More Colorado kids slipping into poverty, report says
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Family economic security
The Denver Post: More Colorado kids slipping into poverty, report says
In one of the first comprehensive looks at how the recession has affected families, the Colorado Children's Campaign reports that the state's children continued a slide into poverty that began a decade ago and accelerated as hard times hit.
Colorado News Agency: Pending proposal would dump Xcel's tiered power rates
When air conditioners rev up this summer, seasonal rates from XCEL Energy will once more go into effect-unless a measure heard today in the House Transportation Committee shuts the program down. The vote on the proposal however, has been postponed until next week.
Fiscal policy
The Denver Post: GOP rally at Capitol calls for spending cuts
Amid calls for tax increases from some Democrats, Republicans on Wednesday rallied outside the state Capitol on behalf of spending cuts.
The Denver Post: Backseat budgeters try their hands at the state's fiscal balancing act
More than 100 people who came to The Denver Post's building downtown Wednesday used interactive technology to learn something six lawmakers on the legislature's Joint Budget Committee know all too well. That it's really hard to balance the state budget.
Denver Daily News: Spending limit coming back?
GOP aims to reinstate state spending limit; create rainy day fund.
Pueblo Chieftain: JBC delays closure of Circle Program
The Joint Budget Committee on Wednesday delayed action for one week on the proposed closure of the Circle Program at the Colorado Mental Health Institute at Pueblo to try to identify a funding source that would enable it to stay open. Gov. John Hickenlooper proposed closing the program to save $1.5 million as part of his $570 million budget-balancing package for fiscal year 2011-12.
Colorado Statesman: Steadman and Ferrandino: Bring back tax amnesty
Two Colorado lawmakers Wednesday said bringing back a 2003 tax amnesty idea, while not original, is creative and could bring in $15 million for K-12 education.
KCFR-radio: Budget Breakdown - The Public Conversation
In good years, state budgeting is generally something only lawmakers and policy wonks care about. But with Colorado facing a massive shortfall and groups moving to put a tax increase on the ballot, the budget is becoming a bigger part of the public conversation.
Longmont Times-Call: Colo.'s senators vote down spending plans
Colorado's U.S. senators both voted against two rival budget-cutting proposals Wednesday. Sens. Mark Udall, D-Eldorado Springs, and Michael Bennet, D-Denver, were in the majorities voting to reject a plan from Senate Democratic leaders to cut about $6.5 billion from current fiscal-year spending levels, as well as a House Republican measure to cut $61 billion. Both senators suggested afterward that neither package would do enough to address federal government's fiscal problems.
Health care
Health Policy Solutions: Gardner playing politics with health care
In his quest to score political points, Gardner put forth and built support among his colleagues for an amendment to do away with funding for one of the most important pieces of the federal health-care reform legislation.
Justice
Durango Herald: Gessler wants to purge voter database
Secretary of State Scott Gessler will push for criminal investigations of people with suspect voter registration unless the Legislature gives him the power to clean up the voter database, he said Wednesday.
Glenwood Springs Post-Independent commentary: Our uneven income distribution system
Most of us are vaguely aware that we have not been doing very well financially in recent decades, and a lot of us feel that something is wrong with the way money is distributed.
Jobs and economic security
Craig Daily Press: Economy highlights governor's visit to Craig
Much of the governor's speech to the more than 250 people who attended State of the County centered on the state's budget and future. The bottom line, Hickenlooper said, is "there are no easy solutions any more."
Also: Steamboat Today: Hickenlooper touches on school district consolidation at Steamboat talk
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