State budget debate includes education, ag issues

The Senate wrapped up its work on the 2022-23 state budget, adding a whopping $783 million in new spending, but the bulk of those changes are unlikely to make it to the final version.

The biggest change was an amendment from Sens. Barbara Kirkmeyer, R-Brighton, and Paul Lundeen, R-Monument, to add $503 million to K-12 education, with half going to teacher salaries and the other half to pay down the debt to K-12 education, known as the budget stabilization factor.

During April 6 debate on House Bill 1329, which started the state budget at $36.4 billion, Kirkmeyer pointed out that Democrats in 2021 passed a bill setting up a fund to boost teacher pay but without putting a single penny into the fund.

Lawmakers on both sides over the years also have pointed out that decisions on teachers’ pay are the purview of locally elected school boards and not the state.

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