Candidate Profile: Brianna Titone, District 27

The 2020 election is heating up in Colorado and there are plenty of races with candidates eager to serve in elected office. Eyes are primarily focused on the presidential election, but voters will also decide the outcome of state representative, senate and judicial seats.

Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

Brianna Titone is running for State Representative - District 27.

Age: 42
Party affiliation: Democratic Party
Family: Married
Occupation: Software Engineer (10 years), Mining Expert (12 years)
Previous elected experience: State Representative Colorado House District 27 (currently held)
Family members in government: No

The single most pressing issue facing our state is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Education Funding. I intend to advocate for measures to increase funding for education and advocate for full funding for our teachers and services in the budget. It's time that we funded our schools correctly; the future of our state depends on quality education to create the next generation of leaders and keep our state strong for decades to come.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I have a strong track record of service to my community, professional experience that shows my ability to work closely with people of all backgrounds, and the expertise to engage problem solvers across Colorado on the best solutions for our state. My experience makes me a productive legislator. I have also been commended widely for my transparency and communication with my constituents, which started even before I was elected. People know what I stand for because I am explicit about my platform. My opponents don't say in detail where they stand on many issue areas.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

In the face of adversity and crisis of a pandemic, I lead the charge to develop the processes and techniques to allow the legislature to use remote participation to complete our work. I did this while also communicating with constituents about the resources and information they needed around covid. We helped many people with UI claims and other constituent services and continued stakeholder work on new solutions for our state. My hard work has never stopped for the people of HD27 -- I know how important my job is to my constituents.

What steps should state government take to bolster economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic for local businesses?

We need to put pressure on our Federal officials to put in relief money for state and municipal agencies. It is absolutely unacceptable to hold the country hostage over federal funds that were earmarked for state functions. Additionally, Colorado has always been an innovative state. We need to leverage our talent and resources to bring high tech industries here to Colorado to create new jobs and help facilitate these efforts.

How will you address the calls for racial justice and police reform?

We know now that there are many unconscious biases not under our immediate control. These biases are not set in stone, however -- they can be changed through training and awareness. We can do better vetting public servants, including police officers, and hiring officers proportional to the ethnic diversity in the community. There needs to be a shift in police culture and change the way police allow bad behavior to continue unchecked, and we made a massive step towards reforming our police departments this past session that is being followed by other states across the country.

List other issues that define your campaign platform:

I have worked hard on mental health initiatives and working on reducing our suicide rate. I have also been an advocate of consumers to be sure that big corporations aren't taking advantage of hard working Coloradans. I have worked hard to decrease prescription drug prices, protect the rights of homeowners, and ensure that we are setting aside money to improve our roads and infrastructure to help Colorado’s economy continue to grow.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I've worked extremely hard at every job I've ever had and I treat this one no differently. Serving my community has been something I've done since I was 16 as a volunteer firefighter. This job, working for you, is the best job I could have asked for. It's been my honor to serve you and hope to continue to serve you in the years to come.