2019 Ballot Guide

Colorado voters will be asked to vote on two statewide ballot initiatives this fall. We recommend voting NO on both Proposition CC and Proposition DD. You can download and distribute our ballot guide here.

The following ballot recommendations are guided by the mission and strategic priorities of Colorado Christian University. The Centennial Institute at Colorado Christian University is a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) organization that does not endorse or oppose any candidate or political party for public office.

Proposition CC (Retain Revenue for Transportation and Education TABOR Measure)
Oppose
Proposition Language: Without raising taxes and to better fund public schools, higher education, and roads, bridges, and transit, within a balanced budget, may the state keep and spend all the revenue it annually collects after June 30, 2019, but is not currently allowed to keep and spend under Colorado law, with an annual independent audit to show how the retained revenues are spent?
Centennial Institute Response: Proposition CC permanently repeals the Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) tax refund to Colorado citizens. It is an effort to grow the Colorado government and weaken TABOR by eliminating the cap on taxpayer revenue the state can keep. Current law requires the state of Colorado to return any money to Colorado citizens collected above its budget. Colorado politicians would like to keep this money for other projects, outside of the state’s current budget. Colorado’s government does not have a revenue problem, it has a spending problem. In fact, the state of Colorado’s budget grows by $1 billion every year. Rather than adequately budgeting its record income, Colorado politicians want more taxpayer dollars. Every family in Colorado lives within a budget, so should the state of Colorado.
Issues: Limited Government, Personal Freedom

Proposition DD (Legalize Sports Betting with Tax Revenue for Water Projects Measure)
Oppose
Proposition Language: Shall state taxes be increased by twenty-nine million dollars annually to fund state water projects and commitments and to pay for the regulation of sports betting through licensed casinos by authorizing a tax on sports betting of ten percent of net sports betting proceeds, and to impose the tax on persons licensed to conduct sports betting operations?
Centennial Institute Response: Proposition DD is an effort to expand gambling in the state of Colorado. Gambling is sinful, it disproportionately harms the poor, is rooted in the sin of greed, and it leads to the breakdown of the family. Legalized gambling was fiercely opposed by the great Christian statesman William Wilberforce. Reverend Billy Graham had this to say about gambling, “Gambling is nowhere approved in the Bible. Instead, the Bible stresses that the Christian should earn his living by honest work and effort, and this would exclude relying on chance (2 Thessalonians 3:10-12). The Bible tells us to ‘abstain from all appearance of evil’ (1 Thessalonians 5:22). Gambling has often done untold evil to people by making them lose money that could be used for good purposes or even the necessities of life. Money is given to us by God to be used for good, not evil. Anyone seeking to do God’s will should not be involved in gambling.”
Further, legalizing sports gambling damages the foundation of athletic competition and invites corruption. Every pitch, every shot, every swing, every score will be bet upon. Insider information will be traded, and genuine athletic competition for the love of the game will be lost. Proposition DD threatens to destroy sportsmanship, athletic integrity, and honest play. It should be rejected.
Issues: Traditional Family Values, Compassion for the Poor

Download Ballot Guide