This is a big year for ballot issues. Of the 19 issues on the ballot for city of Boulder voters, 9 are tax measures (U, 69, 72, 1A, 1B, 1C, 2H, 3A and 4B) and a 10th (70) is about the minimum wage. Semi-open primaries (107, 108), term limits (1D, 302) and cleaning up governing documents (T, 2I) each get 2 ballot issues. The initiative process (71), medical aid-in-dying (106), and insurance benefits for city council members (2J) round out the list.
Each ballot issue has its own blog entry if you would like more information or you would like to make comments about the ballot issue. Please limit comments on this blog entry to general comments about the process or the election.
In general, the further down the ballot you go, the more your vote counts! Please research the issues and candidates and vote the entire ballot. Tell your friends, neighbors, colleagues and anyone else eligible to vote to do likewise.
At the bottom of this blog entry are other ballot issue websites as well as a link to the Boulder County Clerk’s website. The links will be updated as more information becomes available.
Remember that in Colorado you can register and vote as late as Election Day, Tuesday, November 8th. If you are already registered, you have probably already received your ballot in the mail. Contact your County Clerk for more information.
VOCABULARY - STATE OF COLORADO
Amendment = Constitutional change
These can only be changed by a voter-approved constitutional amendment.
Proposition = Statutory change
These can be modified by the Colorado General Assembly.
Initiatives - denoted by numbers
Electors signed petitions to put these on the ballot.
Referenda - denoted by letters (state) or a number and letter (county, city, BVSD, SCFD)
The governing legislative body (General Assembly, County Commission, City Council, or District Board) put these on the ballot.
VOCABULARY – OTHER JURISDICTIONS
Ballot Issues = Tax measures
Ballot Questions = Others
STATE OF COLORADO
Amendment T
Remove Exception to Slavery Ban
Removes 14 words from the state constitution in order to ban slavery in all cases.
YES/FOR
Amendment U
Exempt Smaller Possessory Interests from Property Taxes
Exempts property taxes on possessory interests valued at $6,000 or less with a biennial inflation adjustment rounded up to the nearest 100 dollars
leaning no/against
Amendment 69
Establish a Public, Statewide Health Care System
Sets up a new political subdivision of the state to collect taxes and existing state and federal health care funding in order to finance universal health insurance for Colorado residents
yes/for
Amendment 70
Increase the State Minimum Wage
Increases the minimum wage by 90 cents each year until January 1, 2020 and thereafter increases the minimum wage based on the Colorado consumer price index
yes/for
Amendment 71
Increase Thresholds for Petitioners to Amend the Constitution
Increases the number of votes required for most initiatives to successfully amend the constitution and increases the geographic requirements for petition signatures.
no/against
Amendment 72
Increase Tobacco Taxes
Increases the state portion of the cigarette tax from $0.84 to $2.59 for a pack of 20 cigarettes.
leaning yes/for
Proposition 106
Medical Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill
Allows mentally capable, non-coerced, terminally ill adults to request, receive and self-administer a lethal drug
YES/FOR
Proposition 107
“Semi-open” Presidential Primary Elections
Reinstitutes a presidential primary for the major political parties and allows unaffiliated voters to vote in it without affiliating with a party – See Prop 108 below.
leaning no/against
Proposition 108
“Semi-open” State and Local Primary Elections
Allows unaffiliated voters to vote in a party’s June primary election without affiliating with the party – See Prop 107 above.
NO/AGAINST
COUNTY OF BOULDER
County of Boulder Issue 1A
Mill Levy Increase for Subdivision Roads in Unincorporated Boulder County
Increases the property tax mill levy by 0.785 mills for 15 years to pay for Boulder County subdivision road reconstruction with a portion of the municipal taxpayers’ contribution returned to the cities
leaning yes/for
County of Boulder Issue 1B
Open Space Sales and Use Tax Extension and Bond Authorization
Extends half of the current 0.25% open space sales tax for 15 years – See Issue 1C below.
