The chicken wire holding up the Capitol's gold dome will have to do its job for another five years, as lawmakers grappled with the surprise news Thursday of a $700 million budget shortfall.

Lower-than-anticipated income- tax revenue spells the end to state building projects — dome repairs, community college expansions, safety-prompted renovations and the like — starting next fiscal year and for the foreseeable future.

Even after a grueling round of cuts to state building projects, Colorado's road and transportation money remains in jeopardy to the tune of a total of $168 million between 2008 and 2012, legislative analysts predict.

And lawmakers fear the crunch may eventually seep into the state's general fund, from which education, public safety and other critical money comes.

"I feel like I'm at a funeral," said Rep. Buffie McFadyen, D-Pueblo West.

The legislative budget office released the estimate Thursday, saying the state will be $700 million short of previous projections through 2011.