Understanding the Long Bill

The scal year for Colorado state government begins on July 1 and ends on June 30 of the following year. Like any other large entity, the agencies of our state government work year round on the budget for the following year. It is important to understand some basics about the state budget before examining it in depth.

Ultimately the Governor of Colorado presents a budget to the legislature for its approval or rejection. e budget bill known as “ e Long Bill” is the result of year round planning by di erent state agencies, the Governor and those who assist him. e O ce of State Planning and Budgeting assists the Governor with planning his budget and making various spending recommendations to the legislature much like the O ce of Management and Budget assists the president.

Once the legislature has debated the “Long Bill” both houses will vote

Other businesses in the manufacturing industry based in Golden have encountered similar problems and many have explored moving out of Colorado to reduce their overhead costs. If costs of living don’t come down, this could eventually trickle down to small businesses and incentivize them to leave in order to save money, hurting Colorado’s economy.

Small businesses make up about 80% of Colorado’s economy, and losing small businesses because of high costs of living will have lasting consequences for decades to come. If we continue moving in this direction, communities will lose vital subsects of professions and families will end up decentralized.

Jefferson County has been slow to react to the housing crisis despite housing many manufacturing businesses like mine, and it’s time for the state to work with communities across Colorado to create more affordable housing options. This problem has become too big for counties and cities to do this alone – and we need to solve the housing crisis now.

To address these challenges, we need to create more different types of housing that will help create more options for low- and moderate-income families. Solving the housing crisis should be Colorado’s top priority to help small businesses bounce back. By working together and investing in more housing options, we can create a more vibrant and sustainable community for all Coloradans.

Liz Geisleman is the CEO of Rocky Mountain Reagents in Golden and the former Board Chair of the West Metro Chamber and JeffCo EDC.

May 3, 1945 - March 13, 2023

JOE WEBB Columnist

on that bill and send it to the governor for his signature or veto. e Governor can sign or veto the whole bill. He can also veto various line item expenditures within the bill like the Governors from many other states. is is an ability the President does not have with the budget of the federal government.

e legislature has a signi cant input into the budget through the Joint Budget Committee. e Joint Budget Committee of the Colorado General Assembly is composed of six members currently, three Senators and three Representatives. Currently, it consists of two Democrats from the

SEE WEBB, P28

Tuula Cole, 77, of Golden / Lakewood, Colorado passed away on March 13, 2023. Tuula was born in Helsinki, Finland. She graduated with a BS in social work from Sacramento State College. She had careers in many di erent elds. She was preceded in death by her husband Rodger Cole, and survived by 3 children and multiple grandchildren and great grandchildren. She loved and supported animal welfare groups. In retirement, she played an integral role in supporting the development of her Grandchildren well into adulthood. You could often nd her with a newly published book and a rich cup of co ee. Her friends called her the lending library.

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Type in “restaurant” on Google Maps and set the lter to “open 24 hours.” You’ll be hard-pressed to nd any local restaurants serving up food to the night owls, late workers and early risers.

Unless you’re seeking around-the-clock Mexican food.

“We’re open 24 hours, and it’s something fresh, you know?” said Govanny Alvarado, a member of the family who runs Alvarado’s Mexican Fast Food. Compared to other restaurants, “you can taste the di erence,” Alvarado said.

e new Englewood spot that opened in August adds to a small but mighty list of Mexican joints that o er all-day, all-night service in the Denver metro area — a type of restaurant that’s becoming more di cult to nd since the COVID-19 pandemic struck.

“Most people like us, you know, we’re always looking for a late-night snack,” said Alvarado, 21, adding that his family “understands the struggle” to nd restaurants that are open late.

His family members, longtime workers in the Mexican fast-food industry, gained experience at his uncle’s restaurant in Arizona. ey later started working for Taco Star and Tacos Rapidos, two chains with 24-hour locations in the metro area, Alvarado said.

“And Taco Star, the one in ornton here, that’s where my dad worked, and that’s where I started as well when I was young,” Alvarado said of the location near 84th Avenue and Washington Street.

When his family members had the chance to start their own restaurant about six years ago, they opened Tacos Los Compas — another 24-hour eatery, near downtown Denver and the Auraria Campus.

“Most of the people that I’ve known or talked to customer-wise, they’re all from Arizona or California, and they all say they miss that taste of authentic Mexican food,” Alvarado said.

Carrying on authentic recipes is part of the job as well for Tamale Kitchen, a longstanding family business with locations around the metro area.

What makes the restaurant unique is “the green chile, the New Mexico-style red chile, the tamale avors, just the avors in general of just old grandma recipe — the beans, the rice, everything’s grandma’s recipes,” said Jose Bishop, owner of the Westminster and Northglenn locations.

e restaurant grew out of an e ort to sell tamales door to door in 1980, and the rst Tamale Kitchen opened in Lakewood in 1981, according to its website.

Its Northglenn location at 104th Avenue and Huron Street stays open around the clock on the weekends, running from 5 a.m. Friday through 10 p.m. Sunday.

e business has expanded to eight locations, stretching from Adams County all the way to Highlands Ranch, and some are franchises run by people outside the family, Bishop said.

Familiar places see challenges

Alvarado noted that after the COVID-19 pandemic shook up the