Jeff Livingston
DemocraticQ1 What advisory mechanisms will you implement to ensure that evidence and scientific findings play a crucial role in your policymaking process?
“I would like to implement in every committee or hearing a group of verified experts on a given topic to advise on the topics at hand and come to a more comprehensive decision. Not just in committees where there isn’t someone on the committee who professes to be an expert. ALL committees and hearings full stop.”
Q2 Colorado farmers are facing multiple threats, amidst water scarcity and rising prices for fertilizer and other imported materials. As agriculture is our #1 export sector, in what ways do you imagine using your role to support evidence-based advancements to protect and support our farmers and natural resources in the years ahead?
“This again falls to consultation. The first step is to talk to the farmers and look at the solutions they propose first. Generally speaking the people on the ground (or in the ground in this case) know best what needs to happen for them to be most effective and we should consult them on decisions that can affect their crops. This is something we understand as we bring in experts in all meetings. Understanding the interplay between how housing, AI and farming affect each other on the water table would need to be a focus based on current trends.”
Q3 America has a growing AI industry, supporting cutting-edge innovation but raising issues of resource use, privacy, and economics. What is the right balance of costs and benefits for new data center construction in Colorado, and how would your policies accomplish that balance?
“I believe the correct balance is when the data center is built in a way that doesn’t interfere with the way everyday Coloradans live their lives. Building data centers anywhere in the city should be out of the question until legislation reflects a building practice that doesn’t involve backup gas generators or any other loud noises of any frequency, air or visual pollution.”
Q4 Colorado has experienced a lingering measles outbreak since March of 2025. What evidence-based policies do you support to improve community and preventive health for your constituents, for infectious diseases and other threats?
“Vaccinations and quarantines are the most effective and easiest methods for controlling an outbreak that I am aware of. For any other methods that are experimental or unproven I would consult experts and nurses on the ground.”
Q5 What are your opinions on the current state of science literacy, and how could K-12 education standards be adapted to form a better public understanding of and relationship building in science?
“After speaking with teachers across my district, the best solutions are as follows: Revamping administrative practices to back up teachers more. Adjusting the curriculum in a way consistent with what veteran teachers believe is the most effective (preferably in a way that folds in the opinions of teachers worldwide). Paying teachers enough to alleviate issues with affordability. Providing materials so teachers don’t have to come out of pocket.”