Max's Minute | Blogspot

The 2026 legislative session has ended, but the questions it raised are far from over. Every session produces bills. Some pass. Some fail. Some improve the law. Some make government larger, costlier, and less accountable. But beneath the titles, fiscal notes, amendments, and floor votes, this session asked one deeper question again and again: Who does government trust? Does it trust parents, homeowners, taxpayers, small businesses, law enforcement, local communities, and voters? Or does it trust centralized power in Denver to make more decisions for them? That question shaped nearly every major debate this year. Colorado families entered this session under real pressure. Housing remains unaffordable for too many families. Public safety remains a serious concern. The cost of living keeps rising. Employers continue to face a tax and regulatory climate that makes it harder to invest, hire, and grow. The state budget is strained. Communities like Castle Rock, The Pinery, Castle Pines Villa...

This week at the Colorado State Capitol, Democrats advanced SB26-135 , a bill that controls how taxpayer dollars are collected, retained, and distributed within Colorado’s budget, particularly in areas tied to education funding. Alongside it, they adopted Amendment L014 , which modifies that funding structure and reshapes how it is presented to the public. You will hear this framed as support for children and families. That is not the full reality of what this policy does. Amendment L014 makes substantive changes. It adjusts how funds are allocated and how programs are defined within the broader budget. But just as important as what it changes is how it is being communicated. The amendment elevates language centered on children. That becomes the focus. That becomes the headline. That is not neutral. That is strategic. SB26-135 is a fiscal mechanism. It governs the movement of money. It creates obligations that taxpayers will carry. It affects priorities across the entire state budget. ...

Colorado lawmakers just cut newer programs to close a budget gap exceeding 1.2 billion dollars. That decision is not routine budgeting. It is evidence of a structural problem that has been building for years. Republicans warned about it. They proposed alternatives. They were dismissed. Now the consequences are visible. The story reported by Colorado Politics confirms what many legislators have been saying for multiple sessions. The state expanded commitments faster than revenue could sustain them. When the downturn arrived, the newest programs became the first casualties. This was predictable. Colorado entered this session facing a shortfall driven by declining revenue growth, expanding eligibility commitments, and rising mandatory spending obligations. Instead of adjusting course earlier, the majority continued approving policies with long-term fiscal exposure. Now, lawmakers are forced to cut recent initiatives to keep the budget balanced. That is not a strategy. That is a correction...

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 resu...

Colorado is no longer drifting. It is being driven - deliberately - down a path that is less affordable, less safe, and less free than the state generations before us built. The data confirms what families already feel. Colorado now ranks among the most expensive states in the nation. Housing affordability is near the bottom. Regulation is among the highest. Property crime, auto theft, and human trafficking are near the top. These are not partisan talking points. They are measurable outcomes of policy choices made under prolonged one-party control. This is not the Colorado we deserve. For several years, legislators like House Minority Leader Jarvis Caldwell and Assistant Minority Leader Ty Winter have been sounding the alarm. Their work has consistently highlighted a pattern: more spending without discipline, more regulation without results, and more centralized control at the expense of local communities and working families. The press coverage is clear. The warning signs are unmistak...

Let’s call HJR25-1023 what it really is - a backdoor attempt to erase the Taxpayer Bill of Rights and overturn the will of the voters through the courts. TABOR has been upheld by Colorado voters time and again, and no resolution - however cleverly worded - should be used to nullify their voice.” This is the plain truth behind House Joint Resolution 25-1023, now under consideration at the Capitol. While its sponsors dress it up as a neutral legal inquiry into constitutionality, what it really seeks is permission from the courts to dismantle the very structure that protects Coloradans from unchecked government growth: the Taxpayer Bill of Rights, or TABOR. Let’s be clear - this resolution isn’t about clarity. It’s not about good government. It’s about eliminating accountability and handing the State of Colorado a blank check. And that check will be drawn from the budgets of working families who are already living under the pressure of inflation, tax layering, and a cost of living that ke...

