Rick Taggart

Rick Taggart earned a B.S. in business and environmental science from Syracuse University in 1972 and an M.B.A. from the University of Phoenix. Taggart's career experience includes working as an adjunct professor and the executive director of marketing and recruitment with Colorado Mesa University and as the president/CEO of Victorinox Swiss Army. He has been affiliated with the Grand Junction Economic Partnership, the Saint Mary’s Hospital Foundation, and the Suicide Coalition of Western Colorado.[1][2]

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

For 30 Years I've served in CEO and executive roles with Swiss Army Brands, the Timberland Company, Marmot, the Grand Junction Regional Airport, Colorado Mesa University and the Grand Junction City Council. As a council member of 7 years I have crafted strategies that helped our economy reach a decade -high of jobs creation.

I would now like to take this experience to the Colorado State Legislature with a strong rational conservative voice for the citizens of Grand Junction.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Fiscal Conservative- as an entrepreneur and life long business leader I know what it means to keep expenses down, prioritize investments and grow revenue. As an elected official, I believe in the principles of Tabor and i have a consistent record in defending it. Voters deserve the opportunity to weigh in on any tax increase.Students of Western Colorado deserve a more equitable funding mechanism for Districts like ours. District 51 is always underfunded and I want to do something about this. Parents should be empowered to make choices when it comes to educating their children.The primary role of government is keeping people safe. Colorado is demonstrably less safe than we were four years ago. As an elected official I have prioritized public safety and helped develop a financial plan to hire more police officers and firefighters. Municipalities can only do so much on this front it also needs to be a priority of the state.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Education, Public Safety, Transportation, Energy, Water, Economic Development and Affordability.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I look up to many people, first and foremost my parents who gave me every opportunity to succeed and provided me with a strong ethical background. In business my first mentor was a Frenchman Roget Pirot (Managing Director of Salomon. He identified me early in my career as an individual who had the skills, drive and discipline to be the president of an organization. He created a career path for me with critical milestones where members of his North American staff critiqued me on my progress and set goals for and with me for each role I served within the company.. Following and adhering to his guidance placed me on a path to success. From a political standpoint I will always look up to Abraham Lincoln he led our country through one of the most troubling times in our history with determination and grace.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

An elected official has to be honest, act with integrity and be gracious and humble.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

There is one overriding responsibility of an elected official and that is to serve our citizens in the best possible manner.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

The death of John F. Kennedy, I was about 10 years old.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My first job out of college was as a Sales/Technical Representative for Salomon North America. I worked for the company for 8+ years and was promoted our of my sales territory to a marketing manager and then on to be a general sales manager.

What is your favorite book? Why?

I have read many and I cannot name one in particular that stood out over others. I have always enjoyed fiction because of the number of business publications that I have read over the years. John Grisham is my favorite author on the fiction side.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Dirk Pitt, a Clive Cussler character.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Desperado, by the Eagles

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

Similar to how I have conducted myself in business and as a council member there has to be a give and take between the governor and the state legislature. This means listening and appreciating different points of view. Both parties have to understand that we serve the people of this great state and they depend on us to make good decisions and take strong actions to make their lives better.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Growth is going to continue to be the greatest challenge that we face. We are fortunate that this is one of the most beautiful states in the country. Maintaining a balance of economic prosperity without damaging our wonderful quality of life is going to be very challenging.

What are the benefits and drawbacks of a unicameral state legislature, in your opinion?

A unicameral state legislature would certainly be a more simplified structure, but this is the only benefit I can think of. Our government is founded on a principle of checks and balances I do not want to see this compromised.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

Yes, experience is vital in this job. Crafting and implementing legislation is a difficult task, it requires individuals that can actively engage with one another. It requires great leadership and listening skills. Unless you have actively participated successfully in this process, at a municipal or county level, you are not prepared to serve your constituents when you enter the state legislature.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

Relationship building is critical to success in legislature. Understanding the needs and desires of other legislators helps a good legislature create a solid foundation of trust. This trust is necessary for the difficult discussions and debates that are going to occur over future legislation. The ability to listen and have empathy to another persons point of view is vital to being successful as a legislature.

What process do you favor for redistricting?

Redistricting has to be approached in a totally non biased manner. This is difficult to do when each of the major parties has something to gain potentially in the redistricting process. I wish I had an ideal solution, but I do not.

If you are not a current legislator, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

With my business background the Budget Committee would be my first choice.

Is there a particular legislator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

An individual that have looked up to as a past legislator is Timothy Foster. Tim's intelligence, drive, determination and tenacity enabled him to be very successful as a State Representative and later as the President of Colorado Mesa University .

Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?

No I am not, I want to serve the citizens of Grand Junction.

Should the legislature oversee or grant the use of emergency powers?

I believe this would be difficult. As a CEO I understand in times of emergency that you need to listen to the input of your team, but someone needs to make the ultimate decision to address the emergency and this needs to be the executive in charge. At a state level the governor needs to listen to the valuable input from the legislature, but he or she ultimately has to make the difficult decisions that come with an emergency. The word emergency alone means the decisions are very time sensitive.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Compromise is an absolute. Crafting legislation at a municipal level has taught me that you are seldom going to get everything you want in a bill/ordinance. I have learned that you always have to keep the bigger picture in mind and how this bill is going to help the citizens of Grand Junction. If compromise is needed to get to this goal then embrace it and get on with it.