McCluskey seeks better process

By Dan MacArthur
North Forty News

Bob McCluskey is not afraid of asking Coloradans to pony up a little more, providing they themselves identify specific problems and are confident their tax dollars are efficiently applied to fixing them.

McCluskey, a Fort Collins Republican, said Colorado's current top-down approach is all wrong. Instead of the state determining needs and going to voters for more money, he said, everything should start with the people.

"We have to have a better process," McCluskey, 58, said.

His challenger in the House District 52 race is incumbent John Kefalas.

McCluskey said that grass-roots approach applies to all the state's most pressing issues. On transportation, he acknowledged that additional revenues are required to make improvements and compensate for declining gas tax revenues.

But, McCluskey said, the public must weigh in before they are asked to help finance a laundry list of needs identified by a state blue-ribbon panel. "The bigger issue is going out across the state and asking if we have a problem," he said. "We have to find out what mix the people of Colorado will support before you go to that ballot issue."

It's the same situation with health care, according to McCluskey. He praised the proposals offered by the Blue Ribbon Commission for Health Care Reform but said it was premature to pursue any of them. Colorado citizens should be involved in the process before putting anything on the ballot, he said.

First, McCluskey said, plans developed by other states should be evaluated to determine what elements could be adopted in Colorado. At the same time, he said, Colorado should continue working to make health care as transparent and accountable as possible, as he aimed to do with legislation requiring hospitals to report rates of infection.

McCluskey supports the Savings Account for Education because it retains the requirement that voters approve any tax increase. Amendment 59 would permanently extend Referendum C, exempting the state from the revenue limitations contained in the Taxpayer Bill of Rights. Revenues retained through SAFE would be directed to the state education fund - a prudent and necessary investment if it is well spent, McCluskey said.

On the Northern Integrated Supply Project and proposed Glade Reservoir, McCluskey said, "The storage I think makes sense." But, he said, there's been too much focus on whether to build it. "I think the better question is what steps can be taken on mitigation," he said.

McCluskey said he is proudest of his legislation increasing penalties for Internet predators and police impersonators. If elected again, McCluskey said, he would focus on early childhood education including preschool and all-day kindergarten. He also wants to support job creation through retraining and reducing the business personal property tax.

McCluskey is the former owner of the Poudre Valley Creamery. He served as a state representative from 2002 to 2006 and on the Fort Collins City Council from 1993 to 1997. Currently he chairs the UniverCity Economic Development Committee. He earned a degree in finance and a master's degree in business administration from Stanford University