House OKs $28.9 billion budget
Colorado chamber approves $50 million in new spending on several pet projects
The Colorado House of Representatives on Thursday gave final approval to a $28.9 billion state budget package — but not before approving upward of $50 million in new spending on pet projects that run the gamut, from drug treatment and youth programs to grants for affordable housing and school security.
Wednesday’s debate on the 2018-19 fiscal year budget began shortly after 1 p.m. and stretched late into the night, with lawmakers filing 95 initial amendments — and several more as the night went on — to secure additional funding for a wide range of public services.
When lawmakers returned Thursday morning, six Republicans joined 36 Democrats to approve the budget bill 42-22, sending it to the state Senate for consideration next week.
The proposal keeps intact the basic framework of what the Joint Budget Committee approved last week, using unexpected revenue growth to earmark $495 million for transportation, $225 million for the state pension and $150 million to buy down the state’s ongoing annual underfunding of K-12 schools.
The most significant addition made by the House in dollar terms: a bipartisan deal to designate more than $35 million for school security improvements and resource officers, over the objections of several Democrats.
Republicans sought $50 million for school safety throughout the night but ultimately compromised on the lower amount.
“I have walked the halls of many schools to assess security, organized community simulated active-shooter drills, and was lucky to have never lost a student to an attack in my 40 years as an educator — I want to take every measure necessary to ensure no other educator or school does either,” said Rep. Jim Wilson, R-Salida, who helped broker the $35 million compromise with Rep. Alec Garnett, D-Denver.
In a separate amendment, offered by Rep. Dave Williams, RColorado Springs, the House pulled $750,000 from a governor’s office film incentive program to further boost funding for security measures.
A Republican amendment to strip the office of its $500,000 operating budget, however, was defeated by Democrats.
But perhaps the most significant political maneuver was a late-night amendment from House Speaker Crisanta Duran and Transportation Chairwoman Faith Winter to send the bulk of the $495 million the budget sets aside for transportation to local governments and multi-
modal projects, such as mass transit.
The Democratic earmark, approved over the objection of Republicans, would take effect only if Senate Bill 1 — the GOP-led transportation bill that recently passed the state Senate unanimously — is defeated. If the stipulation survives the state Senate, which is unlikely, the funding would be split as follows: 35 percent for state highways, 25 percent each for cities and counties, and 15 percent for alternate forms of transportation.