State of Colorado Archives: on Budget & Economy


Andrew Romanoff: Targeted investments good, but crazy to go deeper in debt

I do believe it's appropriate to make targeted investments to induce the economy back to life, especially if you are, as we are, in the midst of the worst recession since the Great Depression. I'll tell you, over the long run it's crazy for us to continue to consume an ever-larger share of our GDP on debt. I think the number's about 80 percent now. If you spend half a trillion a year servicing that debt, you're wasting resources that would be better put to some other public or private purpose.
Source: Denver Post on 2020 Colorado Senate race May 18, 2010

Bob Schaffer: $700 billion bailout is necessary but essentially a tax

Udall and Schaffer sparred over who is to blame for the policies that have led to talks of a bail out of the financial industry.

Udall accused Schaffer of supporting the policies that have led to the economic crisis, while Schaffer responded that Udall has voted against having more oversight for companies like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Schaffer said the proposed $700 billion bailout is necessary but “essentially a tax.” Udall says the plan is not supported by his constituents.

Source: 2008 Colorado Senate debate reported by AP in Boston Herald Sep 28, 2008

Bob Schaffer: $700B bailout is dead hand of government making things worse

Q: You said you didn’t like anything about this bailout bill. You described it as the dead hand of government making things worse.

SCHAFFER: There’s nothing to like about the notion that there is a $700 billion fix needed with respect to a collapse on Wall Street. That’s about $10,000 to $11,000 per American household. It’s essentially a tax. So you’re correct. For the Congress to suggest that there’s something to celebrate is exactly wrong.

Q: Chris Cox, the chairman of the SEC, said it’s not the dead hand of government, but the blind eye of government. He now apologizes for deregulating. So isn’t it time to reinstitute closer regulation of Wall Street?

SCHAFFER: In some areas, perhaps, with respect to transparency, & with respect to certain areas of accountability. But not in a way that slows or constrains the ability of the economy to grow.

Source: 2008 Colorado Senate Debate on Meet the Press Sep 28, 2008

Bob Schaffer: Congress’ 2007 laws made private sector pay for bailout

Q: Isn’t it time to reinstitute closer regulation of Wall Street?

UDALL: What we can’t do, is return to the policies that Schaffer supported & supports today, which are tax breaks for CEOs & companies that offshore jobs.

SCHAFFER: That’s not true.

UDALL: That’s not going to get us to health in our financial system. Schaffer supported a lessening of regulation.

SCHAFFER: That’s not true either. You voted against several amendments. You voted against establishing minimum capital levels for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. You voted in 2007 to further loosen Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s credit limits. That leads directly to the crisis we’re seeing on Wall Street today.

UDALL: This is [the result of deregulation during] 10 years of the Bush administration, of the Reagan revolution coming to its logical conclusion.

SCHAFFER: Those of us who’ve been back home in the private sector working hard for the last 6 years are sick & tired of these kinds of votes that make all of the rest of us pay.

Source: 2008 Colorado Senate Debate on Meet the Press Sep 28, 2008

Cary Kennedy: Give voters more info about where tax dollars are spent

On January 5, 2006, Cary Kennedy announced her candidacy for Colorado State Treasurer, vowing to protect taxpayers' money and give voters more information about where their tax dollars are invested and spent. Kennedy enters the Treasurer's race with 10 years of experience in Colorado finance and a proven track record of leadership--a record which reflects her firm commitment to finding fiscal solutions that balance the budget without cutting wise investments.

"My first priority as treasurer will be to make sure state funds are invested, managed and spent wisely and that we give taxpayers more information about how their money is being used," said Kennedy.

Kennedy worked in Governor Romer's administration as a budget officer in the Office of State Planning and Budgeting. Kennedy grew up in Colorado and has a master's degree in public administration from Columbia University and a law degree from the University of Denver College of Law.

Source: 2006 Colorado campaign website KennedyForTreasurer.com Nov 4, 2006

Cary Kennedy: Balanced budget after citizens vote on taxes

When I was CFO in Denver, Denver was recognized as one of the best financially run cities in the country. And also, Forbes, for the first time, recognized Denver as the number-one city in the country to do business. I worked with the mayor and worked with local businesses to streamline our taxes, to ensure that they have the opportunity to be more successful, to be competitive. So keeping our taxes low is something that's important to me, and it will be important to me as governor--making sure we have our budget balanced. Our citizens have the final say, and I support the right of our citizens to vote on taxes. But we also need to make sure that we have a budget that allows us to make the investment in our communities that pays long-term returns on those investments. That's investing in education, and it also allows us to invest in modern infrastructure that allows us to keep up with the demands of a growing economy.
Source: Westword.com on 2018 Colorado gubernatorial race Mar 30, 2017

Doug Robinson: Problems should be fixed by spending less, not raising taxes

When it comes to major state issues, Robinson said the state's roads need a major fix--but he opposes a statewide sales tax hike put forward by his own party's legislative leaders. Instead, he believes the state can find money in the existing budget-- a move Democratic lawmakers suggest would lead to significant cuts in education, public safety and health care. "Our budget is a mess," he said. "I fundamentally think we don't have a revenue problem--we have a spending problem."
Source: Denver Post on 2018 Colorado gubernatorial race Apr 25, 2017

Doug Robinson: Use our budget more effectively, instead of raising taxes

Q: What do you want to do about Colorado's budget?

