Ballot Title Setting Board
2003-2004

The title as designated and fixed by the Board is as follows:

State taxes shall be increased by $217.3 million annually by an amendment to the Colorado constitution concerning the imposition of tobacco taxes for health related purposes, and, in connection therewith, imposing additional statewide taxes, effective July 1, 2004, on the sale of cigarettes by wholesalers at the rate of four cents per cigarette and on the sale, use, consumption, handling, or distribution of tobacco products other than cigarettes by distributors at the rate of fifteen percent of the manufacturer's list price; requiring that the revenues collected from the additional tobacco taxes be utilized, in specified percentages, for a new prescription drug assistance program, a new small employer reinsurance program, tobacco education and prevention programs, the children's basic health plan, county and municipal health related programs, and the collection of such additional taxes; providing that such revenues shall be in addition to and not substituted for any appropriations made by the General Assembly for such programs as of January 1, 2003; prohibiting the General Assembly from repealing or reducing any taxes imposed as of January 1, 2003, on the sale of cigarette or tobacco products and any formula distributing cigarette tax revenues as of January 1, 2003, to municipalities and counties; and excluding revenues collected from the additional tobacco taxes from fiscal year spending for purposes of section 20 of article X of the Colorado constitution.

The ballot title and submission clause as designated and fixed by the Board is as follows:

Shall state taxes be increased by $217.3 million annually by an amendment to the Colorado constitution concerning the imposition of tobacco taxes for health related purposes, and, in connection therewith, imposing additional statewide taxes, effective July 1, 2004, on the sale of cigarettes by wholesalers at the rate of four cents per cigarette and on the sale, use, consumption, handling, or distribution of tobacco products other than cigarettes by distributors at the rate of fifteen percent of the manufacturer's list price; requiring that the revenues collected from the additional tobacco taxes be utilized, in specified percentages, for a new prescription drug assistance program, a new small employer reinsurance program, tobacco education and prevention programs, the children's basic health plan, county and municipal health related programs, and the collection of such additional taxes; providing that such revenues shall be in addition to and not substituted for any appropriations made by the General Assembly for such programs as of January 1, 2003; prohibiting the General Assembly from repealing or reducing any taxes imposed as of January 1, 2003, on the sale of cigarette or tobacco products and any formula distributing cigarette tax revenues as of January 1, 2003, to municipalities and counties; and excluding revenues collected from the additional tobacco taxes from?

Hearing February 19, 2003

Single subject approved; staff draft amended; titles set.
Hearing adjourned 4:07p.m.

Hearing March 5, 2003

Motion for Rehearing granted in part to the extent Board amended titles; denied in all other respects.
Hearing adjourned 4:39 p.m.

* Unofficially captioned "Increase Tobacco Taxes" by legislative staff for tracking purposes. Such caption is not part of the titles set by the Board.