Colorado House approves state budget on bipartisan vote

The Colorado House of Representatives on Thursday approved the 2018-19 budget on a 42-22 vote, sending it on to the Senate.

And based on the packet of spending amendments to the "Long Appropriations Bill" the day before, Colorado lawmakers are seeing dollar signs for the first time in years, courtesy of a budget surplus of $1.3 billion estimated by state economists.

All House Democrats voted in favor of the measure, along with six Republicans, including state Rep. Bob Rankin of Carbondale, who represents the Republican caucus on the legislature's Joint Budget Committee.

Rankin was the only Republican in the House last year to vote for the long bill, but this year, he had company from fellow Republicans who have voted against it in the past: Reps. Jim Wilson of Salida, Marc Catlin of Montrose, Polly Lawrence of Roxborough Park, Hugh McKean of Loveland and Dan Thurlow of Grand Junction.

Read more: http://gazette.com/colorado-house-approves-state-budget-on-bipartisan-vote/article/1623497