DENVER — The Joint Budget Committee voted Tuesday to give Gov. Jared Polis (D-Colorado) most of the $227 million he had asked for to fund one of his main campaign promises: state-funded full-day kindergarten.
The committee voted 5-1 to set aside $185 million for the program. At this point, no draft of a bill to implement full-day kindergarten has been released.
This comes after Legislative Council Chief Economist Kate Watkins told legislators that home appreciation was slowing down in the state, something that could lead to a smaller budget than previous forecasted. Republicans had expressed concerns that the contentious oil and gas reform bill could also lead to lower revenue.
WATCH: Polis' Promises
Polis has said the state can afford full-day kindergarten because since local property taxes are providing enough money to school districts, the state doesn’t need to backfill as much as it used to. This means more money in Colorado’s discretionary fund for items like full-day kindergarten, transportation or heath care.
The next budget year starts on July 1.
On Twitter, Polis and his team called the Joint Budget Committee vote a success, saying “this will save parents and school districts money.”
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