DENVER – Colorado Senate Republicans challenged Governor Jared Polis for deflecting responsibility and ignoring Colorado Democrats’ role in Colorado’s $1 billion budget shortfall during a press conference at the Governor’s Mansion on Wednesday. During the press conference, Governor Polis announced a call for a special session due to begin on August 21 to address the budget shortfall the Governor and Colorado Democrats created.
In response, Senate Minority Leader Cleave Simpson criticized the Democrats for repeatedly passing the blame for their mismanagement elsewhere.
“Once again the Colorado Democrats are dodging responsibility and scrambling to blame anyone but themselves for this budget shortfall,” Senator Simpson said. “For seven years, Colorado Democrats have held total control of the state legislature. In that time, our state budget ballooned by a staggering 50% while the state’s population has increased by less than 5%. This budget crisis comes purely as a consequence of their overspending and mismanagement. Nothing more.”
Senate Minority Leader Cleave Simpson reaffirmed that the ongoing Republican commitment to deliver relief for Colorado families would continue during the special session.
“Of course we will use this opportunity to continue our fight to deliver relief for Colorado families by cutting unnecessary spending wherever we can, and by protecting the Taxpayer Bill of Rights,” Senator Simpson said.
Following the press conference, Senator Kirkmeyer bashed Governor Polis for pointing fingers.
“This budget crisis wasn’t created in D.C., it was created here at home by Democrat leaders who refused to live within our means,” Senator Kirkmeyer said. “Coloradans deserve better than a blame game. We need a real, honest plan to restore fiscal responsibility and protect the core services people rely on.”
Senator Kirkmeyer continued, “Instead of using the good years to shore up state finances, Democrats cut healthcare for over 1.2 million U.S. citizens and spent billions of dollars in one-time COVID funds while draining your TABOR refunds to expand government programs. Now, the money is gone and they’re pointing fingers at Congress to avoid taking responsibility. Governor Polis needs to own up the fact that he has no one to blame but himself and his Democrat colleagues in the legislature for this catastrophe.”
Assistant Minority Leader Lisa Frizell also commented on the fiscal shortfall created by the Democrats.
“Since taking complete control of this state in 2018, the Democrats have added an average of 1,000 new state jobs each year, costing our taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars,” Senator Lisa Frizell said. “A hiring freeze is a step in the right direction, but the real shame is that our state government and budget have grown so irresponsibly and beyond recognition. This was primarily done using one-time federal pandemic funds, ultimately creating a structural deficit in our budget. Now Democrats are scrambling to keep their unsustainable political policies afloat and placing blame on anyone besides themselves. Their finger pointing must surely ring hollow to Colorado citizens.”
The special session is due to convene at 10 AM on August 21st, 2025. The Colorado Senate Republicans will continue to fight to protect hardworking Colorado families.
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