By Donna Lynne, Kelly Nordini and Rebecca McClellan

This month, after the effects of federal H.R. 1 hit Colorado’s budget like a sledgehammer, Colorado lawmakers had to cut more than $1.5 billion from our state budget, leaving virtually no corner untouched. Critical programs for health care, the environment and education felt the effects. We do not envy the Joint Budget Committee, as they had to make tough decisions to slash programs leaders on both sides of the aisle care about in order to balance our budget. Unfortunately, we could be in for more of the same, especially if the Colorado Contractors Association gets its way at the ballot this fall.

Right now, they are collecting signatures on Initiative 175, a measure that promises to improve Colorado’s roads without raising taxes. If that sounds too good to be true, that’s because it is. This effort simply diverts existing funds from existing programs — especially critical programs like Medicaid, K-12 education, and higher education. These three programs constitute nearly 71% of the state’s General Fund and Initiative 175 would divert more $540 million from the general fund.

This measure is not exactly a grassroots, citizen-led effort to fix our roads. The initiative is backed by corporations that stand to benefit financially from more highway construction. In other words, it takes money that currently supports Colorado’s kids, families and seniors and redirects it toward projects that benefit the contractors backing the measure.

Roughly 20% of Coloradans’ get their health coverage through Medicaid and Colorado’s budgetary constraints are already affecting access to health care for Coloradans. Beginning in 2027, H.R. 1 will also drop tens of thousands of Colorado Medicaid patients from the program — resulting in delays or even avoidance in getting needed care and additional costs to health care providers. Initiative 175 would make this much, much worse and cuts that disproportionately affect Coloradans with disabilities, seniors and children are inevitable.

Proposition 175 would threaten new funding for at-risk and rural K-12 students and put Colorado’s ability to meet constitutional education funding requirements out of reach. Colorado already ranks as one the lowest states for higher education funding in the nation. Initiative 175 would surely secure our spot at the bottom. Students at Colorado universities, community colleges and technical colleges will face higher tuition costs due to Initiative 175.

Initiative 175 decimates Medicaid, K-12 and education funding by design. But it also has less obvious consequences. The measure diverts $156 million from 10 cash funds that fund driver licensing, Emergency Medical Services licensing and certification, law enforcement officer licensing, and other critical programs. Another $257.9 million would be diverted from transportation fees from enterprises, which fund transit and electric vehicles. These are important programs; if they are defunded, the legislature would likely need to find additional funds to keep them up and running, which means even more strain on the General Fund.

That’s right, the backers of this initiative are saying building highways is more important than ambulances, drivers’ licensing services and certifying law enforcement officers for duty. We saw what reckless and poorly executed cuts do when Elon Musk’s DOGE team made cuts without understanding what they were cutting or the consequences of their decisions. “Move fast and break things” is not the solution we need here in Colorado.

Colorado deserves a serious conversation about how to fund transportation while protecting the schools, health care systems and services people rely on every day. Proposition 175 isn’t the solution. The proponents should withdraw Initiative 175 and come back with a plan that actually fixes transportation without breaking everything else.

Donna Lynne is chief executive of Denver Health. Kelly Nordini is chief executive of Conservation Colorado. Rebecca McClellan has served the 6th Congressional District on the state Board of Education since 2017.