Written by: Marianne Partisan

The Colorado Joint Budget Committee has introduced a staggering $40.6 billion budget for the upcoming fiscal year, igniting a heated debate among lawmakers in the House of Representatives.

As the budget heads towards the Senate for further discussion, conservative voices are raising concerns about the excessive spending and allocation of taxpayer dollars towards far-left causes, rather than allowing hardworking Coloradans to keep their earnings.

Over the past several months, the six lawmakers on the Joint Budget Committee, in collaboration with the governor’s staff, have invested countless hours in crafting the state budget bill. However, upon closer examination, it becomes evident that this budget is jam-packed with liberal wasteful spending, leaving Colorado families to foot the bill.

JOINT BUDGET COMMITTEE MEMBERS

• Rep. Shannon Bird, Chair (email)

• Sen. Rachel Zenzinger, Vice Chair (email)

• Sen. Jeff Bridges (email)

• Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer (email)

• Rep. Emily Sirota (email)

• Rep. Rick Taggart (email)

One of the key positive highlights of the proposed budget is the full funding of K-12 education, which supposedly brings Colorado in line with the state Constitution and Amendment 23.

While education advocates may applaud the increased spending, it is important to note that this funding level only brings the state up to 1989 levels when accounting for inflation. The claim of fully funding education is misleading and fails to meet the current demands and challenges faced by our education system. Poor test scores are evidence that Colorado’s public schools continue to lag behind.

Additionally, the budget includes an extra $132 million in funding for colleges, with the aim of limiting tuition increases to 3% for in-state students and 4% for out-of-state students, according to JBC members.

The budget includes a 3% across-the-board pay increase for state employees.

The Department of Corrections, where one in five positions remained vacant last fall, will receive additional funding to attract more workers, including healthcare and social workers.

While addressing staffing shortages is essential, the budget also includes nearly $8 million dedicated to transgender care for incarcerated individuals. This includes $2.8 million for the creation of two transgender living units with 148 beds and $5.3 million for gender-affirming surgery for transgender women. It is questionable whether taxpayer dollars should be allocated towards such specific and controversial medical procedures, especially when there are other pressing needs within the state.

Furthermore, the budget allocates $2.2 million to increase the pay of incarcerated individuals to an average of $2 per day over the next two fiscal years.

Currently, incarcerated individuals earn between 33 cents to over $2 an hour. While rehabilitation and reintegration programs are crucial, it is important to question the allocation of taxpayer dollars towards increasing the wages of those who have violated the law.

READ MORE:

• COLORADO LAWMAKERS ONLY HAVE $23 MILLION FOR NEW PROGRAMS BUT HAVE A WISH LIST TOTALING $2 BILLION

• COLORADO DEMOCRATS PUSH FOR CONTROVERSIAL $3,000 CASH PAYMENTS TO EX-CONS

• COLORADO LAWMAKERS CHASTISE UNIVERSAL PRESCHOOL LEADERS FOR MAJOR TROUBLES WITH ENROLLMENT, SERVING KIDS WITH DISABILITIES

• COLORADO FACES BUDGET DILEMMA AS TAXPAYERS AWAIT REFUNDS AND DEMOCRATS PRIORITIZE SPENDING OVER TAXPAYER RELIEF

The proposed budget is one of the few bills that the Colorado Legislature must pass each year.

As the debate continues, conservative voices are calling for a reevaluation of spending priorities and a focus on responsible fiscal policies that respect the hard-earned money of Coloradans. It is crucial for lawmakers to reconsider their commitment to liberal agenda items and instead prioritize the needs and values of the people they represent.