Colorado families are dealing with high cost of living, at the same time that the State of Colorado increasingly pushes new ways to take as much as it can from Colorado taxpayers to pay for its spending commitments.
The State of Colorado has increased fees to the tune of $28.2 billion collected in 2025 - 35% more than in 2020 - and they will try every possible ploy to collect more and more in taxes. To sum it up - Colorado can’t help but itself but to take and keep as much as it can from Colorado taxpayers.
Now with Amendment 87, you the Colorado taxpayer are being asked to replace Colorado’s flat income tax with a graduated individual and corporate tax scheme AND allow the State of Colorado to collect $2.7 billion more in the first year alone. (source - Amendment 87: Graduated Income Tax, Blue Book)
Amendment 87 would negatively affect fixed income households through “bracket creep” pushing them into higher taxes brackets in the future, while higher upper-end individual and corporate marginal rates could influence investment, entrepreneurship, expansion, or location decisions.
With Colorado taxpayers and citizens footing the bill through fee-funded enterprises and historically high property taxes, the last thing that Colorado families and businesses need is even more pressure on their pocket books.
Vote No to Amendment 87. Colorado Can’t Afford It!
How could Amendment 87 impact taxpayers and businesses?
Amendment 87 fixed tax brackets create the potential for “bracket creep.”
Amendment 87 would replace Colorado’s current 4.4% flat income tax with a graduated system. It sets income thresholds at fixed dollar amounts rather than automatically adjusting them for inflation.
Nominal increases in incomes will cause more income to fall into higher marginal tax brackets over time.
Amendment 87 would add more spending to already-funded programs.
If passed, Amendment 87 would increase spending for including education, health care, child care and workforce development. Colorado already dedicates substantial public funding for these programs. It also gives the legislature discretion over how funding is distributed among these permitted purposes.
There is no guarantee that the additional tax revenue will lead to improved results in any of these areas.
Higher marginal tax rates will put pressure on Colorado businesses & small business owners.
Amendment 87 would increase income-tax rates on higher-income taxpayers and affected businesses, meaning that they will have less to invest.
Many businesses already operating on tight margins, that added pressure could mean difficult choices: Cutting costs, reducing jobs, postponing hiring or investment, raising prices, and, in some cases, deciding whether they can afford to stay in business.
Amendment 87 puts Colorado’s economy at risk.
Amendment 87 would replace Colorado’s flat income tax with graduated rates, increasing taxes on higher-income taxpayers who create jobs and manage businesses in Colorado.
Affected business owners will need to adjust by raising prices, reducing other costs, limiting investment, or slowing hiring - affecting both consumers and workers.