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Colorado Proposition EE (also the Taxes on Nicotine Products Proposition) was a legislative referendum that appeared on ballots in Colorado in the November 2020 elections. It was a proposal to increase taxes on nicotine products and place a new tax on vaping products.
Proposal[edit]
Proposition EE originates from HB20-1427, a law that would increase taxes on cigarettes and nicotine products. As all tax increases have to be approved by voters under the Colorado Constitution, a Proposition was needed for the law to enter into effect.[2]
The Proposition raises taxes on cigarettes and tobacco products, and levies a new tax on nicotine products. Under the proposal, these increases would be phased in between 2021 and 2027, resulting in a tax on cigarettes of $2.64 per pack (up from $0.84), a tax on other tobacco products of 62% of the price which they are sold to retailers at (up from 40%) and a new tax on nicotine products, also set at 62%. Additionally, the Proposition raised the minimum sale price of various nicotine products.[2]
It is estimated that Proposition EE would generate up to $175.6m extra tax in its first budget year, rising to $275.9m by the time the new rates are fully in place. This would be used to increase funding for free preschool provision (an election pledge of Governor Jared Polis)[3] as well as being used in rural schools, K-12 education, housing development, and general state spending.[2]
Campaign[edit]
Support[edit]
HB20-1427, the legislation which put Proposition EE on the ballot, was sponsored by Representatives Yadira Caraveo and Julie McCluskie and Senators Rhonda Fields and Dominick Moreno.[4]
Endorsements[edit]
- State legislators
- Yadira Caraveo, member of the Colorado House of Representatives for District 31[5]
- Rhonda Fields, member of the Colorado Senate for District 29[5]
- Mike Johnston, former member of the Colorado Senate for District 33[6]
- Chris Kennedy, member of the Colorado House of Representatives for District 23[7]
- Julie McCluskie, member of the Colorado House of Representatives for District 61[6]
- Jared Polis, Governor of Colorado[8]
- Tammy Story, member of the Colorado Senate for District 16[9]
- Newspapers
- Aspen Daily News[10]
- Colorado Springs Gazette[11]
- The Denver Post[12]
- The Durango Herald[13][14]
- The Durango Telegraph[15]
- Grand Junction Daily Sentinel[16]
- Journal Advocate[17]
- Sentinel Colorado[18]
- Organisations
- American Federation of Teachers Colorado[19]
- American Lung Association[20]
- Colorado Democratic Party[21]
- Colorado Education Association[22]
- Mental Health Colorado[23]
- Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce[24]
- Women's Foundation of Colorado[25]
Opposition[edit]
Opposition to Proposition EE mainly centered around opposition to increasing taxes in general but specifically because the Proposition was seen to be a sin tax. It was also noted by progressive groups who opposed the Proposition, such as the Working Families Party, that it would disproportionately affect poorer and working-class people, because they were more targeted by tobacco companies.[26]
Endorsements[edit]
- State legislators
- John Cooke, member of the Colorado Senate for District 13[27]
- Local politicians
- Françoise Bergan, member of Aurora City Council[28]
- Newspapers
- Organisations
- Board of Weld County Commissioners[32]
- Working Families Party of Colorado[26][33]
Neutral[edit]
Results[edit]
Ballot question[edit]
The question put to voters was:[35]
Shall state taxes be increased by $294,000,000 annually by imposing a tax on nicotine liquids used in e-cigarettes and other vaping products that is equal to the total state tax on tobacco products when fully phased in, incrementally increasing the tobacco products tax by up to 22% of the manufacturer's list price, incrementally increasing the cigarette tax by up to 9 cents per cigarette, expanding the existing cigarette and tobacco taxes to apply to sales to consumers from outside of the state, establishing a minimum tax for moist snuff tobacco products, creating an inventory tax that applies for future cigarette tax increases, and initially using the tax revenue primarily for public school funding to help offset revenue that has been lost as a result of the economic impacts related to COVID-19 and then for programs that reduce the use of tobacco and nicotine products, enhance the voluntary Colorado Preschool Program and make it widely available for free, and maintain the funding for programs that currently receive revenue from tobacco taxes, with the state keeping and spending all of the new tax revenue as a voter-approved revenue change?
