Support Senate Bill 228, the "Arveschoug-Bird limit" repeal

Most people have never heard of something called the “Arveschoug-Bird limit,” but this almost 20-year old restriction in state law makes all the budget cuts being made to weather the recession much worse in the long term.

The recession is going to end, and when it does, the “Arveschoug-Bird limit” will severely hamper the state’s ability to recover vital services to pre-recession levels. Meaning that even when the recession is over, we’ll continue to feel the pain for years longer than we should. What’s more, funding restrictions tied to the limit will prevent legislators from properly allocating resources as the state’s needs and priorities change.

It was bad policy when it was enacted. Even the provision’s co-author, former Sen. Mike Bird, says so now. And fortunately, the legislature is close to approving a bill that will repeal this antiquated limit and give our elect officials the flexibility they need to operate in our changing world.

We want our elected officials to know that we support Senate Bill 228, and the additional tools it will help give our elected officials to solve Colorado's ongoing fiscal problems.