2020 Colorado Proposition EE

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.{{cite web |title=2020 State Ballot Information Booklet |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/blue_book_english_for_web_2020_1.pdf |website=colorado.gov |publisher=2020 State Ballot Information BookletLegislative Council of the Colorado General Assembly |access-date=27 December 2020 |pages=24–31 |date=11 September 2020}}

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.

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){{cite web |author1=Erica Meltzer |author2=Ann Schimke |title=What happened to free? Colorado Gov. Polis has changed how he talks about preschool |url=https://coloradosun.com/2020/01/29/jared-polis-colorado-preschool-free/ |website=Colorado Sun |access-date=27 December 2020 |date=29 January 2020}} as well as being used in rural schools, K-12 education, housing development, and general state spending.

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.{{cite web |title=HB20-1427 Cigarette Tobacco And Nicotine Products Tax |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/HB20-1427 |website=Colorado General Assembly |access-date=27 December 2020}}

{{Endorsements box

|title = 'Yes'

|list =

State legislators

• Yadira Caraveo, member of the Colorado House of Representatives for District 31{{cite web |author1=Yadira Caraveo |author2=Rhonda Fields |author1-link=Yadira Caraveo |author2-link=Rhonda Fields |title=Prop. EE takes down tobacco, uplifts our kids |url=https://www.coloradopolitics.com/opinion/prop-ee-takes-down-tobacco-uplifts-our-kids/article_a001a16c-f974-11ea-aea6-536f44434207.html |website=Colorado Politics |access-date=27 December 2020 |date=18 September 2020}}
• Rhonda Fields, member of the Colorado Senate for District 29
• Mike Johnston, former member of the Colorado Senate for District 33{{cite web |author1=Erica Breunlin |title=Voters will decide in November whether all Colorado 4-year-olds can attend preschool starting in 2023 |url=https://coloradosun.com/2020/06/19/colorado-preschool-education-ballot-measure-nicotine-tobacco-vaping-tax/ |website=Colorado Sun |access-date=27 December 2020 |date=19 June 2020}}
• Chris Kennedy, member of the Colorado House of Representatives for District 23{{cite web |author1=Chris Kennedy |author1-link=Chris Kennedy (Colorado politician) |title=So many ballot measures, so little time |url=https://www.kennedy4co.com/2020/10/07/so-many-ballot-measures-so-little-time/ |website=Chris Kennedy for State Rep |access-date=27 December 2020 |date=7 October 2020}}
• Julie McCluskie, member of the Colorado House of Representatives for District 61
• Jared Polis, Governor of Colorado{{cite web |author1=Jared Polis |author1-link=Jared Polis |title=Jared Polis: Proposition EE will help our schools, economy and public health |url=https://www.denverpost.com/2020/10/31/jared-polis-proposition-ee-colorado-ballot-question/ |website=The Denver Post |access-date=27 December 2020 |date=31 October 2020}}
• Tammy Story, member of the Colorado Senate for District 16{{cite web |title=Senator Tammy Story |url=https://www.facebook.com/Story4CO/posts/join-me-and-vote-yes-on-prop-ee-this-initiative-closes-the-vaping-loophole-in-ni/3293944530702345/ |website=Facebook |access-date=27 December 2020 |date=19 October 2020}}

