COFPI: Tap the brakes on budget cuts

Carol Hedges was on Channel 7 last night, talking about the Governor's proposed budget cuts for the next fiscal year, which starts in July.

The problem in Colorado is that when these cuts are made, they are permanent, they are not coming back. That's why we're in such a tenuous position after the last recession, because those cuts were made and we're still clawing our way back. On top of that, these cuts--especially when you look at $244 million in health care and $52 million in human services--could actually amplify and lengthen the recession. The need for government services is countercyclical. So when we see the unemployment rate at a 5-year high at 6.1 percent, we know more and more people--nearly 8,000 just in December--are losing their jobs, losing their health care, and they are going to rely on public services for vital daily needs. Are safety net is already frayed, and these cuts would just rip it apart.

So, we need to tap the breaks a little bit, slow down and take a deep breath, figure out exactly what the federal stimulus will mean for Colorado, and avoid making bad decisions that would put Colorado families into more harship and worsen the recession.