The Office of State Planning and Budgeting has now sent a memo to the governor with the cuts that have been proposed for 2006-07, should C fail. It's not good folks.
http://www.unbossed.com/UBdownloads/2006-07%20Program%20Prioritization.pdfHere's the overview:
In working with the Departments, we attempted to prioritize cuts so that the core missions of the departments were maintained. However, as you will note in the summaries below, if Referendum C fails, significant cuts across State government are unavoidable. Basically, the status quo menu of services and protections provided by the State are incompatible with the “ratchet down” provision of TABOR. While some of the cuts in recent years may not have affected the general public, this subsequent round of reductions would diminish public safety, and result in higher tuition for families and reduced consumer protection and services to the elderly.
...Given the fundamental impracticality and the public safety impacts of the cuts in Corrections, it is likely that a mininimum 20 percent cut in Higher Education, as well as other cuts not proposed herein would be necessary to balance the FY 2006-07 budget if Referendum C fails.
The full list of cuts includes:
--Eliminate State Support for the Colorado Indigent Care Program
--Eliminate Medicare Coinsurance and Deductibles
--At least a 20% cut for the Department of Higher Education, amounting to $119.6 million....we project that resident undergraduate tuition for a four-year degree would increase by at least $988, or $3,952 for a full degree....it is possible that some rural community colleges or state colleges could close.
--In either scenario of cuts, there would be no additional funding for the additional 1000 inmates expected next year. With a 10% cut the State would have to take the drastic step of capping the inmate population and releasing a number of inmates in order to maintain the capped population. Meanwhile, over-crowding of existing facilities would cause safety concerns for employees. With a 20% cut, the Department would eliminate educational and other programs in addition to the measures above. Since the Department would no longer provide educational programs (primarily for inmates to attain a GED) and would eliminate all drug and alcohol treatment, mental health, and vocational rehabilitation programs, released inmates would be less prepared for success outside of prison.
--Services such as Meals on Wheels, transportation assistance, etc. would be eliminated or reduced. Many of these services allow poor seniors to remain in their private residences.
--Eliminate Vehicle Emissions Program
--Eliminate Instant Criminal Background Check
--In order to reach the total cuts displayed...the Department would permanently close 11 state parks and seasonally closing 15 parks. Fees could not be raised to offset the reductions, because they count against the TABOR limit as well.
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