Proposed Budget Highlights
The governor’s budget makes targeted investments to ensure Coloradans feel safe, students get a high-quality education, Coloradans get trained for and find fulfilling work, additional choices for affordable housing, and economic growth. The following recommendations are included in the budget:
Education
- Implements 30 percent of the new school finance formula while moving to a three-year average enrollment method for the calculation of Total Program funding.
- Proposes a Total Program funding increase, which increases per pupil spending.
- Continues to fully fund mill levy equalization for all charter schools.
- Increases funding for categorical programs, which provide funding to specific groups of students including special education, English language proficiency, and technical education.
- Proposes to transfer any dollars remaining above the statutory reserve requirement in the Marijuana Tax Cash Fund at the end of each fiscal year to the State Education Fund.
- Increases Universal Preschool funding to serve all children enrolled in the program.
Higher Education and Workforce
- Recommends an in-state tuition increase of 2.6 percent, which is equal to the inflation rate, and an out-of-state tuition increase of 3.0 percent.
- Continues the Zero Textbook Cost Degrees and Open Education Resources initiative for five years.
- Proposes a one-time increase to grants provided to organizations that support Coloradans with disabilities.
Public Safety
- Provides funds to the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM) to ensure the state can quickly prepare for and respond to emergencies.
- Recommends one-time capital construction funding for a new perimeter fence at the Delta Correctional Complex.
- Requests funds to ensure that resources are available for secure placements and opportunities for community-based supervision for individuals found incompetent to proceed.
Healthcare
- Proposes slowing the year-over-year growth of state funding for Medicaid to 5.6 percent.
- Ensures funding remains available for the Relative Guardianship Assistance Program to remove barriers to adopting children and providing them with a permanent home.
- Recommends funds to reduce financial pressure on the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program to preserve services.
- Requests funds to improve the efficiency and processes for Colorado’s eligibility and enrollment system used for Medicaid and other programs including TANF and SNAP.
- Invests in Colorado’s lab facilities at the Department of Public Health and Environment to regain EPA certification.
Renewable Energy and Environmental Preservation
- Proposes restructuring the operating budget of the Colorado Energy Office to provide stable, ongoing operation funding to maintain their professional staff
- Proposes refinancing the severance tax Operational Fund to provide more annual predictability to meet General Fund priorities and fund water projects
Efficiency of Government Services
- Proposes conversion of Pinnacol, the state’s workers’ compensation insurer of last resort, to cover one-time expenses including the Senior Homestead Exemption and Controlled Maintenance.
- Maintains a budget reserve equal to 13 percent of General Fund appropriations.