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Lawmakers clash over how to address Colorado’s deficit

DEMOCRAT | Lorena García and REPUBLICAN | Carlos Barón

DEMOCRATS DEFEND SOCIAL SERVICES WHILE REPUBLICANS CALL FOR SPENDING CUTS

Newsroom El Comercio de Colorado

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Colorado Governor Jared Polis has called a special session of the State Assembly, set to begin on August 21, 2025, at 10:00 a.m., with the goal of addressing the $1.2 billion budget deficit caused by the recent passage in Washington of H.R.1, also known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

Polis argues that, unlike the federal Congress, which can maintain deficits, Colorado is constitutionally required to have a balanced budget. “I am calling this special session to find a solution to the fiscal chaos left by H.R.1,” said the governor. Representatives Lorena García and Carlos Barón shared their perspectives.

García: “We cannot punish families”

Representative García, a member of the bicameral finance committee, argues that the fiscal crisis stems from decisions made in Congress with Republican support. According to the Democrat, H.R.1 reduced funding for programs such as Medicaid and SNAP, increasing administrative costs that now fall on the states.

“Colorado is losing more than a billion dollars that our communities deserve. That money was handed to millionaires in the form of tax cuts, while working families here struggle to make ends meet,” she said. García announced she will push for measures to protect health coverage and guarantee school meals.

García also emphasized she will advocate for reviewing tax credits that benefit large corporations and wealthy individuals, reallocating those resources to social programs. “The system is unfair: those who earn less pay more. It’s time for those who have the most to contribute their fair share,” she stressed.

For the Democratic legislator, the special session must focus on minimizing harm to the most vulnerable sectors. “My expectation is that we achieve a responsible budget without sacrificing those who depend on Medicaid or food assistance. It is our moral and constitutional duty,” she concluded.

Barón: “The problem is excessive spending”

In contrast, Representative Barón, Republican minority leader in the House, questioned the call for a special session. He argued the crisis is not only due to H.R.1, but also to recent spending decisions by the Democratic majority. “We warned that there were too many unnecessary projects funded in hopes of receiving federal dollars,” he said.

“Now those funds didn’t arrive, and here we are again in a special session. We can’t keep pushing the deficit into the next year,” Barón asserted. He believes the governor could have waited for the regular session, especially after announcing a state government hiring freeze.

“It seems more like an attempt to save his administration’s image than a true urgency,” he said. Barón is preparing a proposal to strengthen public health funding, but by cutting nonessential programs. He specifically mentioned the Office of New Americans and state funds covering health care for undocumented immigrants as unnecessary.

“Resources used for those programs are taxpayer resources that are needed today for infrastructure, security, and medical care for veterans and Colorado families,” he emphasized.