Stop! Go faster! Turn here!

The Backseat Budgeter is a tool designed to engage and educate people about Colorado’s complex budget and the constitutional requirements for spending and revenue legislation. The Budgeter also provides a forum to express our views about where we are going and how fast we should try to get there.

If you think we should be on the road to health care for all you can choose that option. But watch out—now you will have to figure out how to pay for it. Do you want to cut spending in another area? Would you rather raise taxes? All these options are available to you as a backseat legislator, but like those working under the dome, you still have to follow the state’s constitutional requirements—such as TABOR or Amendment 23.

After you create your budget legislation, you can see how it stacks up against Colorado’s actual 2008-2009 budget. And we’ll compile all your answers and share them with the Governor and legislature.

The Colorado State Budget version of Backseat Budgeter is presented by the Bighorn Leadership Development Program at Colorado State University.