Amendment 87
If both Amendment 87 and Proposition 136 pass, the one with the most votes will become law.
BALLOT LANGUAGE
WHAT IT MEANS
Yes
No
ARGUMENTS FOR AND AGAINST
Yes
"With Amendment 87 — the Income Tax Fairness Act, giant corporations and households earning over $500,000 pay their fair share for our schools, health care, and child care.
Under our current state tax code, nurses, teachers, working families, and small businesses pay the exact same income tax rate as millionaires and giant corporations. That’s not right, and it’s why Colorado’s education, health care, and childcare budgets keep getting cut." - Protect Colorado’s Future
"TABOR currently requires all income to be taxed at the same flat rate. This measure repeals that requirement, replacing the flat tax with a fairer graduated tax, while leaving the rest of TABOR — including refunds — unchanged. TABOR remains in the constitution, so no part of it can be changed without voter approval.
The League supports a progressive income tax that taxes those with the least at a lower rate and those with the most at a higher rate. While 97% of Colorado taxpayers would pay less under this measure, the additional tax paid by the top 3% would improve funding for education, health care, early childhood care and education, and free school meals for all — all programs the League supports." - League of Women Voters of Colorado
“Colorado’s flat income tax requires working families and millionaires to pay the same income-tax rate, while the overall state and local tax system places a greater burden relative to income on many working- and middle-income households. Initiative 195 would replace the flat tax with graduated marginal rates, lowering income-tax rates on the first $100,000 of taxable income while asking individuals and corporations earning more than $500,000 to pay higher rates on income above that amount. The measure is expected to raise approximately $2 billion annually for public education, health care, and early childhood care and education, with requirements that the new funding supplement existing spending and be publicly reported and audited. A graduated system provides tax relief at lower incomes while asking those with the greatest ability to pay to contribute more toward essential public services.” - Eagle County Democrats
No
"...Initiative 195 is designed to permanently weaken the constitutional protections that have safeguarded Colorado taxpayers for more than three decades. It puts future TABOR refunds at risk, expands government’s ability to spend billions more without meaningful accountability, and ultimately makes it easier for politicians to take more from hardworking Coloradans.
TABOR has been one of the most successful taxpayer protections in the nation because it trusts citizens, not government. Initiative 195 moves Colorado in exactly the opposite direction." - Brittany Trujillo, Deputy State Director, Americans for Prosperity Colorado Issue Committee
“The 2026 ballot includes a proposed Graduated Income Tax amendment that would directly undermine one of TABOR's core protections — the requirement that all taxable income be taxed at a single flat rate. If passed, it would transfer authority over Colorado's income tax structure from the constitution to the legislature, opening the door to unlimited rate increases without voter approval.
Colorado voters have rejected similar measures twice before. In 2020 and 2022, voters turned down legislative referrals designed to weaken TABOR's revenue limits. The 2026 graduated income tax proposal is the latest attempt to erode the constitutional protections Coloradans have consistently chosen to keep.” - Your Family's Future Alliance
“A proposal to replace Colorado’s long-standing flat income tax with a progressive system would mark the largest tax increase in state history, allowing lawmakers to keep an estimated $3.6 to $4.1 billion annually instead of refunding it under TABOR. The measure would exempt this new revenue from TABOR limits, weakening taxpayer protections and giving legislators broader discretion over spending.
...While framed as a “tax the rich” initiative, it’s ultimately designed to significantly expand overall government revenue and spending without voter approval after its passage.
...Rather than reducing spending, the measure would allow lawmakers to retain surplus revenue, eliminate TABOR refunds, and direct billions more into the state budget. But high-income households are the most mobile, and if they leave, Colorado would lose a significant share of its tax base. By preserving TABOR and the current flat income tax rate that voters have supported for decades, Colorado ensures stable revenue, while protecting taxpayers from unchecked government expansion.” - Advance Colorado
ENDORSEMENTS
Yes
Colorado AFL-CIO (Liberal)
Cobalt Advocates (Liberal)
One Colorado (Liberal)
Conservation Colorado (Liberal)
Colorado Working Families Party (Liberal)
No
National Federation of Independent Business Federal PAC (Conservative)
Americans for Prosperity Colorado (Other)
Colorado Chamber of Commerce (Other)
Independence Institute (Conservative)
Advance Colorado (Conservative)
FINANCIAL BACKING
The following information provides insight into the money being spent to pass or defeat the ballot measure.
Yes
This question is on the ballot in Colorado as a combined initiated constitutional amendment and state statute on November 3, 2026. As of September 18, 2026, the committees formed to support Colorado Amendment 87, Establish Graduated Income Tax and Dedicate New Revenue to Education, Healthcare, and Childcare Initiative (2026) are:
PROTECT COLORADO’S FUTURE COALITION
Selected contributions to: "Protect Colorado’s Future Coalition" include:
- Save The Children Action Network
- New Era Colorado Action Fund
- Colorado Statewide Parent Coalition
- Great Education Colorado Action
- Colorado Fiscal Institute
- The Bell Policy Center
- Colorado Wins
- Colorado Center on Law and Policy
- Colorado Fiscal Institute
- Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights
- Western Colorado Alliance
- Colorado Community Health Network
- Western Colorado Alliance
- Hunger Free Colorado
Selected contributions to: "Yes for Colorado Kids" include:
- Colorado Fund for Children & Public Education
- Gary Advocacy LLC
- District 12 Educators Assoc
- Boulder Valley Education Assoc
- St Vrain Valley Education Assoc
- Cherry Creek Education Assoc
- Peublo Education Assoc
- Littleton Education Assoc
No
This question is on the ballot in Colorado as a combined initiated constitutional amendment and state statute on November 3, 2026. As of September 18, 2026, the committees formed to oppose Colorado Amendment 87, Establish Graduated Income Tax and Dedicate New Revenue to Education, Healthcare, and Childcare Initiative (2026) are:
AMERICANS FOR PROSPERITY COLORADO ISSUE COMMITTEE
Selected contributions to: "Americans for Prosperity Colorado Issue Committee" include:
- Americans for Prosperity
Selected contributions to: "Your Family's Future Alliance" include:
- The Tabor Committee
- Mike Spaulding
Selected contributions to: "No On 87, Yes On 136" include:
As of September 18, 2026, there are no contributions to report.
Selected contributions to: "Brighter Colorado" include:
- Common Sense America
- Advance Colorado
- Richard McCormick
Selected contributions to: "Affordable Colorado" include:
As of September 18, 2026, there are no contributions to report.
Selected contributions to: "Let’s Go Colorado" include:
As of September 18, 2026, there are no contributions to report.
Selected contributions to: "Don’t Price Us Out" include:
As of September 18, 2026, there are no contributions to report.
OTHER INFORMATION
