Although it will still come up hundreds of millions of dollars short in the 2011-12 fiscal year, the state will bring in more revenue than projected (Pueblo Chieftain). School districts might be glad to hear the extra cash may soften the blow of the various cuts Governor John Hickenlooper has in store for K-12 education, a topic of concern at town meetings (Longmont Times-Call). Hick's "first choice for scaling back reductions would be in K-12 education," says his budget director, Henry Sobanet (Denver Post). The extra revenue has come from increased collections of individual income taxes, including one delinquent tax payment of as much as $45 million.

As lawmakers roll up their sleeves for budget slashing, sportsmen are fretting over a cost-saving proposal to merge the Colorado Division of Wildlife and Colorado State Parks, saying little planning appears to have gone into the plan (Fort Collins Coloradoan). Meanwhile, the executive director of Colorado's Intergovernmental Risk Sharing Agency is among various public officials nationally who are getting raises (Wall Street Journal).