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TABOR might promise a government on a diet and fatter refund checks, but Colorado’s wallet feels the pinch. It’s one of the tightest tax laws in the country, quietly deciding what our state can and can’t afford. If this makes you scratch your head or mutter, “Wait, that’s fishy…” you’re in good company.
June 27, 2025
…Colorado can’t pick up the slack when Washington steps back?
House Republicans just passed a devastating federal budget that guts SNAP, Medicaid, and education to help fund massive tax breaks for the rich. More than 7 million people could lose food assistance. Millions more would be pushed off health care.
Colorado is especially vulnerable. Because of TABOR, the state can’t easily raise new revenue or backfill lost federal dollars. That means even more families would be left behind.
Take action now. Tell Congress to reject these cuts. Contact your federal representatives.
But while Coloradans fight back federally, the state also needs to confront the TABOR elephant in the room and why it lacks the fiscal flexibility to step up and protect communities when federal support falls short.
More than 100,000 Coloradans, many of them kids, could lose food assistance under the House Republican reconciliation bill. That is not just a blow to families. SNAP supports 10,000 jobs, $486 million in wages, and $70 million in state tax revenue. Colorado can’t afford to lose it, and because of TABOR’s artificial budget constraints, the state can’t step in to fill the gap.
The proposed $328 million cost shift to states would mean longer waitlists, slashed benefits, and more families left behind.
The same goes for Medicaid. More than 1.1 million Coloradans rely on it. Medicaid funding is essential for rural hospitals, clinics, and health care workers.
Nearly 19 percent of every state budget dollar comes from federal Medicaid funds. Colorado already spends less than the national average per enrollee. Further cuts would push the state’s health care infrastructure to the brink and mean millions of Coloradans risk losing access to the care they need. Even those with private insurance would feel the impact, including fewer providers, longer waits, and overcrowded emergency rooms. Federal cuts would gut Colorado’s health system, and with TABOR in place, the state can’t step in.
This is a wake-up call. Congress must reject these cuts, but Colorado must also fix TABOR if it wants to protect communities when crises hit.
