On the Ballot
Colorado voters will decide on measures that directly affect family finances, public services, and the future of our state. Here's what you need to know before you vote.
Graduated Income Tax #195
What Is It? What's the Impact to Colorado residents?
This proposed constitutional amendment would replace Colorado's current flat income tax rate — which applies the same percentage to all taxpayers regardless of income — with a graduated (or "progressive") rate structure. Under a graduated system, higher income earners would pay a higher percentage of their income in state taxes, while lower income earners may pay a lower rate.
Colorado's constitution currently requires a single flat income tax rate for all residents. Changing this would require a constitutional amendment, which is why the measure must go directly to voters. This ballot measure amends TABOR, the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights first passed by voters in 1992 to protect us from out of control State spending by the Colorado legislature.
Quick Facts - How it Could Affect Colorado Families and Businesses
Ends key provision of TABOR
TABOR currently requires all taxable net income to be taxed at a single flat rate (4.4%), preventing the government from targeting or favoring specific income groups.
Top rate doubles
Some will see their income taxes about double, making Colorado an undesirable place to invest in, to open a business or to succeed personally.
$2 billion tax hike in first year
The measure is forecast to increase TABOR-exempt taxes by billions of dollars.
Bad for business
While proponents' framing targets Colorado's wealthiest individuals, the measure would significantly harm the profitability of Colorado's businesses, hurting the state's economic and tax competitiveness.
Increases tax complexity
Coloradans like the flat income tax rate because it is transparent and easy to understand. Moving to six tax rates increases complexity for filers, businesses, and compliance.
Bracket creep
The new tax brackets are not indexed to inflation, so individuals over time will be pushed into higher tax brackets, resulting in higher taxes not just for the wealthy, but for everyone.
Shifts Colorado's tax policy toward legislative control
Removes the protection from the constitution, transferring authority over the state's income tax to the legislature.
Quick Facts
Your Family's Future Alliance is committed to providing voters with clear, factual analysis. We encourage all Coloradans to review the full text of this measure before voting. Our Issue Committee recommends a NO vote on this ballot measure as currently written.
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Fact Sheet - Graduated Income TaxProposition NN (formerly SB26-135)
What Is Proposition NN (formerly SB26-135)
Proposition NN is a piece of Colorado legislation passed by the state legislature in early 2026. The bill contains provisions that could significantly affect Colorado families, local communities, and public services. If passed, this measure would greatly increase the TABOR spending cap and eliminate annual TABOR refunds forever.
Analyses show the average taxpayer could lose over $7,000 in cumulative TABOR refunds over the next 10 years. These are real dollars returned to families via checks, income tax rate reductions, or credits — money families control for housing, groceries, energy, childcare, and savings.
Proposition NN is a deceptive power grab that erodes voter-approved fiscal restraints, steals direct refunds from families, and prioritizes government spending over household affordability.
Key Provisions - What's the Impact of this Bill to Ballot?
Permanently raises the state's spending and revenue cap
The Taxpayer's Bill of Rights directs the state government to live under a budget, just like you do. Passage of this Proposition would allow the state to retain and spend revenue equal to the amount of state K-12 education funding from the prior year. That lifts the limit by about $4.6 billion in the first year, a huge increase!
Ends TABOR refunds—potentially permanently
Prop NN's TABOR limit increase could pause TABOR refunds for many years, but it could be forever based on the perverse incentives of the new formula in practice.
Misleading ballot language
The ballot language claims that the measure is funded without raising taxes. The measure is indeed funded by taxpayer money that would otherwise be returned to taxpayers under TABOR. Taxpayers would lose almost a Billion dollars in the first full year! This is a clear obfuscation intended to fool voters.
False Framing
Prop NN is being marketed as funding education. However, the measure's education funding requirements are essentially eliminated after 10 years. After that, although the new TABOR increases remain, the legislature would be given full discretion to spend billions of dollars that would have been returned to taxpayers.
Fundamentally weakens the TABOR formula
The classic TABOR formula allows increases based on population growth and inflation. Prop NN's new limit gives the legislature direct influence over its own spending limit by basing the new formula on prior-year education spending.
Quick Stats
Proposition NN (formerly SB26-135) passed by the Colorado State Legislature in early 2026 is bad for Colorado families. It would raise the TABOR spending cap which limits out of control spending and it would eliminate TABOR refunds forever, taking away much needed money from families and small businesses. We recommend a NO vote in November!
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Fact Sheet - Proposition NNHave Questions About These Measures?
Visit our Resources page for downloadable voter guides, fact sheets, and links to official Colorado state sources of information.