Press Release - Nov 1, 2007
OFFICE OF GOV. BILL RITTER, JR.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THURSDAY, NOV. 1, 2007
CONTACT:
Evan Dreyer, 720.350.8370, evan.dreyer@state.co.us
GOV. RITTER SUBMITS FY08-09 BUDGET PROPOSAL TO LEGISLATURE'S JOINT BUDGET COMMITTEE
Gov. Bill Ritter today submitted his Fiscal Year 2008-09 budget proposal - his first comprehensive spending plan since taking office in January - to the legislature's bi-partisan Joint Budget Committee.
The proposal, which would take effect July 1, calls for a total appropriation of $18 billion, up from $17.1 billion in the current FY07-08 budget. The recommended General Fund appropriation is $7.5 billion, a balanced 6 percent increase from this year's $7.1 billion.
"This budget is both frugal and pro-active in the services and programs it will fund," Gov. Ritter said. "It addresses high-priority needs in education, public safety, child services, health care, energy and natural resources. It also allows us to modernize operations, offer services to rural Colorado and enhance funding to Colorado's military veterans.
"I look forward to working with the JBC and the legislature to refine the FY08-09 budget over the coming months," Gov. Ritter said. He is scheduled to make a budget presentation to the JBC at 9 a.m. Nov. 8.
Also today, Gov. Ritter submitted a separate $180 million capital construction request to the JBC and legislature's Capital Development Committee. The request includes funds to renovate the State Veterans Nursing Home in Florence, upgrade the state's public safety trunked radio system, and repair the deteriorating Capitol dome structure.
The capital request also includes projects on higher-ed campuses at Fort Lewis College in Durango, the University of Colorado at Boulder and Colorado Springs, Pueblo Community College, the Auraria campus in Denver, and Colorado State University in Fort Collins.
Click Here for more information about Gov. Ritter's FY08-09 Budget Proposal
Highlights of the Total Appropriation FY08-09 budget proposal:
Children's Services
Health Care - $34 million increase to provide health services to 62,500 children and 1,500 pregnant women through the Children's Basic Health Plan (CHP+), and $24 million for health care for an additional 12,000 children who are eligible but not currently enrolled in CHP+ or Medicaid. This involves doubling outreach efforts for CHP+.
Child Welfare - $479,000 for six new employees in the Department of Human Services to monitor county foster care programs, oversee any necessary corrective actions, and provide counties with technical assistance and training. Currently, only one employee provides these services.
Child Immunizations - $670,000 to operate and expand the Colorado Immunization Information System.
Tony Grampsas Youth Services Program - $1 million to expand the Tony Grampsas Youth Services Program, which provides programs to reduce youth crime, violence, child abuse and other high-risk behaviors.
Colorado Workforce
Workforce Centers - $4.5 million to offset decreased federal funding and restore service levels at Workforce Centers around Colorado.
Crime Prevention/Anti-Recidivism
Continuing Gov. Ritter's initiative to reduce the number of offenders who commit new crimes and return to prison, the budget proposal requests $5.9 million for 12 programs to be administered by the Departments of Corrections, Public Safety and Human Services. By reducing the re-offender and prison growth rates, the state will save $58 million over five years. The Department of Corrections budget is proposed to increase by 6 percent, the lowest rate of growth in years.
Education
Closing the Achievement Gap Initiative - $1.8 million to further the Governor's goal of cutting the state's achievement gap in half over the next 10 years. These funds would be used to develop and initiate a pilot program for implementation in six school districts with wide achievement gaps. This is part of the Department of Education's "Forward Thinking" strategic plan, a rigorous effort to provide greater support to local school districts.
Higher Education - Increase higher education funding by $59.5 million, an 8 percent increase over FY07-08, including an additional $7.3 million for need-based financial aid, $1.7 million for work-study funding, and $800,000 for pre-collegiate programs and scholarships.
Libraries - $1 million to partially reinstate funding that was previously reduced to the State Grants and Publicly Supported Libraries Fund Program. These funds are essential to many rural Colorado school and public libraries.
