Amendment 87: Graduated Income Tax
Statewide — all of Colorado
General election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026
- Placed on the ballot by citizen initiative. The Blue Book lists 14 statewide measures on the November 3, 2026 ballot.[1][2]
The question on the ballot
SHALL STATE TAXES BE INCREASED $2.7 BILLION ANNUALLY, IN ORDER TO INCREASE OR IMPROVE LEVELS OF PUBLIC SERVICES, INCLUDING K-12 PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATION, HEALTH CARE, AND EARLY CHILD CARE AND EDUCATION SERVICES, BY AN AMENDMENT TO THE COLORADO CONSTITUTION AND A CHANGE TO THE COLORADO REVISED STATUTES REPEALING EXISTING LAW AND CREATING NEW LAW TO REPLACE THE UNIFORM STATE INCOME TAX RATE WITH A GRADUATED INCOME TAX STRUCTURE, AND, IN CONNECTION THEREWITH, AMENDING THE TAXPAYER'S BILL OF RIGHTS TO ELIMINATE THE CONSTITUTIONAL REQUIREMENT FOR ALL TAXABLE NET INCOME TO BE TAXED AT ONE RATE WITH NO ADDED TAX ON INCOME; ESTABLISHING VARIOUS INCOME TAX RATES BASED ON THE AMOUNT OF TAXABLE INCOME EARNED BY INDIVIDUALS, ESTATES, TRUSTS, AND CORPORATIONS, WHILE MAINTAINING THE CURRENT 4.4% TAX ON INCOME FROM THE SALE OF A PRINCIPAL RESIDENCE, WHICH WILL RESULT IN THE ESTIMATED CHANGE IN INCOME TAXES OWED BY INDIVIDUALS AS IDENTIFIED IN THE FOLLOWING TABLE; AND AUTHORIZING THE STATE TO RETAIN AND SPEND ANY INCREASED REVENUE FROM THE NEW TAX STRUCTURE, AS A VOTER-APPROVED REVENUE CHANGE, TO SUPPLEMENT CURRENT LEVELS OF FUNDING FOR K-12 PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATION, HEALTH CARE, AND EARLY CHILD CARE AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS? (The ballot title is followed by a table of estimated changes in average income tax owed by income category, omitted here.)[1]
Replaces Colorado's flat 4.4 percent income tax with six graduated brackets starting in 2027: 3.7% on taxable income up to $25,000; 4.2% from $25,001 to $100,000; 4.4% from $100,001 to $500,000; 7.4% from $500,001 to $750,000; 7.9% from $750,001 to $1,000,000; and 8.4% above $1,000,000. Brackets are not adjusted for inflation. Additional revenue must go to K-12 education, health care, and early childhood care and education, supplementing rather than replacing current spending, and is exempt from the TABOR revenue limit. Per the Blue Book, taxpayers with Colorado taxable income below $510,834 would owe less (by up to $325) and those above would owe more. Fiscal impact: state revenue up an estimated $958.4 million in 2026-27 (half-year), $1.972 billion in 2027-28 and more later; the ballot title's maximum figure is $2.7 billion. The Blue Book notes that if Proposition 136 (4.4% rate cap) also passes, the outcome is unclear and would be resolved by the legislature or a court. Passes with a majority vote.[1]
A YES vote means
Creates a graduated state income tax that increases revenue; uses the additional money for K-12 education, health care, and early childhood care and education; and exempts additional revenue collected from the state's constitutional revenue limit.
A NO vote means
Keeps the current constitutional requirement for a flat state income tax rate.
The law today
Since 1987 Colorado has had a flat income tax rate for individuals and businesses, currently 4.4 percent, and the TABOR amendment in the state constitution requires income be taxed at a flat rate. Most income tax revenue goes to general state programs and services (Blue Book).[1]
Official fiscal estimate
Per the Blue Book, state income tax revenue would rise by an estimated $958.4 million in 2026-27 (a half-year impact), $1.972 billion in 2027-28, and more in later years; the maximum increase stated in the ballot title for 2027-28 is $2.7 billion. The added revenue goes to the Colorado Future's Account and is exempt from TABOR; the measure does not change TABOR refunds. Taxpayers with Colorado taxable income below $510,834 would owe less (by up to $325) and those above would owe more; Department of Revenue one-time cost $98,000.[1]
Arguments made for
- Blue Book argument for: "Amendment 87 cuts taxes for 97 percent of taxpayers, including most households and small businesses, while increasing taxes only for top earners who have the ability to pay."[1]
- Blue Book argument for: "The measure funds critical services at a time when additional funding is desperately needed."[1]
On record in support
- Protect Colorado's Future Coalition: registered issue committee in favor; its major donors include Bell Policy Center, Save the Children Action Network, Great Education Colorado, Colorado Statewide Parent Coalition, Colorado Center on Law and Policy and Colorado Fiscal Institute, which are part of the coalition that put the amendment on the ballot.[3][4]
- Great Education Colorado Action: committee advocating for Amendment 87.[4]
- Stand for Children and AARP: named among major contributors to the Protect Colorado's Future Coalition.[6]
On record in opposition
- Americans for Prosperity Colorado Issue Committee, Don't Price Us Out, Your Family's Future Alliance, Brighter Colorado, and the No on 87, Yes on 136 committee: registered issue committees opposed.[3][6]
- Geoff Sakala, executive director of Your Family's Future Alliance: called Amendment 87 and Proposition NN part of a coordinated effort to "dismantle" TABOR protections (as reported by The Colorado Sun).[7]
Campaign money
Protect Colorado's Future Coalition (for) had raised nearly $2 million through Oct. 13, including $500,000 from donor Merle Chambers (The Colorado Sun, Oct. 14, 2026). On the opposing side, Don't Price Us Out had raised more than $1 million through Sept. 30, including $760,000 from the American Prosperity Coalition, which is not legally required to disclose its funders (Denver Gazette, Oct. 14), and the Americans for Prosperity Colorado Issue Committee had raised and spent about $350,000 through Oct. 13 (The Colorado Sun). Brighter Colorado, also opposed, had raised $2.6 million through Sept. 30 across several measures.[6][5]
Research notes & limits
Source: the official 2026 Blue Book (Legislative Council Staff, nonpartisan), which gives the ballot title, the 'what your vote means' text, an analysis with arguments for and against, and the fiscal impact. Its 'for' and 'against' arguments are the staff's own summaries of the main arguments on each side, not statements from named campaigns; the booklet points to the Secretary of State's page for supporting and opposing organizations, which was not reviewed here. Ballotpedia is cited only for the certified-measure count. Ballotpedia notes a separate road-funding initiative was certified but withdrawn after its proponents reached an agreement with the state, so it is not on the ballot.
Sources · 7
Researched 2026-10-19. Green citations are official government records.
- 1.2026 State Ballot Information Booklet (Blue Book) · Colorado Legislative Council Staff · 2026-09-10 Official record
- 2.Colorado 2026 ballot measures · Ballotpedia · 2026-10-18 Reference
- 3.Amendments and Propositions on the 2026 Ballot: information and contacts (registered issue committees) · Colorado Secretary of State Official record
- 4.Colorado ballot measure committees raise more than $20 million for 2026 election · Denver Gazette · 2026-09-25 News report
- 5.Voter ID, tax measures drive millions in Colorado spending · Denver Gazette · 2026-10-14 News report
- 6.Millions in untraceable conservative money is flooding into Colorado to oppose tax-related ballot measures · The Colorado Sun · 2026-10-14 News report
- 7.Proposition NN explained: Colorado TABOR refunds would be sent to K-12 · The Colorado Sun · 2026-10-03 News report