New Colorado State Senate President Bill Cadman, R-Colorado Springs, presides over the Senate during the opening session of the 2015 Colorado Legislature, at the Capitol, in Denver, Wednesday Jan. 7, 2015. Republicans took control of the Colorado state Senate Wednesday as state lawmakers gaveled to work for their four-month legislative session. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)

DENVER | It’s going to be a tougher fight than usual for Colorado’s 100 state lawmakers who return to work Wednesday.

That’s because the state’s cupboards are bare, with constitutional spending restrictions meaning that politicians won’t have much wiggle room as they jostle to pay for their ideas.

Colorado has a Democratic House and a Republican Senate. Right from the start the lawmakers will start jockeying over the state budget. The parties have very different ideas about how to balance the books. Republicans want to issue bonds to pay for highway upgrades. Democrats want to use a legal maneuver to avoid issuing taxpayer refunds.

Lawmakers are also expected to debate proposals to boost affordable housing in Colorado. There is also likely to be talk of abortion rights and raising the minimum wage.

One reply on “Colorado lawmakers return to work to find cupboards bare”

  1. keep the republicans out of the abortion talks! they have no clue. affordable housing needs to be looked at but I’m not sure what that really looks like Raising the minimum wage incrementally needs to happen now! The refunds for the taxes? It isn’t worth the time, effort or expense to refund it Just utilize it in an intelligent (sic) manner I don’t want mine.

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