The Colorado Fiscal Institute (CFI), a leading public interest group dealing with economic issues, recently announced its positions on several of Colorado’s ballot issues.
Amendment 69: Statewide health care system
The CFI opposes the single-payer health care system ColoradoCare. While it supports universal health care, it believes that it should be done at the national level.
Amendment 70: Minimum wage increase
The CFI is an ardent supporter of the $12-by-2020 minimum wage hike, which it believes to be a “no-brainer” due to the large body of evidence suggesting it would have little to no effect on jobs and would likely stimulate the economy.
Amendment 71: Increase requirements for constitutional amendments
Along with many other public interest groups, the CFI opposes Raise the Bar on the grounds that it would make the ballot initiative process “exorbitantly expensive,” allowing only the wealthy to shape the state’s constitution.
Amendment 72: Increase tobacco taxes
Under this measure, the state tax on a pack of cigarettes would triple. CFI supports this due to the research that suggests raising prices results in fewer smokers, which then lowers medical costs for all and stimulates the economy.
Amendment T: Delete exception for slavery in Colorado Constitution
The CFI supports the measure that would remove antiquated language in the state constitution allowing slavery if used as the punishment for a crime. The CFI called this “an important symbolic action.”
Amendment U: Exempt certain possessory interests from property taxes
The CFI supports the initiative to eliminate property taxes for those who use government property for personal gains under $6,000, like those who lease land for cattle grazing or river rafting, for example. This is already taxable as a possessory interest.
