Will fixing our school funding crisis require action at the ballot?

Yes. After almost two decades of tax cuts and TABOR, Colorado’s state budget simply is not large enough to fund public schools, colleges, and universities adequately, while making appropriate investments in other parts of the budget: higher education, health care, transportation, and other critical state services. Because TABOR requires voter approval before any tax increase can be implemented, there can be no solution to our budget crisis without a vote of the people. There are multiple discussions going on among state leaders, advocacy groups, foundations, community leaders, and other interested parties about how to raise revenues, how those funds should be used, and when (i.e., in what year) the resulting ballot initiative(s) should be put before Colorado voters. Great Education Colorado has been convening and participating in these conversations and will continue to work to ensure that voters have the opportunity—as soon as is pragmatically and strategically possible—to vote on long-term funding solutions that will allow Colorado to invest wisely and adequately in the education of our children.