Economist to speak at LWVGV program

Editor:
The League of Women Voters of Gunnison County's special program, beginning at noon on Tuesday, June 9, at the Gunnison Public Library, features Colorado Fiscal Institute Senior Economist Christopher Stiffler. He will bring some clarity to the state's November ballot and the Graduated Income Tax Initiative, Initiative 195, expected to be on Colorado's November ballot.
Stiffler, who is also a professor and author--as well as high school Latin teacher, professional wrestler and outdoorsman (he has, for example, summited all of Colorado's 14,000-foot peaks and run with donkeys)--will go into the major cuts lawmakers made this session, how federal changes to Medicaid, SNAP and corporate taxes are affecting the state, and how Initiative 195 will affect school funding, health care and the future.

Colorado entered the 2026 legislative session facing a budget shortfall approaching $1.5 billion, a problem made worse by federal tax changes that unexpectedly reduced state revenues. In this accessible talk, Christopher will begin with an easy-to-understand background designed for citizens interested in learning why they will or why they will not vote "Yes" or for that matter "No."
The budget is famously a confusing document. Stiffler, though, has been explaining it to citizens for 14 years. He is a polymath. That is, he has also authored two children's books, an economics book ("Economics In-Other-Words: What Your Boring Economics Teacher Tried to Teach You") and a wellness/trail memoir, "Trail Headspace: Finding my best Self on the Colorado Trail."
Again, everyone is invited and will be welcome. It's free and cookies will also be served. Social time begins at 11:30, program at noon, Tuesday, June 9, at our awesome library at 1 Quartz St.
Mike and Susan Ritchey