Colorado voters overwhelmingly rejected a ballot measure Tuesday asking if the state could keep tax revenue that otherwise would be refunded under limits set by the state constitution. Voters also were deciding whether to legalize sports betting in Colorado and tax it for water conservation. Even with more than 1 million votes counted, that race was too close to call. In La Plata County, the Proposition CC vote was tight, with 8,570 voters supporting the measure and 8,326 opposed for a 50.72% to 49.28% split. Proposition DD was narrowly defeated, with 8,414 voters (50.14%) opposing the measure and 8,368 (49.86%) supporting it.In Montezuma County, 4,572 voters opposed Proposition CC, and 3,051 supported it – 59.98% to 40.02%. For Proposition DD, 4,801 voters cast ballots in opposition and 2,795 supported the measure – 63.20% to 36.80%.Democrats who control the statehouse had referred the tax revenue measure, called Proposition CC, to the ballot. It asked if the state could keep revenue in those years when it has a surplus and is required to return that money to taxpayers. The revenue would have been allocated to transportation and transit, K-12 schools and higher education. Preliminary returns showed the measure losing by a double-digit margin. The campaign reflected longstanding philosophical differences over the 1992 Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, a constitutional amendment that requires voters’ approval of any new taxes or revenue retention measures. To view the full article visit the Durango Herald.
