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Fund fight analysis
This week proposals from Reps. Bernie Buescher, D-Grand Junction, and Steve King, R-Grand Junction, on how to refill the Colorado State Veterans Trust Fund made quiet debuts on the House floor.
Though both bills are aimed at topping off the fund, which underwrites grants for veteran-assistance programs and projects, their methods are somewhat different:
—> King’s bill uses General Fund dollars to refill the fund. Thus, under his plan, the trust fund, which was raided during the recession earlier this decade, will receive money from the same pot that other state programs draw upon.
—> Buescher’s bill, which has the governor’s backing, uses funds “above the 6 percent” spending cap established in 1991’s Arveschoug-Bird law. Thus, the sophomore lawmaker’s bill draws out of a pot of money that is solely devoted to transportation and capital construction programs. In other words, Buescher’s bill refills the account while holding harmless most of the state’s discretionary programs.
Right now, if we had to guess which bill will go further, our bet right now is on the Buescher bill not only because of the governor’s support, but also because Buescher sits atop the Joint Budget Committee and House Appropriations Committee and ultimately can control what cash-intensive bills can weather the legislative process.
Also hurting King’s bill is its massive fiscal note.
Recall: During the 2007 session, King had four bills killed in committee. Those bills had fiscal notes totaling $3.39 million in General Fund expenditures. (House Bill 1257 had no projected fiscal impact on the state, because the cost of the new misdemeanor offense would fall on county governments.)
King’s two bills that were signed into law (one of which was co-sponsored by House Speaker Andrew Romanoff, D-Denver), had fiscal notes totaling $137,348.
In other words: King has had little luck to date pushing bills that have significant fiscal notes.
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Principled stands on fiscal matters — some voters might lament — are fine and dandy, but their resultant bills do not always make it into law. Though Buescher and King probably will slug this one out on the House floor. King’s measure probably will find itself the victim of a Democratically control House committee and its own price tag.
*King, Buescher photos shot by Political Notebook.
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