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Officials: Investments in Colorado Children Sliding

by KREX News Room
by John Dias

Story Created: Dec 21, 2012 at 6:46 AM MDT

Story Updated: Dec 21, 2012 at 6:46 AM MDT

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.- With the recent tragedy in Newtown, Conn., the safety of our children is on the minds of most of us. But one organization found investments in the security of Colorado children is sliding.

Colorado Children's Campaign is a non-partisan organization that focuses on improving the well-being of children, and recently discovered through their annual analysis that state investments for programs that are supposed to protect kids from abuse and neglect are being slashed.

“We just need to make the children our highest priority,” said Stacey Mascarenas, co-chair of How are the Children. “It’s always so devastating when you hear that programs are getting cut. So many of the programs here are grant based, so when programming gets cut, it trickles down to our local communities on what these programs can do.”

According to Colorado Children’s Campaign, state investments in Colorado children have decreased 2 percent per year, on average, in the past 5 years.

“When you think of a child’s life from birth to 18, and you see continual cuts over and over again, that affects a child and their mental development and physical development,” said Mascarenas.

Some of the categories hit the hardest are early childhood development, health services and K-12 education.

Which Amanda Green, who's a mother of two, says makes things a lot harder.

“I don’t believe our kids are getting anywhere the care they need anymore,” said Green, a Grand Junction resident.

Officials from How are the Children say if these funds continue to decrease, we may start to seem some programs diminish all together.

“When funding gets cut, those seem to be an easy target,” said Mascarenas. “As we've seen locally, we can't do that anymore.”

Officials say historically, these services that children depend on for food, safety and security have been among the hardest hit during tough economic times.

Governor John Hickenlooper’s proposed budget for the next fiscal year includes new investment in education and health, but won't be decided on until the coming months.

For more information on the cuts, click here.

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With the DO NOTHING said on Friday, Dec 21 at 1:56 PM

Congress stoping all things the dems are trying to do, and the Filibuster Senate jamming up all the works and you blame the Dems. Apperantly you failed Civics 101

Donna said on Friday, Dec 21 at 11:12 AM

Your responders above have no idea what they or KREX were talking about unless they are people who have no children and no real understanding that the children of today are our leaders of tomorrow. I guess some think we don't need leaders of tomorrow? And apparently they also don't understand that non-partison means both republicans and democrats

Kate said on Friday, Dec 21 at 9:57 AM

"Colorado Children's Campaign is a non-partisan organization " This is just another Leftwing front organization.. You can always tell by the code words "non-partisan". This whole story is anther example of "press release" "journalism". The Left Wing Partisans (from the "non-partisan" organization) sent this story in it's entirety to KREX. John Dias, then reformatted it, put his name on it and called it "journalism". What absolute GARBAGE !!! John and KREX ought to be ashamed. But as long as you're stupid enough to view them and buy from their advertisers, they'll keep pumping this sort of sewage down your throat.

Anonymous said on Friday, Dec 21 at 9:21 AM

"Investments" Code word for massive tax increases coming. Parents? DO YOU JOB or keep your legs closed.

Disgusted said on Friday, Dec 21 at 9:01 AM

Wow, a sinking tide strands all ships. How about that? Thanks Democrats for what you have done to this country!

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