The short term dip, the long term cliff
Today the Denver Post reported that Colorado faces a $384 million budget shortfall for 2010. Proposed budget balancers include: a freeze on funding for college campus construction projects, a delay on funding for full-day kindergarten, and “slashing school spending.”
And that is before the 2011 P-20 budget cliff.
Joint Budget Committee chair Sen. Moe Keller speculated that impending shortfalls may pressure lawmakers to cut higher education funding, but because federal stimulus funds require Colorado not to cut its higher education levels, they may be spared this time.
But what is in store for future years?
How can we look ahead to create a coherent reform plan that utilizes taxpayer dollars effectively, boosts our state and national economy, and is not stifled by our tax structure?
The first thing we can do is sign the Great Ed pledge for Colorado’s kids.
**UPDATE** The state will be seeking a waiver from the federal stimulus act provisions requiring states to maintain previous levels of higher education spending.
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