Colorado: Jack Pommer

Lawmakers on Wednesday finished filling a nearly $160 million hole in the current year's spending plan, relying heavily on cash funds to close the gap.

The accomplishment for the Joint Budget Committee, the six-member panel that annually crafts the state's budget, was relatively easy compared with the task it will face starting today: filling a $766.4 million hole in the next budget year, which begins in July.

Rep. Jack Pommer, D-Boulder, said lawmakers won't be able to rely much on cash funds to deal with next year's budget problems.

"I really think when the new revenue forecast came out (last week), it was a reality slap in the face that we need to start making some cuts," he said.

A major bill to raise annual vehicle registration fees to pay for road and bridge improvements squeaked through another vote Tuesday at the state Capitol.

Senate Bill 108, known as FASTER, won initial approval in the House, over the objections of every House Republican and four Democrats, including the House majority leader. It must still receive another vote in the House.

The bill's sponsor, Rep. Joe Rice, D-Littleton, urged his colleagues to pass the bill, saying it is critical the state invest money to repair its aging infrastructure. He said the work generated by the bill would preserve as many as 8,000 jobs in Colorado and generate new ones.

A major bill to raise annual vehicle registration fees to pay for road and bridge improvements squeaked through another vote today at the state Capitol.

Senate Bill 108, known as FASTER, won initial approval in the House, over the objections of every House Republican and four Democrats, including the House majority leader. It must still receive another vote in the House.

The bill's sponsor, Rep. Joe Rice, D-Littleton, urged his colleagues to pass the bill, saying it is critical the state invest money to repair its aging infrastructure. He said the work generated by the bill would preserve as many as 8,000 jobs in Colorado and generate new ones.

A Denver lawmaker on Friday attempted to punish a University of Colorado professor for supporting Gov. Bill Ritter's primary job-creation proposal.

House Bill 1001 by Rep. Joe Rice, D-Littleton, allows companies that create 20 or more jobs to get a 50 percent tax credit for each job.

Democratic Rep. Joel Judd is not a fan of the bill.

Several weeks ago, Professor Richard Wobbekind, of CU's Leeds School of Business, told lawmakers the bill would have positive impacts for the state. So Judd proposed an amendment Friday that the Leeds school fund the entire tax credit program.

Several lawmakers said it was inappropriate.

"We need to be very careful not to do special-interest legislation to penalize one group," said Rep.