TABOR & Fiscal Policy

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

Going to college has become a losing proposition for a growing number of minority youth in Colorado who find themselves burdened with student debt in an economy that is short on good-paying jobs.

"I know several people, including two very close friends, who ... have degrees, but also have a lot of debt and because they can't find work, they end up mowing lawns," Jason Chavez, a business administration student at a Denver university, told Efe.

By Kathleen Hallgren
Guest columnist, The Daily Camera

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 Kathleen Hallgren
Guest columnist, The Greeley Tribune

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.

You couldn't turn around at the Capitol on Thursday without bumping into a policy analyst from the Bell. We testified on some of our key bills. Here are short summaries, along with links to the full testimony.

House Bill 1136 – The Job Protection and Civil Rights Enforcement Act of 2013: Colorado was one of the first states to pass a law to protect workers from harassment and discrimination on the job, but the law has gaps that prevent some classes of workers from seeking redress. This bill would close those gaps.

Sales and Use Tax Holiday for Textbooks for Use
at an Institution of Higher Education

HB13-1151

Testimony to the House Finance Committee
George Awuor, Policy Analyst
Feb. 14, 2013

Sales & Use Tax Holiday Disaster-preparedness Item

House Bill13-1150

Testimony to the House Finance Committee
George Awuor, Policy Analyst
Feb. 14, 2013

The number of working families living in poverty in Colorado increased by 16,000 from 2004 to 2012 – a jump of almost 50 percent, the Bell Policy Center reports in Measuring Opportunities for Working Families, released today. In addition, the portion of all Colorado working families living in poverty increased from one in 17 to one in 12 over the same period.

The number of working families living in poverty in Colorado increased by 16,000 from 2004 to 2012 – a jump of almost 50 percent, the Bell Policy Center reports in "Measuring Opportunities for Working Families." In addition, the portion of all Colorado working families living in poverty increased from one in 17 to one in 12 over the same period.