Midterm Elections Are Almost Here

Education around the issues is just as important as getting to know your candidates, but do you know where your candidates stand on each issue? We wanted to share the Northwest Colorado Election Guide so that you can see exactly how each candidate stands regarding both state and local ballot issues. This guide was paid for by Truth and Liberty Coalition.

NORTHWEST COLORADO ELECTION GUIDE

THE WHY AND HOW YOUR VOTE WILL AFFECT ROUTT COUNTY CITIZENS

STATE BALLOT MEASURES

Amendment D

New 23rd Judicial District Judge – VOTE YES

  • Passage will enable a smooth transition for the new judicial district and avoid potential costly litigation.

Amendment E

Extend Homestead Exemption to Gold Star Spouses – VOTE YES

  • Allows Colorado to do more to help Gold Star whose spouses have lost their lives in the line of duty or from a service-related injury or disease.

Amendment F

Changes to Charitable Gaming Operations – NEUTRAL

  • Bingo-raffle gaming can be an important tool for non-profit organizations to raise money for their programs. This provides the opportunity for more organizations to receive this license to support their causes.

Proposition FF

Healthy School Meals for All – VOTE NO

  • This measure raises taxes on households at a time when inflation is high and the cost of living is increasing. Feeding students should be the role of parents or caregivers, not the government. School districts can choose to raise money for school lunch programs or they can be provided by charitable organizations like churches.

Proposition GG

Add Tax Information Table to Petitions and Ballots – VOTE NO

  • This measure ads additional costs to the state and simply duplicates all the information about ballot measures is provided in the ballot information book (Blue Book).

Proposition 121

State Income Tax Rate Reduction – VOTE YES

  • Colorado currently collects more tax revenue than it is legally allowed to spend. Surplus revenue must be returned to the taxpayer. Permanently reducing the tax rate reduces the inefficiency of collecting taxes that will ultimately be returned to the taxpayer. Colorado government needs to shrink not grow. And Colorado taxpayers need as much relief from high inflation and Democrat policies as possible.

Proposition 122

Access to Natural Psychedelic Substances – VOTE NO

  • There are no approved therapies that use psychedelic substances. Colorado currently has some of the worst drug use and drug addition cases in the country. Passage of this measure would also provide broad protections for criminals by allowing convictions to be wiped from their records. Colorado has one of the worst crime rates in the country.

Proposition 123

Dedicate Revenue for Affordable Housing Programs – VOTE NO

  • Government funding and subsidies like this measure are what have contributed to Colorado’s 15% inflation rate. This measure would probably cause construction prices to go up and ultimately benefit landlords and housing developers instead of low income households. Colorado can provide affordable housing by reducing regulations and make the costs of construction cheaper through public-private partnerships, not spending more money and fueling inflation.

Proposition 124

Increase Allowable Liquor Store Locations – NEUTRAL

  • However, government should not typically be choosing winners and losers in the market place. Ideally the free-market should determine what works best for our communities, not the government.

Proposition 125

Allow Grocery and Convenience Stores to Sell Wine – NEUTRAL

  • However, government should not be choosing winners and losers in the market place. Ideally, the free-market should determine what works best for our communities, not the government.

Proposition 126

Third-Party Delivery of Alcohol Beverages – NEUTRAL

  • However, consider the precedent that has been set by government COVID lockdowns and shown that restrictions on these types of delivery methods are unnecessary. Ideally the free-market should determine what works best for our communities, not the government.

 

LOCAL BALLOT MEASURES

Routt County Referendum 1A: Extending the existing Purchase of Development Rights milly levy – VOTE YES

The PDR program started in 1996 when voters initially approved collecting taxes to help conserve open space in the county. Funded by the 1.5 mill levy passed in 2005, the program has used nearly $30 million to get conservation easements on more than 57,000 acres in Routt County.

  • This measure has worked for over 20 years and does not raise taxes. This measure will allow Routt County to continue conserving lands that protect water, wildlife habitats, scenic views, and working ranches.

City of Steamboat Springs Referred Measure 2A: Short-term rental tax– VOTE NO

The question of whether to tax short-term rentals an additional 9% and use the proceeds to support the build out of the Brown Ranch.

  • Over the last several decades, Steamboat Springs and Routt County governments have failed to take a regional approach to affordable housing by leveraging opportunities in places like Oak Creek and Hayden. Additionally, Steamboat Springs and Routt County have approved a boiler-plate “Climate Action Plan” that has undergone NO cost-benefit analysis. Affordable housing needs can be met by approving a regional transportation plan that would foster growth in other areas of Routt County; reducing or eliminating current regulations, taxes, and fees that drive up construction and development costs; and by conducting an honest cost-benefit analysis that includes an “all-the-above” approach that enables the construction and delivery of affordable housing.

South Routt Library District Ballot Issue 6A – NEUTRAL

  • However, consider that libraries are not popular because there is access to the internet. Raising taxes while Colorado is experiencing forty-year high inflation is usually unwise and could hurt more South Routt County residents than it will help by securing funding for libraries.