Brandon Schaffer
Press Release from COLORADO STATE SENATE
“We are sticking to the pledge to find innovative ways to support the education of our kids.”
Today, a bill that will offer Coloradans a new tax check-off for early childhood education passed in the Senate.
Senate Bill 109, creates a new income tax check-off to collect donations for the Public Education Fund, which is created by the bill. The “Public Education Fund Tax Check-off,” allows Coloradans to support early childhood education by adding a voluntary donation option on Colorado tax returns.
Early in the legislative session, the Senate passed a state budget package that made difficult cuts across every state department. Dedicated to the success of Colorado’s kids and their education, Senate Democrats made a pledge to do everything possible to reduce the cuts to schools and find alternative options for narrowing the shortfall in education funding. Adhering to this pledge, the passage of SB-109 in the Senate today furthers Democratic efforts to offset necessary cuts to education, and in doing so, protect Colorado jobs and create a business-ready workforce.
Senate President, Brandon Shaffer (D-Longmont) is the sponsor of Senate Bill 109, and he offered the following comment on the success of his bill today:
“In a year where we have had to make serious cuts to our budget, no state program, including education, has gone unscathed, but with the passage of SB-109, we are sticking to the pledge to find innovative ways to support the education of our kids. This bill gives Coloradans the opportunity to support schools and is an innovative way to do more for children and their future.”
Senate Bill 109 designates money from the Public Education fund be distributed to the Department of Education for use in the Colorado Preschool Program. The program serves three- thru five-year-old children who lack overall learning readiness due to significant family risk factors, who are in need of language development, or who are receiving certain services from the Department of Human Services.
The bill now heads to the House for consideration.
Eddie Stern, Communications Director, (303) 866-4882, edward.stern@state.co.us
Jack Wylie, Deputy Communications Director, (303) 866-3005, jack.wylie@state.co.us
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