While the sun is still shining on Colorado’s quality of life, talented workforce and technology leadership, Colorado is at a critical moment for its future economic growth and opportunity. In the past year, the state fell from No. 11 to No. 25 in CNBC’s ranking of the Top States for Business, while business leaders and site selectors are increasingly pointing to challenges around housing affordability, energy infrastructure and access, regulatory consistency and predictability as threats to Colorado’s competitive position. As the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce works for its vision of Economic Empowerment for Every Coloradan, the Chamber today announced its positions on several measures that could appear on the 2026 general election ballot. These stances are guided by one central priority: what will help Colorado’s people, businesses and employees thrive? These positions reflect the Chamber’s commitment to building an economy where businesses can invest and grow, employees can build a life and communities can prosper, while preserving the qualities that have long made Colorado a national leader.
“The choices Colorado voters make at the ballot box will shape whether people can afford to live here, find good-paying jobs and build a secure future,” said Leslie Oliver, vice president of external affairs for the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce. “Our positions focus on Colorado’s long-term economic strength, fiscal responsibility and public safety so that people, businesses and communities can thrive. We will continue to advocate for policies that expand opportunity and economic empowerment for every Coloradan.”
The Chamber positions are:
- Initiative 85 (S) — Penalties for Fentanyl Crimes
- Chamber position: SUPPORT
- Initiative 175 (C) — State Revenue Supporting Road Transportation
- Chamber position: OPPOSE
- Proposition NN (S) — Keep and Spend Money for Education and Public Purposes
- Chamber position: OPPOSE
- Initiative 177 (C) — Right to Purchase and Sell Natural Gas
- Chamber position: SUPPORT
- Initiative 195 (C/S) — Graduated Income Tax
- Chamber position: OPPOSE
- Initiative 232 (S) — 4.4% Income-Tax Rate Cap
- Chamber position: SUPPORT
- Front Range Passenger Rail — Possible Regional Sales-Tax Referral
- Chamber position: OPPOSE
- Initiative 308 (S) — Sporting-Goods Revenue for Wildfire and Conservation
- Chamber position: SUPPORT
As Colorado works to regain and strengthen its competitive position, the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce will continue to ground its advocacy in data, business expertise and the experiences of the people who live and work here. Insights from site selection experts, including those captured in the Chamber’s Site Selector Feedback Report, provide a clear view of the factors influencing investment and business decisions in Colorado. Alongside this insight and other economic and business data, these findings are guiding the Chamber’s policy priorities, initiatives and positions as it works to advance Economic Empowerment for Every Coloradan.
Read our full stances below.
About the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce
The Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce (DMCC) is the architect of tomorrow, igniting change and driving progress to build dynamic economies and communities. We champion innovation, forge powerful partnerships, and relentlessly advocate for our members and all Coloradans. With more than 150 years of trust and impact, we help business flourish.
The DMCC’s vision is Economic Empowerment for Every Coloradan and is achieved by advocating for effective public policy, developing civic leaders, and driving a sustainable economy. We promote a vibrant economy by fostering a business-friendly environment, supporting a skilled workforce and facilitating connections. Dedicated to boosting business and employee opportunities, the Chamber drives sustainable growth and prosperity across Colorado.
SUPPORT
Initiative 85 (S) — Penalties for Fentanyl Crimes
The DMCC Board voted to support Initiative 85, which would strengthen criminal penalties for fentanyl possession and distribution while maintaining pathways to treatment and recovery.
Public safety remains fundamental to a healthy economy, strong workforce, and vibrant communities. Addressing Colorado's fentanyl crisis is critical to improving community safety and economic vitality. This measure is consistent with the Chamber’s legislative efforts on this issue.
Initiative 177: Right to Purchase and Sell Natural Gas
The DMCC Board voted to support Initiative 177, which would create constitutional rights for consumers to purchase natural gas for cooking and heating, and for utilities and distributors to sell it to homes and businesses.
This measure protects energy choice and planning certainty for homeowners, restaurants, hospitals, manufacturers and buildings that use natural gas. It allows businesses to maintain operational flexibility while ensuring access to reliable and affordable energy sources.
This measure is in direct response to policymakers’ continued efforts via statute and rule to mandate preferred energy sources regardless of their economic or technical feasibility and ban non-preferred choices.
Initiative 232: 4.4% Income Tax Rate Cap
The DMCC Board voted to support Initiative 232, which would establish a statutory cap on Colorado's income tax rate at 4.4%.
