Colorado voters to be asked whether or not to redirect sporting goods sales tax for conservation efforts

DENVER- Campaign efforts for Proposition 137 officially kicked off on Monday.

Supporters of Prop 137: Directing Sporting Goods Sales Tax Revenue for Conservation, are hopeful it will put a significant dent in the reported $100-$200 million shortfall when it comes to conservation, wildfire, and recreation efforts.

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Voters will be asked if they want to redirect already existing sales tax revenue from a broad range of sporting goods and equipment, including bikes, golf gear, camping and hiking equipment, hunting, fishing, skiing, and boating, and use those funds for conservation efforts.

"Funding from one from Proposition 137 would support projects around the state, including watershed and stream restoration to protect drinking water, wildfire risk reduction to keep communities and forests safe, new state parks and improved trails, long-term conservation of working lands and ranches, habitat restoration and wildlife protection, outdoor education and access programs, and support for Colorado's booming outdoor recreation economy and workforce," said Tarn Udall, Senior Attorney with Western Resource Advocates, and also registered agent for Prop 137.

Supporters estimate it could bring in $175 million annually.

If approved by voters, 45.7% would go toward four existing grant programs for watershed health and wildfire prevention. Another 45.7% would go to Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO), 2.5% would help fund Colorado's Outdoor Equity Grant Program, and the final 2.5% would go toward Colorado's Outdoor Recreation Industry Office.

Courtesy of "Vote Yes For Colorado's Land and Water" Proposition 137

"Proposition 137 identifies the amount of money the state receives from the existing sales tax, which is approximately $175 million. It then asks voters to exempt that same amount of money from the TABOR budget cap and direct that amount of money to urgent water and land conservation and wildfire risk mitigation programs. So, when revenue exceeds the TABOR budget cap, the state can keep and spend an additional $175m [million], which is equivalent to the total amount the state receives from the state sales tax of all sporting goods and equipment," said Udall.

She added, the proposition is not directing actual dollars received by sporting goods and equipment, but rather exempts an amount equal to what the State receives in that sales tax revenue. If approved by voters, when revenue is above the TABOR budget cap, that will be directed to wildfire and water and land conservation efforts.

Supporters added that since the money would go towards organizations that have already been established, there are processes already in place to track the funding.

"Each is governed by non-partisan boards or has financial accountability directed by state law, guaranteeing the money directly supports these issues," she said.

While there is no organized opposition group against Proposition 137- The League of Women Voters of Colorado offered Denver7 a statement as they oppose the proposition (formerly named Initiative 308).

"The League of Women Voters of Colorado opposes Initiative 308.While we recognize the urgency of conservation needs in our state — worsening heat and drought, and growing pressure on our parks, trails, rivers, and wildlife areas are real and pressing concerns — Initiative 308 is the wrong tool to address them.

Initiative 308 would permanently divert sales tax revenue from certain sporting goods sales out of the General Fund and into narrowly designated conservation accounts, with the amounts set by formula rather than legislative judgment. The League believes Coloradans elect legislators specifically to weigh the state's competing needs each year and allocate funding accordingly. This measure removes that judgment from the equation, permanently.

The General Fund is already stretched thin, supporting education, health care, corrections, and social services. In years without a TABOR refund, this initiative would pull dollars directly out of that shared pool, reducing what's available for these core programs. In years when TABOR refunds are issued, Initiative 308 would reduce the size of those refunds — though it does shield the Family Affordability Tax Credit and the Earned Income Tax Credit from that reduction.

Earmarking, however well-intentioned, locks in today's priorities at the expense of tomorrow's flexibility. The League urges voters to consider whether permanently constraining the General Fund is the right way to fund conservation, when the legislative process already offers a path to sustainable, accountable funding decisions."

Read the full ballot language below: