Democratic Governor John Hickenlooper and state Republicans agree: no tax increases. But the Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute is of the opposite opinion after crunching the numbers to see what that will mean for the 2011-12 budget. Most notably, more than 3,600 state workers would be laid off, many of them teachers, as a result of the roughly $1 billion in cuts (Denver Daily News). The nonpartisan think tank also warns that some programs would be hit hard. For instance, the Circle, a wait-listed Colorado Mental Health Institute program for mentally ill substance abusers, would lose 28 jobs (Colorado Independent).

In the meantime, Hickenlooper has found another way to save money: consolidate the Division of Wildlife with the Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation (Daily Sentinel). The move will eliminate 25 state jobs through attrition and reduce the number of fleet vehicles to be used by the newly minted Colorado Division of Parks, Wildlife, and Outdoor Recreation (Denver Business Journal).