Due to the economic downturn, the state is not receiving enough revenue to continue supporting services used by Colorado businesses and families. Colorado is statutorily required to balance the budget, which means the state must spend no more than what they receive. The revenue mostly comes from tax dollars, including corporate, income, sales, and property taxes.
Because the state is statutorily required to balance the budget, cuts were made in fiscal year 2009 and are continuing into 2010. Some of these cuts included cuts in the health care sector including cuts to provider reimbursements in Medicaid, screening and testing prevention programs (i.e. for Hepatitis C and breast cancer), smoking cessation programs, care referral programs, long-term care and mental health services.
Instead of continuing to pursue cuts that would drastically affect all Coloradans who receive services from both the public and private sector, your state legislators have been considering a number of bills that would bring in some additional revenue into the state government. This would help balance the budget and avoid further cuts.
Read all about the revenue enhancements either being considered or have already passed here and here.
For more information about Colorado's budget issues, please visit Believe in a Better Colorado and watch their YouTube video.
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If you have any other questions about advocacy or your legislature, please contact the Colorado-Wyoming Chapter's Public Policy Coordinator, Kara Nett, by phone 303-698-5445 or e-mail kara.nett@nmss.org.