Colorado’s budget keeps growing. Florida just cut spending again

By Nash Herman | Commentary, Complete Colorado

While Colorado’s majority Democrats lament the state’s persistent budget challenges, Florida’s Republican majority just celebrated reducing spending for a second consecutive year in another business-as-usual state budget. 

Colorado legislators have plenty of lessons they could learn from Florida, instead, they are more likely to double down on more tax and spend, economy-wrecking policies. 

How the states compare 

Governor Jared Polis recently signed a $46.8 billion state budget, an almost 7 percent increase over last year’s $43.9 billion in spending, this despite legislators’ constant catastrophizing about Colorado’s “budget shortfall.” 

That amounts to approximately $7,800 for every Coloradan. 

Despite the substantial spending increase, a quiet pay raise for legislators, and a recoupment of TABOR refunds, legislators still claim that they don’t have enough taxpayer money. 

Meanwhile, despite yet another budget surplus, Florida’s government actually reduced spending for the second year in a row. 

Florida’s $114.5 billion budget appears much larger than Colorado’s at first glance, but accounting for population, it represents approximately $4,850 per Floridian, or less than two-thirds the size of Colorado’s budget. 

Also, both states have comparable cost of living, meaning Floridians keep thousands more of their own money than do Coloradans. 

While both states tend to fare similarly in national economic rankings, Florida has remained in the top five for tax competitiveness since 2020, while Colorado moved from 22nd to 33rd, according to the nonpartisan Tax Foundation. 

And while Colorado’s in-migration is starting to sputter, Florida remains the nation’s number one destination. 

Essentially, Florida is currently selling mobile Americans a more appealing product with a significantly lower government price tag than Colorado. 

Policy choices matter

Colorado’s legislators often try to present to voters that they are thrust into fiscal situations beyond their control and that only out of desperation do they try to undermine taxpayer protections or seek tax increases. 

For example, recent claims cite the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) as the latest reason to end revenue restrictions under the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR) and raise taxes. 

In reality, Colorado lawmakers consistently make short-term decisions that feel good and help them win elections, regardless of whether the state actually has the money to cover the costs. 

For example, Colorado chose to adopt Medicaid expansion, resulting in higher enrollment and costs consistent with most other expansion states; Florida did not. 

Colorado chooses to subsidize school meals for kids whose parents can afford them; Florida does not. 

READ THE FULL COMMENTARY AT COMPLETE COLORADO

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