Joint Budget Committee begins CDOT figure setting; directs staff to draft bills on transfers and fee cuts, approves enterprise roll‑forwards

The Joint Budget Committee opened figure setting for the Colorado Department of Transportation on a staff presentation from Michelle Curry and approved several procedural motions while directing staff to draft legislation on two major budget items: reducing and rescheduling general fund transfers established by Senate Bill 21‑260 and cutting the road safety surcharge.

Ms. Michelle Curry, JBC staff, presented the figure setting materials and described the department's budget structure, noting that most CDOT appropriations are informational because the Transportation Commission controls spending in many areas. “A big majority of CDOT’s section is informational appropriations,” Curry said, adding that forecasts due in March will change the long bill amounts.

Why it matters

The committee’s work could change how much general fund support CDOT receives in the near term and how vehicle‑related fees flow into the Highway Users Tax Fund (HUTF). Members focused on transparency for one‑line administrative budgets, how enterprises such as the High Performance Transportation Enterprise (HPTE) and Multimodal Mitigation and Options Fund (MMOF) are spending money, and whether some enterprise balances or ARPA funds should be treated as a potential source of near‑term state funding.

Key decisions and committee directions

- Informational appropriations update: The committee approved a staff‑initiated motion permitting Curry to update informational appropriations for CDOT based on revised forecasts before long‑bill introduction. The motion carried without objection (5–0, one member excused).

- Draft legislation on SB21‑260 transfers (R3): CDOT’s statutory transfer created by Senate Bill 21‑260 dedicates a total of $747.5 million in general fund transfers to CDOT over multiple years (statutory schedule currently shows $100 million per year in early years). Curry described the department’s proposal to reduce near‑term transfers and push them into later years; her staff recommendation was a middle path. The committee voted to begin drafting legislation to reduce the transfers and extend the schedule, using a starting point suggested by Senator Kirkmeyer (a…