2023 Colorado Proposition II was a successful a ballot measure referred to voters by the Colorado General Assembly regarding the retention of tax revenue collected from the sale of nicotine, tobacco, and vape products in Colorado. The measure requires that 23.65 million dollars the state was obligated to refund to wholesalers and distributors of these products be diverted to fund preschools within the state. On November 7, 2023, Colorado voters approved the proposition with roughly two-thirds of the electorate voting in favor.

Background In 2020, Colorado passed Proposition EE which raised taxes on nicotine, tobacco, and vape products to fund universal preschool and tobacco education programs. Proposition EE estimated that the tax would collect 186.5 million dollars within its first year, however it ended up generating 208 million dollars. Under Article X of the Colorado Constitution, the state was obligated to return the excess revenue to vendors it was collected from, plus interest. Furthermore, the state would have to lower the tax rate to match the initially anticipated quantity of revenue.

On April 10, 2023, Representatives Julie McCluskie and Emily Sirota and Senators Dominick Moreno and Rhonda Fields introduced House Bill 23-1290 to the Colorado General Assembly to refer the issue of the excess tax revenue to voters. The bill passed both houses of the Colorado General Assembly with all Republicans and three Democrats voting against the legislation. Governor Jared Polis signed the bill on June 2, 2023, resulting in Proposition II being on the November 2023 ballot. The bill stipulated that if Proposition II passed the excess revenue already generated, as well as any future excess revenue, would be transferred to funds for Colorado preschools. Additionally, it clarified that the tax rate set by Proposition EE would remain in place should Proposition II be approved by voters. Reduction

Contents The proposition appeared on the ballot as follows:

Campaigns

Support The main campaign to vote yes on Proposition II was led by the organization Preschool for all Coloradans. The organization contended that the passage of Proposition II would make preschool more widely available for Coloradan families and that the increased tax rate would lead to fewer youth and young adults using tobacco and nicotine products. The official state voter guide also included arguments to support Proposition II including the claim that more preschool funding will lead to children of different socioeconomic backgrounds being able to start kindergarten with similar educational foundations.

Opposition There was no major organized campaign against Proposition II. However, the official state voter guide listed two main arguments against the proposition. The guide offered that Proposition II was an unnecessary expansion of government given that Colorado preschools were already fully funded and that the higher tax rate could harm those suffering from addiction.

