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Colorado · November 3, 2026 general election · Statewide ballot measure

Proposition 137: what your vote means

Direct sporting goods sales tax revenue for conservation. On every Colorado ballot. Official sources checked October 22, 2026.

Proposition 137 · Citizen-initiated statute (majority vote)

Direct sporting goods sales tax revenue for conservation

Heads up: voting YES on this measure would reduce TABOR refunds in years when state revenue exceeds the limit, because this money would no longer be refunded.

Official ballot title (quoted exactly)

Shall there be a change to the Colorado Revised Statutes creating new law to increase water and land conservation funding without raising taxes, and, in connection therewith, through a voter-approved revenue change, allowing the state to keep and spend a portion of revenue from the state sales tax on sporting goods and equipment to conserve and protect Colorado’s water, land, and forests, prevent wildfires, support outdoor recreation training and activities, and reduce revenue spent on these conservation purposes if necessary to preserve funding for certain tax credits?

Ballot title as printed in the 2026 State Ballot Information Booklet (Blue Book), Colorado Legislative Council Staff.

A YES vote means:

Existing state sales tax revenue from sporting goods would be directed to conservation, wildfire mitigation, and outdoor recreation programs and exempted from the state revenue limit.

A NO vote means:

That revenue stays in the general state budget under the revenue limit, spent as the legislature decides each year or refunded to taxpayers when required.

What it would change

  • Who is affected: Great Outdoors Colorado, the Colorado State Forest Service, the Department of Natural Resources, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and taxpayers who receive TABOR refunds.
  • Taxes and refunds: no new tax; reduces TABOR refunds in years when revenue exceeds the limit.
  • Fiscal impact (Legislative Council Staff): moves about $175.0 million in 2027-28 and $180.2 million in 2028-29 from the General Fund to these programs.

Official arguments, summarized

Short neutral summaries of the arguments printed in the official voters’ pamphlet. The committees that wrote them are responsible for their content. Read the full text at the link below.

Argument for

Supporters say it directs money to recreation access, land protection, wildfire mitigation, and watersheds without raising tax rates, through a user-based model tied to sporting goods sales.

Argument against

Opponents say it is a tax increase in disguise because it reduces TABOR refunds, sends more money to programs that already have funding, and limits the Legislature’s budget flexibility.

Arguments for and against Proposition 137, 2026 Blue Book, Colorado Legislative Council Staff (PDF, p. 66)

Who supports it and who opposes it

These lists come from official campaign filings (registered committees) and public endorsements, each linked to its source. They are not complete, and SaveYourState does not endorse anyone listed. Lists checked October 30, 2026.

Who supports it

Who opposes it

Official sources

SaveYourState is independent and nonpartisan, not a government site, and does not take positions on ballot measures. This explainer describes effects only, using the official ballot title, explanatory statement, full text, and fiscal impact statement. If anything here differs from those documents, the official documents control.