At this morning’s Denver Chamber legislative preview breakfast, Democrats had their hopes and dreams squashed by Republican Senate President Kevin Grantham. When asked by the moderator what Senate Democrats’ top priority is for the coming legislative session, Senate Minority Leader Lucia Guzman offered the hospital provider fee.
From our event correspondent, Kristen Wyatt at AP:
Senate D leader @LuciaGuzman calls Hospital Provider Fee the “top priority” for Senate Ds. “We can do this.” #coleg
— Kristen Wyatt (@APkristenwyatt) January 5, 2017
Actually Sen. Guzman, you’re in a split legislature, so it might be tough – as shown by Grantham’s response:
BOOM. Asked about Hospital Provider Fee, @SenatorGrantham: “It’s off the table.” #coleg
— Kristen Wyatt (@APkristenwyatt) January 5, 2017
The truth is that we don’t have a revenue problem, we have a spending problem. Besides, by Guzman’s own admission, even the Hospital Provider Fee wouldn’t be enough.
On Hospital Provider Fee, @luciaguzman: “That will not be enough. … We need $2 billion more each year.” #coleg
— Kristen Wyatt (@APkristenwyatt) January 5, 2017
But, then again, there’s never enough of other people’s money for Democrats, is there?