News Sheet

Colorado’s Budget Crisis: Blame Trump, Pass the Buck

Mature man with no money
Mature man with no money
Written by Scott K. James

Colorado Dems want you to believe Trump broke the piggy bank—but they blew through your paycheck way before that.

The Colorado Sun recently dropped this gem. In an article by Jesse Paul, State Senator Jeff Bridges wails about Colorado’s now-official $.21 billion revenue shortfall, blaming it on “Trump’s big, beautiful bill” – aka HR-1. The piece spins like a toddler on Mountain Dew, making sure we all know that The Donald wrecked everything while poor little Colorado just sat here saintlike.

The Bullet Point Brief

  • Colorado faces a $1.2B shortfall, and Democrats are crying “Trump did it!” faster than toddlers blame the dog for broken vases.
  • HR-1 is blamed for sending less federal money to states because it cut taxes (Welcome to living within your means).
  • Jeff Bridges, chair of the Joint Budget Committee, acts like this is breaking news, even though Sen. Kirkmeyer admitted back in June that this trainwreck was already barreling down the tracks.
  • Medicaid short? Blame Trump. Schools underfunded? Blame Trump. Sky a little too cloudy? You guessed it – Trump.
  • Instead of trimming fat like every household in Weld County does when times get tough, the legislature sets sights on TABOR and your wallet.

My Bottom Line

Oh look, Democrats panicking because Uncle Sugar didn’t send as much candy this year. Grab your pearls and fainting couch, y’all. We’re told that Trump’s tax cuts are robbing innocent Coloradans blind…but hold up. Before Trump’s “big beautiful bill” even got out of bed in DC, Colorado was already forecasted to be $700 million in the hole. That hole didn’t come from tax cuts—it came from spending ourselves off a cliff like policy-drunk lemmings.

Senator Jeff Bridges wants us to believe this is all happening to us…but I’ve got a shovel made of math and common sense. We don’t have a revenue problem—we have a leadership problem. We have a government that sees our wallets as walking ATMs and thinks ‘fiscal responsibility’ is some bedtime story grandparents tell when broadband goes out.

You want real leadership? Try slashing bloated line items instead of attacking TABOR like it stole your lunch money. When times get hard in Weld County, folks buy hamburger instead of filet mignon. Up at the Capitol? They just cry broke and reach for another office party funded by your taxes.

So no, Jeff, this isn’t about Trump’s tax plan tanking us; it’s about Democrats making terrible decisions with other people’s money, then pointing fingers when the tab shows up. Time to cut spending and stop trying to gaslight Colorado families into handing over more dough for your incompetence.

About the author

Scott K. James

A 4th generation Northern Colorado native, Scott K. James is a veteran broadcaster, professional communicator, and principled leader. Widely recognized for his thoughtful, common-sense approach to addressing issues that affect families, businesses, and communities, Scott, his wife, Julie, and son, Jack, call Johnstown, Colorado, home. A former mayor of Johnstown, James is a staunch defender of the Constitution and the rule of law, the free market, and the power of the individual. Scott has delighted in a lifetime of public service and continues that service as a Weld County Commissioner representing District 2.