GOOD GENERAL RESOURCES
The following resources provide information about all the measures:

• The “Blue Book” – an analysis provided by the legislature of each statewide ballot measure, including a summary, arguments for and against and a brief fiscal assessment. You should have received a copy in the mail; it is also available in Spanish and in an audio version.
• A summary from Colorado Public Radio – includes links to organizations supporting and opposing each measure. 
• A Colorado Politics article – focuses on the money being spent, and by whom, for and against these measures.
• A Colorado Sun article – provides an overview of all the measures, with links to Colorado Sun articles on many of them. The Colorado Sun is also offering a free newsletter called “It’s time to Vote” that you can sign up for here. You can even ask them specific questions and they will research the answers!

We also recommend that you review the ballot measures information (often recommendations) provided by the following groups:

• The Vail Valley Partnership – has taken positions on some of the statewide measures, as well as on three Eagle County ballot measures, all of which you can read about here.
• Progressive Colorado – download their ballot measure recommendations here.
• Indivisible Colorado Action Network – check out their positions here.

REMAINING FIVE STATEWIDE BALLOT MEASURES
Amendment B – Real Property Tax Assessment Rates
This is a constitutional amendment to repeal the Gallagher Amendment. The Gallagher Amendment requires a specified ratio between property taxes collected statewide on residential real property and those collected on nonresidential real property. The impact of Gallagher has been to keep residential property taxes low, despite the increase in the value of homes, but also to significantly cut local funding for, among other things, essential services (such as fire and police) and public schools. 

• Read the Colorado Sun’s explanation of Amendment B.
• Read this opinion piece on Amendment B in the Colorado Sun, written by former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb and former U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar.
• Read Vail Valley Partnership’s Chris Romer’s article in the Vail Daily.

Proposition 113 – National Popular Vote
In 2019 the General Assembly passed the National Popular Vote Compact law, which resulted in Colorado joining an interstate agreement with 16 other states. Together with Colorado, those states have an aggregate of 196 electoral votes. The agreement would become effective when states with an additional 74 electoral votes join the compact. Once that happens, the Presidency would be won by the candidate with the highest national popular vote total. A “Yes” vote affirms the law as adopted by the General Assembly.

• Read the Colorado Sun’s explanation of Prop 113.
• “Is the Electoral College systemic racism?” asks the Colorado Sun in this story.
• A conservative asks for a “yes” vote, in this Colorado Sun opinion piece.

Proposition 114 – Restoration of Grey Wolves
Implement a plan to reintroduce and manage grey wolves west of the Continental Divide.

• The Colorado Sun’s Jason Blevins explains what’s at stake with this question.
• The Vail Symposium is holding a zoom webinar on this issue on Thursday night, October 8.  There is no charge for attending.  A recording of the event will be available sometime after Thursday. Information and link to attend.

Proposition 117 – Voter Approval Requirement for Creation of Certain Fee-Based Enterprises
The General Assembly has used these enterprises to raise revenues without running into the Tabor Amendment to the Constitution, which limits the amount that the State or a local government may spend each year. This initiative would require voter approval if the fees from all enterprises that serve the same purpose would exceed $100 million over the first five years of their operation.

• A Colorado Sun article explains Prop 117 in depth.

Proposition 118 – Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program
Provide up to 12 weeks of paid leave for many Colorado workers (plus an additional 4 weeks in the event of pregnancy or childbirth complications), with insurance premiums split between employers and employees. This law would also create the division of family and medical leave insurance within the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment to administer the program.

• A Colorado Sun article explains this measure.

UPDATE ON LOCAL BALLOT MEASURES  
We wrote about local measures in a prior email. Since then, a summary of written comments in support of and in opposition to local ballot measures has been published. You can read it here (note that it is called "the Tabor Notice"). This document was also recently mailed to every household by the Eagle County Clerk and Recorder.

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY – BALLOTS WILL BE MAILED ON FRIDAY!  SO, MAKE A PLAN TO VOTE AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE!

We always welcome your questions or thoughts – email us at vailvalleyvotes@gmail.com.

Vail Valley Votes