Statewide, grassroots group schedules petition signing events to allow Coloradans to vote their values in November
Great Education Colorado Action will be holding petition signing events this Saturday, June 18, 2016, at multiple locations across the front range in order to support Initiative #117. Known as “Colorado Priorities,” this measure will allow Colorado to invest in education, transportation, mental health and senior services by using revenue the state has already collected—without raising taxes. The measure requires that at least 35% of the additional revenue be directed to education, including pre-school through 12th grade education, vocational education and higher education. In addition, at least 35% will go into transportation projects and any remaining revenue must go toward mental health and senior services.
As a result of formulas placed in the constitution more than two decades ago, Colorado isn’t allowed to keep and invest all of the revenue it coll
ects under its voter-approved taxes without a vote of the people. Because of this, budgets for essential public services are slashed during bad economic times and are not restored during good economic times. The Colorado Priorities ballot measure will allow the state to keep all revenues collected under the current tax rates, and invest any additional revenue above Colorado’s revenue cap into education, transportation, mental health and senior services.
Lisa Weil, executive director of Great Education Colorado, states, “Great Ed stands firmly behind this important citizen ballot initiative and we are dedicated to collecting as many signatures as we can to ensure Coloradans can vote their values in November.” Visit the Great Ed Action website to obtain details on the following signing events:
CASTLE ROCK: 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm, Castle Rock Library Bandstand (100 S Wilcox Street)
CENTENNIAL: 10:00 am – 12 pm, Koelbel Library (5955 S Holly Street)
COLORADO SPRINGS: 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm, Rico’s (320 N Tejon)
DENVER: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm, Juneteenth Music Festival (Welton Street, Five Points)
FORT COLLINS: 11:00 am – 1:00 pm, Old Town Library (201 Peterson Street)
LITTLETON: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm, Columbine Library (7706 W Bowles Avenue)
LONGMONT: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm, Boulder County Farmers’ Market
MONUMENT: 10:00 am – 2:00 pm, Farmers’ Market—Big Red Parking Lot (146 Jefferson Street)
12:00 pm – 4:00 pm, Wesley Owens Coffee and Cafe (1744 Lake Woodmoor Drive)
WESTMINSTER: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm, Panera Bread (14415 Delaware Street)
“Colorado continues to fall behind the national average in investing in its schools, and as with any enterprise, creating and maintaining a quality education system requires adequate investment,” continued Weil. “This initiative will allow Coloradans to have a say on how their tax dollars are invested.”
The Colorado Priorities measure will not increase taxes and it sunsets after 10 years. It does not change or amend the Colorado constitution. This measure sets priorities for how tax dollars are invested in areas of greatest importance to the public.
The Great Education Colorado Action website provides additional details on the upcoming signing events and other opportunities to support Colorado Priorities, such as an online downloadable petition and a resource library for petition circulators.
About Great Education Colorado Action
Great Education Colorado Action is a statewide, nonpartisan, 501(c)(4) advocacy organization focused on improving public education in Colorado through wise investment in our schools, colleges and universities. It is a separate sister organization to Great Education Colorado.