A: Many people say we need to raise taxes, we need to have more resources. And as I've studied this, Colorado spends more per capita than almost all of our surrounding states. Wyoming is an exception, because of their small population and their industries and so forth. But to me, it's not that our state budget isn't big enough. It's looking at how we're spending it.

Source: Westword.com on 2018 Colorado gubernatorial race Apr 25, 2017

Doug Robinson: State budget is a mess; improve it by cutting spending

Robinson is yet another candidate with business experience who touts his status as an outsider in Colorado politics. A recently-retired investment banker, Robinson played a key role in running the anti-recreational marijuana lobbying group Smart Colorado. When it comes to the issues facing Colorado, Robinson told the Denver Post he'd focus on the state budget, which he called "a mess" and wants to improve by cutting spending.
Source: Colorado Times-Recorder on 2018 Colorado gubernatorial race Apr 17, 2017

Eli Bremer: Taxes, government expenses should be kept low

He is a strong believer in the power of capitalism and free markets. He believes in protecting private property and supports sound fiscal governance and policies. Taxes should be kept low and government expenses should as well. Monopolies are a rare area of the market that he believes need regulation to ensure that proper competition exists in the marketplace.
Source: 2022 Colorado Senate campaign website EliForSenate.com Jun 27, 2022

George Brauchler: Requested pay cut & budget cut as County Commissioner

Requested that the Boards of County Commissioners cut my salary to the lowest in Colorado, despite responsibility for the largest office in the most populous jurisdiction. Although our caseload has increased significantly, the office budget grew less than the budgets of the State of Colorado, the Public Defender's Office, the Attorney General's Office, the Treasurer's Office and the District Attorneys' Offices in Denver, Boulder and others.
Source: 2018 Colorado Gubernatorial campaign website george2018.com Jul 12, 2017

Greg Lopez: Would prioritize transportation and growth

If he were governor, Lopez would prioritize transportation and growth, as he did when he was mayor and city manager of Parker, when it was the epicenter of growth in Douglas County.

"I understand all the pressures that come with it: community services, schools, roads, economic development," he said. "My administration will focus in on alternative corridors." That means more roads and more development, the ingredients of urban sprawl.

Source: ColoradoPolitics.com blog on 2022 Colorado governor race Mar 23, 2020

Greg Lopez: Wants to champion and advocate for small business

What I can do is champion and advocate for the small-business community. Every community has a small-business component. As governor. I'll be able to understand the relationship the State of Colorado has with the Small Business Administration. We receive grants that Colorado has to match so we can provide training and counseling and access to understanding about building a small business. A lot of that comes from the governor's budget itself.
Source: Westword.com blog on 2018 Colorado governor race May 23, 2018

Heidi Ganahl: Government has grown too much; we can reduce it

Government has grown too much. I think one of the most important things we can do is reduce the size of our bureaucracies, our agencies, and put decision-making over people's lives, businesses and families back in the hands of Coloradans. A lot of folks talk about zero-based budgeting and I'm not saying that we should go there, but we can certainly take that approach and see if there are ways that we could cut the spending.
Source: California Public Radio on 2022 Colorado Gubernatorial race Jun 17, 2022

Jared Polis: Road repair: make it easier to travel our great state

My budget request moves forward vital projects, starting with much-needed repairs on roads across Colorado--from the Eisenhower Tunnel to the rural roads that our farmers and ranchers rely on. We're going to make it easier for Coloradans and visitors to travel our great state--accessing the ski resorts and public lands that we love--while reducing traffic and improving our vibrant, beloved main streets in the process.
Source: 2021 State of the State Address to the Colorado legislature Feb 17, 2021

Joe O`Dea: The biggest driver of inflation is the embrace of socialism

Here's something you should know about inflation. The biggest driver of inflation is the embrace of socialism by the political elites in Washington. They are funding a massive expansion of the federal government by printing money--and dumping all that printed money into the economy causes inflation.

I will not be a blank check in Washington like Michael Bennet. I will not support increasing the debt ceiling without a long-term plan to lower the debt. Washington needs to look at borrowing money the same way a business does and the same way a family does. We can't say yes to everything. We have to prioritize and only borrow when we know how we're going to pay it back. Otherwise we're just raising taxes on our kids.

Source: 2022 Colorado Senate campaign website JoeODea.com Jul 19, 2022

John Hickenlooper: Rebuild reserve fund after Great Recession

Rebuild reserve fund after Great Recession Today, with an improving economy, we have the beginnings of a reserve fund and we should protect it. We are restoring funding for education--not enough to make up for the $1 billion shortfall we experienced in the Great Recession--but our steps are Rebuild reserve fund after Great Recession We expanded this engagement process with TBD Colorado. Coloradans told us that excessive red tape, including unnecessary and duplicative regulations were holding back job creation.
Source: 2013 Colorado State of the State address Jan 10, 2013

John Hickenlooper: Increase budget reserves; extend job-creation tax credit

The governor used the annual address to make 19 different "asks" of lawmakers. The governor will support legislation and seek approval from the General Assembly this year to: