Dive Brief:

• Colorado voters rejected Amendment 66, a ballot measure aimed at raising funds for education via an income tax increase, by a wide margin Tuesday.
• Around 66% of voters shot down the proposal, which would have raised an estimated $1 billion a year and brought sweeping changes to how the state doles out funds to districts.
• Supporters of the measure said it would increase support for poor students, improve art and sports programs, and extend class time for preschool and kindergarten students, while opponents had argued that the tax would benefit some schools at the expense of others, but supporters 

Dive Insight:

Had the measure passed, state income tax would have increased from 4.63% to 5% for people making $75,000 and below, while those making more than that would have paid 5.9%. On a national scale, observers viewed the measure as a test of whether it would be easier to pass tax increases attached to education reform. Prominent backers of the measure included New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and philanthropist Melinda Gates. Conversely, 65% of Colorado voters had no problem passing a 25% marijuana tax.