no/against
County of Boulder Issue 1C
Sustainability Sales and Use Tax Extension
Extends half of the current 0.25% open space sales tax for 15 years but redirects the revenue for sustainability projects – See Issue 1B above.
no/against
County of Boulder Question 1D
District Attorney Term-Limit Extension
Allows the District Attorney to serve 4 consecutive terms
yes/for
CITY OF BOULDER
City of Boulder Issue 2H
Tax on Distributors of Sugary Drinks
Imposes a tax of 2 cents per fluid ounce on the distributor of most sugar-sweetened drinks
leaning for the measure
City of Boulder Question 2I
Amend Water Service “Blue Line”
Clarifies the “Blue Line,” west of which the city doesn’t, with a few exceptions, provide water
for the measure
City of Boulder Question 2J
Insurance Benefits for City Council Members
Allows city council members to enroll in the city’s health and life insurance plans as though they were full-time city employees
FOR the measure
City of Boulder Question 302
Term Limits for City Council
Limits city council members to 3 terms during their lifetimes
AGAINST the measure
BOULDER VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT
BVSD Issue 3A
Property Tax Increase
Increases the mill levy in perpetuity starting at about 1.7 mills and allows further increases by up to 1 mill each year until a cap of 4 mills is reached
no/against
DENVER METROPOLITAN SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL FACILITIES DISTRICT
SCFD Issue 4B
Sales and Use Tax Extension
Extends a 1-cent tax on a $10 purchase for 12 years and slightly changes the allocation of tax revenue
yes/for
GOVERNMENT SITES
Boulder County Clerk and Recorder – Elections Division
http://www.bouldercounty.org/elections/pages/default.aspx
See a sample ballot including candidates and judges, check your voter and ballot status, find a ballot drop-off location and more. You may also contact the Elections Division at 303 413 7740. You can register in person and vote a ballot through Election Day, Tuesday, November 8th.
Blue Book Online (Colorado Legislative Council)
https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cga-legislativecouncil/ballotblue-book
The real name of the Blue Book is the 2016 State Ballot Information Booklet – available in English and Spanish.
The website also has the following link to a page listing all the state ballot issues since 1908.
http://www.leg.state.co.us/lcs/ballothistory.nsf/
County of Boulder 2016 Ballot Issues and Measures
http://www.bouldercounty.org/gov/about/pages/countyballotissues.aspx
City of Boulder 2016 Election Webpage
https://bouldercolorado.gov/elections
City of Boulder Central Records Webpage
https://documents.bouldercolorado.gov/weblink8/Browse.aspx?startid=121434&row=1&&&dbid=0
MEDIA SITES
Boulder Weekly Election Guide 2016
http://www.boulderweekly.com/news/2016-vote-guide/
Daily Camera Election Page including a Voter Guide
http://www.dailycamera.com/local-election-news/ci_30474456/voter-election-guide-2016-boulder-broomfield-colorado
Denver Post Voter Guide
http://www.denverpost.com/2016/10/20/colorado-voter-guide-2016/
Colorado Public Radio Voter Guide
http://www.cpr.org/news/story/2016-election-colorado-voter-guide
KGNU Radio - Election 2016
http://news.kgnu.org/category/elections/
Channel 9 News - Debates on Citizen Initiatives
http://www.9news.com/news/politics/voter-guide/9news-debate-special-colorado-ballot-questions/337649292
Fox 31 - Political Analysis including Polling Results
http://kdvr.com/2016/09/29/your-guide-to-colorado-ballot-measures/
NON-PARTISAN SITES
Ballotpedia
https://ballotpedia.org/Colorado_2016_ballot_measures
Entries for individual ballot measures list supporters and opponents, campaign finance information and more.
League of Women Voters
Boulder County - http://lwvbc.org/2016election.html
Colorado (English and Spanish) - http://lwvcolorado.org/ballot-issues.html
This LWV of Colorado web page also contains a great “Think Before You Ink” statement to help voters decide whether or not to sign initiative petitions.
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION SITE
Boulder Chamber of Commerce
http://boulderchamber.com/2016-ballot-issues/
CITIZEN SITE
Dave Hill: Dave Does the Blog
http://hill-kleerup.org/blog/2016/10/01/a-look-at-colorados-ballot-initiatives.html
Each ballot issue has its own blog entry if you would like more information or you would like to make comments about the ballot issue. Please limit comments on this blog entry to general comments about the process or the election.
In general, the further down the ballot you go, the more your vote counts! Please research the issues and candidates and vote the entire ballot. Tell your friends, neighbors, colleagues and anyone else eligible to vote to do likewise.
At the bottom of this blog entry are other ballot issue websites as well as a link to the Boulder County Clerk’s website. The links will be updated as more information becomes available.
Remember that in Colorado you can register and vote as late as Election Day, Tuesday, November 8th. If you are already registered, you have probably already received your ballot in the mail. Contact your County Clerk for more information.
VOCABULARY - STATE OF COLORADO
Amendment = Constitutional change
These can only be changed by a voter-approved constitutional amendment.
Proposition = Statutory change
These can be modified by the Colorado General Assembly.
Initiatives - denoted by numbers
Electors signed petitions to put these on the ballot.
Referenda - denoted by letters (state) or a number and letter (county, city, BVSD, SCFD)
The governing legislative body (General Assembly, County Commission, City Council, or District Board) put these on the ballot.
VOCABULARY – OTHER JURISDICTIONS
Ballot Issues = Tax measures
Ballot Questions = Others
STATE OF COLORADO
Amendment T
Remove Exception to Slavery Ban
Removes 14 words from the state constitution in order to ban slavery in all cases.
YES/FOR
Amendment U
Exempt Smaller Possessory Interests from Property Taxes
Exempts property taxes on possessory interests valued at $6,000 or less with a biennial inflation adjustment rounded up to the nearest 100 dollars
leaning no/against
Amendment 69
Establish a Public, Statewide Health Care System
Sets up a new political subdivision of the state to collect taxes and existing state and federal health care funding in order to finance universal health insurance for Colorado residents
yes/for
Amendment 70
Increase the State Minimum Wage
Increases the minimum wage by 90 cents each year until January 1, 2020 and thereafter increases the minimum wage based on the Colorado consumer price index
yes/for
Amendment 71
Increase Thresholds for Petitioners to Amend the Constitution
Increases the number of votes required for most initiatives to successfully amend the constitution and increases the geographic requirements for petition signatures.
no/against
Amendment 72
Increase Tobacco Taxes
Increases the state portion of the cigarette tax from $0.84 to $2.59 for a pack of 20 cigarettes.
leaning yes/for
Proposition 106
Medical Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill
Allows mentally capable, non-coerced, terminally ill adults to request, receive and self-administer a lethal drug
YES/FOR
Proposition 107
“Semi-open” Presidential Primary Elections
Reinstitutes a presidential primary for the major political parties and allows unaffiliated voters to vote in it without affiliating with a party – See Prop 108 below.
leaning no/against
Proposition 108
“Semi-open” State and Local Primary Elections
Allows unaffiliated voters to vote in a party’s June primary election without affiliating with the party – See Prop 107 above.
NO/AGAINST
COUNTY OF BOULDER
County of Boulder Issue 1A
Mill Levy Increase for Subdivision Roads in Unincorporated Boulder County
Increases the property tax mill levy by 0.785 mills for 15 years to pay for Boulder County subdivision road reconstruction with a portion of the municipal taxpayers’ contribution returned to the cities
leaning yes/for
County of Boulder Issue 1B
Open Space Sales and Use Tax Extension and Bond Authorization
Extends half of the current 0.25% open space sales tax for 15 years – See Issue 1C below.
no/against
County of Boulder Issue 1C
Sustainability Sales and Use Tax Extension
Extends half of the current 0.25% open space sales tax for 15 years but redirects the revenue for sustainability projects – See Issue 1B above.
no/against
County of Boulder Question 1D
District Attorney Term-Limit Extension
Allows the District Attorney to serve 4 consecutive terms
yes/for
CITY OF BOULDER
City of Boulder Issue 2H
Tax on Distributors of Sugary Drinks
Imposes a tax of 2 cents per fluid ounce on the distributor of most sugar-sweetened drinks
leaning for the measure
City of Boulder Question 2I
Amend Water Service “Blue Line”
Clarifies the “Blue Line,” west of which the city doesn’t, with a few exceptions, provide water
for the measure
City of Boulder Question 2J
Insurance Benefits for City Council Members
Allows city council members to enroll in the city’s health and life insurance plans as though they were full-time city employees
FOR the measure
City of Boulder Question 302
Term Limits for City Council
Limits city council members to 3 terms during their lifetimes
AGAINST the measure
BOULDER VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT
BVSD Issue 3A
Property Tax Increase
Increases the mill levy in perpetuity starting at about 1.7 mills and allows further increases by up to 1 mill each year until a cap of 4 mills is reached
no/against
DENVER METROPOLITAN SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL FACILITIES DISTRICT
SCFD Issue 4B
Sales and Use Tax Extension
Extends a 1-cent tax on a $10 purchase for 12 years and slightly changes the allocation of tax revenue
yes/for
GOVERNMENT SITES
Boulder County Clerk and Recorder – Elections Division
http://www.bouldercounty.org/elections/pages/default.aspx
See a sample ballot including candidates and judges, check your voter and ballot status, find a ballot drop-off location and more. You may also contact the Elections Division at 303 413 7740. You can register in person and vote a ballot through Election Day, Tuesday, November 8th.
Blue Book Online (Colorado Legislative Council)
https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cga-legislativecouncil/ballotblue-book
The real name of the Blue Book is the 2016 State Ballot Information Booklet – available in English and Spanish.
The website also has the following link to a page listing all the state ballot issues since 1908.
http://www.leg.state.co.us/lcs/ballothistory.nsf/
County of Boulder 2016 Ballot Issues and Measures
http://www.bouldercounty.org/gov/about/pages/countyballotissues.aspx
City of Boulder 2016 Election Webpage
https://bouldercolorado.gov/elections
City of Boulder Central Records Webpage
https://documents.bouldercolorado.gov/weblink8/Browse.aspx?startid=121434&row=1&&&dbid=0
MEDIA SITES
Boulder Weekly Election Guide 2016
http://www.boulderweekly.com/news/2016-vote-guide/
Daily Camera Election Page including a Voter Guide
http://www.dailycamera.com/local-election-news/ci_30474456/voter-election-guide-2016-boulder-broomfield-colorado
Denver Post Voter Guide
http://www.denverpost.com/2016/10/20/colorado-voter-guide-2016/
Colorado Public Radio Voter Guide
http://www.cpr.org/news/story/2016-election-colorado-voter-guide
KGNU Radio - Election 2016
http://news.kgnu.org/category/elections/
Channel 9 News - Debates on Citizen Initiatives
http://www.9news.com/news/politics/voter-guide/9news-debate-special-colorado-ballot-questions/337649292
Fox 31 - Political Analysis including Polling Results
http://kdvr.com/2016/09/29/your-guide-to-colorado-ballot-measures/
NON-PARTISAN SITES
Ballotpedia
https://ballotpedia.org/Colorado_2016_ballot_measures
Entries for individual ballot measures list supporters and opponents, campaign finance information and more.
League of Women Voters
Boulder County - http://lwvbc.org/2016election.html
Colorado (English and Spanish) - http://lwvcolorado.org/ballot-issues.html
This LWV of Colorado web page also contains a great “Think Before You Ink” statement to help voters decide whether or not to sign initiative petitions.
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION SITE
Boulder Chamber of Commerce
http://boulderchamber.com/2016-ballot-issues/
CITIZEN SITE
Dave Hill: Dave Does the Blog
http://hill-kleerup.org/blog/2016/10/01/a-look-at-colorados-ballot-initiatives.html
thank you for doing this, it is very helpful - appreciate it..
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDelete