Print a two-page overview of Amendment 60, 61, and Proposition 101 and how they would impact education.

Print a one-page overview of Amendment 60, 61, and Proposition 101 and how they would impact education.

Ways to Take Action:

Schedule a presentation at your PTA or community meeting.

Print a resolution that your PTA can adopt opposing Amendments 60, 61, and Proposition 101.

Volunteer to help others get informed about 60, 61, and 101 and what they would mean for Colorado kids.

Sign our petition to the Jeffco School Board thanking them for taking a stand against 60, 61, 101 and encouraging them to get the word out of their resolution all over Jeffco.

Are you looking for a different school board? Click here to urge or thank your local board to take a resolution opposing Amendments 60, 61, and Proposition 101.

PRINT RESOURCES:

1. One-page information sheet

En Español

2. Two-page information sheet

3. Sign-up Sheet …

Please return to Great Education Colorado 1600 Downing Street, Suite 100 Denver, CO 80218

4. Wallet Cards …

Can print using Avery #5390 cardstock (double-sided) or print on cardstock (double-sided)

“Your wallet’s not full without one!”

En Español

5. Resolution that your community organization can adopt opposing 60, 61, and 101.

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Great futures start with a great education, but great education will be impossible in Colorado, if Amendments 60, 61, or Proposition 101 pass.  Here’s why:

Background Information: In 2007, Colorado ranked 40^th in the nation in K-12 education funding, spending $1,397 per student below the national average.  And in 2008, Colorado was 48^th in the nation for our higher education spending per capita.  Since then, school districts have endured cuts averaging over $400 per student, with worse yet to come. Meanwhile, colleges and universities anticipate cuts of at least $56 million in state aid and rising tuition rates by up to 9% each year through 2015-16. This is the context in which Colorado faces the following three ballot initiatives – each designed to reduce spending for public services, including education.

Proposition 101

A statutory provision that would reduce several state and local government revenue sources including car registration, license fees, the income tax rate, and phone bill taxes.  If passed, the measure would:

• Cut the state income tax rate over time down to 3.5% from the current 4.63%.
• Severely reduce the primary state revenue stream for higher ed and K-12 schools – the state income tax
• Reduce several car ownership taxes and fees, including:
  • Cutting “specific ownership” taxes to – $2 for new cars and $1 for used cars – a 98% cut from 2009 levels.
  • Resulting in a funding cut of $250 million for K-12 education, which in Pueblo County School District, for example, would mean $158 less per student.
  • Reducing car registration fees back to 1919 levels of a $10 flat rate, cutting support for transportation
• Eliminate all state and local telecommunications charges except for 911

SUMMARY: If Proposition 101 passed on top of the already deep state budget cuts to public services, our state and local governments would lose over $2 billion per year by the time the measure was fully implemented.

Amendment 60

A constitutional amendment that would cut local property taxes in half and void local “de-brucing” elections, without providing any mechanism for replacing those funds. If passed, Amendment 60 would:

• Cut local property taxes for schools in half by 2020 – REDUCING local FUNDING by $1.22 billion – and would require the state budget to replace lost local revenue.  However, after $3 billion in budget cuts from 2008-10, the state government has no source of funds to replace the lost local revenues.
• Reverse local “de-brucing” elections in the 98% of Colorado school districts, where voters have chosen to let schools keep revenue above the constitutional “TABOR” limit.
• Require many colleges and universities to pay property tax for the first time.
• Allow individuals to initiate local ballot measures to cut mill levies. This means that public school supporters would have to fight efforts to cut local support for education.

SUMMARY: If passed in November, Amendment 60 would overturn the will of local voters, and lead to massive cuts and fees for our public schools, colleges, and universities.

Amendment 61

A constitutional amendment that would prohibit state debt or loans of any kind, and would make it more difficult for local districts to bond to build, repair or improve school buildings. If passed, Amendment 61 would:

• Make Colorado the only state in the nation that is prohibited from using debt to finance capital projects, including schools, higher education buildings and roads.  (This is the equivalent of prohibiting families from purchasing a house until they could pay the whole price upfront, without a mortgage).
• End the “Build Excellent Schools Today” program which has so far financed 63 projects to address critical health and safety needs in schools around the state.
• Prevent higher education construction for projects like the Anschutz Medical Center, and the recent modernization of the Auraria Campus – which generates jobs and local economic activity.
• End the state’s interest-free, short-term loan program for school districts.  Those loans ease cash flow problems that result from the timing of property tax payments.  The end of the loan program could result in a March – November school year in some school districts, causing massive disruptions to Advanced Placement courses and fall sports programs.
• Puts stringent restrictions on the ability of school districts to bond.

SUMMARY: If passed by Colorado voters, Amendment 61 would eliminate the state’s ability to address the health and safety of Colorado students, to invest in higher ed and transportation infrastructure, or to compete with other states for businesses and the jobs they create.

TOTAL IMPACT

If passed by Colorado voters, Amendment 60, 61 and Proposition 101 would slash our state and local government services by at least $2.5 billion.  This would result in even deeper cuts to education from preschool through higher education (and all other public services), causing a rapid acceleration in the current trend toward increased class sizes, elimination of educational opportunities such as classroom technology and textbooks, sports, summer school, after-school enrichment programs, and professional development for teachers.  Click here to find out how much would be lost in your local school district if Amendment 60, Amendment 61, and Proposition 101 pass on the November 2010 ballot (Source: www.lookingforwardcolorado.com).

Click here to get updates about Amendment 60, 61, and Proposition 101 and other education funding news.

Click here to Volunteer.

1. Caren Press

2. Carol Boigon

3. Patty Bortz

4. Lynn Dolven

5. Rep. Kagan

6. Joyce Freeman

7. Erin Yourtz and Lawrence Bub

8. Libby Bortz

9. Alan Bortz

10. Beth & Randy Ferguson

11. Georgiana Forbes

12. Robbie Marks

13. Terry McCullough

14. Misty Hart

15. Linda Campbell

16. Gwen Fornia

17. Merril Stern and David Aschkinazi

18. Jennifer and David Wiener

19. Stephanie and Steve Ruyle

20. Gene Wolfel

21. Liz Adams

22. Tracy Campbell

23. Les and Linda Brown

24.  Nancy and TJ Rhine

25. Betsy and Jody Wright

26. Chris Romer

27. Jamie Sarche

28. Cynthia Chapman

29. Gary Kohn

30. Janine and Mark Melberg

31.  Karen Steinhauser

32.  Margie Adams

33. Sally Shafroth

34. Anne Brehmer

35. Lisa Weil and Steve Zansberg

36. Scott Reisch

37. Renee Howell & Glenn Gumley

38. Kacy & Ed Adams

39. Martha Sattler

40. Marcy Morrison

41. Davide Harwood

42. Paul Teske

43. Scott & Kristi Hargrove

44. Mary McNeil and Fred Cheever

45. Paula & Stan Gudder

46.  Tutor Doctor

47. Stephanie Welsh

48. Sue Windels

The following generous businesses are supporting Great Education Colorado and the 3^rd Annual Great Education Colorado Family Festival. Please give them your patronage.

Wells Fargo

Northwestern Mutual (Tara & Royce Zimmerman)

Comcast

Steele Street Bank

1st Bank Cherry Creek

Andre’s Confiserie Suisse

Nancy Hilton-Briney – Artist

Frank Adams, QuickStart Tennis Pro, Highland’s Ranch Recreating Center

Adrianna Saurini Face Painting

Annie’s Cafe

Colorado Athletic Club

Babalot

Barnes & Noble

Ben Allen Fitness Trainer (Colorado Athletic Club Monaco)

