Sixty years ago this week: As for the forecast estimates released by Colorado Budget Director Con Shea, he predicted that state revenues would fall about $3 million below the appropriations voted by the Legislature.
Shea suggested Republican Gov. John Love should warn state agencies and institutions that non-wage spending could be cut as much as 10 percent below the General Assembly’s fiscal year appropriation.
The release of Shea’s numbers sent a wave of concern throughout Colorado’s political community, prompting The Denver Post to publish an editorial calling on Love to change his tactics.
“Instead of further pinching state programs this year, the Love administration might be wise to recognize that it is losing too much from the two tax cuts and ask the Legislature to reverse the second tax cut or replace the money”.
Under the budget passed by the Legislature, the Wheat Ridge Home and Training School for children with learning disabilities had to postpone the move of some children to a new building. With a more than 10% cut, Wheat Ridge lost another $54,000.
The Post argued that even with the extreme measures of retaining 10% of state agencies and institutions, there were considerable doubts about the state’s ability to avoid a deficit.
Former governor and Democratic National Committee member Steve McNichols took Love to task for what he called “irresponsibility, false promises, slick and slippery tactics and an attempt to impose a large sales tax on those least able to pay.” .
McNichols said he had watched the Love administration for the previous six months and warned, “if we continue to allow the current administration to act irresponsibly, the end result will be disastrous for all citizens and all efforts.”
As criticism mounted, Republican lawmakers suggested a flurry of revenue-generating taxes to ease the budget deficit, including increases in the sales tax, the cigarette tax, the alcoholic beverages, motor vehicle taxes and mobile home tax.
Sen. Ray Braiden, R- La Jara, suggested raising the state income tax. Although he had been a supporter of the 15 percent income tax cut of 1962, passed in January, Braiden told The Colorado Democrat that he had never been in favor of the tax cut, but only he voted for her because she promised the governor. . I love that it “doesn’t break range”.
“I’m asking for tax increases because I fear a possible breakdown of public education unless the state increases its support for schools,” Braiden said. “Even Governor Love agrees that we are facing a funding crisis for local government, especially schools.”
Editor’s note: The above historical excerpt was taken from The Colorado Democrat, a predecessor of the nonpartisan Colorado Statesman. The Democrat was a partisan publication of the Colorado Democratic Party.
Forty years ago: U.S. Rep. Pat Schroeder told The Colorado Statesman that she was flattered by the media’s assumption that she had been named as a possible candidate for vice president of the United States, but that she, for one, was not taking the perspective seriously.
“Candidates are chosen by their voting partners, not the press,” Schroeder said.
Schroeder explained that her name had been dropped by US News and World Report and other publications because, “I’m the dean of women in the House. I’m not running for the position.”
Even the possibility of women being considered as possible presidential running-mates was something that made Schroeder immensely pleased.
“It’s an idea,” Schroeder said. “We could end up with a woman running for vice president. It’s on the shoulders of whoever is nominated.”
U.S. Sen. Gary Hart of Colorado and Sen. Fritz Holdings, D-SC, were the only two candidates who had made public the possibility of female nominations.
“The fact that women are being talked about as vice presidential material indicates that these ideas are moving into the mainstream of American politics,” Schroeder said.
Schroeder’s plans for the foreseeable future, he said, were to run for re-election to his congressional seat because he had finally achieved seniority in the House.
Rachael Wright is the author of the Captain Savva Mystery series, holds degrees in Political Science and History from Colorado Mesa University, and is a contributing writer to Colorado Politics and The Gazette.
