Proposition 137 Promises Millions for Colorado Public Lands, but Lawmakers Retain Final Say

By Jesse Paul | The Colorado Sun

Proposition 137 asks voters to divert all state sales tax revenue generated from the purchase of sporting goods starting next year to things like land conservation and access, as well as wildfire mitigation. That’s estimated to be about $175 million at the start.

However, whether the measure will ever truly do that — even if it passes — is far from guaranteed.

That’s because Proposition 137 would turn off in years when it could affect a pair of state tax credits for lower-income families. Additionally, Democrats in the legislature have signaled they will ignore the measure’s directives in tough fiscal years — and supporters of the initiative have all but said they are fine with that. 

“Proponents were trying to design a measure that could send funding to Colorado communities to protect them from wildfire and widespread drought, but recognize that the state is operating in a dynamic fiscal environment and there are a lot of pressures on the state budget,” said Tarn Udall, an attorney with Western Resource Advocates, one of the main backers of Proposition 137.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE AT THE COLORADO SUN