Bombay Clay Oven

The Bookies

Boondock’s

Bonnie Brae Ice Cream

Brewery Bar III

BRIO Restaurant

Brueggers Bagels

Café Rio

California Pizza Kitchen

Cherry Creek Shopping Center

Chipotle

Choppers

City Grille

Colorado Ballet

Colorado Liquor Mart

CT Nails

Rhona Kaczmarczyk Tennis Pro (Greenwood Athletic Club)

Alchemy Yoga – Claudia Ingraham

Daily Scoop Ice Cream

Encore Restaurant

Dan Gray, Tennis Pro, Denver Tennis Club

Dominos Pizza

Denver Art Museum

Denver Botanic Gardens

Denver Tennis Club

Comedy Works

Devil’s Food

Discount Tires

Earls Cherry Creek

Earls Downtown

Enstroms Cherry Creek

Finish Line Car Wash

Fun Productions

Funtastic Fun

Gabriele Lacrampe Home Inspections- ERA Herman Group Real Estate

Garbanzo Mediterranean Grill

Gourmet Fine Catering

Grant Family Farms CSA

Greenwood Athletic Club

Hard Rock Cafe

Head/PENN

High Country Racquet Sports

Icon Lasik

Illegal Grounds

Infinity Park Rugby

Ink! Coffee

Jamba Juice

Jewish Community Center – Tennis

Kambeitz Chiropractic

Kazoo & Co.

Kristin Kaiser PT at Colorado Athletic Club Monaco

Kroenke Sports

Laser Quest

Fred’s Fine Meats and Summerhill Market

Jeff Salzenstein Tennis Pro – Jewish Community Center

Fat Jacks

Kaladi Brothers Coffee

Kimberly Turnbow – Knitting Supplies

Kona Grill

Larkburger

Laser Quest

Laura Sargeant Tennis Pro –Colorado Athletic Club Monaco

Little India

Loose Ends Hair Salon – Barbara Wilkens

Karen Vaoss, Piano Teacher

Kevin Theroux Orthodontist

Larry Kirkman Tennis Pro, Colorado Athletic Club Monaco

Madgreens

Maral at Jua Salon

Massage Envy

Max’s Gill & Grill

McCormicks Fish House & Bar

Meadow Creek Tennis and Fitness Club

Erin Morin, Tennis Pro, JCC

Noodles & Co.

Paramount Café

Pete’s Fruits and Vegetable Market

Pete’s Coffee

Pinkberry Frozen Yogurt

Racines Restaurant

Reiver’s Restaurant

Remington’s Bakery and Dog Grooming

Rocky Mountain Racquet Specialists – Boulder

Saigon Landing Restaurant

Shells and Sauce

Spanky’s Roadhouse Restaurant

Sports Plus

Subway

Swallow Hill Music Association

Tattered Cover Book Store

Mark Thalhofer, Tennis Pro, Skyline and Coach/Teacher East High

The Tended Thicket

Timbuk Toys

Tutor Doctor

Watercourse Foods

Wahoos

Wash Park Gille

Wash Park Tavern

Wash Perk Coffee House

Waterway Car Wash

Gwen Wiliams, Tennis Pro Inverness

Gus Williams, Balloon Artist

Wizard’s Chest

The Wellness Center (Glendale)

Whole Foods on Colorado Blvd

Yogurt Guru

Zaidy’s Deli

Amendment 60

Resolution in opposition to the ballot initiative ON LOCAL PROPERTY TAX REVENUE

WHEREAS, the _______________ Board of Education is a public entity that provides educational services to the children in the _______________ School District; and

WHEREAS, a ballot initiative to amend Article X, Section 20 (“Taxpayer Bill of Rights” or “TABOR”) of the Colorado Constitution, which will appear on the general election ballot this November as Amendment 60, would cut in half all local property taxes used for the school district’s general fund and provides no credible means to replace these lost revenues; and

WHEREAS, the loss of 50% of the school district’s local property tax revenues would devastate the public educations provided to this community; and
WHEREAS, the decisions by voters of this school district to override TABOR revenue restrictions would be repealed by Amendment 60; and
WHEREAS, any future voter-approved property tax for the school district’s schools would expire within 10 years; and

WHEREAS, Amendment 60 would defeat and reverse the decisions of local communities on how to raise and allocate local resources, including public education, and consequently, eliminate local control of local budgets, including those of local boards of education; and

WHEREAS, Amendment 60 would reduce the local revenues available to local boards of education and severely impact the ability of school districts to effectively maintain an infrastructure to respond to the needs of educating Colorado’s children;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the ________________ Board of Education officially declares its opposition to Amendment 60.

