View source for 2023 Colorado Proposition II

{{Short description|Ballot measure in Colorado diverting nicotine revenue to fund preschools}}
{{Infobox referendum
| name = Proposition II
| title = '''Retain Nicotine Tax Revenue in Excess of Blue Book Estimate'''
|date=November 7, 2023
|country=Colorado
| yes   = 1,130,147
| no    = 543,405
| total = 1,673,452
| invalid =
| map = [[File:2023_Colorado_Proposition_II_results_map_by_county.svg|300px]]
| mapcaption = {{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
'''For'''
{{legend|#28497C|80–90% |border=1px #AAAAAA solid}}
{{legend|#47729E|70–80% |border=1px #AAAAAA solid}}
{{legend|#7D9CBB|60–70% |border=1px #AAAAAA solid}}
{{legend|#B6C8D9|50–60% |border=1px #AAAAAA solid}}
{{col-2}}
'''Against'''
{{legend|#8B8B54|70–80% |border=1px #AAAAAA solid}}
{{legend|#BCBC83|60–70% |border=1px #AAAAAA solid}}
{{legend|#DEDEBD|50–60% |border=1px #AAAAAA solid}}
{{col-end}}
}}
{{Elections in Colorado}}
'''2023 Colorado Proposition II''' was a successful a ballot measure referred to voters by the [[Colorado General Assembly]] regarding the retention of [[tax revenue]] collected from the sale of [[nicotine]], [[tobacco]], and [[vape]] products in [[Colorado]]. The measure requires that 23.65 million dollars the state was obligated to refund to wholesalers and distributors of these products be diverted to fund preschools within the state.<ref name=":0">{{cite web |title=Proposition II: What to do with $24 million in excess tobacco and nicotine taxes? |url=https://www.cpr.org/2023/10/17/vg-2023-colorado-proposition-ii-tobacco-taxes/ |date=October 17, 2023 |access-date=June 1, 2024 |author=Jenny Brundin |website=[[Colorado Public Radio]]}}</ref> On November 7, 2023, Colorado voters approved the proposition with roughly two-thirds of the electorate voting in favor.

==Background==
In 2020, Colorado passed [[2020 Colorado Proposition EE|Proposition EE]] which raised taxes on [[nicotine]], [[tobacco]], and [[vape]] products to fund universal preschool and tobacco education programs. Proposition EE estimated that the tax would collect 186.5 million dollars within its first year, however it ended up generating  208 million dollars. Under [[Taxpayer Bill of Rights#1992 Colorado amendment|Article X]] of the [[Colorado Constitution]], the state was obligated to return the excess revenue to vendors it was collected from, plus interest. Furthermore, the state would have to lower the tax rate to match the initially anticipated quantity of revenue.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Richard |first=Brandon |date=October 31, 2023 |title=Proposition II: The other state ballot measure Colorado voters must decide on this November |url=https://www.denver7.com/news/politics/proposition-ii-the-other-state-ballot-measure-colorado-voters-must-decide-on-this-november |website=[[ABC 7 Denver]]}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{cite web |title=Proposition II: Colorado would be able to keep all the tobacco, nicotine tax revenue it generates to pay for preschool |url=https://coloradosun.com/2023/10/10/proposition-ii-explained-colorado-ballot/ |date=October 10, 2023 |access-date=June 1, 2024 |author=Sandra Fish |website=[[Colorado Sun]]}}</ref>

On April 10, 2023, Representatives [[Julie McCluskie]] and [[Emily Sirota]] and Senators [[Dominick Moreno]] and [[Rhonda Fields]] introduced House Bill 23-1290 to the [[Colorado General Assembly]] to refer the issue of the excess tax revenue to voters. The bill passed both houses of the Colorado General Assembly with all [[Colorado Republican Party|Republicans]] and three [[Colorado Democratic Party|Democrats]] voting against the legislation.<ref name=":3" /> Governor [[Jared Polis]] signed the bill on June 2, 2023, resulting in Proposition II being on the November 2023 ballot. The bill stipulated that if Proposition II passed the excess revenue already generated, as well as any future excess revenue, would be transferred to funds for Colorado preschools. Additionally, it clarified that the tax rate set by [[2020 Colorado Proposition EE|Proposition EE]] would remain in place should Proposition II be approved by voters.<ref>{{cite web |title=HB23-1290 Proposition EE Funding Retention Rate |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb23-1290 |access-date=June 1, 2024 |website=[[Colorado General Assembly]]}} Reduction</ref>

