2021 Statewide Ballot

Colorado’s 2021 election is over. We discuss the results with KUNC Capitol Coverage reporter Scott Franz, Colorado Municipal League executive director Kevin Bommer and Chalkbeat Colorado bureau chief Erica Meltzer.

Amendment 78's likely failure means the governor and other branches of government will keep their power to spend what are known as custodial funds, or money that does not come directly from state taxpayers.

Unofficial results as of 11 p.m. Tuesday showed 56.63% of voters opposing Proposition 120.

Colorado voters were not convinced the state should gradually raise taxes on marijuana sales to pay for tutoring programs aimed at reversing learning loss caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Chris Brown, a non-partisan researcher who has spent many hours examining the economic effects of Prop. 120, jokes it would probably take more than a single beer to explain all the nuances of the initiative to the average voter.

Proposition 119 would raise taxes on marijuana sales by 5% over the next three years. Nonpartisan analysts at the Capitol say the Learning Enrichment and Academic Progress Program – or LEAP for short – would net more than $100 million for the program during the next fiscal year.

Amendment 78 is a conservative-led effort to make the executive branch a little less powerful by giving state lawmakers more control over emergency spending.