Human Services
Mental Health Services - $3 million to provide mental health services to children and adults with mental illnesses, and $1.4 million for the new Forensics Unit at the Colorado Mental Health Institute at Pueblo.
Developmental Disabilities - $10.6 million for staffing, facilities and programmatic resources for people with developmental disabilities, primarily in community settings.
New Energy Economy & Natural Resources
Residential Solar Rebate Program -$2 million for rebate and incentive programs for the installation of solar panels. These dollars would serve as matching funds from local utilities. It is anticipated that 90 percent of the rebates would be utilized by residential users. This is part of the Governor's initiative to bring the New Energy Economy directly into Coloradans' homes and businesses.
Fleet Replacement with Hybrid Vehicles - As part of Gov. Ritter's April 2007 "Greening of State Government" executive orders, the FY08-09 budget proposal recommends replacing existing state vehicles with 445 E-85 and 91 hybrid vehicles. Offset by the reduced need for vehicles anticipated to come off of lease during the next two years, there will be an overall reduction to the budget of approximately $443,000.
Geothermal Research - $72,000 for a geothermal surveyor for the Colorado Geological Survey. Colorado has one of the highest geothermal potentials among the 50 states.
Carbon Sequestration - $72,000 for a Colorado Geological Survey employee to investigate and develop data regarding Colorado's potential for carbon sequestration in the Cañon City area and northwestern Colorado.
Oil and Gas Inspectors - $779,000 for nine field employees to conduct on-site environmental assessments of oil-and-gas facilities as part of the state permitting process.
Veterans
Colorado State Veterans Trust Fund - The budget proposal adds $2.3 million to the Colorado State Veterans Trust Fund, which would restore the fund to pre-recession levels. The fund was established in 2000 to provide grants to veteran service organizations for a variety of projects to assist Colorado's 425,000 military veterans. Projects and programs supported by trust fund grants include transportation to medical appointments, renovation of homeless shelter and veteran nursing homes, purchase of vehicles, supportive services for homeless programs and employment outreach.
County Veteran Service Officer Payments - The Governor's budget increases state funding for County Veteran Service Officer Payments by $124,000 in FY08-09, more than doubling state support for this program.
Highlights of the Capital Construction Request for FY08-09
(All higher-education requests are for continuation projects, except for Pueblo Community College, which is a new request)
Capitol Dome, $11.6 million:The enclosure of the Capitol Dome's supporting structure is deteriorating and requires extensive repairs and renovations.
Florence Veterans Nursing Home Renovation, $2.2 million: Fourth and final phase of renovation project.
University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, $5 million: Ongoing funding for the school's Science and Engineering Building.
Colorado State University:
$15.1 million: Funding for construction of new and renovation of existing space for animal and veterinary programs.
$2 million:Funding to revitalize 35,000 square feet of classroom space in the Andrew G. Clark Building and replace antiquated mechanical and electrical systems.
University of Colorado at Boulder:
$11.6 million: Renovations to historic Ekeley Hall, which dates to 1890.
$7.1 million: Final phase of funding for Visual Arts Complex to house the Department of Art and Art History and the CU Art Museum.
$8.4 million: Renewal of Ketchum Hall, including HVAC, plumbing and electrical.
Fort Lewis College, $11.6 million:Construction of a new 29,000-square-foot biology and agriculture facility.
Public Safety Digital Trunked Radio System, $7.9 million: Ongoing funding for project that began in 1998 to provide software and system upgrades, and to purchase hardware and equipment.
Ute Indian Museum Expansion in Montrose, $2.1 million: Funding would expand and renovate the existing Ute Indian Museum. The site was once a ranch home for Chief Ouray. The museum was opened in 1956, and this renovation would add about 5,000 square feet of space and renovate an existing 1,900 square feet.
Pueblo Community College, $3 million: Funding to renovate unfinished basement space in the Academic Building.
Auraria Higher Education Center, $25 million: Funding for project involving renovation of 143,000 square feet of existing space in the Science Building and adding 181,000 square feet of adjacent space.