Vote No on Proposition 101, Amendment 60 & Amendment 61

Three dangerous ballot initiatives have been filed for the November 2010 ballot and are poised to wreak havoc on Colorado's economy. Proposition 101, Amendment 60 & Amendment 61 will collapse Colorado's economy and shut down our ability to ensure our critical capital infrastructure can continue in the future. The combined effect of these initiatives on publically supported services will be devastating, severely impacting Colorado's environment.

Multiple tax reductions contained in the proposals will mean fewer resources for public activities of all types.

We will we see grave cuts to schools, local governments, health care and other services, as well as significant reductions to funds which support water delivery and treatment, environmental monitoring, transit and natural resource management efforts. To cope with these initiatives we will endure a host of increased fees and the elimination of publicly supported infrastructure and loan bonding programs.

These initiatives will limit and impair Colorado's ability to ensure the protection of our air, land and water resources.

These initiatives hurt Colorado's environment

Proposition 101- Reduces state income taxes and removes a majority of taxes and fees on vehicles, states that vehicle charges are a tax and requires a vote of the public on them in the future, also eliminates state telecommunication fees. Forces harsh state budget cuts, major cuts to Colorado Division of Water Resources, Colorado Water Quality Control Division and to Parks and Outdoor recreation efforts. Reverses gains made under FASTER and other transportation and transit planning efforts.

Amendment 60- Reduces and eliminates property taxes, requires enterprise zones to pay property taxes, overturns local efforts to "de-Bruce", requires a phase out of school spending, and forces the legislature to make severe cuts in order to backfill cuts to education. Because of the tough restrictions placed on K-12 education under this Amendment and existing Constitutional requirements to fund K-12, the state would face massive budget cuts to backfill K-12 spending. We could see 20-60% reductions of CURRENT spending levels, additionally Division of Wildlife and local water providers would likely be among the many facing big hikes in fees in order to offset impacts, these fees will be passed onto users and ratepayers.

Amendment 61-Prohibits the State of Colorado from holding debt, severely limits local governments ability to hold debt. Would effectively eliminate the Colorado Water Conservation Board Construction Fund and related programs, would restrict RTD from finishing FASTracks. State would be unable to participate in most major projects, local governments would have great difficulty in participating in projects or in developing local water supply and treatment projects and transportation efforts.

For more information contact: Becky Long, CEC, 303.405-6714, becky@cecenviro.org

Programs that could be eliminated or severely impacted:

• Endangered Species Recovery Program
• Water Quality Control Division Monitoring and Enforcement Programs
• Bark Beetle mitigation and recovery efforts
• Invasive species removal programs
• Transit programs (site specifics)
• Fees for hunting and fishing licenses (increased)
• Usage fees for state parks (increased)
• Fees for many local water suppliers and wastewater treatment plants (increased)
• Loss of matching federal funds for a variety of programs
• Instream flow programs
• Water Efficiency programs
• Wildlife conservation efforts
• Air Quality Control Division Monitoring and Enforcement programs
• Renewable Energy programs
• Others?

Who opposes these measures?

• AARP
• Action 22
• CH2MHill
• Club 20
• Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry
• Colorado Center for Law and Policy/COFPI
• Colorado Community College Board
• Colorado Corn Growers
• Colorado Competitive Council
• Colorado Economical Council Association
• Colorado Visitor and Convention Bureau
• Colorado Environmental Coalition
• Colorado Education Association
• Denver Chamber of Commerce
• Jefferson County Economic Development Council
• Grand Junction Chamber of Commerce
• Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District
• Individuals:
• Senator Josh Penry
• Governor Ritter
• Mayor Hickenlooper

Don't Hurt Colorado Fact Sheet (pdf)