Colorado Statewide Ballot Measure
Amendment 87: Graduated Income Tax
What It Would Do
Amendment 87 would replace Colorado's flat 4.4% state income tax with a graduated tax structure, amending the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights (TABOR) provision that currently requires all taxable income to be taxed at a single rate. The new revenue would be dedicated to supplementing funding for K-12 public education, health care, and early childhood care and education.
| Taxable Income | Proposed Rate | Current Flat Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Up to $25,000 | 3.7% | 4.4% |
| $25,000 – $100,000 | 4.2% | 4.4% |
| $100,000 – $500,000 | 4.4% | 4.4% |
| $500,000 – $750,000 | 7.4% | 4.4% |
| $750,000 – $1,000,000 | 7.9% | 4.4% |
| Above $1,000,000 | 8.4% | 4.4% |
Fiscal Impact
The official ballot title states the measure would increase state tax revenue by $2.7 billion annually, retained and spent as a voter-approved change exempt from TABOR's spending cap. (Note: Amendment 87 also directly conflicts with Proposition 136 on this same ballot, which would cap the state income tax rate at 4.4%. If both measures pass, resolving the conflict would likely fall to the legislature or the courts.)
Why We're Voting Yes
Boulder Progressives supports Amendment 87 because it would replace Colorado's flat income tax with a fairer, graduated structure, so those with greater means contribute a greater share, generating vital new funding for education, health care, and early-childhood programs.
Sources: Colorado Secretary of State Title Board official ballot title, Common Sense Institute, Complete Colorado/Independence Institute, Colorado Sun.