesses with changing skill demands. Colorado will design training programs that allow workers to leave the classroom and immediately apply their skills to their job.
FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY: Bill was a strong supporter of Referendum C. Referendum C, was passed by the voters in 2004, and allows the state to continue to fund higher education, infrastructure and transportation which would have otherwise caused drastic cut backs.
NEW ENERGY ECONOMY: Colorado is blessed with abundant wind, sun, and agricultural crops. With the prospect of continuing high oil prices America needs alternative energy sources that will free us from dependence on foreign and often unstable governments. By doing so, we will have access to more money for our work force, providing them with incentives to continue their hard work. Bill will establish Colorado as a renewable energy leader in a "New Energy Economy" in a seven point plan that will: 1) create jobs and develop businesses, 2) boost Colorado’s rural economies, 3) leverage Colorado’s unique energy assets, 4) increase energy efficiency and conservation, 5) make Colorado a model energy consumer, 6) promote development of Colorado’s fossil-fuel resources, and 7) do our part in reverse global warming.
HEALTH CARE: Nearly 770,000 Coloradans - many of them small children, working families, and senior citizens - lack health insurance. Bill is committed to moving Colorado forward and solving this crisis so that all Coloradans have access to basic coverage.
IMMIGRATION: Bill supports responsible solutions: increased border enforcement; punishing smugglers and employers who knowingly hire undocumented immigrants; and requiring the payment of fines and back taxes for those who came into this country illegally while also overhauling the guest work visa program.
REDUCING UNINTENDED PREGNANCIES: Bill is commmitted to reducing unintended pregnancies by restoring familing planning funding cut by Gov. Owens, supporting the availability of emergency contraception and birth control, and working with lawmakers and community health providers to find other strategies.
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