Gov. Hickenlooper signs next year’s budget, warns of looming education funding issues

Hickenlooper budget signing fiscal budget 2015 16
Gov. John Hickenlooper enjoys a laugh before signing the budget.

Colorado officially has a budget for next year. Gov. John Hickenlooper signed the $25 billion spending plan into law Friday afternoon.

Before making the budget official, Hickenlooper noted it was the product of a legislative budget committee split evenly between Republicans and Democrats.

"We celebrate the ability once again in Colorado to work in a bipartisan, constructive manner to set priorities, to achieve common goals," he said.

The budget for next fiscal year includes big increases in money for higher education and transportation, and a smaller boost for K-12 schools.

The governor is warning that the next budget is likely to be a lot harder to write than this one. The state has been propping up education funding with one-time money and those dollars are running out.

That could leave other state services feeling the pinch as Colorado struggles to meet its education obligations.