Three candidates for the District 7 State Representative seat replacing Speaker of the House Terrance Carroll spend at least 90 minutes discussing their preferences on whether to cut the budget in K-12 schools, higher education or prisons. Or not.

Montbello and Stapleton will select the Democratic candidate in upcoming primaries from these three:
Angela Williams is an insurance agent in Stapleton, a mother, a woman, and an African American, the only African American running at all in any race for the Legislature. If she doesn't win, the Legislature will not have any black voice for the first time in a LOOOOONG time.

Jon Goldin Dubois, a former lobbyist with Common Cause, also presents his perspectives on these tough issues, since the budget will probably be cut again this year, we just don't know by how much yet. Sometimes these three candidates sound very similar, but Dubois insists Colorado is only shooting for mediocre education instead of imagining our schools could be among the best.

Mark Mehringer, a native Coloradan and a father, argues he is the best candidate because he refuses to accept PAC money, and the other two candidates already did accept PAC money. Mehringer argues the monetary influence of special interest groups has not only corrupted the Legislative process, it also has sacked the public's trust.

This forum was sponsored by the Front Porch Stapleton newspaper and the Stapleton Moms.

This hour of forum is continued next week on VIEWS FROM DENVER, but if you missed one of them, you can certainly pull it up on the archives of VIEWS at www.denveropenmedia.org/project/6456/shows. Mail ballots are mailed next Monday!!!