Colorado has the nation's fastest-growing rate of child poverty

Good morning. Here's a look at news reports from around the state on issues of interest to the Colorado Center on Law and Policy for Tuesday, April 13, 2010.

SELF SUFFICIENCY
The Denver Post: Child poverty skyrockets in Colorado
Colorado has the fastest-growing child-poverty rate in the nation — a distinction attributed to a burgeoning number of poor in Denver's suburbs and a widening gap between Latino and non-Latino income.

Colorado Independent: Payday lobby challenges lawmaker to try and pass regulation
Payday loan industry lobbyists taunted lawmakers looking to regulate them after a committee hearing on regulatory legislation held late last week.
Also: Colorado Independent: ‘Bank on Denver’ campaign seeks to wean resident from payday lenders

KUSA-TV: Study shows lack of affordable housing in Colorado
A new report from the Colorado Division of Housing says 80,000 households in Colorado have income of $10,000 or less. For those households, and thousands more, it is very difficult to find affordable housing.


HEALTH POLICY
Colorado Springs Gazette: Admissions down, profits up at Memorial
Admissions continued to be soft at Memorial Health System through the first two months of the year, but profits are up, Memorial chief financial officer Mike Scialdone told the Colorado Springs City Council on Monday.


FISCAL POLICY
Boulder Daily Camera: Boulder officials say state ballot questions could take $26M chunk of city's budget
Three statewide ballot initiatives have Boulder's finance officials on edge because they estimate the measures could affect the city's budget by up to $26.5 million.
Also: Boulder Daily Camera: Boulder begins ballot season with proposals for tax increases

Colorado Independent: Budget passes Colorado Senate; Republicans cry ‘socialism’
Republican lawmakers furious with the $18.2 billion budget presented Friday in the senate here said the proposal failed to limit government spending and that it amounted to another move toward socialism. Exasperated Democrats argued that the budget cut millions of dollars from programs, including vital education and medical programs in the state.

Craig Daily Press: No ‘final answer’ yet
After weeks of receiving feedback from parents, staff and community members, Moffat County School District officials presented an updated budget reduction template at a work session Monday night.

Associated Press via Steamboat Today: Colo. will get $40M for lowest achieving schools
Secretary of Education Arne Duncan made the announcement Monday. He said the money is part of $3.5 billion set aside for schools nationally in last year's budget and the federal stimulus package.


GENERAL
Canon City Daily Record: Tea partygoers express concern with direction of country
Veterans Park was filled Sunday with political activists who wanted to express their opinions on everything from health care to candidates for office.