This measure will help provide greater tax certainty and affordability for Colorado residents and small businesses while reinforcing the state's economic competitiveness. This measure is in direct response to efforts underway to eliminate Colorado’s flat income tax.
Initiative 308: Sporting-Goods Revenue for Wildfire and Conservation
The DMCC Board voted to support Initiative 308, which will statutorily dedicate approximately $175 million in existing annual sales-tax revenue associated with sporting goods to wildfire mitigation, forest health, conservation efforts, and outdoor recreation infrastructure with no increase in sales tax rates.
The growing economic impacts of catastrophic wildfires on businesses, utilities, tourism, insurance premiums, and water infrastructure are necessary to provide targeted investment in risk reduction and long-term economic resilience.
OPPOSE
Initiative 175: State Revenue Supporting Road Transportation
The DMCC Board voted to oppose Initiative 175, which would constitutionally redirect already-collected revenue from state sales and use taxes on motor vehicles and accessories, plus specified fuel, vehicle and road-use taxes and fees, to go to road and bridge construction, maintenance and improvement; roadway safety; related design, engineering and management; and State Patrol purposes.
The DMCC continues to support increased investment in road infrastructure, safety, maintenance and improvement, and has been critical of the legislature and CDOT’s diversion of funds that should be used for road construction into non-road uses. That said, constitutionally earmarking sales tax revenue for transportation specifically, without a larger review of overall government spending, is inconsistent with the Chamber’s long held preference for statutorily directed spending.
While the DMCC opposes 175, they also oppose the legislature's efforts to thwart the will of the voters on this matter by passing HB26-1430. Voters deserve to reach their own judgment on this matter and the legislature should not supersede their decision.
Proposition NN: Keep and Spend Money for Education and Public Purposes
The Chamber Board voted to oppose Proposition NN which would create approximately $4.6 billion of new revenue capacity for state spending. Proponents claim the funds would primarily support K-12 expenditures, unspecified children's programs, and property-tax reimbursements.
The measure is a massive expansion of the state’s general fund – increasing capacity by nearly 25% in a single measure. Proponents also promise outcomes that the legislature has no authority to actually deliver. Teacher pay and classroom sizes are not statutorily determined, for example, so taxpayers cannot be assured that increased educational funding would actually go to those purposes. The measure does not prevent or limit in any fashion the legislature from increasing fees to fill the new $4.6 billion in TABOR capacity the measure creates. At a time when affordability is a major competitive issue for our state, increasing governments costs by this magnitude is unwise. The measure also lacks any accountability or performance metrics and does not address broader budgetary prioritization issues between healthcare, K-12 and higher education, or transportation.
Initiative 195: Graduated Income Tax
The DMCC Board voted to oppose Initiative 195, which would replace Colorado's flat income tax system with a graduated tax structure. A $2+ billion annual tax increase would essentially double Colorado’s top tax rate and would put us among the top 10 highest income tax states in the nation.
This measure would further erode Colorado’s economic competitiveness. The DMCC Board has repeatedly sounded the alarm about Colorado’s cost-of-living and cost-of-doing-business. This measure would exacerbate those challenges even further by increasing our income tax rates substantially higher than every competitor state, except Oregon and California.
The measure promises tax rate cuts to many Coloradans, but does not index the proposed brackets to inflation, so the promised rate cuts will disappear as inflation moves unsuspecting taxpayers into higher brackets with no additional spending power. Further, the measure taxes more than just wage income at the new rates, so small businesses who frequently report business income on their personal tax returns (pass-through income) will also see substantially higher tax burdens, even if they do not actually receive the income from their business.
Front Range Passenger Rail Regional Tax Measure
The DMCC Board voted to oppose a potential regional sales tax measure intended to fund a portion of the proposed Front Range Passenger Rail.
While supportive of strategic transportation investments and economic development opportunities, this proposal currently lacks sufficient financial and operational certainty to justify a new permanent regional tax burden. The Chamber believes major infrastructure investments should be supported by a clear business case, reliable ridership projections, and long-term funding plans. None of those are present in this proposal. Projections show an annual operating loss of greater than 80%.
This tax is not necessary to complete the Denver to Fort Collins starter service – and does not complete or even begin the line to Pueblo as advertised. The Chamber will watch carefully the adoption, ridership, and financial performance of the starter service from Denver to Fort Collins and base future funding and expansion support on the data and evidence it generates.
