Proposition 130 — a measure to create a $350 million fund to recruit, train and retain law enforcement officers — remained too close to call late on election night.
The proposition had received 53% of votes in favor as of 11:25 p.m., but The Associated Press had not yet called the race.
If it passes, Proposition 130 would direct the legislature to set aside $350 million from the state’s general fund that could be spent to hire new officers, or provide training or bonus pay. But without new funding to pay for it, the effort to boost public safety would require cuts to other public services amid a deepening state budget crunch.
The measure also would have established a $1 million death benefit for the families of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty.
The proposal was placed on the ballot through a signature-gathering campaign led by Advance Colorado, a conservative political group that doesn’t disclose its donors. Advance Colorado has become a potent force in Colorado politics, using the ballot measure process to enact conservative policies at the state Capitol even as Republicans make up a dwindling minority in the legislature.
Supporters say the fund is needed to bolster the ranks of local law enforcement and reduce crime. Colorado today employs fewer officers per capita than it did in the 1990s and 2000s. Staffing dropped off further during the pandemic, but has rebounded to 2019 levels, and crime has been falling after the COVID-era surge, according to FBI data.
Its passage, however, would require additional cuts to social services like Medicaid, higher education and K-12, in a year where the state already faces a $1 billion budget deficit.