(See end of article for list of programs to be funded.)

Ref C's bounty finally flowing

By Kevin Flynn, Rocky Mountain News
March 14, 2006

From university presidents to developmentally disabled adults, beneficiaries of the restored spending allowed by Referendum C thanked legislators Monday.

"For the Colorado General Assembly, this is very much a case of promises made, promises kept," said Hank Brown, president of the University of Colorado, during an afternoon news conference.

Members of the legislature's Joint Budget Committee have divided an additional $136 million the state is allowed to spend this year because voters passed Ref C in November. With Ref C, voters agreed to suspend their TABOR tax refunds for the next five years to restore cuts made in the general fund during the recession.

The JBC's recommendation - equal amounts to health care, K-12 education and higher education - must be approved by the full legislature.

Brown and others said the new funds would help fill deficits that had been building in higher education. About 20,000 new students have enrolled without increased state funding, Brown said, and this year's allocation will make up for about one-third of those.

Nancy McCallin, president of the Colorado Community College System, said Monday's press conference would have been much different if Ref C had failed.

"If Referendum C had not passed, we would have been closing colleges," she said.

Joint Budget Committee Chairman Tom Plant, a Democratic representative from Nederland, said the plan is to use the same formula to divide Ref C funds in each of the next five years among health care, public education and higher education.

That is welcome news for Jean Brock, a developmentally disabled adult trying to maintain her independent living status. The infusion of money back into programs that had been cut will help her remain on her own.

"I live independently, but they do give me services," said Brock, a client of Denver Options.

Denver Options provides such services as employment counseling and housing choices for clients who have disabilities.

A companion measure to Ref C, which would have provided for bonds to jump-start highway projects, was rejected by voters. But legislators said transportation isn't being left out.

The five-year lifting of the state's budget ceiling will let money flow into existing highway subsidy programs that had run dry during the recession. The Colorado Department of Transportation could receive up to $300 million in additional funds this year.

The legislature's Joint Budget Committee has developed this list of programs to be funded in the current budget year with the extra spending authority granted under Referendum C. The state projects it will have $136 million to divide equally among health care programs, K-12 public education and higher education.