We are more than two-thirds through the 2017 legislative session, meaning both the Colorado House and Senate have just started debate on the state’s budget. The more than 600-page bill, known as the Long Bill, is presented to both chambers by the six members of the Joint Budget Committee and is scheduled to be passed in two short weeks. If it sounds unusual that the legislature is just beginning debate on the budget, or that only six members out of 100 in the General Assembly present the budget bill, or that the other 94 members have only two weeks to read, amend and vote on the Long Bill, it is. In fact, very few states have a similar budget process, and none give as much autonomy to their budget committee.
For the current budget, some legislators, the governor’s office and even many news reports allege Colorado’s budget is rife with deficiencies, and has deep fiscal holes that require significantly more tax revenue to fill. However, in none of these fiscal analyses is Colorado’s unusual budget process considered a culpable factor.
To be clear, we are not implying the JBC members are responsible for any funding deficiencies. The committee members are very well-informed and commit a laudable amount of time to the budget process. Rather, expecting six people to know all of Colorado’s 22 government agencies on a level necessary to identify specific inefficiencies and misappropriations is highly ineffective. Moreover, this budget approach fails to fully utilize the other 94 members’ time, education and experience in the budget process.
Colorado does need to direct more money to transportation statewide, and many school districts are struggling with their current funding level. Yet, until more of the legislature is involved in the budget process, the evidence for more tax revenue is unconvincing. Colorado needs to fundamentally change its budget process, allow committees of reference in the legislature to have more control of appropriations, and put more responsibility on members outside of the JBC to scrutinize state departments and optimize Coloradans’ tax dollars.
House Republicans are committed to finding a budget process that works for Colorado. We are evaluating how other states budget, and developing an alternative to the current process that will categorically conclude if new revenue is needed, or if more legislative input can improve government efficiency and satisfy Colorado’s needs with existing tax revenue.
Funding Colorado’s priorities starts with fixing the budget process
State Rep. Cole Wist, a Republican, represents Centennial.
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