Gail Schwartz
Encyclopedia
Gail Sheridan Schwartz is a legislator in the U.S. state
of Colorado
. Elected to the Colorado State Senate as a Democrat in 2006, Schwartz represents Senate District 5, which covers a large section of south-central Colorado, ranging from Aspen
, and Delta, Colorado
through the San Luis Valley
to the New Mexico
border.
, Schwartz holds a bachelor's degree in marketing
from the University of Colorado. Schwartz has worked as Director of Development, and later Acting Director for the Pitkin County
Housing Authority. She has also worked as a real estate and marketing consultant and as an executive for Sno-Engineering, Inc.
Schwartz was involved in education issues in the Aspen School District, including campaigning for a $4 million local bond election for technology in local schools. She received the Aspen School District's "Outstanding Service Award." She was appointed by Gov. Roy Romer to the Colorado Commission on Higher Education
as a representative of the Western Slope
from 1995 to 1999.
In 2000, Schwartz was nominated as the Democratic candidate for the Board of Regents of the University of Colorado
from Colorado's 3rd Congressional district. She faced Republican incumbent Hank Anton and campaigned on increasing accessibility to higher education, particularly for the largely rural and underserved Western Slope
of Colorado. She was elected with roughly 51 percent of the popular vote, becoming the third Democrat on the nine-member board. After being elected, Schwartz supported adding sexual orientation
to the university's nondiscrimination policy. Schwartz also served as vice-chair of the Board of Regents.
Schwartz is married; she and her husband, Alan, an attorney, have three daughters: Brendan Ash, Aime, and Rachel. Her family currently resides in Snowmass Village, Colorado
.
, Chaffee
, Conejos
, Costilla
, Delta
, Gunnison
, Hinsdale
, Mineral
, Pitkin
, Rio Grande
, and Saguache
Counties.
Following the regular session, Schwartz chaired the legislature's interim committee on allocation of severance tax
and federal mineral lease revenues and served on the Water Resources Review Committee.
During the 2008 session, Schwartz sponsored legislation to require Colorado's chief information officer
to map broadband internet access in Colorado, and legislation to require greater public disclosure about prospective mining activities. In total, Schwartz sponsored 16 House and Senate bills, 14 of which were passed into law.
Schwartz voted yes for Senate Bill 170 would have allowed students who are in the country illegally and who have graduated from Colorado high schools to pay in-state tuition plus the cost of a state stipend that other Colorado students receive. The bill was rejected.
In November 2008, Schwartz was named chair of a special legislative Committee on Job Creation and Economic Growth, tasked with developing recommendations on bolstering Colorado's economy before the 2009 legislative session. The committee developed some 30 proposals, ranging from public works projects to tax incentives, designed to spur job creation in Colorado, for consideration during the 2009 legislative session.
Schwartz was one of a handful of Colorado legislators who attended the January 2009 inauguration of President Barack Obama
in person.
Schwarts is one of the only Colorado Senators to ever vote "no" for her own bill.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. Elected to the Colorado State Senate as a Democrat in 2006, Schwartz represents Senate District 5, which covers a large section of south-central Colorado, ranging from Aspen
Aspen, Colorado
The City of Aspen is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Pitkin County, Colorado, United States. The United States Census Bureau estimates that the city population was 5,804 in 2005...
, and Delta, Colorado
Delta, Colorado
The City of Delta is the county seat and the most populous city of Delta County, Colorado, United States. The population was 8,915 at the 2010 census...
through the San Luis Valley
San Luis Valley
The San Luis Valley is an extensive alpine valley in the U.S. states of Colorado and New Mexico covering approximately and sitting at an average elevation of above sea level. The valley sits atop the Rio Grande Rift and is drained to the south by the Rio Grande River, which rises in the San Juan...
to the New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
border.
Biography
Born and raised in ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Schwartz holds a bachelor's degree in marketing
Marketing
Marketing is the process used to determine what products or services may be of interest to customers, and the strategy to use in sales, communications and business development. It generates the strategy that underlies sales techniques, business communication, and business developments...
from the University of Colorado. Schwartz has worked as Director of Development, and later Acting Director for the Pitkin County
Pitkin County, Colorado
Pitkin County is one of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. The county is named in honor of the late Colorado Governor Frederick Walker Pitkin. The county population was 14,872 at U.S. Census 2000. The county seat is Aspen...
Housing Authority. She has also worked as a real estate and marketing consultant and as an executive for Sno-Engineering, Inc.
Schwartz was involved in education issues in the Aspen School District, including campaigning for a $4 million local bond election for technology in local schools. She received the Aspen School District's "Outstanding Service Award." She was appointed by Gov. Roy Romer to the Colorado Commission on Higher Education
Colorado Commission on Higher Education
The Colorado Commission on Higher Education was established in 1965 by the Colorado General Assembly. The Commission replaced an association which met informally to consider matters related to higher education....
as a representative of the Western Slope
Western Slope
Western Slope may refer to:*The Western Slope region in the U.S. state of Colorado.*Western Slope, Jersey City: a section of Jersey City in the U.S. state of New Jersey....
from 1995 to 1999.
In 2000, Schwartz was nominated as the Democratic candidate for the Board of Regents of the University of Colorado
Regents of the University of Colorado
Regents of the University of Colorado are the regent directors of the University of Colorado system responsible for the overall university system. It is an elected position with a term of 6 years...
from Colorado's 3rd Congressional district. She faced Republican incumbent Hank Anton and campaigned on increasing accessibility to higher education, particularly for the largely rural and underserved Western Slope
Western Slope
Western Slope may refer to:*The Western Slope region in the U.S. state of Colorado.*Western Slope, Jersey City: a section of Jersey City in the U.S. state of New Jersey....
of Colorado. She was elected with roughly 51 percent of the popular vote, becoming the third Democrat on the nine-member board. After being elected, Schwartz supported adding sexual orientation
Sexual orientation
Sexual orientation describes a pattern of emotional, romantic, or sexual attractions to the opposite sex, the same sex, both, or neither, and the genders that accompany them. By the convention of organized researchers, these attractions are subsumed under heterosexuality, homosexuality,...
to the university's nondiscrimination policy. Schwartz also served as vice-chair of the Board of Regents.
Schwartz is married; she and her husband, Alan, an attorney, have three daughters: Brendan Ash, Aime, and Rachel. Her family currently resides in Snowmass Village, Colorado
Snowmass Village, Colorado
Snowmass Village is a Home Rule Municipality in Pitkin County, Colorado, United States. The population was 1,822 at the 2000 census. A popular winter resort location for skiing and snowboarding, the town is best known as the location of the Snowmass ski area, the largest of the four nearby ski...
.
2006 election
In the 2006 Colorado legislative elections, Schwartz defeated incumbent Republican Lewis Entz with less than 51 percent of the popular vote. Schwartz was elected to represent Senate District 5, which includes AlamosaAlamosa County, Colorado
Alamosa County is one of the 64 counties of the state of Colorado of the United States. The county name is the Spanish language word for a "grove of cottonwood trees." The county population was 14,966 at U.S. Census 2000...
, Chaffee
Chaffee County, Colorado
Chaffee County is one of the 64 counties of the state of Colorado of the United States. The county population was 16,242 at U.S. Census 2000. The county seat is Salida.-History:...
, Conejos
Conejos County, Colorado
Conejos County is one of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado in the United States. The county population was 8,400 at U.S. Census 2000. The county seat is the unincorporated town of Conejos.-History:...
, Costilla
Costilla County, Colorado
Costilla County is the ninth least populous of the 64 counties in the state of Colorado of the United States. The county population was 3,663 at U.S. Census 2000. The county seat is San Luis, the oldest town in Colorado.- History :...
, Delta
Delta County, Colorado
Delta County is the 17th most populous of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. The county population was 27,834 in the 2000 U.S. Census. The county seat is the City of Delta...
, Gunnison
Gunnison County, Colorado
Gunnison County is the fifth most extensive of the 64 counties of the state of Colorado in the United States. The county population was 15,324 at the 2010 census. The county was named for John W. Gunnison, a United States Army officer and captain in the Army Topographical Engineers, who surveyed...
, Hinsdale
Hinsdale County, Colorado
Hinsdale County is the least densely populated of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. The county population was 790 at U.S. Census 2000. The county seat and the only municipality in the county is the Town of Lake City. Hinsdale County is named for George A. Hinsdale, a...
, Mineral
Mineral County, Colorado
Mineral County is the second least populous of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. The county was named for the many valuable minerals found in the mountains and streams of the area. The county population was 831 at U.S. Census 2000...
, Pitkin
Pitkin County, Colorado
Pitkin County is one of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. The county is named in honor of the late Colorado Governor Frederick Walker Pitkin. The county population was 14,872 at U.S. Census 2000. The county seat is Aspen...
, Rio Grande
Rio Grande County, Colorado
Rio Grande County is one of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. The county is named for the Rio Grande , which flows through the county. The county population was 12,413 at U.S. Census 2000...
, and Saguache
Saguache County, Colorado
Saguache County is the seventh most extensive of the 64 counties of the state of Colorado of the United States. The county name comes from a Ute language word meaning “blue earth” or “water at blue earth”. The county population was 5,917 at U.S. Census 2000...
Counties.
2007 legislative session
In the 2007 session of the General Assembly, Schwartz was vice-chair of the Senate Agriculture, Natural Resources & Energy Committee, vice-chair of the Senate Local Government Committee, and sat on the Senate Business, Labor and Technology Committee.Following the regular session, Schwartz chaired the legislature's interim committee on allocation of severance tax
Severance tax
Severance taxes are incurred when non-renewable natural resources are separated from a taxing jurisdiction. Industries that typically incur such taxes are oil and gas, coal, mining, and timber industries....
and federal mineral lease revenues and served on the Water Resources Review Committee.
2008 legislative session
In the 2008 session of the General Assembly, Schwartz serves as vice-chair of the Senate Agriculture, Natural Resources & Energy Committee, vice-chair of the Senate Local Government Committee, and sits on the Senate Business, Labor and Technology Committee and the Legislative Audit Committee.During the 2008 session, Schwartz sponsored legislation to require Colorado's chief information officer
Chief information officer
Chief information officer , or information technology director, is a job title commonly given to the most senior executive in an enterprise responsible for the information technology and computer systems that support enterprise goals...
to map broadband internet access in Colorado, and legislation to require greater public disclosure about prospective mining activities. In total, Schwartz sponsored 16 House and Senate bills, 14 of which were passed into law.
2009 legislative session
Following the legislative session, Schwartz was appointed to a seat on the legislature's Capital Development Committee, replacing term-limited Sen. Sue Windels. For the 2009 session of the Colorado General Assembly, she was named chair of the Senate Local Government and Energy Committee and a member of the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee.Schwartz voted yes for Senate Bill 170 would have allowed students who are in the country illegally and who have graduated from Colorado high schools to pay in-state tuition plus the cost of a state stipend that other Colorado students receive. The bill was rejected.
In November 2008, Schwartz was named chair of a special legislative Committee on Job Creation and Economic Growth, tasked with developing recommendations on bolstering Colorado's economy before the 2009 legislative session. The committee developed some 30 proposals, ranging from public works projects to tax incentives, designed to spur job creation in Colorado, for consideration during the 2009 legislative session.
Schwartz was one of a handful of Colorado legislators who attended the January 2009 inauguration of President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
in person.
Schwarts is one of the only Colorado Senators to ever vote "no" for her own bill.