Colorado ballot initiatives signature petitions for November 2022 general election

Several measures to change Colorado liquor law may go before voters this fall, as well as a measure to dedicate some income tax to affordable housing — if the signatures they submitted are verified.

Monday was the last day for advocacy groups to turn in petitions aimed at changing state law through the ballot box. The Colorado Secretary of State’s office now has until Sept. 7 to verify if they met the nearly 125,000-signature threshold that will qualify them for the Nov. 8 general election.

The initiatives with submitted petitions are:

• Initiative 96, which would increase the number of retail liquor licenses a Colorado resident can hold from four in 2027 to seven now and an unlimited number after 2037;
• Initiative 121, which would allow grocery and convenience stores licensed to sell beer to also sell wine beginning in March;
• Initiative 122, which would allow third-parties to deliver alcoholic beverages; and
• Initiative 108, which would dedicate one-tenth of 1% of state income tax to state affordable housing funds, an estimated $270 million in the first full year of its collection.

If certified, they will join ballot initiative 31 to cut the state income tax from 4.55% to 4.4% and initiative 58 to legalize psilocybin mushrooms and other psychoactive plants and healing centers where they may be administered. Initiative 31’s petition was certified in November and initiative 58 was approved in July.

Voters will also weigh in on several measures referred to the ballot by lawmakers. SB22-222 asks voters to require initiated measures that would change the individual tax rate to include a table comparing additional taxes or savings across income brackets.

HB22-1414 asks voters to cap income tax deductions for high-income taxpayers in order to pay for universal free school meals. Currently state law caps deductions for taxpayers earning $400,000 or more at $30,000 for individuals and $60,000 for joint filers. The proposal would lower the income limit to $300,000 and the cap to $12,000 for individuals and $16,000 for joint filers.

Voters will also weigh in on three proposed constitutional amendments that were referred by lawmakers.

HCR22-1003 asks voters to extend the state’s homestead exemption on property taxes for veterans to surviving spouses if the veteran died in the line of duty or due to service-related injury or disease. HCR22-1005 asks voters to allow the governor to appoint judges to the forthcoming 23rd judicial district. The new district will include Douglas, Elbert, and Lincoln counties when it begins in 2025. HCR22-1006 asks voters to lower how long a charitable organization has existed from five years to three years before it can get a charitable gaming license, and allows those managers to get paid.

Changes to state law via ballot box require a simple majority of votes. Changes to the Colorado Constitution require 55% of voters to approve.

Measures to restrict abortion in the state, a measure to decriminalize psychedelics without establishing a regulated market and one to dedicate some state tax to education all failed to collect enough signatures for the ballot.

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