Source: Colorado Politics
Colorado’s per-person spending has increased by 31% over the last two decades despite slowed population growth, according to a new analysis by the Common Sense Institute.
The annual report compares state spending by department over the last 20 years, tracking appropriations trends, comparing growth relative to inflation and population, and determining whether Coloradans are likely to receive a TABOR refund for the next several fiscal years.
To compile its analysis, CSI used annual appropriations reports from the state’s Joint Budget Committee, which includes funds from four sources: the General Fund, which makes up the largest portion of the budget; cash funds, which are financed by taxes, user fees, and certain fines; federal funds; and reappropriated funds, which are transfers of money between departments separate from initial appropriations.
According to the report, the state spent about $5,580 per Coloradan in Fiscal Year 2006. This fiscal year, the state is expected to spend $7,308 per person, representing a 31% increase when adjusted for population and inflation growth.
Over the past two decades, Colorado’s Department of Health Care Policy and Financing has experienced the most significant growth in state spending, increasing its share of the budget from 21% to 44%. The agency, which oversees the state’s Medicaid and CHP+ programs, has experienced a 459% increase in its budget since 2006, from approximately $1.4 billion to roughly $5.6 billion.
Spending on education has decreased by 106% since 2006.
The five departments that receive the most appropriations—Healthcare, K-12 Education, Higher Education, Human Services, and Transportation—account for nearly 80% of the total fiscal year 2026 budget.
However, the department with the largest increase in staffing is the Treasury, with full-time employment increasing by 123% since 2006. Overall, the state government’s full-time employee levels have increased by 21% over the last decade.
