At least a dozen new offices have been added to Colorado’s state government over the past three years, stoking Republican fears of runaway growth as the state hurtles toward a possible budget deficit. The added offices, with ambitious goals like preventing gun violence and saving people money on health care, are a sign of ballooning […]
budget stabilization factor
Posted inNews
Here’s what’s in the $36 billion state budget proposal now being debated by Colorado lawmakers
The full Colorado legislature this week began debating a $36 billion state budget proposal that, buoyed by a strong economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and a flood of federal stimulus dollars, would boost funding to K-12 and higher education, give state employees a 3% raise and expand state efforts to improve public safety and […]
Posted inEducation, News, Politics and Government
Colorado’s teacher shortage highlights need for more school funding, union boss says
Colorado will continue to face a critical teacher shortage unless state leaders make good on their constitutional obligation to increase education funding, the head of Colorado’s largest teacher union says. “We’re at a crisis point that requires bold action by our legislature,” Colorado Education Association President Amie Baca-Oehlert told The Colorado Sun in an interview […]
Posted inCrime and Courts, Economy, Education, Health, News, Politics and Government
What will be debated at the Colorado Capitol when the legislature returns next week
Gov. Jared Polis wants Colorado to become one of the top 10 safest states in the U.S. within five years, he said Thursday night during a virtual Colorado Sun event ahead of the 2022 legislative session, which begins next week on Jan. 12. “It’ll take a lot of work to get there,” he said. Polis, […]
Posted inNews, Politics and Government
Is Colorado’s government headed toward a fiscal cliff? Democrats say yes, Republicans say no.
Colorado’s coffers are flush with cash right now — so much so that taxpayers are getting refunds. But Democrats see trouble on the horizon. They’re not worried so much about a downturn, but the potential for spending on critical services like education and health care to run up against constitutional limits on how much tax […]
Posted inEducation, News, Politics and Government
A guide to how Amendment 23, “the budget stabilization factor” and “the negative factor” shape education spending in Colorado
The fight over school funding in Colorado has become one of the state’s most consequential political battlegrounds, a defining issue in elections and governance from the local level all the way up to the governor’s office. But following the debate can be difficult. Lurking behind every fight over teacher pay and four-day school weeks is […]
Posted inPolitics and Government
Colorado’s state budget drives decisions that affect us all, but it’s long and complicated. We’re here to help.
Schools, roads, parks. The cost of college and health care. How much you pay in taxes. No matter what issue you care about in Colorado, chances are the state budget plays a large role in its fate. The good news: following the budget process from home is easier than ever thanks to live-streamed government meetings […]