Campaigns for four Colorado ballot initiatives submitted signatures by the August 8 signature deadline. Three of the initiatives would change state alcohol laws, and one initiative concerns revenue for housing projects. To qualify for the ballot, sponsors of each initiative needed to submit 124,632 valid signatures.
Initiative 108 is being sponsored by Coloradans for Affordable Housing Now, which has raised $2.8 million and is supported by the National Association of Realtors, Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver, and Gary Ventures, Inc. The initiative would dedicate a percentage of federal income tax revenues, estimated at $300 million per year, to housing projects including “affordable housing financing programs that will reduce rents, purchase land for affordable housing development, build assets for renters, support affordable homeownership, serve persons experiencing homelessness, and support local planning capacity.”
Initiative 96 is being sponsored by Coloradans for Consumer Choice and Retail Fairness, which has raised $2.2 million and is supported by Colorado Fine Wines & Spirits LLC, U.S. Representative David Trone (D-Maryland), and his brother who co-owns Total Wine with him, Robert Trone, who each donated around $900,000. The initiative would incrementally increase the number of retail liquor store licenses an individual may own or hold a share in, as follows:
- up to eight licenses by December 31, 2026;
- up to 13 licenses by December 31, 2031;
- up to 20 licenses by December 31, 2036; and
- an unlimited number of licenses on or after January 1, 2037.
Currently, retailers can open a maximum of three liquor stores in Colorado.
Initiatives 121 and 122 were sponsored by Wine in Grocery Stores, which has raised $3.97 million from DoorDash and InstaCart. Initiative 121 would create a new fermented malt beverage and wine retailer license to allow grocery stores, convenience stores, and other businesses that are licensed to sell beer to also sell wine. Initiative 122 would allow retail establishments licensed to sell alcohol for off-site consumption to offer a delivery service or provide for a third-party alcohol delivery service.
Seven measures are currently certified to appear on the November ballot in Colorado.
From 1985 through 2020, an average of nine measures appeared on the statewide ballot during even-numbered years in Colorado. The approval rate for measures on the ballot in even-numbered years was 47.34%.
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