Colorado: Karen Goldman

State Senate President Brandon Shaffer, pointing to his restrictions on travel, bonuses and salaries, said Tuesday that the Senate was returning to the general fund an expected $627,000, more than twice as much in unspent funds as last year.

But the higher amount of unused money comes the same year that the budget for the Senate, as well as the House, increased significantly to account for salaries to legislative aides, the costs of broadcasting chamber proceedings live on television and increased mileage and expense rates.

"We had more money to start with, so we had more to revert" at the end of the fiscal year, said Senate secretary Karen Goldman, the nonpartisan chief administrator of the Senate.