With the 2025 session underway, Colorado Politics caught up with House Minority Leader Rose Pugliese on her priorities and expectations. The answers have been slightly edited.

Colorado Politics: What is your top priority for this session?

Rose Pugliese: My top priority is increasing affordability for Colorado families. Rising costs for housing, groceries, and childcare are placing immense financial pressure on hardworking families, and we must take action to address these challenges. By reducing taxes and fees and advancing policies that make everyday life more affordable, we can ensure that every family has the opportunity to thrive. Additionally, I remain committed to protecting children and families by advocating for policies that safeguard their well-being and support parental choice in education and healthcare decisions.

CP: What is your caucus’s top priority for this session?

Pugliese: Our core priorities during this session are affordability, keeping the public safe, and balancing the budget while protecting the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR). We are committed to reducing financial pressures and making life manageable for working families and Coloradans. Regarding public safety, we will advocate for policies that support law enforcement, strengthen safety measures, and remove criminals who harm our communities. Lastly, balancing the state budget and preserving TABOR is the responsible, bipartisan thing to do. A budget shows where our priorities are, while TABOR ensures fiscal responsibility and transparency.

CP: Given the state’s budgetary constraints, how will you manage your caucus’s expectations and the governor’s expectations?

Pugliese: Addressing budgetary constraints starts with focusing on affordability and fiscal responsibility. Our caucus has identified areas of wasteful spending that can be reduced or eliminated, ensuring that taxpayer dollars are used effectively. For example, Rep. (Rick) Taggart on the Joint Budget Committee has been steadfast in freezing the number of full-time state employees at top-heavy agencies and taking a more consolidated approach. This showcases that by prioritizing affordability and protecting TABOR, we can balance the budget while ensuring that families are not burdened with unnecessary taxes or fees.

CP: How will you guide new members to avoid what happened in 2023, when several new lawmakers left due to what they called a toxic environment?

Pugliese: Creating a respectful and collaborative environment begins with focusing on shared priorities, like affordability and public safety, that benefit all Coloradans. We are unwilling to allow Colorado to become an unsafe place for its people, and that includes ensuring that all Coloradans retain their fundamental rights, including their First Amendment rights. These rights, along with fairness in the legislative process, were repeatedly limited last year. By prioritizing constructive dialogue, treating every member fairly, and emphasizing policies that deliver real results, we can ensure a positive and productive experience for new members. Our caucus is committed to fostering a culture that puts Colorado families above partisan politics.

CP: What do you hope to accomplish by the end of the session?

Pugliese: By the end of the session, I hope we will have made meaningful progress in ensuring fairness and opportunity for all Coloradans. Whether by reducing the cost of living, safeguarding parental rights in education and healthcare decisions, or supporting public safety initiatives, our focus remains on delivering fair solutions that improve everyday life. Preserving TABOR is critical to promoting fairness by giving Coloradans a voice in how their tax dollars are spent and ensuring government accountability.