2008 Colorado Amendment 51

Colorado Amendment 51 was a citizen's initiative proposed by Wendy B. Rosanova of Centennial, CO, and Marijo Rymer, executive director of The Arc of Colorado. It was turned down by 62.4% of the voters. If it had passed, Amendment 51 would have amended the Colorado statutes to:

• increase the state sales tax and use tax from 2.9 percent to 3.0 percent on July 1, 2009, and from 3.0 percent to 3.1 percent on July 1, 2010;
• direct that the new money be used to pay for services for people with developmental disabilities and to help eliminate the waiting list for services;
• prohibit the legislature from reducing the current level of state funding for services for people with developmental disabilities; and
• exempt the new money from state spending limits.