Washington pols like Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet are hardly alone in their budget haggling and disappointments (Denver Post). After a stressful week in the Legislature (Pueblo Chieftain), Colorado lawmakers have finally negotiated a budget compromise with a final tally of about $7 billion (The Spot). Although the measure must still clear full votes by the state House and Senate, the fact that it's passed out of the Joint Budget Committee is cause to believe it will stick.

Some businesses will see their tax breaks renewed, including those dealing in agricultural and nonpackaged software products (Associated Press). And cuts to K-12 education will be tens of millions of dollars less than anticipated (Education News), although that's no consolation to House Minority Leader Sal Pace (Denver Business Journal). The Pueblo Democrat was notably absent from a bipartisan press conference announcing the deal late yesterday, perhaps because Pueblo and Greeley are "home to the two largest school districts in the state without mill levy overrides," meaning the cuts will disproportionately impact the schools in those districts (Chieftain).