Tag: joint budget committee
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Colorado Springs D-11 donates classrooms to Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind
The Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind is getting a bit more room to work with. In a swift and unique arrangement, Colorado Springs District 11 has donated two of its modular units to CSDB for its school for the blind. The 20-year-old units will be refurbished and renovated to meet today’s code…
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Economists: Colorado budget improves slightly, but deficits still loom
State economists reported a stronger-than-expected bump in general fund revenue driven largely by higher individual income tax collections, yet warned that Colorado remains on track to begin the next fiscal year with a sizable shortfall. State economists upgraded “significantly” the amount of general fund revenue the state is taking in this year from their March…
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Colorado governor signs $47 billion budget in which ‘nobody won’
Gov. Jared Polis on Friday officially signed a $46.87 billion spending plan for the Colorado state government in the next fiscal year. His signature is the culmination of months of work by legislators, who resorted to cuts, transfers and other mechanisms to balance the 2026-27 budget amid a deficit of more than $1 billion. That…
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Colorado bill redirecting $300M in TABOR refunds raises legal concerns, sparks budget committee dispute
A discussion about a proposal to eliminate $300 million in taxpayer refunds over the next two fiscal years quickly shifted into a strategy session — and a tense exchange among members of a budget committee — over what would happen if a lawsuit were filed to stop it. House Bill 1419 attempts to take $300…
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Colorado lawmakers advance bill to tackle state’s prison capacity issues
As lawmakers work to complete the next state budget, they are intensifying efforts to address overcrowding and capacity challenges within the Department of Corrections and related agencies — issues that have contributed to increased spending in the budget. The state Senate on Friday gave preliminary approval to Senate Bill 159, specifically designed to work on…
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Colorado lawmakers cut newer programs to close $1.2 billion budget shortfall
With Colorado facing a budget gap exceeding $1.2 billion, lawmakers are preparing to wind down or sharply reduce a slate of recently-created programs — from teacher training to wildfire mitigation — as they search for for savings across state government. While some of these newer programs will continue with reduced funding, others are being eliminated…
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Colorado House Democrats focus on prison costs in budget discussions
Colorado’s House Democrats pressed budget writers Tuesday over a nearly $70 million increase for the Department of Corrections, questioning why the state plans to add 941 prison beds and explore new prison capacity at a time when, they said, crime rates are falling and hundreds of inmates are eligible for parole. The majority of the…
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Inside the GOP caucus: Colorado legislator explains why a bigger budget still means cuts
Tasked with explaining a budget driven by rising caseloads, shifting federal dollars and a $1.5 billion shortfall, Joint Budget Committee member Rep. Rick Taggart spent Tuesday’s Republican caucus meeting detailing why the 2026–27 spending plan appears larger on paper, even as many state programs face cuts. “If I look a little tired, I am,” Taggart…
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Colorado legislators propose $46.8 billion budget, driven by Medicaid costs
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The six-member panel of legislators in charge of crafting the state budget has now turned over its plan to the Colorado legislature, proposing to spend $1.5 billion more for the Medicaid program. The increase is driven by Medicaid costs, which forced the Joint Budget Committee to make cuts elsewhere. All told, House Bill 26-1410 proposes…
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Colorado lawmakers propose deep cuts to close $1.2B budget gap
The panel of Colorado legislators in charge of crafting next year’s budget has finalized the 2026–27 spending plan built on deep cuts and one‑time cash transfers in an attempt to close a shortfall of more than $1.2 billion. The plan is leaving lawmakers frustrated with the reductions to core services. Some cited cuts to health…