Senate District 25: Mary Hodge eyes spaceport, water bills as key issues

BRIGHTON — Senator Mary Hodge would like to continue representing the citizens of Adams County.

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Mary Hodge

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The Democratic incumbent, who served eight years in the Colorado House of Representatives and four years in the state Senate, describes herself as a “common sense moderate legislator.”

Hodge has served on the local government committee, was the Senate chair of the agriculture and natural resources committee, and was elected to the joint budget committee two years ago.

As a member of the joint budget committee, Hodge has had a critical hand in developing the state budget.

“We were able, because of my experience on the joint budget committee, to keep the juvenile detention center in Adams County. Our juvenile detention center is in very bad shape…It’s something the Sheriff’s Department and the police department felt very strongly about, because otherwise they would have to cart their juveniles to way south in Arapahoe County and that’s a drain on their resources,” she said.

According to Hodge, the biggest issues in the Legislature’s next session is going to be the economy, getting people back to work and funding for K-12 as well as higher education. She has worked to restore funding to Adams County schools and supported an effort to make sure every child can read by third grade.

Hodge would also like to keep moving forward with the planned spaceport. She was able to pass legislation that set up limited liability for space vehicles and is working on new legislation for the space port. She believes the spaceport is a job bringer and that it’s the next step in transportation.

“Front Range Airport is the ideal location for a spaceport, they’ve got the infrastructure mostly in place,” she said, adding the close proximity to Denver International Airport also makes it an ideal location.

She’s also interested in water issues and says she will working on legislation during the next session: one part would be to ensure that Bennett and Strasberg’s conditional water rights are codified, and that another would be to make sure that resident’s water decrees have accurate locations of their infrastructure.

Hodge also believes in supporting those in the military and their families. She said she successfully ran legislation last year which allows dependents of active military families to have in-state college tuition.

She would also like to introduce legislation to add an indication to a person’s license to show they are a veteran.  She had a constituent come to her last summer and tell her a lot of places will offer a veteran’s discount but to prove they’re a veteran, they have to carry their discharge papers.

Hodge said if she was re-elected she would continue working to bring jobs to Adams County in addition to her work on the budget. She said she has always worked well with republicans and fellow democrats.

Hodge has an elementary education degree from Boulder Colorado State College. She currently resides in Brighton with her husband, Dick.