Representative Rick Taggart (R-HD 55) and Representative Elizabeth Velasco (D-HD 57) Model Healthy Discourse on the Health Issues That Matter Most to Coloradans
DENVER, CO – On Monday, Healthier Colorado, Healthier United, and Civic Forum hosted Disagree Healthier at Colorado Mesa University (CMU) in Grand Junction, CO. The event brought together Western Slope State Representatives Rick Taggart (R-HD 55) and Elizabeth Velasco (D-HD 57) to debate the most pressing health issues facing Coloradans today. Despite their policy disagreements, Representatives Taggart and Velasco came together to demonstrate that there is a healthier way to debate across differences.
Moderated by Joshua Ewing, Executive Director of Healthier Colorado, the discussion centered on what each legislator would do to make health care more affordable for Coloradans – and how they would pay for it. Representative Velasco cited TABOR as a key impediment to providing health care for Coloradans. She pointed out that too many Coloradans are already struggling to get by, putting more strain on both families and state budgets. Representative Taggart highlighted the budgetary challenges beyond just TABOR that prevent the state from providing affordable access to health care to more Coloradans. He noted that the state has not reached the TABOR limit this year yet still faces a deficit, and he highlighted the ongoing impact of H.R. 1 on the state’s finances.
“There are no easy answers when it comes to health care affordability, particularly in Colorado’s rural communities, but meaningful progress begins with bringing people together for a productive discussion,” said Representative Taggart. “Representative Velsasco and I both know how critical this issue is on the Western Slope, and our constituents rightly expect us to rise above the partisan divide to find real solutions.”
“While Representative Taggart and I may disagree on how best to approach the issue of health care affordability, we share a firm commitment to serving our community here on the Western Slope,” said Representative Velasco. “Starting with those shared values is key to ensuring that the rural voice is well-represented at the State Capitol when critical policy decisions are made that impact the health and well-being of our constituents.”
The event also included a screening of on-the-street interviews with Coloradans sharing what they want their state legislators to do to increase health care affordability in the state.
At the conclusion of the event, each participant was asked to share what they admired about the other. Representative Velasco appreciated Representative Taggart’s collegiality and budget acumen. Representative Taggart admired Representative Velasco’s representation of the Latino community and advocacy for low-income Coloradans.
“Colorado Mesa University was proud to host this important event,” said John Marshall, President of CMU. “Our students practice healthy, productive debate in their classrooms every day, and they deserve elected officials who do the same when deciding on the policies that will shape their futures. Curiosity and humility are two of our core values as a university, and we were grateful to our Western Slope representatives for modeling them so well in the course of their discussion.”
Disagree Healthier is an initiative that brings people together to improve how we debate health issues for the sake of our well-being as individuals and as a democracy. The goal is to embrace disagreement while modeling a more productive way to debate the future of health in Colorado.
A full recording of the event can be viewed here.