Barrett Rothe, candidate for state House District 43

Party: Democratic

City or town of residence: Highlands Ranch

Profession: Health care project manager

Campaign website: RotheColorado.com

What makes you the best choice for this office?

People are feeling ignored by their representatives, but I'm eager to hold monthly town halls while serving and I give out a direct cell number and email so anyone can reach me. Representatives should engage with the people of their district. Besides that, I'm a husband and father working to provide for my family and I see firsthand the concerns of the middle class. I believe the Legislature desperately needs more people like that.

What can the Legislature do to ease the strain of rising housing prices on Colorado residents?

Highlands Ranch has benefited from increased home values and I don't want to put that at risk, but most of us are not seeing the full benefits of a booming Colorado economy. The Legislature must incentivize and streamline development of new homes, but we also have to address that wages are staying flat for the middle class. If we address wage stagnation we can make real progress on housing affordability, health care costs, and more.

What can be done to ensure the state's transportation system will be able to accommodate continued population growth?

Bipartisan leaders have realized there is simply no room left in the state budget and have brought forward a ballot measure to fund transportation and infrastructure this year, I hope voters approve Initiative 153. Nobody likes taxes but we're either going to pay for our inadequate roads with new revenue or lost economic growth, and I for one would rather create jobs than lose them. We need to invest in our state, plain and simple.

What two issues demand more attention in the upcoming Legislative session than they received in the previous one?

Last session a red flag law, which temporarily keeps firearms away from people suffering from severe mental health issues, failed despite bipartisan support. While that law would not eradicate tragedy from the world, it can prevent some gun violence and needs to be passed. We must also fix how we finance political campaigns in Colorado so that we are more likely to have better leadership on all subjects in the future.

If elected, what must you accomplish in order for you to consider your term a success?

I intend to work very hard for the people of Highlands Ranch and set the bar high. To meet that goal I must hold regular town halls in my district, cut taxes for small-businesses, create a bipartisan gun safety commission, reduce the financial burden of higher education and career training, reform our campaign finance system, and invest in our urban and rural infrastructure needs. If I don't deliver, I won't ask for another term.