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DENVER \u2013 As the 71st Colorado General Assembly prepares to convene this week, some Democrats expressed concern over how much can be accomplished because of an expected $500 million gap between Gov. John Hickelooper\u2019s proposed budget for 2017-18 fiscal year and the money likely to be available.<\/p>\n
Also, a potential $169 million deficit in the current budget would have to be covered by the reserve fund.<\/p>\n
And a December revenue forecast showed a potential $215.7 million revenue shortfall to maintain the same level of appropriations in the 2017-18 fiscal year, which begins July 1.<\/p>\n
While revenue projections tend to evolve and final numbers can depend on many factors, legislators realize the numbers aren\u2019t going to be rosy.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of bills, because of our fiscal challenges, may not make it,\u201d said Rep. KC Becker of Denver, the House majority leader.<\/p>\n
If the projections hold, it will force both parties to prioritize the bills most important to constituents.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re going to really focus on areas where we can work across the aisle and get something done,\u201d Becker said.<\/p>\n
For the Democrats in both chambers, the focus will be on providing funding for maintenance and expansion of transportation infrastructure and resolving issues with the state budgeting process.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe do see structural problems in our budgeting process,\u201d Becker said.<\/p>\n
The problems stem from what Hickenlooper refers to as the \u201cfiscal thicket.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBasically we have conflicting constitutional provisions that make it difficult to enact rational policy, or enact policies that voters actually want,\u201d Becker said.<\/p>\n
An example is in the interplay between the Taxpayer\u2019s Bill of Rights, or TABOR, passed in 1992, which limits the total amount of revenue generated by taxes that can be retained by the Legislature, the Gallagher amendment passed in 1982 and Amendment 23 passed in 2000.<\/p>\n
\u201cGallagher really lowered residential property taxes, which are what fund K-12 education, but through amendment 23 voters said \u2018we want to make sure K-12 education is always a funding priority and has to be funded at a minimal level,\u2019\u201d Becker said.<\/p>\n
The funding for K-12 under Amendment 23 is an ever-increasing level, and failure to fund through property taxes must be compensated from the general fund. But that money is not dedicated to mandated funding of institutions, Becker said. This is a problem as the Legislature is unable to hold onto additional tax dollars, per TABOR, to properly fund K-12 without taking away money for such things as the transportation system.<\/p>\n
Concerns over transportation are growing because of a lack of funds to build, repair and maintain roads and bridges, said Luc\u00eda Guzm\u00e1n, Senate minority leader.<\/p>\n
\u201cTransportation corridors are your economic engines, they\u2019re literally your economic corridors, they are how goods and commerce move throughout the state,\u201d Becker said.<\/p>\n
As with many issue this year, it remains to be seen if there will be funding to implement a bill to resolve it, Guzm\u00e1n said. \u201cIn order to do that, we\u2019ve got to have more transportation dollars.\u201d<\/p>\n
Becker said she hopes steps will be taken to resolve the \u201cfiscal thicket,\u201d but realizes different ideas exist on how this should be done.<\/p>\n
Guzm\u00e1n is optimistic that there will be bipartisan support on the issues of transportation, budget and many others brought forward this session, she said. \u201cMany of them are the same goals as the Republicans. The Republicans also want to find a solution to the transportation ills that we have.\u201d<\/p>\n
Such bipartisan support will be required for any bills to pass, as Republicans hold a one seat majority in the Senate, 18-17, while Democrats hold the house 37-28.<\/p>\n
Guzm\u00e1n said this is an \u201copportunity for people to be good states people, listen to what the people of Colorado have asked us to do. They want to see us get something done. They don\u2019t want us to be like Congress, every year not getting anything done.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Democratic Party also will work this session on environmental conservation and protection, resolving a growing opioid crisis in the state, and finding additional funding for education, Guzm\u00e1n said. \u201cWith our budget seeing a downfall we\u2019re concerned about (having) enough dollars to invest back into our schools.\u201d<\/p>\n
The House Democrats will sponsor bills that cover topics that are important to all Coloradans, Becker said. \u201cPeople care about public health, people care about the environment, people care about fiscal responsibility and we\u2019re going to make sure we shape policies that reflect those things.\u201d<\/p>\n
Becker said she anticipates that limits to abortion rights could be an issue brought to the table by Republicans.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are going to continue to oppose those bills,\u201d she said. \u201cWe think Colorado is a solidly pro-choice state. So, not only in opposing those bills are we solid from a constitutional standpoint, but we also think it\u2019s where the majority of Coloradans are.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Democrats at the Capitol will deal with turnover in leadership and loss of institutional knowledge from senators and representatives leaving because of term limits, just as the Republicans are.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur Caucus this year is made of almost half new members, and there are seven brand new members, some who\u2019ve come over from the House. So, they\u2019re not totally new to the systematic approach to being a legislator,\u201d Guzm\u00e1n said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s new leadership for the House Democrats. There\u2019s new leadership for the House Republicans, and it\u2019s a goal of ours to make sure we are working across the aisle and working with them to make sure we have a smooth process,\u201d Becker said.<\/p>\n