Back in March we predicted a big November ballot (The November State Ballot Could Be a Monster) and that has turned out to be true. State initiatives on anti-fracking, energy and transportation and school funding have topped the list for proposed ballot questions. The signature collection process is drawing to a close and now the Secretary of State’s office starts the process to determine which of the measures gathered the nearly 98,500 valid signatures to be certified for the ballot. For constitutional amendments there’s also a geographic distribution requirement on where the signatures must be collected.
So, with that, here are some of the items that may be on the ballot pending the outcome of the process cited about:
- Initiative 93: This measure would be an income tax increase on businesses and higher income Coloradoans for preschool through 12 public education.
- Initiative 97: If passed this measure would dramatically increase setbacks on oil and gas extraction, basically stopping new oil and gas development in Colorado.
- Initiative 108: This would be an amendment to the Colorado constitution requiring a government to award just compensation to owners of private property when a government law or regulation reduces the fair market value of the property. This is a counter to Initiative 97.
- Initiative 126: This initiative would place limitations on payday lenders and reduce allowable charges on payday loans to an annual percentage rate of no more than thirty-six percent.
- Initiative 153: This is one of two transportation issues. This one would increase the state sales and use tax rate by 0.62% for transportation projects.
- Initiative 167: This is the other transportation measure and is known as “Fix Our Damn Roads. No tax increase with this one. Instead, the money would come from the existing state general fund to back the issuance of transportation bonds.
- Initiative 173: Another proposed amendment to the Colorado constitution, Initiative 173 would provide that if any candidate in a primary or general election for state office directs more than one million dollars in support of his or her own election, then every candidate for that office in the same election may accept five times the amount of campaign contributions normally allowed.
As we have the opportunity to study these proposals more closely, we’ll share additional information with you.