Budget Announcement -- $51 Million Increase For Prisons

We will keep you updated as we hear more. It's sad to see that we spend nearly as much on an increase in the prison budget as we do in higher education and health care. Actual budget increase for prison is 51.7 million and for higher education is 52.2 million. That will take the Corrections budget to nearly $703 million dollars.

Here's the link to the actual budget if you want to read the entire thing

(AP) DENVER Lawmakers introduced the state budget in the Senate on Monday, a plan that will increase spending for education, health care, higher education and prisons.

The $17.8 billion budget for operating expenses and capital construction includes an increase of $185 million for public education, $52 million for health care, $52 (Actual is 52.2) million for higher education and $51 ( Actual is 51.7 ) million for prisons.

Because voters agreed to give up tax surplus refunds for five years to shore up the state budget, the state will be allowed to spend another $1 billion in the fiscal year beginning July 1.

Lawmakers have said they want to focus this year on developing Colorado renewable energy industry by providing incentives and improving health care and education to attract new businesses.

They said they also want to provide more money for renewable energy by cutting prison costs and reducing recidivism.
CBS 4