Steamboat Pilot & Today reported that Proposition 137 has successfully passed with roughly 52% support, according to official data released by the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office. After closely monitoring the election results, The Associated Press officially called the race on Friday. The detailed vote count compiled by election officials shows that the proposition received a total of 1,347,245 “yes” votes alongside 1,249,749 “no” votes cast by voters.
The approval of this ballot measure creates a specialized conservation pool estimated at about $175 million. Because of this newly created financial pool, the measure is expected to reduce individual taxpayer TABOR refunds by an amount ranging between $26 and $83 for single filers.
The measure structures its financial distribution by dividing the money into specific categorical percentages. Specifically, the measure allocates 47.5% of funding directly to the Great Outdoors Colorado program, and it simultaneously allocates 47.5% of funding to vital wildfire risk mitigation efforts. Furthermore, the measure allocates 5% of funding to outdoor recreation and equity programs.
Following the announcement that the race was officially called, supporters of the initiative offered their public reactions. “Prop 137 in Colorado was so critical,” Scott Fitzwilliams told Steamboat Pilot & Today.
Adding to those perspectives on the long-term outcomes, Pat Lane told Steamboat Pilot & Today that “Prop 137 will provide annual funding for watershed and drinking water protection, wildfire risk reduction, land conservation, outdoor recreation and access to nature, helping to support Colorado’s economy for the long term.”
