Western Colorado Alliance Ballot Issues Guide

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Western Colorado Alliance Ballot Issues Guide

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REGISTER TO VOTE NOW!
The deadline is: OCTOBER 26

govotecolorado.com

Ballots go out on Oct. 9.
Expect to see yours around

OCTOBER 12

If you return your ballot
by mail, you must mail it by

OCTOBER 26

Ballot Issues Guide

Changes to the Colorado Constitution

YES

Amendment B: Repeal Property Tax Assessment Rates

Amendment B would repeal the Gallagher Amendment, which limits the residential and non-residential property tax assessment rates respectively to 45% and 55% of the total share of state property taxes. Gallagher uses state-wide averages of real estate values that ignores the difference between urban and rural Colorado, causing rapidly increasing home values on the Front Range to create revenue losses for many rural communities.

If left intact, Colorado may see more than a 1% decrease in the property tax rate, leading to a decrease of funding in the millions for schools, libraries, fire, recreation districts and more.

Gallagher is devastating small business. Shops, restaurants, and local manufacturers pay a property tax 4-times higher than others.

If repealed, a statute would take effect preventing the legislature from changing property assessment rates for four years and freezing residential tax rates at 7.15% and non-residential rates at 29%. This would save many rural communities fire, library, schools, and other districts from further economic collapse and only a vote of the people would increase property tax rates.

NO

Amendment 76: Citizen Qualification of Electors

Amendment 76 would amend the Colorado Constitution to state that “only a citizen” of the U.S. can vote in federal, state, and local elections, instead of the existing language that says “every citizen” of the U.S. can vote. The proposal seeks to solve a problem that does not exist, and would serve as a form of voter suppression by prohibiting voting eligibility for the 17-year-olds who are now able to vote in primaryelections so long as they will turn 18 by Election Day.

NEUTRAL

Amendment 77:  Local Voter Approval of Gaming Limits in Black Hawk, Central City, and Cripple Creek

When Colorado voters approved gambling in three historic mountain mining towns, it came with a lot of limits; casinos can only offer slots, blackjack, poker, craps, and roulette, and as of 2008, individual wagers are capped at $100. This measure would allow voters in the three cities to approve additional games and higher bets. It also allows revenues to go to community colleges.

Western Colorado Alliance will likely remain neutral.

NEUTRAL

Amendment C: Bingo Raffles Allow Paid Help and Repeal Five-Year Minimum

Added to the ballot by the state legislature, this measure would change how charitable gaming activities are managed. It would shorten the time a nonprofit must operate in Colorado before it can apply for a charitable gaming license, from five years to three. It would also allow licensees to hire paid staff to operate their bingo games or raffles.

New Laws

YES

Proposition 113: National Popular Vote

Prop 113 would allow Colorado to enter into the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact – an agreement among states to elect the President of the United States by national popular vote. This would take effect when states with enough electoral votes to form a majority (270) have joined the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact.

NO

Proposition 116: State Income Tax Rate Reduction

Prop 116 would reduce the state income tax rate from 4.63% to 4.55%. Few taxpayers would benefit from the proposed tax cut. About 75% of taxpayers would receive less than $50 a year, but people with incomes over $500,000 (less than 2% of taxpayers), would receive over half of the total tax savings. If passed, this measure would reduce the state’s revenue by $78.1-million this fiscal year and $158.4-million in the fiscal year 2020-21, and $2-billion in cuts over ten years.

Our Alliance worked over the summer to collect signatures in an effort to secure Initiative 271 to the ballot. This effort was not successful, and this measure would achieve the opposite of what 271 was attempting to accomplish. Initiative 271 would have raised income tax for the highest earners in CO, and lowered income taxes for 95% of Coloradans, instituting a graduated tax structure that generates state income while creating a more equitable tax system in CO. This measure does the exact opposite and widens the equity gap, again leaving the burden for low-income folks to carry.

YES

Proposition 118 Paid Family and Medical

This initiative would mandate that employers provide 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave for many Colorado workers, plus an additional four weeks for pregnancies in the event of complications. The leave could be used for childbirth and other family medical situations.

The law would offer:

• Paid leave benefits to workers who have earned at least $2,500 at their job.

• It also guarantees people won’t be fired while they’re on leave if they have been on the job at least 180 days.

• When they are on leave, workers’ wages would be partially covered through a state-administered fund.

• The money in that fund would be supplied by premiums paid by employers and workers, amounting to 0.9 percent of each worker’s wages.

• Businesses with fewer than 10 people would be exempt from the employer premium, and companies could opt to go with their own leave program instead of participating in the statewide program if it meets set criteria.

• Employers and employees split 50/50 a contribution of .9% of employee wage (.45% each). Employers can choose to pay up to 100%. 

• State and local governments are included, local governments including school districts can choose to opt-out.

• Premiums begin in January 2023.

Low-income workers (who make up to 50% of the state average weekly) receive 90% of their pay during time off. The maximum weekly benefit begins at $1,100, then adjusts to 90% of state average weekly wage.

NEUTRAL

Proposition 114: Restoration of Grey Wolves

Restoration of Grey Wolves: Reintroduces gray wolves on public lands west of the Continental Divide.

NEUTRAL

Proposition 115: Prohibition on Late-Term Abortions

Prohibition on Late-Term Abortions (Abortion Ban): Prohibits abortion after 22 weeks of gestational age.

NEUTRAL

Proposition 117 Voter Approval Requirement for Creation of Certain Fee-Based Enterprises

Enterprises were established through the Colorado Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR) amendment of 1992. Enterprises are government-owned businesses that provide goods or services for a fee or surcharge that is paid for by the individuals or entities that are purchasing the goods or services. This is in contrast to government agencies or programs that provide goods or services that are paid for by tax revenue. Enterprise revenue does not count toward the TABOR limit. TABOR limits the amount of money the state of Colorado can take in and spend. Any money collected above the TABOR limit is refunded to taxpayers unless the voters allow the state to spend it. The initiative would require statewide voter approval of new state enterprises if the enterprise’s projected or actual revenue from fees and surcharges is greater than $100-million within its first five years. Revenue collected for enterprises that were created at the same time or that serve substantially the same purpose would be aggregated when calculating the application of this amendment.

NEUTRAL

Proposition EE: Cigarette Tobacco and Nicotine Products Tax

This measure was referred to the ballot by the state legislature. If passed, it would raise an estimated $168-million next fiscal year by creating a new tax on nicotine vaping products and raising existing taxes on tobacco products. Vaping product taxes would start at 30 percent of the manufacturer’s price and eventually rise to 62 percent. The tax on cigarettes would ramp up from $0.84 a pack today to $2.64 a pack by 2027. Taxes on other tobacco products would grow from 40 percent today to 62 percent by 2027. The minimum price for cigarettes would be set at $7 per pack beginning in 2024.

About the author

Arn's career includes more than 35 years of experience in broadcast media, online advertising and branding in both Western Colorado and New York City. He is a four-time Colorado Broadcast Award winner and has also won multiple Colorado Press Association Awards. Arn also teaches Film Expression at the college level. He lives with a dramatic pit bull and a grandiose cat and enjoys painting, animating, and exploring cinema in his spare time.

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