Dated this ____ day of _____________________, 2010.

Amendment 61

Resolution in opposition to the ballot initiative ON public borrowing

WHEREAS, the _______________ Board of Education is a public entity that provides educational services to the children in the _______________ School District; and

WHEREAS, a ballot initiative to amend the Colorado Constitution, which will appear on the general election ballot this November as Amendment 61, would ban the use of any kind of debt by the State of Colorado and severely restrict the ability of local school districts to issue debt or to utilize appropriate and prudent business practices in managing the finances of the school district; and

WHEREAS, Amendment 61 would severely limit the ability of local communities to determine the appropriate use of local funds by this school board, including bonding and other appropriate and prudent debt obligations, for building and other capital needs; and

WHEREAS, Amendment 61 would disallow state funding programs that provide the means for some school districts to have sufficient cash flow to meet operating costs during the early parts of the school year (due to the timing of the collection of property tax revenues), and thus potentially cause school closures or reductions in education services; and
WHEREAS, Amendment 61 would prohibit or severely and unnecessarily constrain the ability of local school districts to use appropriate and well-established business practices in their normal day-to-day operations, such as refinancing bonded debt at a lower interest rate and using lease-purchase agreements to fund office equipment and furnishings; and

WHEREAS, Amendment 61 would eliminate prudent and cost-effective state programs that assist local school districts such as BEST (Building Excellent Schools Today) that permits many school districts to build new schools; and

WHEREAS, Amendment 61 would result in the elimination of the resources available for public education programs and cause further cuts in public education at a time when public education is already suffering from cuts in resources that diminish the educational services and opportunities available to Colorado’s children; and

WHEREAS, Amendment 61 could be economically devastating to the Colorado economy by eliminating jobs and deterring out-of-state companies from doing business in Colorado or with Colorado public entities, including school districts;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the ________________ Board of Education officially declares its opposition to Amendment 61.

Dated this ____ day of _____________________, 2010.

Proposition 101

Resolution in opposition to the ballot initiative on Motor vehicle, Income and Telecommunications Taxes and Fees

WHEREAS, the _______________ Board of Education is a public entity that provides educational services to the children in the _______________ School District; and

WHEREAS, a proposed ballot initiative to amend the Colorado Statutes, which will appear on the general election ballot this November as Proposition 101, requires the reduction of public resources and valuable public programs, including public education, by radically reducing certain specific ownership fees and taxes; and

WHEREAS, Proposition 101 would reduce the state budget by over one billion dollars, forcing drastic and unsustainable cuts to public education, as well as health care, and dozens of other critical public services; and
WHEREAS, Proposition 101 would cause school districts to lose specific ownership taxes, including losses of up to _______________ by this district; and
WHEREAS, current economic difficulties and the resulting budget cuts, including cuts to the State Education Fund, are already in violation of the Article IX, Section 17 of the Colorado Constitution, as well as the Colorado Constitution’s mandate that the State establish and maintain a “thorough and uniform system of public schools” throughout Colorado; and
WHEREAS, the budget cuts that would result from Proposition 101 would ensure that the mandates of the Colorado Constitution could never be met;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the _______________ Board of Education officially declares its opposition to Proposition 101 because it would cripple the ability of the state to meet its obligations to establish and sufficiently fund public education in the State of Colorado and devastate the ability of local boards of education throughout the state, including this Board, to adequately serve the educational needs of children in the community.
Dated this ____ day of _____________________, 2010.

