Colorado voters face vote on progressive income tax amendment
Colorado will decide in November whether to replace its flat 4.4% income tax with a tiered system that raises rates for earners above $500,000 while lowering them for lower-income households.
The November ballot will include Amendment 87, which seeks to replace Colorado's uniform 4.4% state income tax with a progressive structure of six brackets. Taxpayers earning up to $100,000 would see rates dip to around 4.2%, while those making more than $500,000 would face higher marginal rates, topping out at 8.4% for incomes above $2 million. Analysts estimate the measure could produce significant new revenue that would be restricted to education, early childhood programs, health care and childcare, aiming to close the state's annual budget gaps.
More than 97% of the roughly 3 million Colorado taxpayers would experience a small tax cut, leaving fewer than 100,000 households with higher bills. Supporters argue the amendment tackles both fiscal deficits and affordability concerns, while opponents warn it could hurt the economy and drive high earners out of state.
Why it matters
The vote could reshape Colorado's tax system and fund critical public services amid ongoing budget deficits.
How the sides frame it
LOW AGREEMENTLeft-leaning coverage presents the amendment as a broadly beneficial reform that would cut taxes for most and fund education and health programs, while right-leaning coverage attacks the same reporting as misleading, stressing existing progressivity and potential flaws like bracket creep.
LEFT
Frames the amendment as a positive, revenue-generating reform that helps most taxpayers and funds key public services
RIGHT
Frames the amendment as misrepresented, highlighting that high earners already pay a larger share and warning of understated impacts such as bracket creep
The left emphasises
- replace Colorado's uniform 4.4% state income tax with a progressive structure of six brackets
- significant new revenue that would be restricted to education, early childhood programs, health care and childcare
- more than 97% of taxpayers would experience a small tax cut
The right emphasises
- high-income households already shoulder 47.9% of the state income tax, indicating a progressive effect already present
- the article misrepresents tax impact by combining state and local levies
- the fixed brackets will cause "bracket creep" potentially sooner than the 50-year timeline cited
In this story
Related stories
2 in this thread