STATE BILL COLORADO
A Joint Budget Committee evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats settled on Sen. Mary Hodge, D-Brighton, as its chair for the 2011 legislative session.
The current chair is Rep. Mark Ferrandino, D-Denver.
The vote was unanimous, notes a statement, published below, from the Senate Democratic caucus.
DENVER— Today, the Joint Budget Committee (JBC) selected Senator Mary Hodge (D-Brighton) as its Chair for the 2011 legislative session. The JBC is a bipartisan committee charged with the creating a balanced state budget every year. This year the JBC will face a shortfall of more than $1 billion. Senator Hodge was elected unanimously by the Joint Budget Committee’s three Democrat and three Republican members.
“I am honored to have been selected by my colleagues to serve as the chair of this committee,” stated Senator Hodge. “Balancing the budget during an economic downturn is no easy task. It will require decisive, conscientious, collaboration to craft a budget that will support the financial sector, preserve core services, and best serve Coloradans in every corner of the state.”
Former JBC Chair, Representative Mark Ferrandino (D-Denver), is the longest serving member of the JBC. “I look forward to working with new our members and new leader. I trust that under the wise leadership of Senator Hodge we will continue to find ways to work together and tackle our difficult budgetary issues. As the longest serving member of the JBC, I welcome the opportunity to work on the budget in new and innovative ways.”
Senator Hodge has served Colorado for 8 years as a state representative and currently serves as Senator for Senate District 25. A small business owner herself, she has served on the Senate Appropriations Committee, the Local Government and Energy Committee, and was Chair of the Agriculture, Livestock, and Natural Resources committee before being selected to serve on the JBC.
Other legislators serving on the JBC include Senator Pat Steadman (D-Denver), Senator Kent Lambert (R-Colorado Springs), Freshmen Representative John Becker (R-Fort Morgan), and Representative Cheri Gerou (R-Evergreen). Rep. Gerou was elected Vice- Chair of the JBC.
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