SB 228 goes into effect July 1
DENVER— A page out of the budget dictionary:
Senate Bill 228 (‘se-nət ‘bil ‘tü ‘twen-tē ‘āt) n.
1. A bill passed in the 2009 session sponsored by Democratic Senator John Morse (Colorado Springs) and Republican Representative Don Marostica (Larimer County) which goes into effect on July 1, 2009.
2. A bill which unties the Gordian knot (see definition below), removes the arbitrary 6% spending allocation known as Arveshcoug-Bird, which prevents the recovery of vital state services when the economy recovers (see definition below), establishes consistent and reliable funding for transportation projects, and creates a rainy day fund to protect Colorado from future economic downturns.
3. A bill which allows the General Assembly to decide on the priorities of the state based upon the unique circumstances of the time rather than being constrained by formulas that ignore economic conditions.
Senator John Morse (se’-nə-tər jän’ mȯrs’) n.
1. Democratic Senator from Colorado Springs who is leading Colorado to a faster economic recovery thanks to his leadership and courage in passing SB 228.
2. Majority Leader of the Colorado Senate elected by the Colorado Democratic Caucus on April 17, 2009.
3. Quote: “Colorado is no longer facing a recession with our hands tied behind our backs. Getting rid of the 6 percent will help untie the knot—giving us the tools to maximize federal recovery dollars, avoid making these current budget cuts permanent. We are positioning Colorado for a fast and strong economic recovery and Colorado now has greater flexibility to make wiser investments with existing resources.”
Gordian knot (gôr’dē-ən nät) n.
- An exceedingly complicated problem or deadlock.
- An intricate knot tied by King Gordius of Phrygia and cut by Alexander the Great with his sword after hearing an oracle promise that whoever could undo it would be the next ruler of Asia.
Arveschoug- Bird (är’ves-scow bərd)—n.
1. A spending provision enacted in 1991 which dictates how Colorado can spend its General Fund dollars. Any revenues below the 6% are spent on operating expenses, such as educating students or paying for medical care. Any revenues collected above the 6% are still spent by the state and are largely used to fund transportation and capital construction needs.
2. A spending provision which ratchets down any appropriations which do not reach 6% above the prior year’s level. The un-appropriated amount is lost forever. It reduces the size of the base against which all future increases apply.
Sources: Colorado’s Fiscal Policy Institute, www.coloradosenate.org , The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Retrieved June 29, 2009, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/gordian knot
