Education

Direct Deposit Income Tax Refunds College Savings

­­­­Senate Bill 13-206

Sarah Lipscomb, MSW Fellow, Bell Policy Center

Testimony to the ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Senate Finance Committee

April 9, 2013

Continuation of Ed Success Task Force

House Bill 13-1244

Testimony to the House Education Committee
Frank Waterous, Senior Policy Analyst
March 25, 2013

My name is Frank Waterous, and I am a senior policy analyst with the Bell Policy Center. The Bell is a non-partisan, non-profit research and policy organization founded on progressive values and dedicated to expanding opportunity for all Coloradans.

Lawmakers received good news about the state's economy on Monday as economists from the legislature and the governor's office presented positive forecasts to the Joint Budget Committee (JBC).

Colorado's economy continues to outperform the national economy as we experience a growth in jobs, an improving housing market and increasing retail sales, especially automobiles. It is "among the most vibrant in the nation," according to the Legislative Council Staff.

By Kathleen Hallgren
Huffington Post Denver

It's been said that the best anti-poverty measure is a job. But for more than a quarter of Colorado's workforce, working hard isn't enough to make ends meet.

In a recent report, we found that more than 48,000 working families in Colorado lived below the poverty line of $23,021 for a family of four in 2011. Another 154,085 families – 27 percent of all working families in Colorado – lived on up to twice that amount.

By Laura Gabbay
Examiner.com

When Gov. John Hickenlooper and TBD Colorado issued a call for comments and ideas on education and transportation, state residents stepped up.  

TBD Colorado asked, and you answered – and are still answering. That's prompted TBD to add some more questions to consider.

In just a few days, more than 2,000 residents have visited www.etbdcolorado.org. Respondents from 70 towns, cities and rural areas across the state have offered more than 100 ideas and 2,200 comments.

The 2013 legislative session reached the halfway mark on Saturday.

Much of the public's attention was focused on some controversial bills, but lawmakers also made progress on a wide range of issues, from education to health care to protecting workers and families.

Education and workforce development

By Kathleen Hallgren
My Side columnist, Glenwood Springs Post Independent

It's been said that the best anti-poverty measure is a job. But for more than a quarter of Colorado's workforce, working hard isn't enough to make ends meet.

In a recent report, we found that more than 48,000 working families in Colorado lived below the poverty line of $23,021 for a family of four in 2011. Another 154,085 families – 27 percent of all working families in Colorado – lived on up to twice that amount.

When Gov. John Hickenlooper announced the TBD Colorado effort last year, he said he wanted Coloradans to "share their vision and priorities for our state."

Thousands of residents – including many of you – did just that by attending meetings across the state to identify important issues facing our state. The governor's goal was to spur conversation and gather opinions, and Coloradans delivered.

Today, we take the next step in the process. TBD Colorado wants to get your thoughts and opinions on education and transportation.

Fox News Latino website

The wide political backing for a bill in the Colorado legislature to allow undocumented students to pay in-state tuition at public universities appears to assure that the measure will finally pass after six failed attempts.

SB 33, offered by Democratic Sens. Michael Johnston and Angela Giron, was approved this Thursday in the Senate Education Committee by a vote of 6-3.