Who is the Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition?

Our mission is to reverse the trend of mass incarceration in Colorado. We are a coalition of nearly 7,000 individual members and over 100 faith and community organizations who have united to stop perpetual prison expansion in Colorado through policy and sentence reform.

Our chief areas of interest include drug policy reform, women in prison, racial injustice, the impact of incarceration on children and families, the problems associated with re-entry and stopping the practice of using private prisons in our state.

If you would like to be involved please go to our website and become a member.


Tuesday, July 07, 2009

Can't Sustain The Government We Have Created

Biz Journals

A forthcoming report by a research center at the University of Denver says Colorado’s state government faces a looming financial crisis, DU said Monday.

The report from the Center for Colorado’s Economic Future at DU is titled “Colorado’s State Budget Tsunami.” It is to be formally released Tuesday.

“There is simply not enough money to pay for the government we have created,” the report says. “Barring a quick and dramatic turnaround of the economy, it appears that the current fiscal system cannot be sustained.”

In announcing the report’s findings, DU noted that “anticipated fiscal demands for K-12 education, prisons and Medicaid will swamp today’s revenue-generating tax and fee system” in Colorado.

The report recommends a review of the state budget system. “It is once again time to take a critical look at where we are and start the process of a much-needed overhaul,” it says.

Colorado lawmakers this year made steep cuts in state programs and drew on federal stimulus funds to balance the budget, and then learned from budget forecasters in June that the state faces a $384 million revenue shortfall for next year.

Among the report’s highlights as summarized by DU:

• “The budgetary tsunami that washed over Colorado government last fall and winter was likely just the first wave. More tidal waves in [fiscal year] 2010-11 threaten to keep the general fund underwater and lawmakers struggling to find new lifelines.”

• “The largest departments of state government are growing more than twice as fast as tax dollars are coming in, leaving a lot less money available for other needs.”

• “Education, prisons and health care consumed about 54 cents of every general fund dollar a decade ago. They now eat up nearly 76 cents of every general fund dollar, and that figure will jump to 91 cents in five years if the average growth rate continues. Eventually, at this rate, there would be no money for other programs.”

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

This is nothing we all already know and have been yelling at our Governor to address. Priority is to cut prison system in half and that mean releasing all those incarcerated for non violent offenses, then do away with the 3 year mandatory parole which is actually double jeopardy, cut the judicial by half as well as your police force which you dont need if you stop arresting non violent.
Just think they will all become taxpayers again!!!
Last, get rid of all the illegals in the state and that will alleviate the burden on health care as well as a big drain on the education system.
Really, one more and thats an adjustment in the salarys of all state officials and buerocrats.DJW