“Even worse than we thought”: Colorado is stuck in a cycle of annual, $1B state budget shortfalls
Colorado lawmakers are stuck in a cycle of annual budget shortfalls of roughly $1 billion, predominantly caused by the skyrocketing cost of Medicaid.
That was the warning last week from the top nonpartisan staffer for the legislature’s Joint Budget Committee, which is tasked with drafting the state budget. JBC Staff Director Craig Harper called the trend “alarming.”
The shortfalls come from how much money lawmakers have to spend each year growing more slowly than the cost of maintaining existing state programs and services.
JBC: Budget plan underfunds Medicaid, adds to government
In two months, the second regular session of the 75th Colorado General Assembly will open, and Joint Budget Committee (JBC) director Craig Harper said the conditions won’t be much unlike the prior session a year ago.
The state is expected to be facing an $850 million shortfall.
Members of the JBC organized Wednesday and heard a $50.7 billion budget proposal from Gov. Jared Polis, which cuts from Medicaid but not from what some criticized as an inflated state government.
“At a time where we’re making cuts, we’re adding 355 new employees,” said Rep. Rick Taggart, R-Grand Junction. “I wonder when are we going to get serious about looking at our own internal efficiencies, department by department.”