Independence Institute

Colorado voters could see a familiar question on their November ballots: Will you pay more for your local schools?

At least eight school districts—including Jefferson County, Denver Public Schools, and Douglas County—are asking voters for new or expanded property tax revenue this year. In several cases, those requests come as enrollment is declining and taxpayers are already carrying the cost of previous increases.

Complete Colorado’s Mike Krause breaks down the measures, the price tags, and the promises districts are making to voters.

Before you vote, know what’s being asked—and what you’re already paying.

Read the full story:

School districts tee up tax hikes for Colorado's November ballot - Complete Colorado The ballot measures amount to hundreds of millions of dollars in obligations for Colorado property owners.

More revenue doesn’t always mean a more stable budget.

In a new analysis, Independence Institute’s Nash Herman argues Proposition NN could do the opposite of what supporters promise: increase Colorado’s budget volatility by weakening TABOR’s existing revenue guardrails.

His case: when government builds ongoing spending around boom-year revenues, the eventual downturn gets a lot more painful.

Proposition NN would raise the TABOR revenue limit by roughly $4.6 billion in its first year and allow it to grow faster going forward. What happens when the economy stops cooperating?

Read Nash Herman’s full analysis:

Proposition NN: A Recipe for Colorado Budget Volatility - Independence Institute Is it true that more money means more problems? Proposition NN’s plan to alter Colorado’s fiscal constitutional guardrails will increase state budget volatility, even as revenue climbs. The TABOR Limit Proposition NN attempts to change Colorado’s Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR), the state....

Voters approved a tax for one purpose. Years later, the definition of that purpose looks very different.

In Complete Colorado, Pueblo business owner and civic advocate Nicki Hart examines how the city’s half-cent sales tax evolved from a fund focused on creating primary jobs into one that can support tourism, “placemaking,” and other projects—including a proposed museum seeking nearly $900,000.

Her warning goes well beyond Pueblo: When government changes the rules after voters approve a tax, how much does voter approval really mean?

Read the full piece:

Pueblo's sales tax bait-and-switch a cautionary tale for voters - Complete Colorado If elected officials can transform the purpose of a voter-approved tax after each election, what meaningful role do voters play?

The Supreme Court isn’t exactly short on consequential questions these days.

Join Independence Institute on September 23 for the 2026 Independent Women’s Luncheon featuring keynote speaker Ashley Baker, Executive Director of the Committee for Justice and an expert on the Supreme Court, judicial nominations, regulatory policy, and the intersection of law and technology.

Come for great conversation, fine dining, and an inside look at the legal battles shaping the country.

Don’t wait to make your plans. Reserve your seat now and join us at the Denver Country Club on September 23.

Register today:
https://i2i.org/iw/