Senate passes state’s $28.9B budget

The Colorado state Senate on Thursday approved a $28.9 billion state budget over the objections of fiscal conservatives and some Democrats, sending the annual spending plan to conference committee.

The two-day budget debate transpired much like last week’s vote in the House of Representatives, with lawmakers approving millions of dollars in new spending on a variety of pet projects, boosting funding to rural broadband, affordable housing and school security.

A bipartisan majority led by Senate President Kevin Grantham, R-Cañon City, also restored $750,000 in funding for film industry incentives, a governor’s office economic development program that fiscal conservatives and some Democrats for years have tried to abolish. The annual spending blueprint, known as the long bill, passed 26-8. Four Democrats joined four Republicans in opposition, with one senator absent.

The disparities between the House and Senate bills are relatively minor. Both plans call for $495 million for transportation projects, $225 million to pay down the state pension’s unfunded debt to retirees and a $150 million boost to annual K-12 school funding. They also agree to earmark $35 million for school security grants.

In the Senate, Democrats sought more for schools, while House Republicans had pushed to boost funding for roads. But rosy economic forecasts left enough funding to avert a protracted partisan battle over the competing priorities.

Some points of contention remain. The Republican-led Senate rejected a House plan to earmark the bulk of the transportation funding for local governments and alternate forms of transportation, such as mass transit. In a surprise move, the Senate also set aside more funding for affordable housing grants — $5 million, instead of the $1 million House Democrats had sought.

Both chambers agreed to spend $4.8 million on housing for ex-offenders who have mental health disorders.

The budget drew a rebuke from fiscal conservatives, who chastised their colleagues for what they called a reckless spending spree on special interests.

“Please, please, next time show a little more discipline,” said Sen. Kevin Lundberg, R-Berthoud, a budget-writing committee member who noted the two chambers approved a combined 55 amendments.

Some Democrats, too, criticized the plan — particularly the money set aside for school security.

Sen. Dominic Moreno, D-Commerce City, said the budget largely reflected the priorities of lawmakers and their constituents.

“Is it a perfect budget? Absolutely not,” Moreno said. “But I feel pretty good about the value statements that we’re making with this budget.”