Amendment T would change Colorado’s Constitution to remove unnecessary and archaic references to slavery. It was referred to the voters by a majority of both houses in the state Legislature and makes an important statement about Coloradans valuing freedom and equality.
Vote “Yes” on Amendment T.
Amendment U would eliminate an esoteric tax on possessory interests of $6,000 and less in which collection costs often exceed the revenue generated. It was referred to the voters by a majority of both houses in the state Legislature and reduces an administrative and financial burden on local governments collecting these taxes.
Vote “Yes” on Amendment U.
Amendment 69 would change Colorado’s Constitution to establish ColoradoCare, a statewide system that would create and finance a single-payer health care insurance program for all Coloradans. It would create over $30 billion in new taxes, redirect existing state and federal health care funding to ColoradoCare and be exempt from constitutional limits on revenue.
We like that employers would contribute 6.66 percent of an employee’s paycheck, and an employee 3.33 percent, and have no further involvement. The issue of number of hours worked to qualify for insurance would no longer be a factor, nor would deductibles, which would be eliminated.
The Affordable Care Act has added millions to the insurance rolls, but is doing little to hold down provider costs and deductibles and premiums continue to rise. We need a solution, and a single-payer plan like ColoradoCare is hopefully in our future as a nation, but how to ensure Coloradans receive the health care they require is much too large an undertaking to put into the state’s Constitution.
Vote “No” on Amendment 69.
Amendment 70 would amend Colorado’s Constitution to increase the state minimum wage from the current $8.31 to $12.00 per hour by 2020. Independent studies found that jobs grew in Colorado, rather than were lost as opponents claim, when the minimum wage was last increased in 2006. Increases tend to benefit business through reduced job turnover and improved productivity. The state also benefits as dependency on programs like food stamps decreases with wage growth.
Vote “Yes” on Amendment 70.
Amendment 71, known as “Raise the Bar,” would amend the state Constitution to make it harder to amend the state Constitution, something that has been done 152 times compared to the U.S. Constitution’s 27 times. It will encourage citizens to demand more from the Legislature, or pursue citizen initiatives through statutory rather than constitutional changes. Colorado’s Constitution is not the place for routine legislation better addressed in these other ways. Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper and every living former governor of the state support Amendment 71.
Vote “Yes” on Amendment 71.
Amendment 72 amends the state Constitution to increase the state tax on a pack of cigarettes from $0.84 to $2.59 and on other tobacco products from 40 percent to 62 percent of the price. Some $300 million per year in new tax money will be distributed statewide for medical research, tobacco prevention and other health-related programs.
Smoking kills 5,000 Coloradans a year and the public incurs almost $2.9 billion in tobacco-related health care costs per year. And most smokers pick up the habit as kids who are deterred by higher taxes. This is a no-brainer.
Vote “Yes” on Amendment 72.
