Lettered Amendments on 2024 Mesa County ballot

Amendment G – Modify Property Tax Exemption to include Veterans with Disabilities

*Some info taken from the Colorado State Ballot Information Booklet

The lettered measures on the ballot (e.g., Amendment G, Amendment H, etc.) amend the state’s constitution.

Amendment G, a constitutional amendment referred to the ballot by the state legislature, would reduce the property taxes some veteran homeowners pay by expanding the existing homestead exemption to include veterans who have disabilities that make them unemployable.

Since it’s a constitutional amendment, it needs 55% of the vote to pass.

The homestead exemption reduces the amount of property taxes paid by some groups of people, like seniors 65 years and older who have lived in their homes for over 10 years, veterans who have service-connected disabilities rated 100% permanent and total by the federal government and the surviving spouses of Armed Forces members who died from  service-related injuries or disease.

Under Amendment G, veterans who qualify for the Total Disability Individual Unemployability (TDIU) rating as determined by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs would also be eligible to take the homestead exemption on their property taxes, too, regardless of their age. Amendment G would expand the number of veterans eligible for the homestead exemption by about 3,700 people.

It’s estimated this measure would cost the state about $1.8 million in budget year 2025-2026, since the state would have to reimburse local governments for the amount of property taxes they lose due to Amendment G.

Arguments for: Everyone seems to like it. No lawmaker, either Democrat or Republican, in the state legislature voted against putting this proposal on the ballot, and there is no organized opposition to it.

Arguments against: It could make it more difficult for local governments to administer property taxes.

There don’t seem to be any other arguments against it.

Recommended vote: YES  (needs 55% of the vote to pass)

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Amendment H – Judicial Discipline Procedures 

Amendment H is a proposed constitutional amendment that would create an independent board to judge judges on unethical conduct. The new board would be made up of citizens, lawyers, and judges who would conduct judicial misconduct hearings and impose disciplinary actions, and the measure allows more information about the proceedings to be shared earlier with the public.

Currently, an independent judicial commission made up of people appointed by the Colorado Supreme Court and the Governor investigates allegations of misconduct against judges.

Amendment H would create an “Independent Judicial Discipline Adjudicative Board” separate from the Colorado Supreme Court, to preside over judicial discipline hearings and impose sanctions. The new board would be made up of four district court judges, four attorneys, and four citizens appointed by the Colorado Supreme Court and the Governor. The new board’s decisions would be considered final unless there is proof of a legal or factual error upon appeal to the Colorado Supreme Court.

An important change Amendment H would make is that currently complaints that lead to informal punishments for judges are not disclosed to the general public, and no information about a complaint against a judge becomes public until or unless sanctions are recommended, which occurs much later in the review process. Under Amendment H, the proceedings against a judge will become public as soon as formal charges are filed.

Main argument for: Judicial discipline in Colorado has historically been mostly self-regulated, leading to problems with oversight and self-protection. This amendment would enhance transparency, public confidence and trust in the courts.

Main argument against: The current system works just fine. Judges know how and when to discipline judges. This amendment transfers this authority to attorneys and citizens, who can’t fully understand judicial ethics and the unique challenges of being a judge. The existing system of checks and balances on the judiciary, like nominations and retention elections, assure only the best people become and remain judges.

Another important argument against it is that Amendment H is too weak, won’t make badly-needed real change in how judges are disciplined, and that enacting it will discourage the legislature from taking further steps to enact truly meaningful changes.

Who’s for it:

The Colorado Supreme Court Justices themselves support it, according to a 2022 article in the Colorado Springs Gazette.

Amendment H is supported by the Colorado Democratic Party and the Colorado League of Women Voters.

Who’s against it:

It is opposed by the Judicial Integrity Project, which argues that it is too weak and stronger measures are needed, saying “If Amendment H passes, it will be almost impossible to obtain necessary reforms because legislators will allege they did the job with Amendment H.” I emailed Chris Forsyth, Esq., Director of the Judicial Integrity Project and asked him about the Amendment. He answered:

“The adoption of Amendment H will thwart future reform because legislators will claim they did the job with H. It provides a smidge more transparency and that’s it. It’s not worth a vote. But unfortunately, many people may think just like you are thinking — this is the best we can get. And that’s a really sad thought. H will essentially put the nail in the coffin of more responsible reform for quite a while.”

Recommended vote: It’s a toss up. I was for it initially until Christ Forsyth highlighted what a weak measure it is compared to what we really need to enforce judicial integrity. But if we turn down Amendment H, are we letting the perfect be the enemy of the good? Is it worth the trouble of setting up this commission just to get “a smidge” more transparency and ability to hold judges accountable for bad behavior?

I’ll leave it up to you.

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Amendment J:

Amendment J repeals the current definition of marriage in Colorado’s Constitution that says only a union of one man and one woman is a valid or recognized as a marriage in Colorado.

In 2006, Colorado voters approved a state constitutional amendment saying only the union of one man and one woman is a valid or recognized marriage in Colorado. Amendment J repeals this language, which has been declared unconstitutional by state and federal courts anyway.

This measure aims to clean up the state constitution and bring it up to date.

Recommended vote: Yes

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Amendment K:

Amendment K would move deadlines up one week earlier for citizens to submit signatures for initiative and referendum petitions, and require judges who intend to seek another term to file the necessary forms one week earlier than they currently do. Currently judges have to file a declaration saying they intend to seek another term at least three months before the general election. Amendment K moves the deadline for filing that form to one week earlier.  Amendment K would also require the text of ballot measures be published in local newspapers 30 days earlier than they are under current law.

The Colorado County Clerks Association asked the legislature to put Amendment K on the ballot, saying they need more time to build, review, proof, translate and test the hundreds of different ballot types needed for each election. Colorado’s ballots are constantly getting longer and more complicated, and county clerks say they need more time to make sure that the ballots voters get are accurate.

Recommended vote: YES