Candidate Profile: Judy Amabile, House District 13

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.

Judy Amabile is running for State Representative - District 13.

Age: 62
Party affiliation: Democratic Party
Family: I have three adult sons and a dog.
Occupation: Co-Founder and President of Polar Bottle 1994-2018
Previous elected experience: None
Family members in government: No

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

Climate Change. I will champion legislation that supports transitioning to clean energy sources, electrify our transportation and building and creates a green economy. Please see my Climate Plan on my website.

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

I am a business person and a progressive. I believe that good state and local policy can address income inequality, systemic racism, environmental degradation and health care inequality.

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

I ran a business for 25 years. Every day we dealt with employee concerns, regulatory issues, contract negotiations, legal issues, financial management and unforeseen crisis. I have served on numerous boards and commissions including the Boulder Chamber, the National Alliance for Mental Illness in Boulder County and Mental Health Colorado to name a few. Most importantly, I am a mother of three sons.

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

The economic crisis and the health crisis need to be solved in tandem. We have to continue wearing masks, social distancing, testing and contact tracing. Certain rules for restaurants and other business that allow them to expand their outdoor operations should be continued. State and local governments should do everything they can to keep people in their homes and to keep business open. This includes rent support, extension on mortgage payments and forgiveness of penalties and interest on late payments.

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

We should realign our budgets for police, prisons and the criminal justice system so that we can focus our resources on addressing systemic racism and inequality. We must create a system where every working person has financial stability and opportunity. This means paying a living wage, providing paid family and medical leave, creating mechanism to increase savings, ensuring access to financial systems and creating affordable housing. Our mental health care system has to provide care for people before they are in a crisis. Our justice system needs to focus on rehabilitation and treatment rather than just punishment.

List other issues that define your campaign platform:

My top three issues are Climate and Environment, Economic Equality and Opportunity and Health Care and Mental Health Care. My detailed plans for all three of these areas are available on my website https://judyamabile.com

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

I am a progressive and also a pragmatist. My goal is to make progress on the issues that matter to the people of Colorado.

This article originally appeared on the Boulder Patch