Tracking what's destroying Colorado
A curated collection of bills, news, and resources about Colorado politics and policy
A curated collection of bills, news, and resources about Colorado politics and policy
Signed into law in 2025, Senate Bill 25-317 is a massive one-time raid on dozens of obscure state cash funds, forcibly transferring over $1.3 billion in interest, income, and principal—earned from deposits and investments in funds like the Legislative Department Cash Fund ($677 million), Workers' Compensation Cash Fund ($730 million), Subsequent Injury Fund ($291 million), Major Medical Insurance Fund ($265 million), Just Transition Cash Fund ($186 million), and Correctional Treatment Cash Fund (amount not specified)—directly into the General Fund by June 30, 2025. The bill repeals surplus-language triggers that previously protected these funds, eliminates automatic reversions, and mandates the State Treasurer to sweep every penny of unspent interest and investment earnings, all while exempting the moves from TABOR refund requirements by framing them as "internal transfers" rather than new revenue. Effective immediately for most provisions and lasting through FY 2024-25 (with some repeals kicking in July 2026), this accounting gimmick plugs the state's budget hole caused by federal tax conformity without raising taxes or cutting spending—pure fiscal sleight-of-hand that drains dedicated pots meant for workers' comp, injury claims, coal-transition communities, and inmate treatment programs.
This is government theft on steroids—Democrats in Denver just looted $1.3 billion from hardworking Coloradans' dedicated funds like a bunch of masked robbers in the dead of night, all because federal tax cuts blew a hole in their bloated budget and they’re too chicken to admit they need real spending cuts. They’re raiding workers' comp funds that belong to injured employees, stealing from coal miners' transition money while lecturing about "justice," and gutting prison treatment cash because who cares about rehab when you can fund more woke programs? Polis signed this accounting scam faster than you can say "TABOR dodge," pretending it's not a tax hike by calling it "interest transfers"—news flash, genius: it's still our money you promised to protect! This isn't fiscal responsibility; it's socialism's greatest hits—seize from specialized funds, dump into the General Fund slush pile, and pray voters don't notice until the next election. If a private company pulled this, CEOs would be in handcuffs for fraud; but when the state does it, they call it "creative budgeting." Absolute disgrace from a party that claims to fight for the little guy while picking his pocket for every last dime. Colorado deserves better than this backroom bailout for big government.