Boulder Weekly sent candidate questionnaires to all state primary candidates. These are their written responses, edited for length and clarity. Find a full list of candidates and questionnaires here
Office: Colorado House of Representatives District 11
Campaign website: bocogop.org/terri-goon-hd11/
Relevant experience
Historical Preservation Commission of Longmont
Commission for Judicial Review
Boulder County Republican Party: Vice Chairman, Precinct Committee person and District Captain
As a database manager who works regularly with those from all sectors of the political sphere, I am solutions-oriented and believe I would make a very good Representative for HD11 residents.
Top three priorities
- Transportation improvement and maintenance
- Taxes
- Mental health assistance
Lightning round
Yes/no answers only
Do you support the state’s elimination of local occupancy limits? No
Do you support ending the state’s prohibition on local rent control? No
Do you support requiring more density in your jurisdiction as a way to address the affordable housing crisis? No
Do you support the Front Range train as the state’s highest priority for passenger rail? No
When was the last time you paid rent? How much was it?
I last paid rent in Longmont in 1997. I don’t remember how much it was, but I definitely got lucky with the purchase of my home in late 1997. I have in the past paid over half of my income in rent and have roomed with two others in a studio apartment and lived for years in a 15-foot camper. I recognize the struggle it is to keep up with housing prices and find affordable housing options.
What would you say are the top three issues facing District 11, and what are your plans to address them?
- Transportation
- Taxes
- Mental health
My top three issues for D11 are the same issues I have for the entire state. We need to be more forward-thinking about transportation as new modes of transportation become more common. Colorado is a young state, and we like things like e-unicycles, scooters, low-flying aircraft etc. We need to keep our roads safe and well maintained while developing roads or wider lanes for these fast crafts that do not belong on sidewalks with pedestrians or in fast lanes with cars.
Every year, there are disagreements about taxes. The electorate regularly votes to maintain the traditional Taxpayer Bill of Rights, yet our legislature continues to create or attempt to create workarounds where they can keep these funds for their own priorities. We should focus on reducing the size of government so we can also reduce the amount of taxes requested for issues common to all residents. A state government focus and responsibility needs to be on roads, schools, police and mental health services that are then appropriately financed.
Mental health problems exist throughout the state and in HD11. Friends of mine going through a crisis may find a bed for a week but then are kicked back into the streets. Two people I personally know have been stabbed in Denver by two different men, both with mental health problems and being homeless. There are a lot of short-term options but nothing long-term, which has led to our jails becoming mental health clinics for the indigent. We can do better — there are too many regulations within health fields for this to be accomplished by the private sector alone at this time.
How can we evolve the transportation systems (particularly in suburban and rural areas) to meet Colorado’s climate goals, while balancing the realities of car dependency for those who must rely on personal vehicles?
I do not believe the government is the appropriate body to determine car dependency, but it is appropriate for the state government to maintain and improve transportation corridors that are used. Climate goals in Colorado have generally been aspirational versus realistic.
Making it easier and safer for pedestrians and those who use bicycles and other modes of transportation will result in a reduced use of cars organically. Forcing populations into trains and buses reduces independence and choice.
Based on current usage of trains and buses, I don’t believe that is the direction people want to go in Colorado. Everyone loves the subway system in New York, but it’s a compact area with walkability; a subway or train makes sense there. In Colorado, people want to go to the mountains or a ballgame or to work. We are a less compact region, so successful train service remains elusive and unsuccessful. Evolutions in transportation will come without being forced by the government taking taxes and choosing priorities that may not make sense.
Given the realities of a changing climate and limited government resources, how do you plan on balancing mitigation and adaptation for already-impacted populations in D11?
I believe in reality-based solutions. We cannot currently rely on solar and wind as our main sources of power, as can be seen by regularly watching the Platte River Power Authority usage numbers.
I would create tax incentives for micro nuclear options and keep natural gas and coal on the table for energy. Energy storage is a requirement in Colorado for reliable power. Currently, solar and wind are not up to the task yet are pushed to be used. Over time, as new technologies are developed, their use (assuming they are clean and powerful enough) will reduce reliance on fossil fuels. For now, it is important that energy remain affordable — especially in marginalized communities that bear the brunt of lack of options or ability to avail themselves of the monetary incentives that often go to the rich in their quest for cleaner energy.
How does JEDI factor into your policy making?
As a Republican, I already believe that the individual is the biggest minority. I believe free people engaging in free markets leads to the best options for people in all walks of life. I believe in individual rights and responsibilities. I believe justice should be equal for all. I also recognize that money makes a difference. That being the case, if there are fewer constraints, fewer regulations on free people, the interference and opportunity for unequal treatment is abated.
For example, starting a business is a nightmare when dealing with the regulations and paperwork required. This nightmare gets scarier each year the legislature meets. If starting a business did not require lawyers and accountants — accessible only to people with means — more people might use this route for their own future successes.
So many state programs meant to help people require new departments at the state level (with the required increase in taxes) that, in the end, only help those who have connections to money or jobs. The May 11 edition of the Longmont Times-Call contained a story of where car theft victims can apply for state funds between May 31 and July 1. This option to use taxpayer funds will go to those privileged enough to get the paper and have time to read it or who hear about this through the grapevine. You need to have a computer and a way to scan documents and attach them. You have to have known this was coming so you saved your receipts for the tow yard etc.
While this is all meant to help, it helps unequally, especially as it is first come, first served with a limited amount of funds.
What efforts do you make in your daily life to consider and understand people with different lived experiences from your own?
I work hard to never assume I know what others are thinking without their direct input. I have personally lived a variety of different experiences throughout my life having been a minority and in the majority in both color and thought. I have been in management and a minimum-wage worker; I have owned and I have rented. There are a number of things I have not experienced as well, including parenthood. Each of us is an individual with our own lived experiences and problems, and I work to accept people as they are and not try to change them.
When’s the last time you changed your mind about something, and what was it?
I am in the middle of thinking through the issues around committing people to health care facilities who aren’t choosing this option for themselves, even though it may be important for their health and safety. My compassion for those on the street with mental health problems that they themselves don’t realize they have is leading me to think there must be a better way than to leave it to the private sector. These problems are so multifaceted that one size does not fit all. Taking away a person’s liberty has to be used only as a last resort, but it may need to be an option. I am still struggling with this change of thought.
What question would you ask a fellow candidate on the ballot?
So many people, even Republicans, are elected to higher office and then decide they know what is best for others. How would you combat this level of paternalistic control seeking?
How and why do you think the modern Republican party has fallen so out of favor in Boulder County and, to a lesser extent, Colorado? What do you think they could do to start winning elections again? And, if elected, how would you ensure representation for the Democrats in your district?
In Boulder County, our electorate is scholastically highly educated, so they believe they know more and that they know what is best for others. This puts them in the Democrat camp, where government runs more things, versus the Republican camp where we believe individuals are best able to take care of their own lives.
I have seen with a changing and a more isolated world, many people prefer the government to just fix social ills rather than waiting on the private/nonprofit section where individuals must be involved and make choices.
As Colorado has become more urban, it is common for urban centers to vote more Democrat than Republican as these voters are removed from the independence and spirit of those in more rural areas. I suspect as the reality of bad policies become clearer and affect everyone, people will look for alternatives and return to a more libertarian mindset.