August 8, 2022
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACTS:
Tracie Rainey, CO School Finance Project
Raineytracie@gmail.com 303-941-1633
Lisa Weil, Great Education Colorado
lisa@greateducation.org 720-217-6239
Statement of the Great Schools Thriving Communities Coalition on Initiative 63
“It is with profound disappointment that we announce that we will not be submitting signatures for Initiative 63 to the Secretary of State today.
“We are heartbroken that voters will not have the opportunity to make this historic investment in our teachers, student support professionals and students, despite their overwhelming support for Initiative 63 as demonstrated in polls (below) and by the public enthusiasm every volunteer experienced when gathering signatures.
“We are beyond grateful for, and in awe of, the heroic and historic volunteer effort made by hundreds of Coloradans who gathered tens of thousands of signatures in over 100 communities around the state.
“We have learned the hard way that the enormous cost of gathering 125,000 valid signatures puts the ballot out of the reach of ordinary citizens – even with an extraordinarily popular measure with broad grassroots support like Initiative 63. Unfortunately for all Coloradans and especially for our public school students and teachers, deep pockets appear to be a prerequisite for ballot access.
“More than anything, we are resolved and united in our commitment to keep fighting to provide teachers with the compensation, support, and work conditions they deserve. The voters overwhelmingly support using TABOR “surplus” dollars to attract, retain and compensate teachers and to address the shameful fact that Colorado has the least competitive teacher salaries in the nation.
“Because our fiscal and ballot systems have failed our students, today we are calling on all legislative candidates and elected officials to pledge support for policies and referred measures that will give voters the chance to put their values into action.”
Tulchin Research conducted the poll among 800 likely November 2022 voters in Colorado, from June 5-13, 2022. Respondents were contacted by live telephone interviews (landlines and cell phones) as well as online by text message and email. The margin of error is ± 3.46% for the full 800 sample.
The Great Schools Thriving Communities (GSTC) Coalition, is an ongoing inclusive, diverse group of organizations committed to increasing adequate and equitable funding for Colorado public schools.