Election 2020

YES   Amendment B – Repeal of Gallagher Amendment

This would remove the Constitutional requirement that the legislature adjust residential property tax so as to not exceed 45% of total collections. Although business/commercial property owners have long desired to make more equitable the assessed rates between residential and nonresidential property, this does nothing to adjust the 29% assessment rate applied to commercial property. If passed, the net effect to residential property will be more tax collected in future years than if this did not pass (without any reduction on nonresidential collections)–VOTE NO

YES   Amendment C – Rule changes for Bingo Raffles–NO POSITION

YES   Amendment 76 – Citizenship Qualification of Electors–VOTE YES

Consistent with JCR’s 2020 Party Platform #10, The Jefferson County Republican Party affirmed the function of government to protect each eligible citizen’s right to vote and to take every lawful action to protect the integrity and security of Colorado elections.

YES   Amendment 77 – Additional gaming in Mountain Communities–NO POSITION

YES   Proposition EE – Cigarette Tobacco & Nicotine Products Tax 

Increase in taxes ($294,000,000 annually), “initially using the tax revenue primarily for public school funding”, “and then for programs that reduce the use of tobacco and nicotine products, enhance the voluntary Colorado preschool program and make it widely available for free”, “with the state keeping and spending all of the new tax revenue as a voter-approved revenue change” [emphasis added]. This would allow the state to take funds already dedicated to this purpose (tobacco settlement funds), and use them in the general fund when replaced by these new revenues. VOTE NO

YES   Proposition 113 – National Popular Vote 

Consistent with JCR’s 2020 Party Platform #11, the Jefferson County Republican Party is in favor of maintaining an Electoral College system for voting rather than supporting a national popular vote. VOTE NO

Still counting   Proposition 114 – Restoration of Grey [gray] Wolves

This measure would require the Colorado parks and wildlife commission to implement a plan for gray wolves on designated lands west of the continental divide; and require the commission to fairly compensate owners for losses of livestock caused by gray wolves. VOTE NO

NO   Proposition 115 – Prohibition on Late-Term Abortions 

Consistent with JCR’s 2020 Party Platform #16, the Jefferson County Republican Party resolved that the inalienable rights of the unborn should be protected. VOTE YES

YES   Proposition 116 – State Income Tax Rate Reduction VOTE YES

YES   Proposition 117 – Voter Approval for Fee-Based Enterprises

Consistent with JCR’s 2020 Party Platform #2, the Jefferson County Republican Party supports the TABOR amendment as written and opposes any attempts to circumvent Colorado Constitution X, Section 20, “The Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights.” In recent years, the Colorado legislature has utilized an increasing number of “Enterprises”, which have been used to bypass voter approval of fees that are often essentially taxes by another name. This will close this legislative loophole. VOTE YES

YES   Proposition 118 – Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program

The Colorado legislature has considered various versions of a paid family and medical leave program, and has been unable to garner enough votes within the one-party [democrat] control to pass. This Proposition is even more onerous to businesses than many of the other versions considered. Placing these additional burdens on businesses that may already be struggling to survive in the current situation unwise and unreasonable. VOTE NO