Last Friday, March 21, the Colorado House of Representatives spent over 13 grueling hours debating SB25-003 - legislation aimed at banning a broad swath of semi-automatic firearms and firearm accessories under the guise of public safety. As Republicans, we fought tooth and nail, offering more than 30 sensible, reasonable amendments to improve or at least mitigate the damaging effects of this bill. Yet every proposal fell on deaf ears. Instead of engaging in good-faith debate, the majority party plowed ahead, rejecting every attempt to inject logic, fiscal sanity, or constitutional restraint into their legislation. Let’s be clear: SB25-003 will do nothing to reduce gun crime. Criminals, by definition, do not abide by laws. The firearms targeted in this bill are widely owned by law-abiding citizens for sport, hunting, and self-defense. Stripping these citizens of their rights does not disarm violent offenders - it simply punishes responsible Coloradans exercising their constitutionall...

On Friday, SB25-003 (Semiautomatic Firearms & Rapid-Fire Devices) passed through the House Finance Committee despite clear constitutional, fiscal, and logistical concerns. The bill, which seeks to criminalize the future ownership, sale, transfer, and purchase of many common semiautomatic firearms and accessories, is not only a blatant violation of the Second Amendment but also a reckless financial burden on a state that is already drowning in a $1.4 billion (and growing) budget deficit. As if the bill itself weren’t problematic enough, an amendment ( L.055 ) was added to strip funding from Colorado Parks & Wildlife (CPW) - an agency funded not by general tax dollars, but by hunters, anglers, and park visitors who pay for the conservation and recreational programs that sustain our state’s outdoor economy. This amendment does nothing to reduce the financial burden of the bill but instead drains resources from conservation efforts, leaving Parks & Wildlife underfunded while s...

HB24-1353, titled " Firearms Dealer Requirements & State Permitting ," imposes additional regulations on firearm dealers within the state. The Department of Revenue (DOR) has requested 18 Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) positions in this budget cycle to enforce the new law. This expansion comes with a price tag of over $2 million, contributing to the financial strain on an already overextended state budget. The redundancy of HB24-1353 becomes evident when considering existing federal regulations. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) already mandates stringent requirements for firearm dealers, including comprehensive background checks, meticulous record-keeping, and adherence to federal licensing standards. HB24-1353 essentially duplicates these federal protocols, creating unnecessary bureaucratic layers without delivering any measurable improvement in public safety. This brings us to my bill, HB25-1055 a straightforward repeal of HB24-1353. Contrary t...

Colorado faces recurring budget crises, forcing tough decisions that affect public services, infrastructure, and economic stability. One effective solution is zero-based budgeting (ZBB), a common-sense approach that ensures every taxpayer dollar is justified and directly tied to the needs of Coloradans. Unlike traditional budgeting, which rolls over previous allocations, ZBB starts from a baseline of zero each year, requiring every department to justify all expenses before receiving funding. This method promotes transparency, eliminates waste, and ensures that public funds are used efficiently and responsibly. Zero-based budgeting is not a partisan idea; it’s a practical solution that prioritizes accountability and fiscal responsibility. It appeals to conservatives who value efficiency and progressives who want to maximize the impact of public services. By focusing on measurable outcomes and reallocating resources to areas of real need, ZBB aligns government spending with the prioritie...

As Representative Max Brooks begins his first term in the Colorado General Assembly, he is immediately tasked with addressing a staggering budget deficit of $700 million to $900 million for the 2024-2025 fiscal year. This crisis is a direct result of reckless Democrat-led spending and a dramatic expansion of government far beyond the state's means. The previous legislative session's decisions have left Colorado taxpayers on the hook for unsustainable commitments, threatening essential services and the state’s financial stability. The Root Causes of Colorado’s Fiscal Crisis Massive Government Growth Without Accountability Democrat lawmakers added thousands of new government employees and used one-time federal funds to establish permanent programs and agencies. This growth ballooned the size of the government to unsustainable levels, with little regard for the long-term financial burden. Instead of prioritizing efficiency, Democrats pursued expansive policies with no clear plan t...