Since I talked about my Colorado ballot proposition choices before the election, it’s only fair I report on how the People voted. Colors will indicate whether I won or lost.
Amendment B: Doing away with the Gallagher Amendment on Property Taxes
I voted YES. Result was YES (57-43). Colorado’s tax laws remain a mess, but this has yanked a few wires out of the tangle.
Amendment C: Easier / more profitable to run bingo-raffle games.
I voted NO. Result was YES (52/48), but fails by not reaching the required 55%. Changes in the ballot proposition system a few elections back means that some proposals require a 55% win. This one didn’t meet it, which I’m just as happy about, as the whole thing sounded like a scam.
Amendment 76: Edit a voting requirement to “must be a United States citizen”
I voted NO. Result was YES (63-37). A solution searching for a problem, and a sop for nativists.
Amendment 77: Allow limited gaming towns to go hog-wild with games and stakes.
I voted NO. Result was YES (60-40). Some towns and community colleges will get a little richer. Some gambling companies will get a lot richer. A bunch of Coloradans will get a lot poorer.
Proposition EE: Nicotine tax on vaping products and smoking tobacco products.
I voted YES. Result was YES (68-32). Everyone loves a sin tax.
Proposition 113: Join the National Popular Vote compact?
I voted YES. Result was YES (52-48). The Electoral College sucks. Enough Coloradans feel that way, too.
Proposition 114: Reintroduce gray wolves in Colorado?
I voted YES. Result was YES (50.3-49.7). This one barely eked its way to victory. Oh, btw, the Trump Administration just announced gray wolves were off the Endangered Species List.
Proposition 115: Ban abortion at 22 weeks?
I voted NO. Result was NO (41-59). I wish the margin had been higher. But, then, I wish folk would stop putting this on the ballot every election.
Proposition 116: Cut state income tax from 4.63% to 4.55%
I voted NO. Result was YES (57-43). Most people won’t notice the difference, but state programs will.
Proposition 117: Require voter approval of state enterprises that charge un-TABORed fees?
I voted NO. Result was YES (52-48). This state remains compulsively anti-tax.
Proposition 118: Create a paid family and medical leave program?
I voted YES. Result was YES (57-43). But we’re also kind of progressive on what we want government to do. Yes, that’s quite a contradiction. But I’ll take it on this one (though it will be up for referendum in two years based on the win of Prop 117).
Overall, I’m pretty pleased, going 7–4 on how I wanted the vote to go — and not losing on the ones I felt most strongly about. So … I’ll take my victories where I can.