Election2021
Ballot cheat sheet Off-year election, while maybe not as flashy, still as important by Telegraph staff
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mendments, propositions, TABOR, homestead exemptions – please don’t turn the page! This year’s election may not be as sexy as 2020, or as annoying for that matter, but voting is important and does affect your life and pocketbook. Or I guess we should start saying, Venmo account. Remember when Puff Daddy threatened to kill you if you didn’t vote? Well, we’re not exactly making as bold of a threat, but whether you know it or not, these seemingly dull and not important ballot questions do have an impact on our state and how our taxpayer money is spent. Why else would shady organizations dump millions of dollars into this election? Getting informed and voting doesn’t take all that long either, and hopefully our election cheat sheet helps out. Other than three ballot items (two propositions and one amendment), the only other election this fall is for the Durango School District 9-R School Board. As is Telegraph tradition (and for everyone’s sake), we do not endorse candidates. We did, however, have a pretty long story in last week’s issue that took a look at who’s running. If you missed it, you can still find the story online at durango telegraph.com or if you prefer print, you can go track down whoever is stealing all our papers from the Durango Post Office box and ask for an old copy. All right, here we go. We can get through this. 1. Proposition 120, the Reduce Property Tax Rates and Retain $25 Million in TABOR Surplus Revenue Initiative The 411: Colorado’s housing prices are skyrocketing and increasingly, it’s harder for normal people to live in this beautiful state. If this comes as news to you, we want what you’re having. Proposition 120 is being sold by its supporters as at least one way to give some financial relief to the housing crisis. But as our ole pal Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe always used to say: the devil is in the details. Proposition 120 would lower property taxes paid by owners of multifamily housing units – including duplexes, triplexes and apartment buildings – from 7.15% to 6.5% and the non-residential property tax assessment rate (for lodging properties such as hotels) from 29% to 26.4%. Proposition 120 would not, however, apply to singlefamily homes, which have an assessed property tax value of 7.15%. If approved, the tax cut for these select property owners
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would come at a cost of an estimated $50 million to the state and local governments, money that would go to fund schools, fire districts and libraries. Proposition 120 also tacks on another stipulation, authorizing the state to keep and spend $25 million in revenue above the TABOR spending cap for five years to fund existing reimbursements to local governments for the homestead property tax exemption – a Colorado law that gives reduced property taxes to seniors and disabled veterans. Those in favor say: The measure – though a property tax reduction only for multifamily housing and lodging owners – could help reduce rents and encourage investors to build more homes to address the state’s housing shortage. Also, lodging owners may “hire and retain more employees and potentially reduce lodging rates, attracting additional visitors,” supporters claim. The measure is being supported by Colorado Rising State Action, a conservative advocacy organization, and Unite for Colorado, a conservative dark money group. Those against it say: Proposition 120 would slash budgets for schools, emergency services and other essential government functions, all to give a tax break to wealthy property owners who own multiple properties or lodging businesses. They argue single-family homeowners won’t see any financial benefits, and it’s not likely rent will go down. The measure is opposed by Colorado Education Association, a statewide federation of teachers and education workers. How we’re voting: No. While on face value, lowering property taxes to hopefully ease housing and rental costs sounds great (hey, we’re not rich), this measure doesn’t do it. Do we really expect landlords to lower rent if this measure passes? Common sense says it’s not likely. And, we feel the messaging of support for this measure has been terribly misleading to make voters think the tax break will help single-family homeowners, when it does not. Also, to make matters worse, if this measure is passed,
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important services like schools and fire districts, already underfunded, will be the ones to feel the effects. Why put more stress on these entities to help landowners on the wealthier side of life? 2. Proposition 119, the Creation of Out-OfSchool Education Program and Marijuana Sales Tax Increase Initiative The 411: Fans of marijuana, listen up! Proposition 119 would increase the marijuana retail sales tax from 15% to 20% over three years in order to create the “Learning Enrichment and Academic Progress” (LEAP) program. Now that we have your attention, let’s dive a little deeper. Proposition 119 would create an entirely new, ninemember, governor-appointed board called the “Colorado Learning Authority,” to use the money generated for LEAP to award private companies, like tutoring agencies, to offer students a range of out-of-school services. Children ages 5-17 would be eligible for programs like tutoring, instruction in English and foreign languages, emotional and physical therapy, mental health services, special support for students with special needs, as well as music, dance and art programs. The increased taxes on marijuana sales would raise more than $87 million for LEAP, according to estimates. Proposition 119 would also divert about $20 million from the State Land Trust, which supports funding for public schools. Those in favor say: Proposition 119 gives kids from lower income families a chance to access tutoring and enrichment programs, as well as help students catch up academically to their more privileged peers. These needs are even more pressing, supporters say, with the education challenges brought on in the past year and a half with the pandemic. Also, with the new program and funding, more students can benefit from after-school learning activities. The measure is supported by Learning Opportunities for Colorado’s Kids, as well as a number of Colorado elected officials from both sides of the aisle, including Gov. Jared Polis, as well as former governors Bill Owens (R) and Bill Ritter (D). Those against it say: Proposition 119 is a “public voucher scheme” that undermines public schools and diverts money to private companies that have no accountability or oversight, and could discriminate against students based on their religion, race, sexual orientation or other factors. Opponents argue any additional funds should help existing schools, and not be spent on an entirely new government agency that sends money to private companies. The marijuana industry, too, is against the measure, arguing you can’t just tax weed sales every time you want more funds. In the last six years, Colorado has collected more than $1.6 billion just at the state level from marijuana sales. The measure is opposed by the Colorado Association of School Boards, Taxpayers for Education and Colorado NORML, a cannabis consumer organization. How we’re voting: All right, here’s a likely unpopular take, but we’re going with a “No” vote. And hear us out. Yes, saying no to funding out-of-school programs, which
