Colorado Politics reports that lawmakers are marching into a special session hunting nearly 800 million in cuts with… no map. More than two dozen bills have been filed, yet almost none identify what to cut. The standout example of “specifics” is a $264,000 trim to wolf management. Everything else punts the knife to the Governor.
Two Joint Budget Committee bills frame the handoff. The Democratic bill from Sen. Judy Amabile and Rep. Emily Sirota keeps the Governor’s cut authority and adds a show‑and‑tell requirement to brief the JBC, plus a new trigger tied to reserve thresholds. The Republican counter from Rep. Rick Taggart and Sen. Barb Kirkmeyer adds stricter update requirements when executive orders get extended. Translation: the Capitol is outsourcing the hard choices to Polis, then reserving the right to second‑guess him in January.
The Bullet Point Brief
- No cut list, big cut target. Lawmakers filed 20 plus bills for the special session that aims for roughly 800 million in reductions. Only one bill names a specific cut: 264,000 dollars from the wolf program.
- Governor as designated cutter. Current law already lets the Governor suspend or discontinue services by executive order when revenues fall short. The Dem bill keeps that power and adds reporting to JBC.
- New trigger math. Cuts kick when an updated forecast would force reserve use equal to the lesser of 2 percent of General Fund appropriations or half the required reserve, or when reserves fall below 1 billion dollars. The four‑forecast rule is removed.
- Clock is ticking. Polis has already set a hiring freeze for Aug 27 and told agencies to find 2.5 percent in cuts for 2026‑27, hoping to pull some into 2025‑26. If the bill passes, he could brief JBC and start reductions by Sept 1.
- How much from reserves vs cuts. JBC Chair Jeff Bridge pegs needed cuts at 300 to 400 million, with the balance from the 2.3 billion dollar General Fund reserve. Special session starts Thursday. Pack coffee.
My Bottom Line
Wait a minute. There is no clear plan for what to cut, and Democrats want to leave it to the Governor to swing the axe. The Special Session Show just graduated from kabuki to improv. “We’re here to make tough decisions” apparently means “we’re here to outsource tough decisions to Polis, add a progress report, then hold a January review circle.”
This isn’t budgeting. It’s political DoorDash. Lawmakers place the order, the Governor delivers the cuts, and everyone pretends accountability got shared because the JBC sat in on a meeting. If you are going to preach fiscal responsibility, bring a list. If you are going to cut 800 million, own the priorities. Right now, it reads like this: one tiny wolf trim, a pile of process, and a giant punt.
Let me get this straight: the same majority that spent years fattening the beast now wants the Governor to go full butcher while they keep their hands clean and their talking points spotless. If that’s leadership, I’m a compost bin.
