Review and Comment Hearing for Initiative #314

Thursday, April 2, 2026·25m·▶ Watch / Listen

Legislative Council staff and proponents of proposed Initiative #314 met for a structured review and comment hearing on a measure that would reduce Colorado's state income tax rate from 4.4% to 3.7% and create a Tax Breaks Evaluation Committee to make revenue-neutral recommendations to the General Assembly. No vote was taken; proponents committed to revising the initiative to address multiple technical and constitutional questions raised by staff.

Key Actions

·Initiative #314 – Income Tax Rate Reduction and Tax Break Evaluation CommitteeNo Vote

Controversies

Placement of the directive to the General Assembly in the legislative declaration rather than operative statutory language

Elizabeth Ramey questioned whether placing the directive to the General Assembly to conduct an evaluation in the legislative declaration section was appropriate. Proponents agreed to revise and restate that directive in Part 57 of the proposed initiative.

+ 3 more controversies

Notable Quotes

“This is not a revenue cutting measure. This is only a tax rate reduction, not a revenue cutting measure.”
Proponent (speaker identity unclear among Caldera, Herman, Madsen) — A proponent clarified the core purpose of Initiative #314, distinguishing a rate reduction made revenue neutral through elimination of tax breaks from a measure that would reduce overall state revenues.

+ 4 more quotes

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TranscriptPreview

Okay. This is Elizabeth Ramey, Legislative Council staff. For the record, we are here for the review and comment hearing for proposed initiative measure 2025. 2026, number 314 concerning an income tax rate reduction and tax break evaluation committee. And in the room with me are Nicole Myers, Legislative Legal Services, John Caldera, proponent Nash Herman, proponent Shane Madsen, Council for proponents. I do like that. This is proposed measure 20,025. You know, we're planning ahead. Just try to be prepared. Okay, so we have a memorandum to John Caldera from legislative Council staff and Office of Legislative legal services for March 31, 2026, and the subject is the aforementioned. Proposed measure number 314. Section 141051 of Colorado Revised Statutes requires the directors of the Legislative council staff and the office of Legislative Legal Services to review and comment on initiative petitions for proposed laws and amendments to the Colorado Constitution. We hereby submit our comments and questions to you regarding the appended proposed initiative. The purpose of this statutory requirement of the directors of Legislative Council staff and the Office of Legislative Legal Services is to provide comments and questions intended to aid designated representatives and the proponents they…

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