State of Colorado Archives: on Social Security

Andrew Romanoff: Optional personal retirement accounts, but no privatization

Romanoff told reporters to look at the facts. Senate Joint Resolution 28 signed by Romanoff in 2004 resolved to "support optional personal retirement accounts and not support increases in payroll taxes and cuts to Social Security benefits."

The resolution pushed optional savings accounts as a way to provide younger workers the opportunity to net greater savings by retirement age. Romanoff said that any money generated through the program would come on top of money already paid into social security.

Andrew Romanoff: Raise cap on income subject to Social Security tax

Cary Kennedy: Address long term solvency of the state's pension system

• Provide prudent investment and management of state funds.
• Insist on new, higher standards of transparency and accountability, including making available a comprehensive yearly financial report for the State of Colorado that is easily readable and provides taxpayers with an overview of the state's finances.
• Be an active and involved member of the PERA board and work to address the long term solvency of the state's pension system in a manner that is fair to both pensioners and taxpayers.
• Be a strong steward of the state's school funds.
• Promote accountability by insisting on the highest standards of ethical conduct and transparency.

Cory Gardner: Social Security one of the most important social safety nets

Gardner: I'm going to continue to protect Social Security. It's one of the most important social safety nets that we have as a country. Medicare and Social Security are two of the key things that we have for generations of Americans who have paid into them. We have to make sure that they are safeguarded so they can continue to pay out to those people who have invested all of their lives into these programs. We need to make sure that people stop borrowing against the Social Security trust fund.

Q: Your senior healthcare policy?

Gardner: I've worked hard to promote $10 billion for nursing homes, with additional dollars going toward their relief during COVID-19 so that they will be in place long-term. I've also worked hard to fight for reimbursement for telemedicine, telehealth visits through Medicare and other programs. Seniors who are able to receive care at home without having to go to the doctor will result in better care.

Darryl Glenn: Raise retirement age for those aged under 55 now

A: Social Security reform must be addressed first, because the program payouts exceed its revenue stream. I would strongly consider supporting a proposal to raise the retirement age to receive Social Security for individuals at least 10 years away from retirement age.

John Hickenlooper: Update constitutional barriers in state's retirement program

John Hickenlooper: Protect and bolster Social Security, Medicare

John Hickenlooper: Protect Social Security; oppose attempts to reduce benefits

Hickenlooper: I will fight to protect Social Security, oppose any attempt to reduce benefits and work to ensure that every senior can retire with dignity. Social Security is essential to our nation's safety net. The rising costs of food, housing and transportation means that those dollars need to go even further. Social Security is an intergenerational promise between Americans that we will care for each other as we age. We cannot balance the budget on the backs of seniors.

Gardner: I'm going to continue to protect Social Security. It's one of the most important social safety nets that we have. Medicare and Social Security are two of the key things that we have for generations of Americans who have paid into them. We have to make sure that they are safeguarded so they can continue to pay out to those people who have invested all of their lives. We need to make sure that people stop borrowing against the Social Security trust fund.

Jon Keyser: For next generation, use free market reforms

A: We need to make sure that programs like Social Security and Medicare are protected for those citizens who have spent their lives paying into them. After all, it's their money, and as a United States Senator, I will make sure Coloradans that are at or near retirement will be unaffected by modernizing our entitlement programs. For those just starting out, I would support reforms that would ensure the government couldn't raid the retirement accounts of hardworking Coloradans. Technology is changing our world at an amazing pace, people are living significantly longer, and that means raising the retirement age probably makes sense. For the next generation, we need to be focused on innovative reforms that allow the free market to work.

Ken Buck: Give younger workers option to invest in separate retirement

Buck charged that Bennet's television ads were dishonest, taking snippets of Buck's comments to portray him as wanting to privatize Social Security. Buck said he supported redesigning Social Security so that younger workers in the future would have the option of investing in separate retirement accounts. No one paying into the system would lose benefits, he insisted. "I've never said we should privatize Social Security," he told Bennet, who made that accusation against Buck in television ads. "You in your commercials take little clips out of context," Buck answered to cheers from his ranks.

Ken Salazar: Opposes privatization and individual investment accounts

More than half of Americans over 65 years old would live in poverty if Social Security disappeared. I will push for a return to fiscal responsibility and balanced budgets to maintain a foundation for economic growth, and I will press to make the preservation of Social Security a national priority.

Michael Bennet: Eliminate income cap for payroll taxes

Bennet: Mostly yes. Includes eliminating income cap for payroll taxes supporting Social Security & Medicare.

Glenn: No. Supports substantial tax decreases, including for the wealthy. Pledged to oppose any tax increases to raise revenue. Allow charities & community programs to do the work of alleviating poverty.[7]

Michael Bennet: Optional personal retirement accounts ARE privatization

Romanoff responded that the 2004 Senate Joint Resolution "does not say that it will divert money out of Social Security. I wouldn't have voted for it if it did."

The Bennet camp followed the flier with a new press release: "Romanoff surrounds himself with seniors in a shameful attempt to show his support. What he isn't telling them is that Speaker Romanoff voted to privatize Social Security. A move that would have stripped many seniors from their only source of income."

SJR 28 in 2004 resolved to "support optional personal retirement accounts and not support increases in payroll taxes and cuts to Social Security benefits."

Randy Baumgardner: Voted NO on increases to public employee retirement benefits

Steve Barlock: Fully fund Public Employees' Retirement Association (PERA)

Phil Weiser: Sued to prevent DOGE accessing Social Security system

Greg Lopez: Cuts to Social Security & Medicare should be on the table

Outside the conference room, Social Security Works executive director Alex Lawson asked Republicans passing through whether they would uphold President-elect Donald Trump's campaign pledge to protect Social Security and Medicare. One lawmaker, Rep. Greg Lopez (R-Colo.), told Lawson that "when we look to reduce our national debt, I think these should be on the table," referring to the two programs. "I am a strong advocate of discussing this and reevaluating them, and I do believe, at the end of the day, there will be some cuts," Lopez added.

John Hickenlooper: Social Security benefits are not 'government waste'