==Contents==
The proposition appeared on the ballot as follows:<ref name=":2">{{cite web |title=2023 State Ballot Information Booklet |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/blue_book_2023_-_english.pdf |date=September 7, 2023 |access-date=June 1, 2024 |website=[[Colorado General Assembly]]}}</ref>
{{Blockquote|text=Without raising taxes, may the state retain and spend revenues from taxes on cigarettes, tobacco, and other nicotine products and maintain tax rates on cigarettes, tobacco, and other nicotine products and use these revenues to invest twenty-three million six hundred fifty thousand dollars to enhance the voluntary Colorado preschool program and make it widely available for free instead of reducing these tax rates and refunding revenues to cigarette wholesalers, tobacco product distributors, nicotine products distributors, and other taxpayers, for exceeding an estimate included in the ballot information booklet for proposition EE?}}

==Campaigns==

===Support===
The main campaign to vote yes on Proposition II was led by the organization Preschool for all Coloradans. The organization contended that the passage of Proposition II would make preschool more widely available for Coloradan families and that the increased tax rate would lead to fewer youth and young adults using [[tobacco]] and [[nicotine]] products.<ref>{{cite web |title=About Us |url=https://www.preschoolforallcoloradans.com/about |access-date=June 3, 2024 |website=Preschool for all Coloradans}}</ref> The official state voter guide also included arguments to support Proposition II including the claim that more preschool funding will lead to children of different socioeconomic backgrounds being able to start kindergarten with similar educational foundations.<ref name=":2" />
{{Endorsements box
|title = 'Yes'<ref>{{cite web |title=Endorsements |url=https://www.preschoolforallcoloradans.com/endorsements |access-date=June 3, 2024 |website=Preschool for all Coloradans}}</ref>
|list = 
;State officials
*[[Jared Polis]], [[Governor of Colorado]]

;State senators
*[[Jeff Bridges (politician)|Jeff Bridges]]
*[[Janet Buckner]]
*[[James Coleman (politician)|James Coleman]]
*[[Lisa Cutter]]
*[[Tony Exum]]
*[[Steve Fenberg]]
*[[Rhonda Fields]]
*[[Chris Hansen (politician)|Chris Hansen]]
*[[Nick Hinrichsen]]
*[[Sonya Jaquez Lewis]]
*[[Dafna Michaelson Jenet]]
*[[Chris Kolker]]
*[[Janice Marchman]]
*[[Kyle Mullica]]
*[[Kevin Priola]]
*[[Dylan Roberts]]
*[[Tom Sullivan (Colorado politician)|Tom Sullivan]]
*[[Faith Winter]]
*[[Rachel Zenzinger]]

;State representatives
*[[Judy Amabile]]
*[[Jennifer Bacon]]
*[[Shannon Bird]]
*[[Andrew Boesenecker]]
*[[Kyle Brown (Colorado politician)|Kyle Brown]]
*[[Lindsey Daugherty]]
*[[Ruby Dickson]]
*[[Monica Duran]]
*[[Regina English]]
*[[Lorena Garcia]]
*[[Leslie Herod]]
*[[Junie Joseph]]
*[[Chris Kennedy (Colorado politician)|Chris Kennedy]]
*[[Cathy Kipp]]
*[[Sheila Lieder]]
*[[Mandy Lindsay]]
*[[William Lindstedt]]
*[[Meghan Lukens]]
*[[Javier Mabrey]]
*[[Julie McCluskie]]
*[[Karen McCormick]]
*[[Barbara McLachlan]]
*[[Naquetta Ricks]]
*[[Emily Sirota]]
*[[Tammy Story]]
*[[Marc Snyder]]
*[[Brianna Titone]]
*[[Alex Valdez]]
*[[Elizabeth Velasco]]
*[[Stephanie Vigil]] (voted against HB23-1290)<ref name=":3" />
*[[Mike Weissman]]
*[[Jenny Willford]]
*[[Steven Woodrow]]
*[[Mary Young (politician)|Mary Young]]

;Local politicians
*Jeanne McQueeney, [[Eagle County, Colorado|Eagle County]] Commissioner
*[[Anna Jo Garcia Haynes]], former chair of the [[Denver Public Schools]] Early Childhood Council
*Adeeb Kahn, Executive Director of the [[Denver]] Economic, Development, and Opportunity office
*Elsa Holguín, President and CEO of the Denver Preschool Program

