First Regular Session

Sixty-second General Assembly

LLS NO. R99­0516.01 Alice Ackerman

STATE OF COLORADO




BY REPRESENTATIVES McPherson, Tool, Berry, and Saliman;

also SENATORS Grampsas, Lacy, Owen, and Tanner.

REVISED

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 99­1006

CONCERNING THE CERTIFICATION BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF ITS ESTIMATE OF STATE GENERAL FUND REVENUES AND ALLOWABLE STATE GENERAL FUND APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE 1999­2000 BUDGET YEAR.


WHEREAS, The general assembly is required by section 24­75­201.3, Colorado Revised Statutes, to make an annual certification of its estimate of general fund revenues for the next fiscal year to the controller; and

WHEREAS, Gross general fund revenues for the 1999­2000 fiscal year, as estimated in this resolution, have already been obligated by law as follows:

(1)  $100,327,838 for transfer to the capital construction fund pursuant to section 24­75­302 (2) (l), Colorado Revised Statutes;

(2)  Amounts required by statute to be used for: Payments to local governments based on state cigarette tax collections; property tax and heat or fuel expense grants; and payments to the fire and police members' benefit fund; and

WHEREAS, Under current law, general fund revenues must be used first to fund the obligations set forth above, second to fund appropriations for the executive, legislative, and judicial departments, and third to fund the reserve mandated by section 24­75­201.1 (1) (d), Colorado Revised Statutes; and

WHEREAS, The general assembly recognizes that new programs can be funded from the general fund only after these three priorities are satisfied; and

WHEREAS, If appropriate statutes are amended, additional general fund revenues could be realized; and

WHEREAS, The estimate of general fund revenues certified in this resolution does not include the balance carried forward from the 1998­99 fiscal year; and

WHEREAS, The general assembly intends to make an annual

certification of its estimate of the total allowable state general fund appropriations under section 24­75­201.1, Colorado Revised Statutes; and


WHEREAS, In accordance with the provisions of section 24­75­201.1, Colorado Revised Statutes, the estimate of the allowable state general fund appropriations for the 1999­2000 fiscal year will be based upon the following conclusions:

(1)  State general fund appropriations for the 1998­99 fiscal year, prior to the enactment of any supplemental appropriations during the 1999 regular session, are $4,699.0 million;

(2)  The allowable increase in state general fund appropriations for the 1999­2000 fiscal year is the cost of reappraisal of taxable property for property tax purposes as required by section 39­1­105.5, Colorado Revised Statutes, plus 6% of the 1998­99 state general fund appropriations; and

WHEREAS, The revenue estimate and the estimate of allowable state general fund appropriations made pursuant to this resolution are made for the purpose of providing direction and guidance to the joint budget committee in the preparation of the 1999­2000 general appropriation act and does not affect the ability of the general assembly to make spending decisions in the general appropriation act; and

WHEREAS, The revenue estimate and the estimate of allowable state general fund appropriations made pursuant to this resolution may be adjusted if additional relevant information is received by the general assembly after the adoption thereof; and

WHEREAS, For purposes of section 39 of article V of the state constitution, this resolution relates solely to the transaction of business of the two houses of the general assembly; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Sixty­second General Assembly of the State of Colorado, the Senate concurring herein:

That, in accordance with section 24­75­201.3, Colorado Revised Statutes, the general assembly hereby certifies to the controller of the state of Colorado that the estimate of gross general fund revenues for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1999, is $5,700.9 million. The general assembly further certifies that the estimate of the allowable state general fund appropriations for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1999, under section 24­75­201.1, Colorado Revised Statutes, is $4,981.0 million.

Be It Further Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the controller of the state of Colorado, Arthur L. Barnhart.