Coloradans are kind-hearted people who want to do right for the poor and down-trodden — especially when they think someone with more money than themselves must pay for it.
Which is why voters approved a so-called free lunch measure a couple of years ago because they were told it would only cost $100 million a year and only families with combined incomes of $300,000 would pay for it.
Plus, school kitchen workers were supposed to get raises, and schools would get money to buy locally sourced food and new kitchen equipment.
Yet the program is already wildly over budget just to pay for the meals and Democrat state lawmakers are suggesting that if taxpayers really want to pay employees more, get locally sourced food plus some kitchen bling, it’s going to cost taxpayers extra at all levels — both state and federal.
Here’s how CPR explained the measure when it passed:
If a school district opts in to receive additional funding, higher wages and more locally produced food will happen next school year (2024-25).
It’s estimated that it will cost $100 million a year to fund the program, which will be paid for by taxing high earners.
But now the Denver Post reports the program’s already cost $115 million and is expected to cost another $50 million just to feed kids the regular crap, plus another $22 million if taxpayers still want all those extras like locally sourced food and more pay for workers.
From the Denver Post:
Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, a Brighton Republican who serves on the budget committee, said she wouldn’t support tapping into the state’s general fund since that would mean a de facto cut for other state programs, from Medicaid to the Department of Corrections. She called on the Department of Education to wrangle more federal dollars and to operate the program within its means.
“When this was going through, the voters weren’t told this could cost general fund money,” Kirkmeyer said. “… They were told this would cover the costs of healthy meals for every kid in school. And it doesn’t cover it.”
The “free” school lunch program is not so much about feeding the needy. It’s about growing the Nanny State with more socialist spending programs that comes with the benefit of giving politicians more power and more votes.
Healthy costs extra.