Newspapers

• Aspen Daily News{{cite web |title=Preschool for Colorado |url=https://www.aspendailynews.com/opinion/preschool-for-colorado/article_a6f0ec4c-0a92-11eb-9d1c-cb88dd66ab4f.html |website=Aspen Daily News |access-date=27 December 2020 |date=10 October 2020}}
• Colorado Springs Gazette{{cite web |title=ENDORSEMENT: Vote 'yes' on Prop EE and reduce addiction |url=https://gazette.com/opinion/endorsement-vote-yes-on-prop-ee-and-reduce-addiction/article_1d5fb180-fdfd-11ea-aac2-53c52687dfcd.html |website=Colorado Springs Gazette |access-date=27 December 2020 |date=24 September 2020}}
• The Denver Post{{cite web |author1=Editorial Board |title=Endorsement: How can Colorado help prevent teens from getting addicted to nicotine? Voting yes on Prop EE is a good start. |url=https://www.denverpost.com/2020/10/18/proposition-ee-colorado-tabacco-tax-endorsement/ |website=The Denver Post |access-date=27 December 2020 |date=18 October 2020}}
• The Durango Herald{{cite web |title=Endorsements: A strong broadside against nicotine use |url=https://durangoherald.com/articles/338632 |website=The Durango Herald |access-date=27 December 2020 |date=11 September 2020}}{{cite web |title=Endorsements 2020: The issues recapped |url=https://durangoherald.com/articles/351969 |website=The Durango Herald |access-date=27 December 2020 |date=29 October 2020}}
• The Durango Telegraph{{cite web |title=Ballot cheat sheet: from Gallagher to gambling, we got the goods |url=https://www.durangotelegraph.com/news/top-stories/ballot-cheat-sheet-from-gallagher-to-gambling-we-got-the-goods/ |website=Durango Telegraph |access-date=29 December 2020 |date=15 October 2020}}
• Grand Junction Daily Sentinel{{cite web |title=Yes on Proposition EE |url=https://www.gjsentinel.com/opinion/editorials/yes-on-proposition-ee/article_5bd4dd8a-09c6-11eb-b638-63df22837ca8.html |website=Grand Junction Daily Sentinel |access-date=27 December 2020 |date=8 October 2020}}
• Journal Advocate{{cite web |title=EDITORIAL: Our endorsements on the 11 2020 state ballot initiatives |url=https://www.journal-advocate.com/2020/10/12/editorial-our-endorsements-on-the-11-2020-state-ballot-initiatives/ |website=Journal Advocate |access-date=27 December 2020 |date=12 October 2020}}
• Sentinel Colorado{{cite web |title=EDITORIAL: Recoup the real cost of tobacco, nicotine addiction: Yes on Prop EE |url=https://sentinelcolorado.com/opinion/editorial-recoup-the-real-cost-of-tobacco-nicotine-addiction-yes-on-prop-ee/ |website=Sentinel Colorado |access-date=27 December 2020 |date=1 October 2020}}

Organisations

• American Federation of Teachers Colorado{{cite web |title=AFT Colorado Connection 3rd Quarter 2020 |url=http://co.aft.org/sites/default/files/article_pdf_files/2020-09/newsletter_aft_colorado_3rd_quarter_2020_-_final.pdf |website=AFT Colorado |access-date=27 December 2020}}
• American Lung Association{{cite web |title=American Lung Association Celebrates Colorado Tobacco Control Proposition Election Results |url=https://www.lung.org/media/press-releases/colorado-proposition-ee |website=American Lung Association |access-date=27 December 2020 |date=4 November 2020}}
• Colorado Democratic Party{{cite web |title=Voting FAQs |url=https://coloradodems.org/resources/voting-faqs/ |website=Colorado Democratic Party |access-date=29 December 2020}}
• Colorado Education Association{{cite web |title=CEA media release: The Colorado Education Association Releases Member Voting Recommendations for Upcoming 2020 Election |url=https://www.coloradoea.org/cea-media-release-the-colorado-education-association-releases-member-voting-recommendations-for-upcoming-2020-election/ |website=Colorado Education Association |access-date=27 December 2020 |date=24 September 2020}}
• Mental Health Colorado{{cite web |title=2020 Ballot Efforts |url=https://www.mentalhealthcolorado.org/2020-ballot-efforts/ |website=Mental Health Colorado |access-date=27 December 2020}}
• Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce{{cite web |title=2020 Business Ballot Guide |url=https://denverchamber.org/policy/ballot-issues/ |website=Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce |access-date=27 December 2020}}
• Women's Foundation of Colorado{{cite web |title=The Women's Foundation of Colorado Releases Nonpartisan 2020 Ballot Guide, The Womanifesto |url=https://www.prweb.com/releases/the_women_s_foundation_of_colorado_releases_nonpartisan_2020_ballot_guide_the_womanifesto/prweb17460182.htm |website=PR Web |access-date=27 December 2020 |date=12 October 2020}}

}}

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.

