Is there a simple formula that indicates how much of the Referendum C money should be spent on different programs and priorities?
Not exactly. A complex web of budget laws make it difficult to say exactly what it means to “comply” with Referendum C, especially because of the failure of Referendum D. While Referendum C itself authorized funding for K-12 education, higher education, health care, and transportation and police and fire pension liability, the companion legislation (which went into effect on passage of C), House Bill 05-1350, focuses on earmarks for K-12 education, higher education, and health care. (Campaign literature emphasized the focus on these priorities, as well.) Then there are other laws that have been on the books for years that further complicate the situation. For instance, one law requires certain spending on road construction, when General Fund expenditures reach a specified level, known as the “Senate Bill 1 trigger.” Because Referendum C passed, that trigger will be reached in the current fiscal year (as it was last year, as well), requiring that more than $200 million be spent on roads