;Newspapers
*[[The Denver Post]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Editorial: The Denver Post's endorsement on Proposition II |url=https://www.denverpost.com/2023/10/24/proposition-ii-endorsement-tobacco-nicotine-tax-colorado/ |date=October 24, 2023|access-date=June 3, 2024 |website=[[The Denver Post]]}}</ref>
*[[The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel]]<ref>{{cite web |title=2023 endorsements: Aye, Aye on Prop II |url=https://www.gjsentinel.com/opinion/editorials/2023-endorsements-aye-aye-on-prop-ii/article_27ff8a02-6ed4-11ee-8a46-7f37a9e6451b.html |date=October 20, 2023 |access-date=June 3, 2024 |website=[[The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel]]}}</ref>

;Organizations
*[[American Heart Association]]
*[[American Lung Association]]
*[[Children’s Hospital Colorado]]
*[[Colorado Democratic Party]]
*Colorado [[Working Families Party]]
*[[League of Women Voters]] of Colorado
*Preschool for all Coloradans
*[[Save the Children]]
}}

===Opposition===
There was no major organized campaign against Proposition II. However, the official state voter guide listed two main arguments against the proposition. The guide offered that Proposition II was an unnecessary expansion of government given that Colorado preschools were already fully funded and that the higher tax rate could harm those suffering from addiction.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Coltrain |first=Nick |date=October 25, 2023 |title=Here's how Colorado Proposition II would affect tobacco taxes and preschools |url=https://www.denverpost.com/2023/10/25/colorado-proposition-ii-ballot-tobacco-tax-preschools/ |access-date=June 2, 2024 |website=[[The Denver Post]]}}</ref>{{Endorsements box
|title = 'No'
|list =
;Organizations
* The Centennial Institute at [[Colorado Christian University]]<ref>{{cite web |title=2023 Ballot Guide |url=https://centennial.ccu.edu/2023-ballot-guide/ |access-date=June 2, 2024 |website=Centennial Institute at [[Colorado Christian University]]}}</ref>
}}

==Results==
{{Referendum
| title = Proposition II<ref>{{cite web |title=Colorado Coordinated Election Results |url=https://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/elections/Results/2023/2023AbstractCert.pdf |website=[[Colorado Secretary of State]] |author=[[Jena Griswold]] |access-date=June 1, 2024 |date=4 December 2023}}</ref>
| yes = 1,130,147
| yespct = 67.53
| no = 543,405
| nopct = 32.47
| total = 1,673,452
| 100%
}}