Please add your name to Great Futures’ open letter to voters: we won’t let another year go by without giving voters a chance to improve resources for public education!

As the House sponsor of HCR10-1002, the “DECIDE” referendum, I have some bad news and good news for public education supporters in Colorado.

The bad news is that DECIDE won’t be on the ballot in November.  Although a majority of representatives voted for DECIDE on final passage (35-30), we were unable to reach the two-thirds majority necessary to put DECIDE on the ballot.

I am disappointed that Colorado voters won’t be given the opportunity to DECIDE in November whether to give the legislature the ability to avoid deep cuts to education in 2011.

But those of you who know me know that I’m always looking forward, and planning to build toward future victories.

So let me tell you the good news and what’s next. We accomplished so much, just by proposing and supporting DECIDE.

• We changed the debate about education funding, taxes and TABOR. (Just look at all the press coverage!)  Until Great Ed and the Great Futures coalition brought DECIDE forward, cuts to schools, colleges and universities were considered inevitable.  DECIDE has reminded the legislature and Colorado voters that we have the power to change course and do what’s right for our kids.
• You shook the Capitol.  The flood of emails and calls, the huge turnout at the hearings, and the eloquent, heartfelt testimony from such a diversity of backgrounds, were like nothing I’ve ever seen on school funding.  Seeing that sea of red in the hearing room, with testimony from DECIDE supporters from age 8 to 80, Democrats and Republicans, business owners, clergy, students and educators, made me proud, and hopeful for the future of Colorado.
• Great Ed Action and Great Futures Colorado — and you — are building the army we’ll need for meaningful budget reform. You and thousands of others, are now part of a vibrant, grassroots coalition that has united P-12 and higher ed, and is ready to take the next steps to put Colorado back on the path to investing in our children and our future.

So here’s the question.  Are you ready to keep fighting for better funding for education in Colorado? If so, here’s your first chance to take action by adding your name to Great Ed’s open letter to Colorado voters.

With the momentum of DECIDE at our backs, we must show Colorado that this is just the beginning, and that we will keep fighting until we have given Colorado’s future generations a proud legacy of a great education for every child.

With DECIDE, we’ve made a real difference — and we’ve only just begun.  Thank you for your support and for everything you do for Colorado’s kids, schools, colleges, and universities.

In a 35-30 vote, the Colorado House of Representatives failed to reach the two-thirds majority vote and the Senate never brought it to the vote necessary to put DECIDE (HCR 1002) on the ballot in November 2010.  Great Education Colorado — a member of the Great Futures Colorado coalition, which proposed the referendum — issued the following statement:

We are deeply disappointed that the voters will not have any opportunity on the November 2010 ballot to prevent and reverse deep and disastrous cuts to schools, colleges and universities.  It is unfortunate that the legislature did not trust the voters enough to let us DECIDE whether to invest more in our children, economy and future.

We knew from the start that it would be an uphill battle to put DECIDE on the ballot.  If there were an easy way to fix Colorado’s education crisis it would have been done by now.

Even though DECIDE will not be on the ballot, this effort was tremendously successful.  The Great Futures coalition moved the budget reform conversation forward, by focusing attention on the urgency of the education funding crisis (preschool through higher education), offering a solution, and reminding Colorado that a fix to the funding crisis is within our grasp.

Thousands of public education supporters stepped into the political process — many for the first time — to testify, call and write their legislators.  Together they took DECIDE far beyond what anyone expected, and put the legislature on notice that we will not sit idly by, as budget cuts dim the prospects of our children and our state.

We are tremendously grateful for the courage and leadership demonstrated by DECIDE’s prime sponsors — Representative Debbie Benefield, and Senators Suzanne Williams and Chris Romer — and by all the other legislators who cosponsored and voted for DECIDE.

The defeat of DECIDE is a disappointment and a blow to the educational opportunities of over one million students in Colorado.  It does not mark an ending, however.  To the contrary, we are just getting started.  We will not rest until Colorado provides the resources necessary to ensure the legacy of a quality education for every child.