Results[edit]
| Choice | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
 Yes
|
2,134,608 | 67.56 |
| No | 1,025,182 | 32.44 |
| Valid votes | 3,159,790 | 95.88 |
| Invalid or blank votes | 135,876 | 4.12 |
| Total votes | 3,295,666 | 100.00 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 3,793,790 | 86.87 |
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ "Colorado 2020 Statewide Ballot Measures: What Passed And What Failed". Colorado Public Radio. November 4, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
- ^ a b c "2020 State Ballot Information Booklet" (PDF). colorado.gov. 2020 State Ballot Information BookletLegislative Council of the Colorado General Assembly. September 11, 2020. pp. 24–31. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
- ^ Erica Meltzer; Ann Schimke (January 29, 2020). "What happened to free? Colorado Gov. Polis has changed how he talks about preschool". Colorado Sun. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
- ^ "HB20-1427 Cigarette Tobacco And Nicotine Products Tax". Colorado General Assembly. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
- ^ a b Yadira Caraveo; Rhonda Fields (September 18, 2020). "Prop. EE takes down tobacco, uplifts our kids". Colorado Politics. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
- ^ a b Erica Breunlin (June 19, 2020). "Voters will decide in November whether all Colorado 4-year-olds can attend preschool starting in 2023". Colorado Sun. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
- ^ Chris Kennedy (October 7, 2020). "So many ballot measures, so little time". Chris Kennedy for State Rep. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
- ^ Jared Polis (October 31, 2020). "Jared Polis: Proposition EE will help our schools, economy and public health". The Denver Post. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
- ^ "Senator Tammy Story". Facebook. October 19, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
- ^ "Preschool for Colorado". Aspen Daily News. October 10, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
- ^ "ENDORSEMENT: Vote 'yes' on Prop EE and reduce addiction". Colorado Springs Gazette. September 24, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
- ^ Editorial Board (October 18, 2020). "Endorsement: How can Colorado help prevent teens from getting addicted to nicotine? Voting yes on Prop EE is a good start". The Denver Post. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
- ^ "Endorsements: A strong broadside against nicotine use". The Durango Herald. September 11, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
- ^ "Endorsements 2020: The issues recapped". The Durango Herald. October 29, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
- ^ "Ballot cheat sheet: from Gallagher to gambling, we got the goods". Durango Telegraph. October 15, 2020. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
- ^ "Yes on Proposition EE". Grand Junction Daily Sentinel. October 8, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
- ^ "EDITORIAL: Our endorsements on the 11 2020 state ballot initiatives". Journal Advocate. October 12, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
- ^ "EDITORIAL: Recoup the real cost of tobacco, nicotine addiction: Yes on Prop EE". Sentinel Colorado. October 1, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
- ^ "AFT Colorado Connection 3rd Quarter 2020" (PDF). AFT Colorado. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
- ^ "American Lung Association Celebrates Colorado Tobacco Control Proposition Election Results". American Lung Association. November 4, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
- ^ "Voting FAQs". Colorado Democratic Party. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
- ^ "CEA media release: The Colorado Education Association Releases Member Voting Recommendations for Upcoming 2020 Election". Colorado Education Association. September 24, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
- ^ "2020 Ballot Efforts". Mental Health Colorado. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
- ^ "2020 Business Ballot Guide". Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
- ^ "The Women's Foundation of Colorado Releases Nonpartisan 2020 Ballot Guide, The Womanifesto". PR Web. October 12, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
- ^ a b "Colorado Racial Justice Ballot Guide". Working Families Party. October 14, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
- ^ John Cooke (October 16, 2020). "John Cooke: Proposition EE is wrong for Coloradans". Greeley Tribune. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
- ^ Françoise Bergan (October 6, 2020). "FRANÇOISE BERGAN: Proposition EE ignores Coloradan's needs". Sentinel Colorado. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
- ^ "Vote Guide 2020". Boulder Weekly. October 8, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
- ^ "Greeley Tribune Endorsement: Proposition EE would be unfair, could be ineffective". Greeley Tribune. October 31, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
- ^ "Our View: Statewide ballot initiatives require careful study". Steamboat Pilot & Today. October 22, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
- ^ Steve Moreno (October 11, 2020). "Steve Moreno: Proposition EE is wrong for Colorado". Greeley Tribune. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
- ^ Wendy Howell (October 31, 2020). "Op-Ed: The Progressive Case Against Proposition EE". Westword. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
- ^ "Proposition EE Tobacco and E-Cigarette Tax Increase" (PDF). Rocky Mountain Synod. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
- ^ "Proposition EE Taxes on Nicotine Products" (PDF). colorado.gov. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
- ^ "Official Results". Colorado Election Results, 2020 General Election. November 3, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2020.