Fischer focuses on education
By Cherry Sokoloski
North Forty News
Education and health care are the top priorities for Randy Fischer of
Fort Collins, Democratic candidate for the state legislature from House
District 53.
He also wants to maintain the quality of life in Colorado by preserving
open spaces, clean air and water, and jobs. Over the past several years,
Fischer has taken a leadership role in preserving open space in the city
and county. He has also served on several local advisory boards and committees.
Higher education in Colorado needs more support, Fischer said. "We do a
poor job of sending kids on to higher education, and we're almost dead
last in investing in public and higher education," Fischer said. "We're
failing our children by not preparing them to compete in the 21st-century
economy." Both Colorado State University and Front Range Community College
are located in District 53.
Fischer, 55, also wants to invest in early childhood programs to avoid
later costs for things such as criminal justice and substance abuse.
Fischer cites deficiencies in the health care system as one of the major
reasons he decided to run for state office. The issue affects him personally
as a small business owner, he noted, since his insurance premiums have
risen 300 percent in the last six years.
Fischer said he would like to be involved in the state's search for "a
health care solution that works for everyone." For instance, he sees a
large potential for cost reduction by requiring insurance companies to
use standardized forms. The state legislature passed such a bill in the
last session, he noted, but the governor vetoed it. Fischer would also
support multi-state purchasing of prescription drugs, another measure vetoed
by the governor last year.
"I would like to redefine the term fiscal conservatism," Fischer said.
"When we fail to invest in things like education and preventive medicine,
it doesn't work well. I'm a true fiscal conservative; I'm interested in
reducing some of those long-term costs."
On other state issues, Fischer made the following comments.
Transportation: Northern Colorado is not getting its fair share of tax
dollars for transportation, he said, and new sources of funding must be
found. He favors a balanced approach to transportation, with more dollars
going to mass transit. "We need to be planning for a time when fuel is
much more expensive," he said.
Renewable energy: The state should be funding research in renewable,
clean energy, Fischer said. Colorado should also offer "net metering" to
citizens who produce their own electricity.
Same-sex marriage: Fischer supports Referendum I, which defines domestic
partnerships and provides partners with legal rights. However, he considers
education, jobs and the environment to be more important issues for the
state.
Referendum C: He campaigned in favor of the measure.
Fischer thinks his background as a civil engineer would be an asset in
the state legislature. "It has trained me to look for pragmatic, common-sense
solutions," he said. He also points to his ties to the education community;
his wife, Kathy, is a retired Poudre School District teacher.
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