The 2019 State Budget
After many months of negotiations and many hours of debate on the House floor, the House passed a balanced 2019-20 budget for the state of Colorado. You can read a detailed summary of the full budget here.
This balanced budget is something we can be proud of and one that has significant resources dedicated to Eagle and Routt Counties (and all of Colorado).
Some of the highlights include:
Education
- $9 million for Education Leadership Council priorities
- $175 million for fully funded full-day kindergarten
- $77 million to buy down the budget stabilization factor
Health Care Policy and Financing
- $23.5 million increase in behavioral/mental health program funding
-$13.9 million increase for services for people with intellectual developmental disabilities to reduce the waitlist
- $8.6 million for targeted rate increase for personal care and homemaker providers
Higher Education
- $121 million increase to hold tuition flat for in-state students
- $65 million in capital development
Human Services
- $5 million and 47 FTE for services for 42 additional additional inpatient psychiatric patients at the Colorado Mental Health Institute at Pueblo (CMHIP)
- $15.6 million increase for staff retention at the Veterans Community Living Center and Youth Services facilities
Natural Resources
- $10 million for implementation of the Colorado Water Plan
- $21 million cash funds for 19 additional oil and gas inspectors and support staff
Office of Information Technology
- Additional $11.8 million for cybersecurity technology
Transportation & Infrastructure
- $300 million total appropriations towards transportation construction, maintenance, and operations
Related article: Colorado lawmakers reach agreement on transportation funding via Colorado Politics
-Increases broadband deployment grants by $18.7 million.
Veterans Affairs
- $2.7 million Capital Construction Fund to construct eight new columbaria and infrastructure upgrades at the Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Grand Junction.
- $142,792 total funds, including $108,337 General Fund and $34,455 cash funds for management, operations and maintenance costs for the new Veterans One-Stop (OneSource) Center in Grand Junction. The goal of the center is to improve services for Western Slope veterans by creating a hub for veterans’ organizations in the region. The facility will bring together, under one roof, multiple regional organizations that serve veterans’ needs.
The 2019 Long Bill just passed through the House of Representatives with a bipartisan vote and will soon be signed by the Governor.
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