===Results by county===
{| width="60%"  class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"| County
! style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| For
! style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Against
! style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Margin
! style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"| Total votes cast
|-
! style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number"| #
! style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number"| %
! style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number"| #
! style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number"| %
! style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number"| #
! style="text-align:center;" data-sort-type="number"| %
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Adams County, Colorado|Adams]]
| 67,340
| 66.79%
| 33,477
| 33.21%
| 33,863
| 33.59%
| 100,817
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Alamosa County, Colorado|Alamosa]]
| 2,260
| 60.70%
| 1,463
| 39.30%
| 797
| 21.41%
| 3,723
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Arapahoe County, Colorado|Arapahoe]]
| 118,572
| 70.41%
| 49,829
| 29.59%
| 68,743
| 40.82%
| 168,401
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Archuleta County, Colorado|Archuleta]]
| 3,722
| 70.83%
| 1,533
| 29.17%
| 2,189
| 41.66%
| 5,255
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Baca County, Colorado|Baca]]
| 518
| 40.28%
| 768
| 59.72%
| -250
| -19.44%
| 1,286
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Bent County, Colorado|Bent]]
| 609
| 46.60%
| 698
| 53.40%
| -89
| -6.81%
| 1,307
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Boulder County, Colorado|Boulder]]
| 97,034
| 82.62%
| 20,419
| 17.38%
| 76,615
| 65.23%
| 117,453
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Broomfield County, Colorado|Broomfield]]
| 19,060
| 73.51%
| 6,869
| 26.49%
| 12,191
| 47.02%
| 25,929
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Chaffee County, Colorado|Chaffee]]
| 6,453
| 68.90%
| 2,913
| 31.10%
| 3,540
| 37.80%
| 9,366
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Cheyenne County, Colorado|Cheyenne]]
| 183
| 27.77%
| 476
| 72.23%
| -293
| -44.46%
| 659
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Clear Creek County, Colorado|Clear Creek]]
| 2,294
| 67.35%
| 1,112
| 32.65%
| 1,182
| 34.70%
| 3,406
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Conejos County, Colorado|Conejos]]
| 1,277
| 58.98%
| 888
| 41.02%
| 389
| 17.97%
| 2,165
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Costilla County, Colorado|Costilla]]
| 753
| 65.71%
| 393
| 34.29%
| 360
| 31.41%
| 1,146
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Crowley County, Colorado|Crowley]]
| 448
| 39.68%
| 681
| 60.32%
| -233
| -20.64%
| 1,129
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Custer County, Colorado|Custer]]
| 1,226
| 47.21%
| 1,371
| 52.79%
| -145
| -5.58%
| 2,597
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Delta County, Colorado|Delta]]
| 5,870
| 52.93%
| 5,221
| 47.07%
| 649
| 5.85%
| 11,091
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Denver County, Colorado|Denver]]
| 132,769
| 82.54%
| 28,090
| 17.46%
| 104,679
| 65.08%
| 160,859
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Dolores County, Colorado|Dolores]]
| 451
| 51.72%
| 421
| 48.28%
| 30
| 3.44%
| 872
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Douglas County, Colorado|Douglas]]
| 93,636
| 66.11%
| 47,993
| 33.89%
| 45,643
| 32.23%
| 141,629
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Eagle County, Colorado|Eagle]]
| 11,164
| 74.48%
| 3,825
| 25.52%
| 7,339
| 48.96%
| 14,989
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[El Paso County, Colorado|El Paso]]
| 118,028
| 60.63%
| 76,656
| 39.37%
| 41,372
| 21.25%
| 194,684
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Elbert County, Colorado|Elbert]]
| 5,091
| 41.93%
| 7,050
| 58.07%
| -1,959
| -16.14%
| 12,141
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Fremont County, Colorado|Fremont]]
| 7,791
| 52.35%
| 7,092
| 47.65%
| 699
| 4.70%
| 14,883
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Garfield County, Colorado|Garfield]]
| 9,883
| 67.58%
| 4,741
| 32.42%
| 5,142
| 35.16%
| 14,624
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Gilpin County, Colorado|Gilpin]]
| 1,557
| 60.73%
| 1,007
| 39.27%
| 550
| 21.45%
| 2,564
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Grand County, Colorado|Grand]]
| 3,741
| 67.03%
| 1,840
| 32.97%
| 1,901
| 34.06%
| 5,581
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Gunnison County, Colorado|Gunnison]]
| 5,228
| 77.05%
| 1,557
| 22.95%
| 3,671
| 54.10%
| 6,785
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Hinsdale County, Colorado|Hinsdale]]
| 244
| 61.77%
| 151
| 38.23%
| 93
| 23.54%
| 395
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Huerfano County, Colorado|Huerfano]]
| 1,569
| 56.42%
| 1,212
| 43.58%
| 357
| 12.84%
| 2,781
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Jackson County, Colorado|Jackson]]
| 199
| 43.45%
| 259
| 56.55%
| -60
| -13.10%
| 458
