CCLP testifies in support of measures to help balance the budget

CCLP testifies in support of measures to help balance the budget

by Chris Nelson| Aug 27, 2025

Family Economic Security, Legislative Updates, Research and Policy Analysis, Testimony

On Thursday, August 21, 2025, Chris Nelson, Research & Policy Analyst for CCLP provided testimony to the House Appropriations Committee in support of House Bill 25B-1003, Insurance Premium Tax Rate for Home Offices during the Special Session. CCLP is in support of HB25B-1003.

Thank you, Madame Chair and committee members,

My name is Chris Nelson, and I serve as the Research & Policy Analyst at the Colorado Center on Law and Policy. CCLP is an antipoverty organization dedicated to advancing the rights of every Coloradan. I'm here today to respectfully ask for your support of HB25B-1003.

The federal tax cuts in HR.1 have created a budget crisis that threatens Colorado's most vulnerable families. We're facing over $1 billion in lost revenue, even before accounting for the bill's provisions that will shift more of the costs of Medicaid and SNAP onto Colorado. As a result of Congress' actions, communities already struggling will bear the heaviest burden while our wealthiest residents will see an average tax cut of $71,000 next year. The bottom 20% of taxpayers will see an average cut of $70. Corporations also saw favorable tax changes as a result of the bill.

Should we continue giving insurance companies a tax break, especially considering the tax cuts they will see from HR-1? Colorado's State Auditor found that companies receiving the RHO credit cut thousands of jobs while collecting millions in tax benefits from the state. Meanwhile, insurance premiums in Colorado continue to rise, and families are forced to choose between paying for coverage and putting food on the table.

Without action, the cuts coming to our state will devastate families living paycheck to paycheck. We're talking about slashing Medicaid coverage that helps keep families healthy or cutting the food assistance that helps working parents feed their kids. Not to mention other cuts we may see in other areas, like transportation and school funding.

Every dollar we give away in corporate tax breaks is a dollar we can't invest in lifting families out of poverty. It's a child who loses access to healthcare. It's a single parent who can't afford trade school or college. It's a senior choosing between medication and groceries.

This special session is our chance to protect working families and ensure that profitable corporations contribute their fair share. We cannot balance our budget on the backs of those who are already struggling.

The choice is clear: protect the programs that give Colorado families a fighting chance over protecting tax breaks for the wealthy and corporations who have just seen massive windfalls from federal legislation.

We urge you to vote yes on HB25B-1003. Thank you for your time and consideration.

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