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2016 Ballot Measure Descriptions

Sam Gilchrist
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AMENDMENT T (Referred by the legislature): Amendment T would remove language that currently allows slavery and involuntary servitude to be used as a punishment for the conviction of a crime.  Removing the language reflects fundamental values of freedom and equality, and removes any legal uncertainty around current offender work practices in the state. Support

AMENDMENT U (Referred by the legislature): Beginning in the tax year 2018, Amendment U would eliminate property taxes for individuals or businesses that use government owned property for a private benefit worth $6,000 or less in market value.  Neutral

Amendment 69 – State Healthcare System - Amends the Colorado Constitution to: 1) establish ColoradoCare, a statewide system to finance health care services for Colorado residents; 2) create new taxes on most sources of income, redirect existing state and federal health funding to pay for the services and administration of ColoradoCare, exempt ColoradoCare from constitutional limits on revenue, and require approval by Colorado residents for future tax increases; 3) establish a board of trustees to oversee the operations. Neutral

Amendment 70 – Increase the Minimum Wage - Increase the minimum wage to $12 by 2020. The initiative moves the minimum wage up to $9.00 in January 2017, then increases $0.90 every year to get to $12 by 2020, then adjust to cost of living every year after that.  Tipped minimum wage is based off a percentage of minimum wage. Support

Amendment 71 – Requirements for Constitutional Amendments - requires that any petition for a citizen-initiated constitutional amendment be signed by at least 2 percent of the registered electors in each of the 35 state Senate districts. The percentage of votes to pass any proposed constitutional amendment would be increased from a majority to at least 55 percent of the votes cast, unless the proposed amendment only repeals any provision of the constitution. Oppose

Amendment 72 – would amend Colorado's constitution so that starting in January taxes on a cigarettes would increase from 84 cents per pack to $2.59 per pack. The tax on other tobacco products would increase by 22% of the manufacturers' list price. The language in the measure spells out how specific percentages of tax revenues would be spent. Neutral

Proposition 106 – Medical Aid in Dying - The "aid in dying" measure, which would change state law, is the third citizens' initiative to successfully make the ballot. The initiative permits" mentally capable" Colorado adults who have been diagnosed with an illness and have less than six months live to self-administer a drug that would cause their death. Neutral

Proposition 107 – Presidential Primary and Open Primary - restores a presidential primary to be held before the end of March in presidential election years, and allows unaffiliated voters to participate without declaring themselves to be a member of a political party.  Oppose

Proposition 108 – Open Primary - allows unaffiliated voters to participate in primary elections without having to declare being a member of a certain party, as is the current law. However, Republicans and Democrats could decide to forgo having a primary election and instead choose their general election nominees at the assembly or convention, providing that 75 percent of the party’s state central committee agrees. Oppose