This year there are 14 state ballot issues and 11 Denver ballot issues. This post addresses the state ballot issues with brief summaries and my recommendations. A separate post will address the 11 Denver ballot issues.
While I am a Democratic Party precinct organizer, these opinions are purely my own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Democratic Party of Colorado or of Denver.
* Referred State Constitutional Amendment G - Tweak property tax breaks for disabled veterans.
Weak Yes. It isn't much money and doesn't impact that many people. It has broad support and already exists in some form.
* Referred State Constitutional Amendment H - Reforms the professional ethics systems for judges.
Yes. The current system isn't very good.
* Referred State Constitutional Amendment I - Allows people charged with first degree murder to be held without an opportunity to bail out when "proof is evident or the presumption is great."
Yes. This is a small sliver of cases with a particularly high risk, and doesn't have much of an impact as bail amounts are usually set at very high levels in these cases anyway.
* Referred State Constitutional Amendment J - Remove the unconstitutional state constitutional ban on same sex marriage.
Strong Yes. In theory, this is housekeeping, but as Dobson (which repealed Roe v. Wade) showed, the U.S. Supreme Court can't be trusted to adhere to its precedents.
* Referred State Constitutional Amendment K - Tweaks deadlines for special elections.
Yes. This housekeeping measure with broad support should be adopted.
* Initiated Constitutional Amendment 79 - Guarantees abortion rights in the state constitution.
Strong Yes. With Roe v. Wade overruled, this is necessary.
* Initiated Constitutional Amendment 80 - Creates a right to school vouchers.
No. This undermines the public schools and is an attempt to get the government to fund religious institutions.
* Referred State Statute JJ - Debruces sport betting taxation so that grow in revenue can fund water conservation instead of being refunded to casinos.
Yes. Debrucing (i.e. exempting a revenue source from TABOR) is always the right choice.
* Referred State Statute KK - Create a new 6.5% state sales tax on guns and ammo that will raise $39 million a year for mental health treatment, gun safety programs, and domestic violence victims.
Yes. The gun industry and gun owners should pay for programs that reduce the harm that the industry creates.
* Initiated State Statute 127 - Establish a misdemeanor offense for killing wildcats if one of eight exceptions (e.g. self-defense) does not apply.
Yes. Wildcats are almost endangered and are natural ways to regulate the ecosystem.
* Initiated State Statute 128 - Reduce parole eligibility for certain violent crimes.
No. Colorado's sentences for violent crimes are already more than sufficiently long, and making them a little longer for convicted felons who have aged out, doesn't meaningfully reduce recidivism.
* Initiated State Statute 129 - Create a new independent veterinary paraprofessional occupational licensing regime.
No. This complex regulatory decision shouldn't be made by an all or nothing initiative and isn't necessary.
* Initiated State Statute 130 - Increasing funding for law enforcement officers by 350 million a year.
No. Initiatives are not the place to make budget decisions and Colorado's crime rates are plummeting as it is now. Also, law enforcement funding is predominantly a local government decision and should stay that way.
* Initiated State Statute 131 - Ranked choice voting, a non-partisan jungle primary, and other election reforms.
Yes. Ranked choice voting would end the spoiler effect that makes third-party and independent political campaigns toxic in our current system. A non-partisan jungle primary would remove institutional barriers associated with a two-party system that discourages moderate candidates. There are devils in the details, like voter ID requirements for primary elections, that I don't love. But since it is a statute, the state legislature can fix those problems later. A challenge to the existing two political party system will never be secured through the legislature.
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