In November, the Montezuma County League of Women Voters hosted two programs to update the community about important issues. Sen. Cleave Simpson (R-Alamosa) and Rep. Katie Stewart (D-Durango) shared information about the recent Colorado special legislative session.
Gov. Jared Polis called the special session primarily to address an estimated $750 million budget shortfall resulting from the passage of HR.1. Colorado uses rolling conformity, meaning that changes to the federal tax code are automatically adopted in the Colorado state tax code.
When the federal government lowers federal taxable income by raising federal deductions or eliminating taxes on, say, overtime, it affects the amount of revenue the state generates. Looking ahead, there will also be impacts from changes to the federal match for support programs, as well as unfunded federal mandates.
Measures implemented to close the shortfall include a hiring freeze, cuts to higher education and affordable housing, clawing back an increase to Medicaid reimbursements, eliminating some legal federal deductions, and pulling $325 million from state reserves. This rainy day fund will need to be reimbursed to 15% of the state budget to maintain the state’s credit rating.
“A budget is a moral document,” said Stewart. “It reflects our values and helps us achieve equity for our citizens.” When the Legislature reconvenes in January, reducing the size of government will again be a topic, which must include prioritization – what programs do we cut; what do we fund? No easy decisions given the needs of our communities.
Immigration concerns were also raised at this meeting, after the recent ICE altercation in Durango. Though ICE is a federal agency, both Simpson and Stewart agreed to engage in a conversation after the first of the year, focusing on immigration. The League will also host programs to dispel myths about immigrants and immigration laws – or the lack of them – that contribute to current problems.
As the government shutdown continued, funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program ran out on Nov. 1. With a crisis looming, leaders of local food banks, soup kitchens and other food providers, in partnership with the Montezuma County Department of Social Services, developed a countywide plan to address the shortfall. These efforts are ongoing. Director Kelli Hargraves provided an update on SNAP, local food resources and the potential impact of changes to SNAP and Medicaid by HR.1.
In Montezuma County, 4,912 residents receive SNAP benefits; generally, 50% are children, 15% are elderly and 10% are disabled. Before the shutdown, an average of $894,000 per month flowed into Montezuma County to subsidize SNAP recipients’ purchases of food. SNAP recipients benefit, and the local economy does as well. An influx of almost $11 million annually into this county supports jobs and paychecks in our community.
SNAP benefits have been restored; however, new eligibility and reporting requirements will not only impact SNAP recipients but also the Social Services staff members responsible for enrolling and maintaining SNAP records. Another significant change: In the past, the federal government reimbursed 100% of SNAP benefits. Effective Oct. 1, 2026, states will cover a portion of the reimbursement, leaving unclear how new requirements will be funded.
HR. 1 will also impact Medicaid. MCDSS enrolls and oversees Medicaid for Montezuma County. Currently, 31.77% of the county population is enrolled in Medicaid, funneling almost $81 million into the county. Some recipients may not realize they receive Medicaid as their health insurance, because it goes by another name. They may be surprised to learn they will need to comply with new work requirements and report twice a year instead of once. HR. 1 will also affect the Affordable Care Act expansion population – approximately 2,723 Montezuma County residents. There is no crystal ball, but many are worried about the impact on our local health care system, the staff that oversees Medicaid, and those who depend on Medicaid for health care and assisted living services.
Karen Sheek of Cortez is the chair of the Montezuma County League of Women Voters. She served two terms on the Cortez City Council and two terms as mayor. Contact the local league at lwvmzc@gmail.com and on Facebook at https://tinyurl.com/bdcjr8pn.