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Jefferson County, Colorado|Jefferson]]
| 138,609
| 67.85%
| 65,689
| 32.15%
| 72,920
| 35.69%
| 204,298
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Kiowa County, Colorado|Kiowa]]
| 153
| 29.03%
| 374
| 70.97%
| -221
| -41.94%
| 527
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Kit Carson County, Colorado|Kit Carson]]
| 1,150
| 45.19%
| 1,395
| 54.81%
| -245
| -9.63%
| 2,545
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[La Plata County, Colorado|La Plata]]
| 13,245
| 72.39%
| 5,052
| 27.61%
| 8,193
| 44.78%
| 18,297
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Lake County, Colorado|Lake]]
| 1,355
| 65.30%
| 720
| 34.70%
| 635
| 30.60%
| 2,075
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Larimer County, Colorado|Larimer]]
| 87,262
| 70.49%
| 36,536
| 29.51%
| 50,726
| 40.97%
| 123,798
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Las Animas County, Colorado|Las Animas]]
| 2,725
| 55.57%
| 2,179
| 44.43%
| 546
| 11.13%
| 4,904
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Lincoln County, Colorado|Lincoln]]
| 535
| 35.38%
| 977
| 64.62%
| -442
| -29.23%
| 1,512
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Logan County, Colorado|Logan]]
| 2,715
| 42.97%
| 3,604
| 57.03%
| -889
| -14.07%
| 6,319
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Mesa County, Colorado|Mesa]]
| 28,759
| 57.39%
| 21,354
| 42.61%
| 7,405
| 14.78%
| 50,113
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Mineral County, Colorado|Mineral]]
| 378
| 66.43%
| 191
| 33.57%
| 187
| 32.86%
| 569
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Moffat County, Colorado|Moffat]]
| 1,695
| 47.15%
| 1,900
| 52.85%
| -205
| -5.70%
| 3,595
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Montezuma County, Colorado|Montezuma]]
| 5,042
| 60.73%
| 3,260
| 39.27%
| 1,782
| 21.46%
| 8,302
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Montrose County, Colorado|Montrose]]
| 7,832
| 53.23%
| 6,882
| 46.77%
| 950
| 6.46%
| 14,714
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Morgan County, Colorado|Morgan]]
| 3,126
| 43.71%
| 4,025
| 56.29%
| -899
| -12.57%
| 7,151
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Otero County, Colorado|Otero]]
| 2,841
| 50.53%
| 2,781
| 49.47%
| 60
| 1.07%
| 5,622
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Ouray County, Colorado|Ouray]]
| 1,909
| 72.53%
| 723
| 27.47%
| 1,186
| 45.06%
| 2,632
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Park County, Colorado|Park]]
| 4,070
| 58.03%
| 2,944
| 41.97%
| 1,126
| 16.05%
| 7,014
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Phillips County, Colorado|Phillips]]
| 815
| 46.76%
| 928
| 53.24%
| -113
| -6.48%
| 1,743
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Pitkin County, Colorado|Pitkin]]
| 4,358
| 83.30%
| 874
| 16.70%
| 3,484
| 66.59%
| 5,232
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Prowers County, Colorado|Prowers]]
| 1,576
| 47.67%
| 1,730
| 52.33%
| -154
| -4.66%
| 3,306
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Pueblo County, Colorado|Pueblo]]
| 26,865
| 59.26%
| 18,467
| 40.74%
| 8,398
| 18.53%
| 45,332
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Rio Blanco County, Colorado|Rio Blanco]]
| 747
| 37.86%
| 1,226
| 62.14%
| -479
| -24.28%
| 1,973
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Rio Grande County, Colorado|Rio Grande]]
| 1,853
| 54.53%
| 1,545
| 45.47%
| 308
| 9.06%
| 3,398
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Routt County, Colorado|Routt]]
| 7,226
| 78.40%
| 1,991
| 21.60%
| 5,235
| 56.80%
| 9,217
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Saguache County, Colorado|Saguache]]
| 1,098
| 61.89%
| 676
| 38.11%
| 422
| 23.79%
| 1,774
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[San Juan County, Colorado|San Juan]]
| 284
| 76.34%
| 88
| 23.66%
| 196
| 52.69%
| 372
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[San Miguel County, Colorado|San Miguel]]
| 2,578
| 84.28%
| 481
| 15.72%
| 2,097
| 68.55%
| 3,059
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Sedgwick County, Colorado|Sedgwick]]
| 356
| 43.20%
| 468
| 56.80%
| -112
| -13.59%
| 824
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Summit County, Colorado|Summit]]
| 7,204
| 76.22%
| 2,248
| 23.78%
| 4,956
| 52.43%
| 9,452
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Teller County, Colorado|Teller]]
| 6,309
| 55.85%
| 4,987
| 44.15%
| 1,322
| 11.70%
| 11,296
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Washington County, Colorado|Washington]]
| 562
| 30.53%
| 1,279
| 69.47%
| -717
| -38.95%
| 1,841
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Weld County, Colorado|Weld]]
| 44,547
| 56.63%
| 34,115
| 43.37%
| 10,432
| 13.26%
| 78,662
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Yuma County, Colorado|Yuma]]
| 1,298
| 43.14%
| 1,711
| 56.86%
| -413
| -13.73%
| 3,009
|-
!Total !!1,130,047!!67.53%!!543,405!!32.47%!!586,642!!35.06%!!1,673,452
|}

==See also==
{{Portal|Politics|Colorado}}
* [[2020 Colorado Proposition EE]]

== References ==

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Referendums in the United States]]
[[Category:2023 Colorado ballot measures]]