The Bell Policy Center is doing the math around the issue of illegal immigraion, according to the Rocky Mountain News [December 30, 2005, "Cutting off illegals could cost"]. From the article, "The Bell Policy Center said Thursday that a proposed ballot initiative barring illegal immigrants from receiving nonemergency state services would cost Colorado more than it would save. The Denver-based think tank based its evaluation on a report last year by the Legislative Council, a group composed of 18 legislators, on a failed bill with similar provisions. The report said the bill would have cost roughly nine times more than it would have saved in the first year. But the sponsor of the bill said the Legislative Council's estimate 'was way, way off.' Rep. Dave Schultheis, R-Colorado Springs, said following a Bell Policy Center news conference Thursday that its report grossly underestimated the savings at $460,000 a year. He predicted the savings would be "tens of millions of dollars.' The Legislative Council report cited savings in only one of 17 state departments. It listed costs in five. In making its cost argument Thursday, Bell officials condemned an initiative that is expected to be on the November 2006 ballot. The proposed amendment to the state constitution is being promoted by a group called Defend Colorado Now, which did not return calls Thursday. Petition signatures are not yet being collected. Bell officials said the initiative's cost-cutting effect would be less than expected because it would not touch the two most expensive services provided to illegal immigrants: K-12 education and emergency medical care. Both are required by federal law for all persons in the U.S."
Here's the coverage from the Denver Post [December 30, 2005, "Immigration costs spark debate"]. They write, "The report compared the proposed initiative - which would prevent illegal immigrants from using all nonemergency services except those mandated by the federal government - to similar legislation proposed this year by Republican state Rep. David Schultheis of Colorado Springs. State departments predicted that Schultheis' proposal would cost them $4.3 million in 2005-06 and save them about $460,000, a net cost of $3.9 million. Schultheis said the fiscal analysis was 'bogus.'"
Colorado Pols: "Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper has spent the last week on vacation, and it sounds like he's returning with a decision on a potential run for governor. A decision is expected to be announced sometime next week."
Category: Denver November 2006 Election
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