Colorado’s Budget Is Sending a Warning Signal. We Must Listen.

Colorado families deserve honesty about what is happening inside their state government. This year’s budget is not routine. It is not stable. It is not responsible stewardship. It is a warning signal.

The legislature is attempting to close a budget hole between 1.2 and 1.5 billion dollars while still advancing expensive policy priorities that expand government commitments beyond what taxpayers can sustain.

That is not fiscal discipline. That is a structural imbalance.

I supported slowing the process so the public could see what is happening inside this budget. Colorado taxpayers deserve time to understand decisions that will affect their families for years.

Here is what is actually happening.

Colorado is spending more than it can responsibly sustain

The current budget proposal totals roughly 46.8 billion dollars statewide. Medicaid costs alone are driving massive increases in spending and forcing cuts elsewhere across state government.

This is not a one-year fluctuation. It is the result of policy direction.

When government expands programs faster than revenue grows, it creates pressure that eventually forces hard choices. Those choices are now here.

Instead of correcting course, the majority chose temporary maneuvers that weaken Colorado’s financial position.

The legislature reduced the state emergency reserve

Colorado maintains a reserve fund to protect families during recessions and economic shocks.

This year, the majority lowered that reserve from 15 percent to 13 percent.

That move frees roughly 95 million dollars for immediate spending but weakens the state’s ability to respond when the economy slows.

This is similar to draining savings to cover routine expenses.

Responsible budgeting protects reserves during uncertainty. It does not reduce them while deficits are growing.

The legislature raided the unclaimed property trust fund

Colorado also transferred 72.8 million dollars from the unclaimed property trust fund into the general fund to balance the budget.

That fund exists to safeguard assets that belong to Colorado citizens until they are claimed.

Using those dollars to patch budget gaps is not a structural solution. It is a temporary maneuver that shifts risk forward.

When government begins balancing budgets with one-time transfers instead of long term discipline, the warning lights are already on.

The legislature expanded exposure to a rapidly growing entitlement program

One of the most serious concerns involves the Cover All Coloradans program.

Originally projected to cost about 26 million dollars, the program exceeded 100 million dollars in just a few years and is now estimated at 130 million dollars going forward.

Despite those overruns, the legislature removed enrollment protections that were designed to control growth.

That decision increases long-term obligations on Colorado taxpayers without a clear funding plan.

Programs must be compassionate and sustainable. They cannot be allowed to grow without guardrails while the state faces a deficit.

Support for vulnerable Coloradans is being reduced at the same time

Even as spending expands in some areas, support for disabled Coloradans and other vulnerable residents is being reduced.

That reflects a deeper structural problem inside the budget.

When government commitments grow faster than revenue, leaders eventually face a choice between priorities. This year’s budget shows exactly what those choices look like.

This is not a partisan talking point. It is a fiscal reality.

Colorado is relying on temporary fixes instead of structural solutions

Lowering reserves. Transferring trust fund dollars. Expanding high-cost programs. Moving voter-approved funds. Accelerating orbital bills through the process.

These are not signs of a stable budget environment.

They are signs of a government trying to manage the consequences of earlier decisions.

Colorado deserves a different approach

Government exists to serve citizens, not to expand itself beyond their ability to support it.

Taxpayers deserve predictable policy.

Families deserve economic stability.

Vulnerable residents deserve protection that is sustainable.

Colorado must return to disciplined budgeting that prioritizes essential services, protects reserves, respects voter intent, and limits exposure to programs with uncontrolled growth.

This year’s budget debate matters because it sets the trajectory for the future.

If we ignore these warning signs today, tomorrow’s choices will be harder.