THE ISSUES
Veterans and Military Families
You cannot talk about Colorado Springs without talking about our military community. With five major military installations in our region, including Fort Carson, Peterson Space Force Base, Schriever Space Force Base, the United States Air Force Academy, and Cheyenne Mountain Space Force Station, service to our country is woven into the fabric of our community. Every day, active duty service members, veterans, military spouses, and their families help make Colorado Springs the incredible place we call home.
Many military families decide to retire here after their service, and it is easy to see why. We have beautiful scenery, a strong sense of community, excellent schools, and endless opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. After dedicating years, and often decades, to defending our nation, many veterans choose to build their next chapter right here. I believe Colorado should do everything it reasonably can to make that decision even easier.
One area where we can do better is property tax relief for our most severely disabled veterans. Colorado does provide a property tax exemption for qualifying veterans with a 100% permanent and total disability rating, but the program is more complicated than it needs to be. Veterans must apply within a limited filing window, and the exemption only applies to a portion of the home's value rather than eliminating the property tax entirely. Seventeen states provide a full property tax exemption for qualifying 100% disabled veterans. I believe Colorado should take a serious look at whether our benefits are keeping pace with the sacrifices these veterans have made and whether our application process can be simplified so eligible veterans do not miss out because of paperwork or deadlines.
There are other opportunities to better support disabled veterans as well. Oklahoma, for example, provides qualifying 100% disabled veterans with a sales tax exemption of up to $25,000 each year. Several other states provide exemptions from sales or registration taxes on personal vehicles for disabled veterans. These are practical ways to reduce the financial burden on those who have already given so much in service to our country.
As your State Representative, I will always look for ways to strengthen support for veterans, military families, and military spouses. That means protecting access to quality education for military children, expanding workforce opportunities for veterans transitioning into civilian careers, improving access to affordable housing, and ensuring the benefits our veterans have earned are straightforward, accessible, and meaningful.
Supporting our military community should never be a partisan issue. It is simply about honoring service with action. Colorado Springs has benefited tremendously from the men and women who have worn our nation's uniform. We owe it to them to make Colorado a place where they can not only serve, but also build a successful and rewarding life after their service is complete.
My Military Why
Supporting our military and veterans is not just a campaign issue for me. It is personal.
Patriotism was woven into my life from an early age. My dad proudly served our country in Vietnam. He came home carrying the invisible wounds of war and was later determined to be a 100% disabled veteran. Because of his service, my family benefited from the support and resources provided through the VA. Years later, he lost his battle with cancer caused by exposure to Agent Orange, and his death was recognized as service connected. He felt grateful at the end of his life to have served our country and that he was fortunate enough to have got to live a full life afterwards when so many do not. Watching what he endured gave me a lifelong appreciation for both the sacrifices our veterans make and our responsibility to care for them when they come home.
Service continued through the next generations of my family. My brother graduated from West Point and served as a Chinook helicopter pilot in the Army. Two of my nephews have graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and are currently serving on active duty. Their commitment reminds me that behind every uniform is a family that serves alongside them through deployments, missed holidays, frequent moves, and countless sacrifices that often go unseen.
My sister's family was blessed with a wonderful sponsor family while my nephews attended USNA. Their kindness left a lasting impression, and I knew I wanted to pay that forward. That's why my family has had the privilege of sponsoring a cadet at the United States Air Force Academy for four years. We have watched a remarkable young leader grow into an Air Force officer. This past May, we proudly watched our cadet graduate. It was one of the greatest honors our family has experienced, and a reminder that sometimes the smallest acts of support can have a lasting impact.
These experiences are why supporting our military community means so much to me. It is about more than policies. It is about people. It is about honoring service, supporting military families, caring for veterans long after they hang up the uniform, and ensuring Colorado Springs remains one of the best places in America for those who have chosen a life of service.
That is the perspective I will bring to the State Capitol. I will always remember that behind every policy decision is a service member, a veteran, a spouse, a child, or a family who has sacrificed for all of us. They deserve leaders who will stand up for them with the same commitment they have shown to our country.