{{Endorsements box

|title = 'No'

|list =

State legislators

• John Cooke, member of the Colorado Senate for District 13{{cite web |author1=John Cooke |author1-link=John Cooke (Colorado politician) |title=John Cooke: Proposition EE is wrong for Coloradans |url=https://www.greeleytribune.com/2020/10/16/john-cooke-proposition-ee-is-wrong-for-coloradans/ |website=Greeley Tribune |access-date=27 December 2020 |date=16 October 2020}}

Local politicians

• Françoise Bergan, member of Aurora City Council{{cite web |author1=Françoise Bergan |title=FRANÇOISE BERGAN: Proposition EE ignores Coloradan's needs |url=https://sentinelcolorado.com/orecent-headlines/francoise-bergan-proposition-ee-ignores-coloradans-needs/ |website=Sentinel Colorado |access-date=27 December 2020 |date=6 October 2020}}

Newspapers

• Boulder Weekly{{cite web |title=Vote Guide 2020 |url=https://www.boulderweekly.com/special-editions/vote-guide-2020/ |website=Boulder Weekly |access-date=27 December 2020 |date=8 October 2020}}
• Greeley Tribune{{cite web |title=Greeley Tribune Endorsement: Proposition EE would be unfair, could be ineffective |url=https://www.greeleytribune.com/2020/10/31/greeley-tribune-endorsement-proposition-ee-would-be-unfair-could-be-ineffective/ |website=Greeley Tribune |access-date=27 December 2020 |date=31 October 2020}}
• Steamboat Pilot & Today{{cite web |title=Our View: Statewide ballot initiatives require careful study |url=https://www.steamboatpilot.com/news/our-view-statewide-ballot-initiatives-require-careful-study/ |website=Steamboat Pilot & Today |access-date=27 December 2020 |date=22 October 2020}}

Organisations

• Board of Weld County Commissioners{{cite web |author1=Steve Moreno |title=Steve Moreno: Proposition EE is wrong for Colorado |url=https://www.greeleytribune.com/2020/10/11/steve-moreno-proposition-ee-is-wrong-for-colorado/ |website=Greeley Tribune |access-date=27 December 2020 |date=11 October 2020}}
• Working Families Party of Colorado{{cite web |title=Colorado Racial Justice Ballot Guide |url=https://workingfamilies.org/2020/10/colorado-racial-justice-ballot-guide/ |website=Working Families Party |date=October 14, 2020 |access-date=27 December 2020}}{{cite web |author1=Wendy Howell |title=Op-Ed: The Progressive Case Against Proposition EE |url=https://www.westword.com/news/op-ed-the-progressive-case-against-proposition-ee-11834812 |website=Westword |access-date=27 December 2020 |date=31 October 2020}}

}}

{{Endorsements box

|title = Neutral

|list =

• Evangelical Lutheran Church in America{{cite web |title=Proposition EE Tobacco and E-Cigarette Tax Increase |url=https://www.rmselca.org/sites/rmselca.org/files/media/lamco_prop_ee.pdf |website=Rocky Mountain Synod |access-date=27 December 2020}}

}}

The question put to voters was:{{cite web |title=Proposition EE Taxes on Nicotine Products |url=https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/initiative%2520referendum_proposition_ee_title_and_text.pdf |website=colorado.gov |access-date=27 December 2020}}

{{blockquote|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?}}

{{Referendum

| name = Proposition EE

| title = Taxes on Nicotine Products{{cite web |title=Official Results |url=https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/CO/105975/web.264614/#/summary |website=Colorado Election Results, 2020 General Election |access-date=27 December 2020 |date=3 November 2020}}

| yes = 2,134,608

| yespct = 67.56

| no = 1,025,182

| nopct = 32.44

| valid = 3,159,790

| validpct = 95.88

| invalid = 135,876

| invalidpct = 4.12

| total = 3,295,666

| turnoutpct = 86.87

| electorate = 3,793,790

| 100%

}}

{{Portal|Politics|Colorado}}

• 2023 Colorado Proposition II
• Cigarette taxes in the United States
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Proposition EE

Category:2020 Colorado ballot measures

Category:Taxation in the United States

Category:Smoking in the United States