Article Contributed on: 10/3/2008 1:50:35 PM
Joe Rice is running for State House District 38 and answered a questionnaire for YourHub.com. To read all of the candidate questionnaires,
click here.
Name: Joe Rice
Seat you are seeking: Re-Election to State House District 38 (Mostly Littleton, Greenwood Village, Bow Mar, Columbine Valley, and Englewood south of Oxford Avenue)
Age: 41
Family: Kendall, married 18 years; Harrison and Alexandria, both 8; and Dalton, 3
Occupation: Consultant, International Business and Education
Hometown: Littleton
Your Web site: VoteJoeRice.com
Favorite local place to hang out: Historic (and fun!) downtown Littleton
What do you like most about living here?: Colorado - the mountains, the great outdoors, etc.
Interests & hobbies: Family, friends, sports, jogging
Favorite TV show: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Favorite Web site: My children's 2nd grade class website
People who inspired you (and how):
· My 5th, 7th, and a 12th Grade Teachers: Taught me, and taught me to believe in myself
· COL Ray Z: Taught me what it means to be a man, and to be a leader
· My family and my friends: They continue to teach and remind me of the reasons for living
How you have contributed to the community: Elected to the Colorado House of Representatives in 2006. Recognized by many as one of the most effective legislators in the State House. Accomplishments include establishing a statewide cold case team, reducing taxes and streamlining regulations on business, promoting responsible energy production and renewable energy, protecting private property from eminent domain, and measures to improve the training of the Colorado National Guard in homeland security. Recipient of numerous legislative awards and endorsements from many business, labor, environmental, education, and community organizations. Before moving to Littleton in 2003, served two-terms as the mayor of the City of Glendale from 1996-2003. As mayor attracted quality business to the city while cutting taxes and balancing the budget; tripled the amount of parks, trails, and open space in the city; and built the city's first preschool and recreation center.
Military Experience: Colonel, United States Army Reserve. More than 23 years of military service, including enlisted service and on active duty as an Airborne Ranger Infantry Officer, awarded the Bronze Star and the Combat Action Badge for service in Iraq. Prior service includes peacekeeping duties in Bosnia-Herzegovina, and duty as Project Officer for a successful Colorado National Guard pilot program to use National Guard medical assets to provide care to poor and medically indigent civilians in our local communities.
Volunteer, Big Brothers of Metro Denver. Matched with a developmentally challenged, exceptional young man, since 1994. As Joe's friend turned 18 years ago, they are no longer "officially" in the program but nonetheless maintain regular contact.
Coordinator, Baghdad-Denver Region Partnership. Unpaid, volunteer, coordinator for this cultural and professional exchange program of Sister Cities International. Activities include shipping school and medical supplies to Iraq, as well as hosting delegations of Iraqi government, business, education, and non-profit leaders on visits to Colorado. The program is about people, not politics, and participants have all different views on the war itself.
Board of Directors, Sister Cities International. Sister Cities International is a nonprofit citizen diplomacy network that, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of State and other partners, creates and strengthens partnerships between U.S. and international communities.
What are the biggest issues facing your constituency now: Economic Security. Individuals, families, and businesses are stretched by escalating health care costs, rising gas and energy prices, and uncertainly in maintaining a good quality of life throughout our careers and into retirement. Colorado must retain its position as an overall low tax state (46th lowest in the nation) and maintain our positive business climate (ranked 5th best in the nation in CNBC's annual survey of states). We can do this by continuing to invest in new energy technologies (clean, renewable energy) and continuing to streamline Colorado's tax and regulatory environment (such as last year when the legislature eliminated the Business Personal Property Tax for over 30,000 Colorado small businesses). Finally, we must ensure adequate investment in infrastructure such as schools, roads, and colleges. Lack of responsible investment in these areas inhibits our economic growth, our quality of life, and costs us more in the long run.