What do you know about Amendment 23?

[coloradodem2005]

I am pissed because I found out that my tuition is going up 21% because of it and TABOR. I know that TABOR is a piece of shit but, I know little about Amendment 23.

[JuniorPlankton]

1. What the hell is Amendment 23?

I only know about Catch 22. But it pretty much covers everything.

[coloradodem2005]

2. That's what I am trying to figure out.

It is Colorado based, that's why I posted it here.

[Q3JR4]

3. I'm not in Colorado, but...

What is Amendment 23?
Amendment 23 is an amendment to Colorado's constitution approved by voters in 2000. The basic aim of Amendment 23 is to increase spending on kindergarten through twelfth grade (K-12) public education. Amendment 23 also creates a special fund-the State Education Trust Fund-to help pay for the increased spending.

What is the State Education Fund?
The State Education Fund established by Amendment 23 receives a portion of Colorado state income tax each year. The money in the fund can be used for the increased spending requirements of Amendment 23 or other educational spending. However, the current economic decline has reduced tax revenues thereby reducing the amount of money going into the fund. And, at the same time, lawmakers have had to rely more and more on the fund to meet the spending requirements of Amendment 23. As a result, according to one recent study, the State Education Fund could be insolvent as early as 2005-2006.

<snip>

How does Amendment 23 work in bad economic times?
The increased spending requirements of Amendment 23 do not go away when revenues decline. Although Amendment 23 does allow the state to draw more heavily from the State Education Fund in bad economic times, thereby relieving pressure on other state spending, the increases are still required. Furthermore, if the State Education Fund should become insolvent, the increases would still be required and the money will then have to come from other areas of the budget.
Has Amendment 23 contributed to Colorado's budget problems? Since Amendment 23 requires an increase every year in K-12 spending, it may be seen as in conflict with the Taxpayers' Bill of Rights (TABOR), another constitutional amendment that sets limits on budgetary spending in Colorado. To make matters worse, because of the way Colorado funds K-12 education, Amendment 23 is also affected by Gallagher, another constitutional amendment that has resulted in declining residential property taxes. Since the state is required to make up the difference between the contribution of local property taxes and the total required K-12 funding, if property tax revenues decline, then the burden on the state is even heavier.

Full article link follows:
http://www.coloradobudget.com/amend23.cfm

Also, lots of other snippage went on.

[Q3JR4]

4. Furthermore,

because of these amendments, the state has a constitutional mandate to pay for the educations listed there. That money has to come from somewhere and since you've gone to school for free your whole life, they must figure that the tab should fall on people like you.

[coloradodem2005]

5. Typical Republican thinking.

If I could actually find decent enough work, I wouldn't have a problem with the "tab" but of course they want to hurt the people that are already hurt.

[Q3JR4]

6. Sure they do.

You don't expect them to target the people who can aford it do you?

[MissMarple]

7. Amendment 23 was a response to chronic underfunding

of the public schools by the Colorado legislature. Both Tabor and the Gallagher(sp?)amendment interfere with school funding. Rural schools are especially hard hit by the Gallagher amendment. It places a greater tax burden on business, but that doesn't work in areas where development is more residential. I don't pretend to be an expert on this, but the problem is not Amendment 23, it is the resistance of Coloradoans to fund education. It's the same with health insurance. Nobody wants to pay, no one wants to find real solutions to critical problems as long as there is political advantage to be had, especially in the conservative Colorado legislature. All three are in need of a severe rehab. How we fund education is screwy, and how many people in Colorado prefer anti-government, anti-tax diatribes to sensible legislation is a large part of the problem. Sorry about the tuition thing. Some folks think Doug Bruce wants government out of all things educational from preschool through college.

[F.Gordon]

8. What MissMarple said

And now with the per capita income in Colorado dropping for the first time in 12 years....aint goin' get better.

Isn't there a problem also with declining enrollments? Causing rising tuitions? I just remember bits and pieces most of the time. Not all the details.

[MissMarple]

9. There were almost 1400 applications for the Veterinary school

in Fort Collins for 75 open spaces. They take more in the incoming class but several are saved for graduate students enrolled in a couple of programs that have cross enrollment with the vet school. CU Springs here seems to be doing fine, it's growing.

[coloradodem2005]

10. I know CU Boulder is not having a problem with enrollment.

I think Enrollment is the opposite of what you are thinking. When people can't find satisfactory jobs, they tend to go back to school, either to get a second Bachelors, or a Master's Like I'm doing, or maybe even a PhD.

[F.Gordon]

11. Like I said.......

I don't know the details. Thank you both for correcting me.