Right now, community members across Colorado are gathering signatures for Initiative 195, the citizen initiative to create a graduated income tax that will both make our tax system more fair and raise at least $2 billion each year for K-12 public education, health care, and early childhood care and education.
That’s how it would impact the state. But what would it mean for you and what benefits can you expect for the schools and students in your district? There are a lot of moving pieces, but we’ve got two ways give you a ballpark idea of what will happen when the ballot measure passes:
What will it mean to you?
Under Initiative 195, 97% of taxpayers – everyone who earns less than $500,000 in a year in Colorado Taxable Income – will get a tax cut. Will you? Find out by using the calculator on the Protect Colorado’s Future website. (Scroll down to find it.)
What could Initiative 195 mean for my school district? Check our District-Specific Fact Sheets!
With so many uncertainties (inflation, economic growth, enrollment and revenues), it’s impossible to model school budgets for the future. What we do know is that, if Initiative 195 passes, Colorado Legislative Counsel estimates that there will be about $2.0 – $2.7 billion in new revenue raised.
We worked with our partners at Colorado School Finance Project and Spark & Compass Consulting, as well as Bell Policy Center and Colorado Fiscal Institute, to model Conservatively assuming that 35% of the lower estimate will come to K-12, about $700 million more will be available to spend on school finance. You can see a ballpark estimate of what that could mean for your community here.
Colorado Legislative Counsel estimates that Initiative 195’s graduated income tax would bring in somewhere between $2.0 and $2.7 billion per year for K-12 public education, health care, and early childhood care and education.
With so many uncertainties (including inflation, economic growth, enrollment and revenues), it’s impossible to predict school budgets for the future. In partnership with Colorado School Finance Project and Spark & Compass Consulting, as well as Bell Policy Center and Colorado Fiscal Institute, we used the current school finance formula to provide an idea of what districts would receive if Initiative 195 passes.
Conservatively assuming that 35% of the lower estimate will come to K-12, about $700 million more will be available to spend on school finance beginning in 2027. We used each district’s current percentage of the student population to provide a ballpark estimate of how much more money the district would receive. Click here to view those estimates, as well as other important economic context for your school district.
Want to help us give voters a chance to Protect Colorado’s Future? We have opportunities for everyone!
- Sign up to get trained to gather signatures – and give Great Ed a shout out in your comment. 🙂
- Talk with your school board about passing a resolution in support of Initiative 195 – share these draft resolutions with details specific to each district!
- Request a presentation for your community group to learn more about the measure and how to get involved.
- Sign up to help us verify signatures.