TABOR & Fiscal Policy

Bell supports Gov. Ritter???s school district mill levy freeze; Q&A with the Bell: Skaggs seeks collaboration between CDHE and colleges; Scott Martinez named to Bell Policy Center board of directors; Commission gets 28 health care reform proposals; Projection: 20 percent of GDP for health care by 2016; States urged to target job training funds toward low-income, low-skilled workers; Workers not boosting savings as retirement system shifts

Long Bill awaits governor???s action; Governor???s mill levy freeze passes House and Senate; Demise of rainy day fund bill a defeat for fiscal responsibility; Budget Watch takes a summer break

This special issue of The Opportunity News is the Bell???s annual summary of wins and losses in the legislative session for bills related to opportunity.

The Colorado Legislature and Gov. Bill Ritter worked together this year to pass dozens of bills that improve the state of opportunity for thousands of Coloradans, says Wade Buchanan, president of the Bell Policy Center. "The 2007 session will be remembered as a strong push for opportunity," Buchanan said. "Legislators worked hard to pass bills that prepare our kids to compete in the global economy and help families join and stay in the middle class."

The boards of the Bell Policy Center and the Bell Action Network have endorsed Gov. Bill Ritter's proposal to stabilize school district mill levies to address education funding and tax fairness issues. The boards also endorsed the governor's plan for using state money freed up by the mill levy stabilization to boost preschool and kindergarten programs.

Passage of Referendum C in 2005 was a wonderful victory for fiscal sanity in Colorado, but it is only temporary. The state's resources still are extremely limited compared to future needs. So it is time to start talking about the post-Ref C world.

Articles: Bell launches Summer Tour with forum in Grand Junction, TABOR concept spreads nationwide, Bell preps Children???s Hospital leaders for Referenda C&D advocacy, Campaign for referenda C and D gathers more than 70 supporters, Opinions on TABOR and fiscal reform

Articles: Federal budget policies pose risk to future generations, Gov. Owens sends his final budget to JBC, Colorado higher education under-funded, NCHEMS says, Colorado economic growth to slow a bit in ???07, States gain with higher minimum wage

Articles: Referenda C opponents: long on rhetoric, short on facts. Estimated five-year state budget surplus grows by $400 million. Dick Armey comes to Colorado, blasts Owens and Refs C & D, Editorial commentary supports Refs C & D, Maine looks at Colorado???s TABOR

Articles: Bell recommends opportunity agenda for JBC spending decisions, Revenue projections show continued growth, States??? Earned Income Tax Credits give low-income families tax relief, Texas comptroller: Undocumented immigrants a net benefit to the state, Northern Colorado job growth to increase in 2007, Ritter names Marcy Morrison new state insurance commissioner