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DENVER, CO – House Speaker-designate Julie McCluskie today appointed Representatives Shannon Bird and Emily Sirota to the Joint Budget Committee.
“It’s certainly bittersweet for me to leave the budget committee, but with these two lawmakers stepping up, I know it’s in great hands,” said Speaker-designate Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon. “I’m proud of the results we’ve delivered in recent years–more funding for schools to increase teacher pay and reduce class sizes, increased resources to improve public safety, and some of the lowest unemployment rates in the country. Representatives Bird and Sirota will bring incredible talent, vision and leadership to the JBC. I know they will listen and work closely with each member to advance the diverse interests of every community in every corner of our state.”
“I’m thrilled that Representatives Sirota and Bird will be joining the JBC,” said Majority Leader-elect Monica Duran, D-Wheat Ridge. “We have one of the largest and most diverse caucuses in the history of our state, and I know that with these appointments, our wide range of voices and views will be well represented on the JBC and in our budget. With people of color making up more than half of our leadership team, I’m excited to see our inclusive values will be a consistent focus of our state budget. Reps. Sirota and Bird will be instrumental in helping us invest in key priorities while increasing funding for schools and critical services. I’m confident both of our new JBC members advance our values and move Colorado forward.”
“It’s a privilege to join the Joint Budget Committee and continue our work to make Colorado more affordable, invest in our schools, create jobs, support small businesses and build an economy that works for everyone in our state,” said Rep. Shannon Bird, D-Westminster. “While Colorado leads the nation in job growth, fiscal constraints mean we must be smart about where we direct our resources. We have an opportunity to address historical inequities that disproportionately impact communities or color, and I’m committed to working with my colleagues to craft an equitable budget that reflects the priorities of our constituents and the diversity of our caucus and prepares our state for the bright future we have ahead.”
“I’m honored to serve on the Joint Budget Committee, and I’m excited to get to work crafting a budget that protects and expands critical services in every community in our state, especially those that have been underserved,” said Rep. Emily Sirota, D-Denver. “I’ll prioritize investments that uplift the communities historically left behind–often communities of color, which are disproportionately impacted by the challenges we must address like climate change, education funding and income inequality. I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass a budget that addresses the most pressing needs in our state, helps every community thrive and moves Colorado forward.”
Rep. Bird, first elected in 2018, represents House District 29 in Adams County, which includes much of Westminster. Rep. Bird is currently the Chair of the House Finance Committee, a member of the Business Affairs & Labor Committee, and the Pension Commission and Pension Review Subcommittee. She has passed legislation to support small businesses and boost Colorado’s economy, including creating the Small Business Recovery Loan Program in 2020. She attended the University of Colorado at Boulder where she earned a B.A. in Economics. She later graduated from the University of Colorado at Denver, earning both an MBA and an MS in Finance. Representative Bird completed her education by earning a J.D. at the University of Denver College of Law.
Rep. Sirota, first elected in 2018, represents House District 9 in the Colorado Legislature, and is Vice-Chair of the Public & Behavioral Health & Human Services Committee and she serves on the Energy & Environment Committee. Before her election to the Colorado House of Representatives, Emily helped run an early learning center in Denver. As a Representative for House District 9, Emily has championed worker's rights, campaign finance reform, a healthy and vibrant public education system, environmental justice, progressive tax policy and fundamental reforms to our pillars of democracy. She received her B.A. in Political Science at Indiana University and received her Master of Social Work from the University of Denver.