Summit County Voters Back Amendment 87 to End Flat Tax

Aspen —The air in Summit County on election night carried a specific kind of electricity, the static charge that builds up before a storm breaks or a verdict lands. For many folks here in the High Country, the question hanging over the coffee table wasn’t just about who would win a congressional seat, but whether their next tax return would finally look a little less punishing. Would the flat rate that has defined Colorado’s fiscal identity for decades actually change?

The Amendment 87 campaign says yes. They are claiming victory, reporting that the measure — which would replace Colorado’s flat income tax with a graduated system — was squeaking ahead by approximately 50,000 votes as of 5 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 5. According to unofficial results from the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office, the measure had secured about 51% of the vote, with more than 2.4 million ballots already counted.

Tamara Pogue, a Summit County Commissioner and member of the campaign’s steering committee, told the Vail Daily that she was “incredibly grateful” to voters who took the time to understand the measure. For Pogue, the victory isn’t just a political win; it’s a direct hit on the cost of living. She noted that for many in the High Country, this immediately translates to a reduction in income tax rates. “I think it will come as a relief to many,” she said, pointing to the dual benefit of lower bills and continued support for local programs like education, childcare, and healthcare.

The math behind the claim is specific. Under the new system, those earning between $50,000 and $500,000 would see their tax bills decrease by around $210 to $298 on their next return, according to the official ballot information booklet. It’s a modest number if you’re looking at it in isolation, but when you stack it against the rising cost of groceries and gas on I-70, that extra margin in your pocket starts to feel significant.

The campaign’s confidence isn’t just based on the current margin. The Protect Colorado’s Future Coalition, which includes groups like the Bell Policy Center and the Colorado Fiscal Institute, noted that fewer than 400,000 votes remained to be counted. Crucially, a substantial portion of those remaining ballots were from Denver and Boulder counties, where voters had supported the measure two-to-one so far. Since Amendment 87 only requires a simple majority to remove the flat-tax language from the constitution, rather than adding new text, which would have required 55% - the coalition felt secure in declaring the win early.

This shift marks a departure from a system that has been in place since 1987. Colorado is one of only 15 states with a flat tax rate; the federal government and 27 other states use some form of graduated taxation. The proposed system would generate more than $2 billion for the state government to spend on healthcare, education, and childcare.

It wasn’t a walk in the park for the proponents. The measure faced fierce opposition, particularly from Advance Colorado, a conservative think tank that sponsored nearly half of the ballot measures during the midterms. Their counter-measure, Proposition 136, attempted to keep the flat tax in place, arguing that a graduated system would drive businesses away. But as the votes tallied and the margin held, the narrative shifted from uncertainty to momentum.

If you look closely at the implications for your own household, this isn’t just a policy debate in Denver. It’s about whether the state acknowledges that a single rate doesn’t fit every paycheck. For now, the campaign is celebrating, and the numbers suggest they’re right to do so. The final count will confirm it, but the direction is clear.

The evening air outside cooled as the results solidified, a crisp reminder that while the political temperature rose in conference rooms, the reality for most neighbors is simply about keeping the lights on and the kids in school. The next time you open a tax form, that $210 difference might be the first thing you notice.