Colorado is a weird state.
Not just when it comes to the fact that we're a state of immigrants from in and out of the country, or that we have 300 days of sunshine a year, or that we elected Tom Tancredo, Doug Lamborn and Marilyn Musgrave to Congress.
The true electoral weirdness of Colorado comes from our position as the only state in the country where any tax increase or revenue increase for state government has to be voted on by the people, because of a little citizen initiative called TABOR: the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights.
I know that most everyone here cares deeply about the presidential race, and congressional races can help ensure a progressive majority for the Obama administration, but I can emphatically say that Colorado's Amendment 59: The Savings Account for Education, is the most important ballot issue that we have voted on in generations. And I want to use this diary to tell you exactly why you, as a progressive, should care.
Every year, Colorado voters have more issues on their ballot than almost any other state. This year, we have 18 ballot measures that have been put on by progressives, centrists and conservatives alike. Several of these are very important (like Amendment 48, the "personhood" measure, which would define a fetus as a person, though it has NO chance of passing), and several of them are less important (Amendment 50 would increase the amount we can gamble at a table in the 3 casino towns in the state).
The most important for the future of our state, for the economy, education, and fiscal policy, is Amendment 59, the Savings Account For Education (SAFE). It would change one of the most damaging parts of Colorado's government, which is the requirement that any year the state receives excess tax revenue (over 6% more than the year prior) it has to be given back to the people in the form of a check. Rather than letting the state keep the taxes it collects and putting that money toward education, health care, social services, or even transportation, we would rather send every citizen a check for $30. It's horrible fiscal policy.
Amendment 59 would allow the state to keep this excess revenue and dedicate this money to public education, defined in Colorado as preschool through 12th grade. It would also create a savings account for education, or a rainy day fund, which will ensure that Colorado doesn't cut services in bad times because there isn't enough money. Things like special education services, school counselors, gifted and talented programs, and even nurses have been cut from countless schools around the state. For example, Denver Public Schools, our state's largest district, currently has 3 counselors for its 48 middle schools. It's truly appalling.
This issue is personal for me. My mom teaches special education in Colorado Springs. Her classroom currently has 17 students in it, most of whom also have behavioral disabilities. Teachers are leaving, and our most vulnerable students are being left behind even more than they have been in the past. When teachers stay, they are risking their sanity and occasionally their safety to help these students.
Amendment 59 would allow public education in Colorado to finally become solvent. More importantly, it would help untangle what we call the "fiscal knot" in Colorado: there are requirements in the state constitution that we increase spending every year but also that we return money to residents. We're the only state in the country where you can run a surplus and a deficit at the same time. It makes no sense.
So I'm asking for some help. If you live in Colorado, please vote for Amendment 59 on November 4. If you have time, and want to get involved, volunteer with our outreach campaign (I'll post contact information in the comments). If you don't live here, but know people who do, reach out to them and tell them to support this critical law. Our children are being hurt by Colorado's abysmal record in education spending. It's time to stop this once and for all.
But also, by dedicating a source of revenue to public education, Amendment 59 could help Colorado increase social spending elsewhere. Right now, P-12 education is competing with healthcare spending, social services, and infrastructure. If we want to be able to provide greater medical coverage to poor Coloradans, increase our health care infrastructure, distribution of social programs and even elderly care, we need to make sure that these programs stop competing against one another for funding at such a high rate. Amendment 59 would help do this.
If you want more information, check out our blog: amendment59.blogspot.com
Finally, here's a video that you can send to friends and family. It's real people talking about real reasons to support Amendment 59, and it includes Andrew Romanoff (Speaker of the CO House) and Cary Kennedy (State Treasurer) explaining just what Amendment 59 does.
Thanks for reading. I hope that you will help us get the word out about this campaign and just how important it is for the kids of Colorado, and for public investment in the state.