Colorado 48th In Spending

by: Fong

Thu Apr 08, 2010 at 20:17:28 PM MST

Alaska spends the most at $17,000 per person. West Virgnia, Wyoming, and Delaware, the recent winner of Race to the Top grant, place second, third and fourth, respectively. Coming in 30th, Nebraska is about average at just under $4,773. The only states that spend less than Colorado are Nevada and Texas. Here's a .pdf with more info

From a press release from the Colorado Senate is a list of some of the cuts:

   * A $260 million cut from K-12 education through the school finance bill

   * All state employees are taking a 2.5% reduction in take-home pay resulting in $37 million Total Funds (TF) and $20 million General Funds (GF) savings

   * A $17.9 million cut in total funds, including $7.9 million General Fund, for Medicaid programs via a 1% reimbursement cut for most Medicaid providers

   * A $61.5 million decrease in GF and ARRA funds for higher education.  Reduces $18.2 million total funds, including $6.9 million General Fund, in the base appropriation for all community provider contracts in the Department

   * A $9.6 million reduction in personal services funding (including $9.4 million General Fund) and the elimination of 170 FTE for the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals, the State Court Administrator's Office, and the Trial Courts

It would be great if the Republicans like Josh Penry would please STFU about "difficult decisions" and "our of control government growth".  

In a year when Colorado should have a rainy day fund, people are having to figure out how they are going to float until the economy makes a comeback. We should have more affordable schools, a bus ride shouldn't be more than a dollar, people shouldn't have to worry about how to access and pay for health care.