Capitol Conversation: Colorado State Budget

Colorado’s latest revenue forecast was good news for lawmakers, showing a healthy economy and more money for the state budget. Colorado’s latest revenue forecast was good news for lawmakers, showing a healthy economy and more money for the state budget. Bente Birkeland sat down with Ivan Moreno of the Associated Press and Ed Sealover with the Denver Business Journal to discuss the implications of more state revenue. Here are excerpts from the interview.

What it means for the state budget

Ivan Moreno Associated Press: “We are now at a time where we’re looking at a TABOR refund, something lawmakers haven’t had to deal with in more than a decade. It’s gotten to the point where it may seem like Colorado is bringing in more revenue. But a lot of that revenue now is already spoken for or they have to refund it to taxpayers, we’re also looking at statutory triggers with transportation funding.”

Ed Sealover Denver Business Journal: “Right now we’re looking at a scenario where the General Fund could lose $102 million to transportation, it could lose $204 million to transportation, or it could lose nothing.”

What it means for legislation that’s pending before the statehouse.

Ed Sealover Denver Business Journal: “Right now bills that have any money attached to it are suddenly about the most unpopular bills in this building and people are going to be scampering to try to save things like a tax break for data centers, a program that can detect fire and floods earlier, or even a felony DUI bill, all of them completely in limbo.”