Colorado Proposition 137 proposes dedicated wildfire and conservation funding

Colorado voters will decide on Proposition 137 this November, a measure that would dedicate specific sales tax revenue from sporting goods to wildfire prevention, conservation, water protection, and outdoor recreation programs.

If passed, the initiative would exempt this revenue from the state’s Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR) revenue limits. Supporters, including Attorney General Phil Weiser and various environmental groups, argue the move would provide approximately $175 million annually for critical landscape-scale impacts, such as forest thinning and watershed restoration. Proponents note the funds would only be tapped during budget surplus years.

Critics, including the Common Sense Institute, warn that the exemption could reduce TABOR tax refunds for residents. Projections suggest individual refunds could drop by $26, while joint filers could see reductions of up to $166. A vote against the measure would maintain the current system, where the legislature retains discretion over how sporting goods tax revenue is allocated within the general state budget.