Vol. 1 No. 7
SEPTEMBER 30, 2022
PUEBLO BULLS 4 | GUEST COLUMN: ERJAVEC 7 | EVENTS 11
• DIG DEEPER •
| COMMUNITY | ACCOUNTABILITY | CURIOSITY | CONNECTION |
On mushrooms and affordable lunches
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By Regan Foster Special to the Pueblo Star Journal
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he conventional wisdom and statistics suggest voters are more likely to show up for a presidential election than a midterm. Here in Pueblo County, Clerk and Recorder election canvass numbers show (county.Pueblo.org/ clerk-and-recorder-department/election-results), 59.31% of registered voters cast ballots in the November 2018 midterm race compared to 77.17% in 2020’s historic presidential election, when Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump. In 2014, midway through Barack Obama’s second term, 65.65% of registered voters cast a ballot, compared with 92.24% in 2012 (Obama vs. Mitt Romney). What are our takeaways from that? Pueblo County residents vote – and they vote a lot when the candidates or the initiatives are considered high stakes. Given the socio-political undertones of the past few years, it’s hard to imagine higher stakes than now. Down the ballot, past the flashy and important but
not-so-flashy names, lie the ballot measures. These initiatives – some amendments to the state constitution and some just looking for direction – ask voters to decide some major policy issues that could dramatically reshape the direction of governance and impact Pueblo. This year, Coloradans will be asked their opinions on three constitutional amendments and eight amendments to state law. They range from an amendment reallocating judges to a different Denver-area judicial district to a plan that would limit tax deductions for high-earning households to support free meals for all public school students. There is also an initiative that would reduce the state income tax rate by .15% for all residents and one that would allocate a 0.01% sales tax to affordable housing. To help ease confusion as you wade through the measures, we created this guide to several of the biggest questions on the ballot. When we refer to something as “pro” or “con,” that’s not a Pueblo Star Journal opinion; we don’t endorse candidates or issues. It’s just what the ad-
Your guide to (some of) the 2022 ballot initiatives
vocates and opponents have to say about the initiative. Constitutional amendments require at least 55% ballot approval to pass; propositions need a simple majority. For a deeper dive into all of this, check out the state General Assembly’s Blue Book mailed to households and available online at leg.colorado.gov. Happy voting, you well-informed electors, you.
Ballot issue: Amendment E
What it asks: Shall there be an amendment to the Colorado constitution concerning the extension of a property tax exemption for qualifying seniors and disabilities to the surviving spouse of a United States armed forces service member who died in the line of duty or veteran whose death resulted from a service-related injury or disease? What it means: Colorado currently extends a property tax exemption to seniors older than 65 who have owned and lived in their home for at least 10 years and to members of the U.S. military with a service-connected disability rated 100% permanent and total by the federal government. A “yes” vote would extend the same exemption to a veteran’s surviving spouse if the vet is killed in action or dies from a service-related condition. Pro: Advocates say the measure allows the state to do more to help Gold Star families whose spouses or parents have died in service to the nation and state. It could help ease the burden of the financial strain of losing a loved one. Con: Opponents note that the proposal only applies to Gold Star spouses who can afford to own their homes, so those who rent or aren’t the owners of record on the property don’t qualify. They also argue that the current exemption is designed to help veterans whose federally designated disability prevents them from maintaining employment. Financial impact: If approved, the measure is expected to increase state spending by $288,000 in budget year 2023-24. BALLOT INITIATIVES continued on page 8