Grounded in our core values and current strategic goals, Rose Community Foundation has endorsed several statewide, Denver and school district ballot measures that promote a more equitable, inclusive and thriving Greater Denver region. Our endorsements are shaped by insights from our policy and advocacy grantee partners and other community organizations, who not only keep us informed about emerging challenges and needs in our region, but also help create solutions that improve policy outcomes for those furthest from opportunity.
Election day is Tuesday, November 5, 2024, but Coloradans can vote as soon as they get their ballot in mid-October. Register to vote or check registration status today.
Below are the ballot measures we have endorsed and our reasons for supporting each one.
STATEWIDE
Amendment 79 – Abortion Access
This measure would codify protections for abortion in the state constitution and remove restrictions in state law around public health insurance coverage of abortion care, allowing government funded insurance plans to include abortion care in their covered services.
Colorado has made meaningful progress in protecting abortion access, with voters repeatedly rejecting efforts to restrict reproductive rights. However, future legislative changes could erode these protections, and despite recent advances, government employees and Medicaid recipients still face an unfair and arbitrary barrier to accessing abortion care.
Amendment 79 advances equitable access to reproductive health care for all Coloradans, ensuring that abortion care remains protected and accessible.
Amendment J – Freedom to Marry
This measure would remove an amendment in the state constitution that prohibits marriage for same-sex couples. Should Obergefell v. Hodges – the 2015 Supreme Court case that legalized gay marriage nationally – be overturned in the coming years, this measure will be needed to ensure protection of marriage equality in Colorado.
Amendment J affirms the fundamental right of one’s freedom to marry, ensuring Colorado remains a place where marriage equality is safeguarded, regardless of future legal changes.
Proposition KK – Victim Assistance and Mental Health Funding
This measure would create a new revenue stream for victim assistance and mental health services. Funding would support critical services for victims of violent crimes, including crisis response, emergency shelter, legal advocacy and case management, as well as veteran mental health services, children’s behavioral health crisis response and school security improvements.
Federal funding for victims of crime in Colorado has steadily decreased over the past several years and will likely continue to decline, limiting victims’ access to support and leaving victim service providers working beyond their means. Additionally, Colorado continues to face a mental health crisis, and individuals who have been exposed to trauma – such as veterans and at-risk youth – are especially impacted.
Proposition KK is a crucial step toward addressing the urgent need for mental health services, stabilizing victim support programs, and preventing future violence across the state.
DENVER
Ballot Issue 2Q – Denver Health Funding
The measure would create a new revenue stream for Denver Health, the only health system in the Metro Denver region that treats patients regardless of insurance status or ability to pay.
Denver Health is an integral part of the fabric of our community, providing crucial health care services to one-fourth of Denver’s population and much of the surrounding region. Denver Health not only provides individuals with critical health care, but it also addresses systemic issues such as affordable housing, food insecurity, and workforce development.
2Q helps ensure Denver Health has a sustainable funding source to continue delivering high-quality care to anyone in Metro Denver who needs it.
Ballot Issue 7A – RTD Funding
The measure would enable the Regional Transportation District (RTD) to permanently retain needed revenue, renewing the current Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR) cap exemption that is set to expire at the end of this year without new voter approval.
RTD provides reliable, affordable and safe transportation options for people who live, go to school, and work in our region. RTD is a critical service for students, older adults, people with disabilities, and people with low incomes, and it offers a cleaner and more efficient way of traveling.
7A allows RTD to continue providing reliable transit and bus options for current and future riders, without increasing taxes.
SCHOOL DISTRICTS
School districts across the state are chronically underfunded and rely on local voter approved measures for basic funding needs. Increased funding for school districts is a key contributor to reducing inequities in achievement and resource allocation.
Aurora Public Schools Bond and Capital Mill Levy
The measure would issue a $1 billion bond aimed at improving and enhancing school facilities, infrastructure and technology. The Capital Mill Levy is a proposed $30 million dedicated to funding ongoing capital expenses such as building maintenance and smaller-scale improvements, freeing up more general fund dollars to increase teacher salaries and expand mental health resources and educational programs.
Cherry Creek School District Bond and Mill Levy Override
The measure would issue a $950 million bond and $9 million phased-in mill levy increase. The bond would pay for expansion of the district’s innovation center, and building construction, renovation, and maintenance throughout the district. The mill levy increase would fund safety and security measures, teacher recruitment and development, internship and apprenticeship opportunities, student mental health, and technology.
Denver Public Schools Bond
The measure would issue a $975 million bond for maintenance projects, air conditioning installations, new facilities, and upgrades to learning environments, facilities, and technology.
The Foundation also opposed multiple initiatives that ultimately did not make it onto the ballot that would have targeted and discriminated against transgender children and regressively cut state and local revenue through dramatic property tax cuts. We are appreciative of our grantee partners who worked to ensure these harmful measures did not proceed to the ballot.