FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 3, 2026
Contact: [email protected]
DENVER – The Colorado Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors today took positions on upcoming measures on Colorado’s 2026 statewide General Election ballot. The Board voted to oppose Proposition NN and Initiative 195, citing concerns about the state’s long-term competitiveness and business climate, and took a support position on Proposition 136.
“The Colorado Chamber’s top priority is ensuring our state remains a place where businesses want to invest, grow and create jobs,” said Colorado Chamber President and CEO Loren Furman. “Colorado has tremendous strengths, but we are also facing clear competitiveness challenges that require thoughtful, forward-looking policy decisions. As we evaluate proposals at the ballot box, we have to consider not only their immediate impacts, but how they will shape Colorado’s economic climate and competitive positioning for years to come.”
Initiative 195: Oppose
Initiative 195 would replace Colorado’s current 4.4% flat income tax with a graduated income tax structure applying to both individuals and corporations.
According to data from the Tax Foundation, Colorado has fallen from 17th to 33rd in overall tax competitiveness since 2020. More recently, Colorado fell 10 places in corporate tax competitiveness in just one year, dropping from 10th to 20th between the 2025 and 2026 rankings.
Those trends come as Colorado is already seeing warning signs around business investment and corporate relocation. The Colorado Chamber Foundation’s Relocations Tracker identified 98 company relocations or lost opportunities from Colorado to other states. As Colorado works to reverse these trends and attract new investment, significant changes to our tax structure would present a competitive disadvantage.
Proposition 136: Support
Proposition 136 would limit Colorado’s individual and corporate income tax rates to no more than the current rate of 4.4% beginning next year.
The Board took a support position on the measure as it would provide a predictable and competitive tax structure for both businesses and individuals. Certainty in tax policy is a critical component to making our state’s economic climate more attractive for investment and business growth.
Proposition NN: Oppose
Proposition NN would allow the state to retain revenue that otherwise would be refunded under the Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) in an amount tied to state K-12 education funding.
While a strong education system and talent pipeline are important priorities for the business community, the Chamber’s opposition is focused on the structure and long-term precedent created by the measure, gradually giving policymakers greater discretion over revenues initially presented to voters for more specific purposes.
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The Colorado Chamber of Commerce champions free enterprise, a healthy business environment and economic prosperity for all Coloradans. It is the only business association that works to improve the business climate for all sizes of business from a statewide, multi-industry perspective. What the Colorado Chamber accomplishes is good for all businesses, and that’s good for the state’s economy. It was created in 1965 based on the merger with the Colorado Manufacturers’ Association.