Colorado lawmakers introduce a $26.8 billion state spending bill

Colorado lawmakers introduced a $26.8 billion state spending bill Monday that offers a modest increase in state employee salaries and education at the expense of cuts to hospitals.
The state Senate will take the first votes Wednesday on the packages of budget bills and the attention will focus on the $10.6 billion in discretionary spending. Senate Bill 254 was introduced Monday following a a marathon session last week that stretched to 11 p.m. Wednesday.
The Joint Budget Committee stru