I am a mom on a mission to make sure every Colorado child has access to the same American Dream I have lived. Unfortunately, that dream is slipping away, and Colorado is becoming the most dangerous place to be a kid due to crime, education failures and our fentanyl crisis.

I grew up in a modest family, raised by a reserve police officer who supported my dreams. Like many of you in Southwest Colorado, I started my own business. With a lot of hard work and dedication, I turned it into the country’s largest pet care franchise, Camp Bow Wow.

Traveling our state as a University of Colorado regent, I’ve seen small businesses struggling under our mountain of red tape and bureaucratic growth. It is simply too expensive to live here. As governor, I’ll take us to 0% income tax, cut our gas tax in half and still fix the roads (especially our rural roads), and reduce bureaucracy by 10% each year.

Crime is out of control all over our state. We have the nation’s second highest number of fentanyl deaths. As governor, I will return to law and order. I will end our state’s sanctuary status and treat fentanyl like the weapon of mass destruction that it is. I will restore truth in sentencing, get rid of personal recognizance bonds and support law enforcement.

We need to clean up our streets. We can treat our homeless with compassion while also enforcing the law, ending open-air drug use, and protecting the property rights of business and homeowners.

Our schools are failing. Sixty% of our children cannot read at grade level. From Durango to Denver, we need to give power back to parents through true school choice and transparency in curriculum.

Lastly, we all want a clean environment. I will embrace an all-of-the above energy policy that is grounded in reality and common sense, rather than a hope and a prayer, and mandates and fees.

Colorado is a wonderful place to live. We must work together to unleash its full potential. I will be a governor for all of Colorado, not just Denver and Boulder. I will work with all Coloradans to ensure Colorado does not become California.

Heidi Ganahl turned her love for dogs into the nation’s largest pet care franchise. Ganahl started several nonprofits and serves as a University of Colorado regent. She and her husband, Jason, have four children. https://www.heidiforgovernor.com/