Full Name:
Elizabeth 'Beth' H. McCann
Gender:
Female
Family:
Husband: Christopher; 2 Children: Chris, Lizzy
Birth Date:
02/10/1949
Birth Place:
Radford, VA
Home City:
Denver, CO
Religion:
Presbyterian
JD, Georgetown University Law School, 1974
BA, American Studies, Wittenberg University, 1971
Representative, Colorado State House of Representatives, District 8, 2008-2017
Majority Whip, Colorado State House of Representatives, 2014-2015
Candidate, Denver District Attorney, 2004
Former Member, Appropriations Committee, Colorado State House of Representatives
Former Chair, Health, Insurance and Environment Committee, Colorado State House of Representatives
Member, Colorado Criminal Task Force, Subcommittee of Sentencing Reform/Juvenile Justice, 2009-2017
Member, Higher Education Legislative Advisory Committee, 2010-2017
Member, Health Care Task Force, Interim House Committee, 2009
Member, Supreme Court/Court of Appeals Nominating Commission, 2000-2006
Deputy Attorney General, Colorado Attorney General's Office, 1999-2008
Executive Director, Department of Excise and Licensing, City and County of Denver, 1994-1999
Coordinator, Denver Safe City Office, 1994-1995
Manager of Safety, City and County of Denver, 1991-1994
Partner, Cooper and Kelley, Professional Corporation, 1982-1991
Associate, Cooper and Kelley, 1983-1984
Chief Deputy, Denver District Attorney, 1975-1982
Deputy District Attorney, Denver District Attorney, 1975-1982
Law Clerk, Judge Sherman G. Finesilver, 1974-1975
Member, Board of Trustees, Chair of Long Range Planning, Denver Botanic Garden, 2005-present
Member, Board of Trustees, Denver Bar Association, 1976-present
Founding Member, Colorado Women's Bar Association, 1976-present
Former Trustee, Board of Governors, Colorado Bar Association
Member, Board of Governors, Colorado Bar Association, 1975-present
Member/Volunteer, Denver Democratic Party, 1975-2010
Board Member, Legal Aid Society, 2003-2008
Awards:
Angel Award - East High School
Outstanding Young Lawyer - Denver Bar Association - 1985
2001 Woman of the Year - Colorado Women's Leadership Coalition.
Current Car:
1997 Toyota Previa - great car - 121,000 miles!
Father's Occupation:
Career Army
Hobbies or Special Talents:
I love the outdoors - jogging, hiking, skiing, bicycling. Also theater, reading, and photography (and politics of course).
Mother's Occupation:
Teacher of special education children
Pets (include names):
Rascal, our golden retriever
Priority Issues:
1) Health Care Reform: Our current health care system is not working. Health care is too expensive and unavailable for many working people. Colorado is at the forefront of meaningful reform and I will make it a legislative priority. I will work toward a single payer system including provisions for mental health and people with disabilities.
2) Education: We must provide all our children with the tools they need to build secure futures. Public education must be a top priority. I support full-day kindergarten, funding early childhood education, higher pay for teachers, and smaller class sizes. I support testing that will measure the progress of individual children.
3) Revision of the Constitution ? If the ballot initiative being proposed by Speaker Romanoff and others is not successful in November, revision of the Constitution to alleviate the devastating effects of TABOR has to be a high priority. I will work on helping the state find a way out of the fiscal constraints imposed by the various amendments to the Constitution as well as the statutory restriction on general fund spending.
4) Public Safety and Criminal Justice Reform: Safe neighborhoods are a priority. I support prevention efforts in the form of funding for community based programs that work with young people to keep them from starting down a life of crime. This is tied in with education but also involves support for after school programs, mentoring programs, parenting programs and so forth. We must also look at our sentencing laws to make sure we are putting the right people in jail and prison. We must provide better mental health care in prisons and support reintegration and job training programs. The recidivism rate of 50% within 3 years of release is not acceptable.
5) Energy Security: Global warming and dependence on foreign oil are two consequences of our nation's addiction to fossil fuels. I support the use of incentives for individuals (such as solar panels or hybrid cars) as well as companies (development of wind power). Colorado is in a unique position to show the nation how to use a wealth of natural resources to grow our economy and protect our environment.
6) Job Security: Our jobs must pay a living wage. I'll focus on strengthening our economy so our workers are employed. I will work to help small businesses survive.
Reason for Seeking Public Office:
I am excited about the opportunity to move Colorado forward. With Democrats in control in the state, I look forward to tackling some major issues like health care reform, public education, public safety, and alternative energy. I have a great deal of experience to offer and believe that my background and contacts will make me effective quickly. My father was a career army man and he instilled in me the understanding of how important it is to commit to public service. Most of my professional career has been in public service and I would like to contribute in the policy area since there is so much to do. We have a great state but we can do better. We should not be at the bottom of the heap when it comes to education, higher ed, health care, and in other areas. We need to be at the top.