“Whether this passes or not, I’m confident that Colorado Parks and Wildlife will be able to continue to manage our wildlife effectively to ensure ecological diversity with plenty of opportunities for big game hunting,” said Polis. “I would love to hear what others think on this one, and I probably won’t have a strong opinion one way or the other, but will certainly work to successfully implement the will of the voters either way. I am NEUTRAL ON PROPOSITION 127.”
Backed by the group Advance Colorado, this proposition would require individuals convicted of certain violent crimes that occurred before January 1, 2025 to serve 85% of their sentence before being eligible for parole. For crimes committed on or after January 1, 2025, those with two prior convictions for violent crimes will be required to serve their full sentence before being eligible for parole.
“I haven’t made up my mind on this one and would love to hear your thoughts,” Polis wrote. “In general, I do support tougher sentencing for the worst violent crimes like murder and assault, but I’m not sure micromanaging parole or interfering in judicial discretion is the way to go. I think it might be better to have discretion to fit the crime, the victim’s input, and the circumstances than to lock it in at 85%, but I’m open to the concept. I am NEUTRAL ON PROPOSITION 128.”
Also backed by Advance Colorado, this amendment would establish the right to school choice for K-12 education and declare that school choice includes neighborhood, charter and private schools, home schooling, open enrollment options and any future innovations in education.
“I generally support this concept, but I’m not sure exactly what a constitutional right would mean legally,” Polis stated. “Maybe it means that a parent could sue if the state ever tried to ban homeschooling or private school? In that case, it would be good to give parents more rights. On the other hand, it could lead to costly litigation with uncertain outcomes. I am NEUTRAL ON Amendment 80.”
This measure, backed by the animal rescue organization Dumb Friends League, would create a new position within the veterinary field called a veterinary professional associate. As envisioned by backers, the position would serve as a bridge between veterinary technicians, who typically hold an Associate’s Degree, and doctors of veterinary medicine, who require an additional eight years of schooling.
“I think this is a great idea, and we have something similar in human medicine with Physicians Assistants and Nurse Practitioners,” wrote Polis. “It would be great to have it as an option for veterinarians to expand the bandwidth of their practices, too, and it will help save people money on veterinary bills for pets and also better support our ranchers in rural areas with severe veterinary shortages. I will be voting YES ON PROPOSITION 129.”
This measure is also backed by Advance Colorado and would establish a $350 million fund to help pay for for the training, hiring, and salaries for law enforcement officers. It would also create a death benefit fund for the survivors of police, firefighters, or first responders killed in the line of duty.
“This initiative will support our men and women in blue and help make Colorado safer and I plan to vote YES ON Proposition 130,” said Polis.
Backed by former DaVita Dialysis CEO Kent Thiry, this proposition would change the state’s elections system by allowing all candidates would appear on primary ballots. The top four vote-getters, regardless of party affiliation, would advance to the general election. During the general election, voters would rank the four candidates in order of preference, rather than selecting just one.
“While Colorado has among the best voter integrity and access protections, no system of voting is perfect, and I think instant runoff voting is better than our current system because it gives voters more choices,” said Polis. “I’m hopeful that if it passes it will encourage participation and improve our democracy. I will be voting YES ON Proposition 131.”
Proposition JJ — Yes
This legislatively referred measure would allow the state to keep and utilize all sports betting tax revenue over $29 million to fund water conservation and protection projects, instead of refunding them to casinos.
“While I have mixed feelings about sports betting, I support being able to use the full amount of the taxes already approved by voters generated for water projects rather than refund them to gaming companies,” Polis said. “I will be voting YES ON PROPOSITION JJ.”
Referred by the legislature, this proposition would implement a 6.5% excise tax on gun dealers, manufacturers, and ammunition vendors. The revenue generated from this tax would go toward funding for mental health services, gun violence prevention, and services for victims of domestic violence and other crimes.
“While higher tax levels were discussed early in the process, I was pleased that proponents brought it down to 6.5%, which I think is a reasonable level, and we do need more funding for school safety and victim services and will help make Colorado one of the ten safest states,” said Polis. “I plan to vote YES ON PROPOSITION KK.”
