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Colorado lawmakers could give up expense payment raise

Associated Press
Denver, CO Colorado

DENVER – Colorado lawmakers are looking at their own expenses as they try to balance the budget.

Lawmakers from outside the metro area get paid $150 a day to cover housing and meals and that amount is set to rise to $191 in July. Legislative leaders from both parties want to forgo that raise until 2012.

That would save the state $238,005, a drop in the bucket toward closing the $1.5 billion budget shortfall.



The bill passed its first committee vote on Wednesday.

Republican Sen. Dave Schultheis was the only member to vote no. With lawmakers earning $30,000 a year, he’s concerned that the move will make it even harder for people to be able to serve in the Legislature.

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The bill now heads to the Senate Appropriations Committee for another vote.

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The measure is Senate Bill 119


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