Colorado Budget Shortfall Sparks Questions Over Spending Priorities

By Rep. Scott Bottoms | Commentary, Complete Colorado

The Colorado House of Representatives recently received the unwelcome news that the state faces a $1.5 billion shortfall as they craft the state’s budget for fiscal year 2026-27. This troubling development comes on top of last year’s $750 million deficit.

The shortfalls are odd because overall government spending has increased dramatically: since 2019 (the year Democrats took over the House, Senate, and governor’s office), Colorado’s population has increased by 4.4%, while at the same time, the state’s annual budget has increased by 43.6% (roughly 10 times the rate of population growth). Think about that.

Fiscal malpractice

In the midst of these fiscal straits, you’d think legislators would want to spend money carefully. But you’d be wrong, as so amply illustrated in a bill that has gone through the Senate and is making its way through the House.

Senate Bill 26-021, Clean Fleet Enterprise Replace Aging Diesel Trucks uses money collected from a fee created by a transportation bill passed in 2021 to, among other things, fund the replacement of pre-2009 diesel heavy duty trucks.  The bill also requires the destruction of the replaced trucks (no matter their working condition).

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