Colorado 2023 Voters Guide

Need Help with Local and State Ballot Issues This Election? Read On!

Earlier this week voters in Colorado received their state blue book of ballot issues and initiatives for this year's election, which is now underway. Fortunately, there are only two ballot issues at the state level this year.

Meanwhile, in El Paso County, county election ballot issues include the City of Colorado Springs as well as local school district issues. Voters are being asked to support a variety of ways to fund government, build a new police training academy, and to build new school buildings.

So ... you're a voter and not sure about what to vote for in this year's election? Don't worry, I break down the issues for you to easily read and contemplate your voting choices.

Let's start at the state level, which has just two ballot issues. 

State Ballot Issues

Prop HH - The Taxpayers' Bill of Rights, more commonly known as TABOR, exists to protect taxpayers from greedy government growth. The long of it short with regards to Prop HH is the fact the government wants your TABOR refunds.

Did You Know: by Colorado law, legislators must ask voters to raise taxes and this is typically done via the ballot box. Prop HH is a tax increase.

The language in the ballot for Prop HH begins, "Shall the state reduce property taxes" but this is wrong. If Prop HH passes, it means government will want you more of your taxes tomorrow, next year, and forever after giving you a small, teeny-weensy little property tax reduction that isn't really a reduction in taxes. It's just a license for government to continue unchecked growth by way of stealing your TABOR refunds.

Paotie's Pick: The people most in support of Prop HH are those who directly benefit, namely, government employees and the cottage industries propping up government bureaucracy. If passed, Prop HH will enable the metastasizing of government growth in Colorado. VOTE NO on Prop HH.

You can read more about Prop HH here and here.

Ballot Issue II - This is a ballot issue that asks if taxes acquired through "sin taxes", namely taxes generated from the sales of cigarettes and other nicotine-based products, should be spent by the state to fund a free universal preschool program. Some $23 million is at stake. The state blue book voters guide says if Ballot Issue II is rejected by voters, then this will lead to lower sales taxes for nicotine consumers.

Paotie's Pick: A free, government-run universal preschool vs lower taxes for nicotine products. Generally, I'd prefer a free universal preschool and lower taxes across the board, but we must pick one. Right? Nah. You don't have to vote if an issue doesn't particularly resonate with you. 

I don't smoke cigarettes or consume nicotine. I also ain't sure a "free" universal preschool program managed by the state is such a good idea, either. I picked this issue because most people seem unaware of the unintended consequences of “sin taxes” and state budgets. VOTE NO on Ballot Issue II.

Read more about so-called sin taxes and state budgets here. Read more about the state Ballot Issue II here.

Local Ballot Issues

At the local level, there are numerous ballot issues and I'm focusing on one major issue related to Colorado Springs and the other for El Paso County. There are also ballot issues for several school districts in the county. 

City of Colorado Springs Ballot Issue 2A - For some reason, the new mayor has maxed out his political currency on 2A. He wants your TABOR refund to build a new police training academy. He wants $5 million now as a down payment for the police training academy in which projected costs balloon upwards of $45 million. But as everyone knows, today's price is $45 million but once the bulldozers start working tomorrow the price soars.  $65 million? $100 million? Anything seems possible with Quantico West.

Paotie's Pick: Among those most impacted will be renters if Prop HH passes. Higher property taxes are passed onto renters, and this ballot issue may negatively impact many renters. Too many governments in Colorado are trying to find new ways to steal your TABOR refunds by way of forfeiting those refunds to suit the spending whims of politicians and government bureaucrats alike. A new police training academy is unnecessary and likely to exceed the projected cost of $45-$50 million, which taxpayers will ultimately be on the hook for. VOTE NO on Colorado Springs Ballot Issue 2A.

Read more about 2A here.

El Paso County School District Ballot Issue 4A - This is a request by the county to raise taxes through a mill levy override to pay for salary increases for teachers and support staff. SpringsTaxpayersUnited has an article about this particular issue. When was the last time you read or heard of a government tightening its budget belt? Colorado Springs recently proposed to do that and they still want more of your money to build a new police training academy. 

Paotie's Pick: I don't have children in public schools in Colorado so I don't vote any issues related to school districts. But if you're contemplating school district issues, please recognize that tax increases always harm the most vulnerable and marginalized people in society today. With winter coming and high prices expected for energy and heating, housing, fuel, and so much more, people do not need more taxes. They need more tax relief. Please vote accordingly.

Attempts to steal TABOR refunds are the main theme of the elections of 2023. TABOR was created for a reason, and it should be no surprise that today’s politicians and government bureaucrats despise TABOR and are working hard to eliminating TABOR.

Government growth will be a major issue in the coming months with those who directly benefit from government growth doing the loudest campaigning for more taxes and attempts at stealing TABOR refunds. Resist them.

Vote NO on all new taxes. Tell government to go back to the basics instead of finding new ways to tax and spend, tax and spend, and tax and spend in perpetuity.