Tony Exum

Tony Exum has lived in southeast Colorado Springs for more than 60 years.  After serving more than 35 years as a firefighter with the CSFD, rising to the rank of Battalion Chief, Exum retired in 2010. He then won election in 2012 to serve in the Colorado House of Representatives, as the representative from District 17 – covering southeast Colorado Springs.[3] Rep. Exum won election again in 2016, 2018 and 2020. Exum is a father of two sons, Thomas "Tony", Jr and Jauquien, and grandfather of 4. Exum's son Tony Jr is a noted jazz saxophonist.

Rep. Exum was a prime co-sponsor of the Breakfast After the Bell bill, which allows students in schools where 80 percent or more of the student body qualifies for a free or reduced lunch to also receive a free breakfast before the beginning of the school day.[4][5]

Rep. Exum sponsored a package of bills to reduce the threat of wildfire across the state, including a bill to create a Wildfire Resource Center online that allows homeowners and fire officials to get up to date information on current wildfires or wildfire conditions.[6] He also sponsored a bill that will allow families making less than $25,000 a year to find more affordable child care options.[7]

Rep. Exum sponsored several bills this year, including:

HB17-1312, requiring landlords give tenants a copy of the signed rental agreement and receipts when rent is paid.

HB17-1306, to pay for the testing of the levels of lead in drinking water of public schools.

For more information on these and other bills Exum sponsored this session, check his state legislator page here: 2017 session.

Rep. Exum sponsored several bills this year, including:

HB18-1078, to help active duty military members and veterans receive mental health treatments, substance abuse treatments, and other helpful services before court proceedings.[8]

For more information on this and other bills he sponsored this session, check his state legislator page here: 2018 session.

Rep. Exum sponsored several bills this year, including:

HB19-1013, extending for 8 years (until 2028) the income tax credit available to low-income families (those families having a taxable income of less than $25,000) who pay out-of-pocket for child care expenses.  The credit covers 25% of what the families paid for child care expenses, up to a maximum credit of $500 for a family with just one child under 13 years old, or up to $1,000 for a family with two or more children under 13 years old.[9]

HB19-1085, raising the amount of grant money available to low-income seniors and people with disabilities, which helps pay for property taxes, rent assistance, and heating and fuel costs.  Those grants, which hadn't increased since 2014, were raised by about 5% and indexed to inflation, to continue rising as the costs of living rise.  The bill also raised the cap on how much money people need to earn to qualify for these assistance grants, so more low-income people could qualify to receive this needed help.[10]

HB19-1276, creating a 9th Grade Success Grant Program: to award money grants to schools and districts with higher than average dropout rates, to pay for programs which will help their 9th grade students stay in school for the entire high school career.  Schools and districts must meet strict requirements to be able to receive grants.[11]

HB19-1279, prohibiting the use of toxic firefighting foams during training exercises, requiring the manufacturers of firefighting personal protective equipment (including jackets, pants, shoes, gloves, helmets, and respiratory equipment) to disclose when those products are treated with toxic PFAS chemicals to make the equipment more fire resistant, and banning the sale of toxic firefighting foams to local fire departments in 2021.[12]

For more information on these and other bills he sponsored this session, check his state legislator page here: 2019 session.

• 2012: To challenge incumbent Republican Representative Mark Barker for the District 17 seat, Exum was unopposed for the June 26, 2012 Democratic Primary, winning with 1,567 votes,[13] and won the four-way November 6, 2012 General election with 11,212 votes (54.6%) against Representative Barker, Libertarian candidate Susan Quilleash, and American Constitution candidate Barry Pace.[14]
• 2014: Rep. Exum ran unopposed in the Democratic primary race,[15] but lost re-election in the general election, collecting only 6,477 votes (being just 45.25% of the total votes cast), losing to Republican challenger Kit Roupe.
• 2016: Tony Exum ran unopposed in the Democratic primary race,[16] and won re-election for his second term in the Colorado House of Representatives (with 11,445 votes, being 49.39% of the total votes cast) over incumbent Republican Representative Kit Roupe and Libertarian candidate Susan Quilleash.[17]
• 2018: Rep. Exum ran unopposed in the Democratic primary race,[18] and won re-election for his third term in the Colorado House of Representatives (with 11,037 votes, being 58.76% of the total votes cast) over Republican challenger Kit Roupe.[19]

• Official page at the Colorado General Assembly