By Senator Jerry Sonnenberg & Representative Rod Pelton
Over the past two years, we’ve once again been awed at the resilience and strength of the people of Colorado. Coloradans have dealt with fires, floods, storms, drought, a changing economy and a global pandemic that has drastically changed everyone’s lives.
During the pandemic, Coloradans watched as their finances were drained by the pandemic. For some that meant losing jobs; for others, depleted savings accounts; for some small businesses, it meant closing the doors. Add to that the rising rate of inflation, which is currently at a nearly 40-year high, and the people of Colorado are concerned and stretched thin.
We recently introduced House Bill 22-1129, the “General Fund Surplus Rebates to Taxpayers Act,” to provide a bit of relief to Coloradans and return some of their taxpayer money to them. According to the Colorado Legislative Council, by the end of fiscal year 2021-2022, the General Fund will have $1.65 billion, which creates a surplus of $1.85 billion Yes, that’s billions.