2021 ACTION ALERTS RESULTS!
Proposition 119 Was Defeated
701,467 (45.75%) Yes
831,668 (54.24%) No
Proposition 119, (Initiative 25) (Learning Enrichment and Academic Progress (LEAP) Program)
This initiative is vague and overly broad. While it proposes to provide after-school learning opportunities for children, it does nothing to address the underfunding of our public schools, but instead takes money away from public school finance and opens the door for the private sector to tap into critically needed public education funding. It would create an independent, unregulated organization with no oversight, public input, or recourse for mismanagement or fraud.
See our position paper on Proposition 119.
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Proposition 120 Was Defeated
652,380 (42.96%) Yes
866,194 (57.04%) No
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Proposition 120, (Initiative 27) (Property Tax Assessment Rate Reduction and Voter-Approved Revenue Change)
This ballot proposal would reduce the residential property tax assessment rate from 7.15% to 6.5% and the non-residential property tax assessment rate from 29% to 26.4%. To make up for the lost property tax revenue to school districts, the measure would require an increase in state expenditures by at least $257.7 million per year beginning in budget year 2022-23. The measure would result in cuts to many state programs and services.
See our position paper on Proposition 120.
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Amendment 78 Was Defeated
646,979 (43.03%) Yes
856,703 (56.97%) No
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Amendment 78, (Initiative 19) (Requirements for Spending Custodial Money)
Initiative 19 would transfer the power to appropriate “custodial funds” (money received by the state that is provided for a particular purpose that originated from a source other than the state taxes ) from the executive branch (Governor, State Treasurer, and heads of departments and agencies) to the State Legislature. Because the Legislature is in session only 120 days of the year, this amendment would lead to a disruption of services or federal payments. In order to access custodial funds in a timely manner, the part-time Legislature would have to be called back into numerous special sessions at a cost of $25,000/day; otherwise, the money in the custodial fund would remain inaccessible and unspent until the following January when the Legislature would reconvene.
See our analysis of Amendment 78
Analysis and position papers
Amendment 78 (Initiative 19)- Requirements for Spending Custodial Money DEFEATED
Proposition 119 (Initiative 25) - Learning Enrichment and Academic Progress (LEAP) Program DEFEATED
Proposition 120 (Initiative 27) - Property Tax Assessment Rate Reduction and Voter-Approved Revenue Change DEFEATED
HB21-1294 - Audit of State Accountability/Accreditation System (Passed and signed)
HB21-1295 - Rebuttable Presumption in Charter School Appeals (Postponed Indefinitely)
Information sheet
Issues with Charter School Law (1993-2021)
Resolution to Redesign Colorado's Education Accountability System
The campaign to defeat Proposition 119 was not through paid advertising
but through the free media.
Below are many of the news articles in 2021 by A4PEP, friends of A4PEP and reporters agreeing with A4PEP's opposition that Proposition 119 is badly flawed. Read our analysis and the articles below for more information.
See also our position papers on Proposition 120 and Amendment 78.
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Read our analysis of the many reasons to reject this proposition.
View our PowerPoint covering the flaws in Prop. 119
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27 September, Westword
In Thomas Mitchell's article Proposition 119 is described as a band aid, not a fix for school under-funding, and that returning to a five day a week school is better than a one-hour after-school dance class.
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1 October, the Denver Post
Former Representative Judy Solano explains Proposition 119 and how it is crafted for purposes other than helping children.
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8 October, Greeley Tribune
Don Pearl describes the tax dollars grabbed by Proposition 119 and how it is setup for easy deception.
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14 October LaVoz
Manuel Solano Exq. outlines how Proposition 119 both violates Colorado's Constitution and will exclude many Latinos from its services.
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15 October, Channel 9 --
Channel 9 had a discussion of Proposition 119.
See the video of the presentation.
You can also read the text of the show.
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17 October, The Colorado Springs Gazette --
Former Senator Michael Merrifield describes the bag of tricks Proposition 119 uses to divert state money while not serving many students promised services.
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19 October, Summit Daily --
Judy Solano, former Colorado Representative, addresses problems with Proposition 119 including the clause that shields the organization from lawsuit.
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19 October, The Aurora Sentinel --
Aurora Councilmember Curtis Gardner explains why Proposition 119 is a bad for Colorado.
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22 October, Aurora Sentinel --
Senator Chris Kolker describes the various ways Proposition 119 is not accountable to the public.
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23 October, Colorado Politics --
Paula Noonan explores the individuals and big money that has put Prop. 119 on the ballot and funding the media blitz promoting it. Read more
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24 October, Durango Herald --
Lee Stopher describes problems with Proposition 119 and explains how we can do better.
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27 October, The Colorado Springs Gazette, L.L.C. --
Sen. Julie Gonzales (D) from Colorado’s 34th District, majority caucus chair of the Colorado Senate Democrats and Sen. Chris Holbert (R), Republican minority leader from Colorado’s 30th District explain significant problems with Prop. 110.
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28 October, The Greeley Tribune --
The Latino Coalition of Weld County guest column explains why Prop. 119 is not the answer to the needs of our children.