Results

Results by county County For Against Margin Total votes cast # % # % # % Adams 67,340 66.79% 33,477 33.21% 33,863 33.59% 100,817 Alamosa 2,260 60.70% 1,463 39.30% 797 21.41% 3,723 Arapahoe 118,572 70.41% 49,829 29.59% 68,743 40.82% 168,401 Archuleta 3,722 70.83% 1,533 29.17% 2,189 41.66% 5,255 Baca 518 40.28% 768 59.72% -250 -19.44% 1,286 Bent 609 46.60% 698 53.40% -89 -6.81% 1,307 Boulder 97,034 82.62% 20,419 17.38% 76,615 65.23% 117,453 Broomfield 19,060 73.51% 6,869 26.49% 12,191 47.02% 25,929 Chaffee 6,453 68.90% 2,913 31.10% 3,540 37.80% 9,366 Cheyenne 183 27.77% 476 72.23% -293 -44.46% 659 Clear Creek 2,294 67.35% 1,112 32.65% 1,182 34.70% 3,406 Conejos 1,277 58.98% 888 41.02% 389 17.97% 2,165 Costilla 753 65.71% 393 34.29% 360 31.41% 1,146 Crowley 448 39.68% 681 60.32% -233 -20.64% 1,129 Custer 1,226 47.21% 1,371 52.79% -145 -5.58% 2,597 Delta 5,870 52.93% 5,221 47.07% 649 5.85% 11,091 Denver 132,769 82.54% 28,090 17.46% 104,679 65.08% 160,859 Dolores 451 51.72% 421 48.28% 30 3.44% 872 Douglas 93,636 66.11% 47,993 33.89% 45,643 32.23% 141,629 Eagle 11,164 74.48% 3,825 25.52% 7,339 48.96% 14,989 El Paso 118,028 60.63% 76,656 39.37% 41,372 21.25% 194,684 Elbert 5,091 41.93% 7,050 58.07% -1,959 -16.14% 12,141 Fremont 7,791 52.35% 7,092 47.65% 699 4.70% 14,883 Garfield 9,883 67.58% 4,741 32.42% 5,142 35.16% 14,624 Gilpin 1,557 60.73% 1,007 39.27% 550 21.45% 2,564 Grand 3,741 67.03% 1,840 32.97% 1,901 34.06% 5,581 Gunnison 5,228 77.05% 1,557 22.95% 3,671 54.10% 6,785 Hinsdale 244 61.77% 151 38.23% 93 23.54% 395 Huerfano 1,569 56.42% 1,212 43.58% 357 12.84% 2,781 Jackson 199 43.45% 259 56.55% -60 -13.10% 458 Jefferson 138,609 67.85% 65,689 32.15% 72,920 35.69% 204,298 Kiowa 153 29.03% 374 70.97% -221 -41.94% 527 Kit Carson 1,150 45.19% 1,395 54.81% -245 -9.63% 2,545 La Plata 13,245 72.39% 5,052 27.61% 8,193 44.78% 18,297 Lake 1,355 65.30% 720 34.70% 635 30.60% 2,075 Larimer 87,262 70.49% 36,536 29.51% 50,726 40.97% 123,798 Las Animas 2,725 55.57% 2,179 44.43% 546 11.13% 4,904 Lincoln 535 35.38% 977 64.62% -442 -29.23% 1,512 Logan 2,715 42.97% 3,604 57.03% -889 -14.07% 6,319 Mesa 28,759 57.39% 21,354 42.61% 7,405 14.78% 50,113 Mineral 378 66.43% 191 33.57% 187 32.86% 569 Moffat 1,695 47.15% 1,900 52.85% -205 -5.70% 3,595 Montezuma 5,042 60.73% 3,260 39.27% 1,782 21.46% 8,302 Montrose 7,832 53.23% 6,882 46.77% 950 6.46% 14,714 Morgan 3,126 43.71% 4,025 56.29% -899 -12.57% 7,151 Otero 2,841 50.53% 2,781 49.47% 60 1.07% 5,622 Ouray 1,909 72.53% 723 27.47% 1,186 45.06% 2,632 Park 4,070 58.03% 2,944 41.97% 1,126 16.05% 7,014 Phillips 815 46.76% 928 53.24% -113 -6.48% 1,743 Pitkin 4,358 83.30% 874 16.70% 3,484 66.59% 5,232 Prowers 1,576 47.67% 1,730 52.33% -154 -4.66% 3,306 Pueblo 26,865 59.26% 18,467 40.74% 8,398 18.53% 45,332 Rio Blanco 747 37.86% 1,226 62.14% -479 -24.28% 1,973 Rio Grande 1,853 54.53% 1,545 45.47% 308 9.06% 3,398 Routt 7,226 78.40% 1,991 21.60% 5,235 56.80% 9,217 Saguache 1,098 61.89% 676 38.11% 422 23.79% 1,774 San Juan 284 76.34% 88 23.66% 196 52.69% 372 San Miguel 2,578 84.28% 481 15.72% 2,097 68.55% 3,059 Sedgwick 356 43.20% 468 56.80% -112 -13.59% 824 Summit 7,204 76.22% 2,248 23.78% 4,956 52.43% 9,452 Teller 6,309 55.85% 4,987 44.15% 1,322 11.70% 11,296 Washington 562 30.53% 1,279 69.47% -717 -38.95% 1,841 Weld 44,547 56.63% 34,115 43.37% 10,432 13.26% 78,662 Yuma 1,298 43.14% 1,711 56.86% -413 -13.73% 3,009Total 1,130,04767.53%543,40532.47%586,64235.06%1,673,452

See also

2020 Colorado Proposition EE

References