Colorado voters weigh Proposition 137 to fund conservation and recreation

Colorado Waters, Forests, and the $175 Million Question on the November Ballot

Colorado’s forests, rivers, and public lands are facing mounting pressures from climate change, drought, and severe wildfires. Voters are evaluating Proposition 137—a November ballot measure designed to channel roughly $175 million per year of current state sales tax funds toward outdoor recreation and conservation—to address these dangers.

The measure arrives as organizations like The Nature Conservancy mark 60 years of conservation work in the state, having helped preserve approximately 1.6 million acres across Colorado. Behind the push for Proposition 137 is a structural shift in how environmental restoration and wildfire mitigation are funded. Under the proposal, roughly $80 million would flow to Great Outdoors Colorado, while another $80 million would be dedicated directly to wildfire mitigation, forest management, and watershed protection.

Colorado Proposition 137: Direct Sporting Goods Sales Tax Revenue for Conservation

Restoration projects on the ground are already getting creative. As Tracy Stone, associate director of marketing and communications for the Southwest for The Nature Conservancy, described, modern ecological recovery efforts frequently deploy rocks, branches, and even beavers to slow water flows and help damaged ecosystems bounce back.

“Who do we work with is as important as the work that we do,” Carlos Fernandez, the organization’s Colorado state director, said.

Prop 137 diverts Colorado's current sporting goods sales tax money to conservation

Dedicate Sales Tax Revenue to Conservation

Proposition 137 does not increase tax rates, but it comes with distinct fiscal consequences. By permanently dedicating state sales tax revenue to conservation, the measure could reduce TABOR refunds or funding available for other state priorities, creating a direct debate over government spending flexibility.

Opposition to the measure includes the League of Women Voters of Colorado. The League argues that permanently dedicating state revenue to conservation would limit lawmakers’ flexibility to fund other priorities. Additional detractors have pointed out possible consequences for forest management techniques alongside the likelihood of decreased TABOR payouts.

Proposition 137, should sporting goods sales tax revenue go to conservation

Supporters say the measure would provide more predictable funding for wildfire prevention, watershed protection and conservation.

These competing arguments have taken center stage in public discussions, including reporting and analysis from The Colorado Sun. Explanatory reporting on ballot measures has helped highlight just how much is at stake for local communities as voters prepare to decide the measure’s fate.