Legislators received proposed budget cuts — including a $65 million whack for public schools and $30 million for higher education — at 10:30 a.m. Monday.

By 2 p.m., debate raged over whether they were the right trims for Colorado.

Now, after two months of knowing that they must close a $625 million budget gap by June 30, state officials must decide in the next week whether it is best to cut higher education, tourism marketing funds or sell off loans for state water projects, among other things.

"(Former Senate Majority Leader) Norma Anderson used to say that Chinese proverb 'May you live in interesting times.' It was also a curse," said Sen. Moe Keller, a Wheat Ridge Democrat and Joint Budget Committee chairwoman. "These are definitely interesting times."

JBC members made few changes from the budget-balancing proposal offered by Gov. Bill Ritter one month ago. They did spare $2 million in senior services that Ritter proposed eliminating and did not back a $26 million increase for school districts he had sought to offset some cuts.

So, legislators are faced with the possibility of cutting some $65 million from K-12 education and $30 million from public colleges and universities.

Last year, lawmakers increased funding for kindergarten through 12th grade schools above what they were required to do by the state constitution and the proposed cuts would reverse that. Part of the money was to be spent on expanding full-day kindergarten.

In addition to the proposed $65 million in cuts, the budget committee rejected a request to increase funding by $26 million because of an increase in students, normally a routine matter at the Capitol.

Sen. Chris Romer, D-Denver, stoked debate among Senate Democrats by suggesting the state sell $100 million of state loans that were made for water projects and put the money toward education. Keller questioned if such a sale was realistic.

Several rural legislators, meanwhile, fumed about proposals to bump up the cost of well permits from $100 to $665 and substitute water supply plans for developers from $300 to $2,000. Rep. Cory Gardner, R-Yuma, called them "massive increases."

Debate continues over a $3.8 million proposed cut to tourism marketing activities — a reduction from the roughly $10 million cut Ritter sought. Some Democrats have questioned whether that is a core governmental function, but Sen. Rollie Heath, D-Boulder, said Monday that such a move could cut jobs in tourism, the state's second-largest industry.

The 31 bills that comprise the budget-balancing package are scheduled for their first committee hearings Tuesday morning.